Interesting on NPR yesterday: Does Race Matter In '08? The View From York, Pa.

[BridgeTheGap]

(This is worth a listen/read)
This is the second report in a series of conversations NPR is having with voters in York, Pa., about race and its role in the 2008 presidential election. Steve Inskeep and Michele Norris plan to meet with a group of 13 voters — a mix of whites, blacks and Latinos — from this swing state several times this fall to dig a little bit deeper than election polls.
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Most voters say they won't decide between Barack Obama and John McCain on the basis of race. But, in a question that is more subtle than the standard questions in a poll, can a decision be based on the racial experience of the voter?

Of the 13 voters interviewed by Morning Edition and All Things Considered, many said this election had them thinking about race in new ways.

"I don't know if I can see another old white man as president," says Cal Weary. He's a black high school drama teacher who voted for President Bush in the past two elections. He knows that his declaration might sound harsh.

"And that sounds very racist for me to say it that way, but it is about appearances, and it is about this country, everywhere else being looked as being the biggest lie," Weary says. "You tell everyone in the world that we have the greatest opportunities here, you tell them anyone can start from shining shoes and be in charge of a Fortune 500 company, but then you say to the rest of the world, you say, 'You can have everything, but you can't live in the big White House.'"

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94523754

[hlthe2b]

1. Hmm.. That interview was so full of racist white panelists....

who totally ignored the heart-felt discussions from African American members, and the woman who demanded that Obama was a Muslim and not to be trusted (even after the host repeatedly told her that was not the case and that Obama clearly denied ever being Muslim)....


Interesting... yes, I suppose. It left me so distraught, I just sat in the car until my neighbor came over to ask what was wrong. There was a brief discussion on DU yesterday by others left similarly dismayed. I'm amazed the piece did not appear to effect the OP in any similar way... :shrug:


Interesting.. yes, I guess...

[BridgeTheGap]

3. Frankly, It bummed me out too. You'd think the last 8 years would have

been enough for most people. I hope that record turnouts for African Americans and Youth will be enough to swing the election to Obama.

[Oak2004]

4. I have found when dealing with some white voters I need to concede the racism,

and make the argument on pragmatic grounds.

I say Obama wasn't my first choice, either. He wasn't even my second choice (of course my reasons had to do with policy differences rather than skin color, but I let them know I too have some issues with the candidate). But the primaries are over, I say, and for better or worse, these are the two choices we have to pick between.

I point out that they're being asked to hire someone to work for them, not picking a neighbor or deciding to marry him. If they were, say, having their house rewired or their transmission replaced, they'd hire the best guy available at the time to do the job for them. They certainly wouldn't hire an old man with outdated and sometimes wacky notions about the work, who in any case will probably leave the job to his completely untrained new apprentice, just because he was the only white guy available at the time. They'd rather hire the black guy who is at least up on current standards and who has a decent enough reputation.

How much more important is it, I ask, that they hire the best guy available to fix the country? It's their patriotic duty to do so -- they owe that much to their country, to not take a chance on wrecking it. They have to suck it up and vote for the most capable hire for our government, whether he's black, white, or purple. And given the limited choices in front of us, the best hire for our country right now is the black guy.

I know this kind of an argument causes some progressives ears to bleed. I'd be happy to never again have to make such an argument. But I got my political start on the white ethnic blue collar southwest side of Chicago, as an activist, during some of the worst racial tension of the late 60s/early 70s, as someone from that demographic, and there's nothing quite like the real world to teach a person that they have to talk to people from where they're at, not from where you wish they were at. Taking these people from fearfulness and resentment to an eager embrace of multiculturalism is not going to happen in one giant happy leap. It may not ever happen for some of those alive today. But people who will never want a black president can be convinced to vote for one, if they see it as in the best interest of the country.

And funny, but I'll bet that some of those who start by reluctantly voting for an African American for president even though they don't want to, will finish by wishing they could elect another president just like him.

[OHdem10]

2. I am being sincere here so please do not scream at me.

Exactly what does accusing people of being racists buy for our candidate??

Let us say everyone person on TV said America is Racist. Let us pretend
every newspaper ran with a headline RACISM in race. I beg you --try
to understand this would not change one vote. It might and probably
would take votes away from Obama.

I think most people know and the Obama campaign knew there will
be some racism.. The Bradley Effect.

May I respectfully say accusing people of racism hurts more than
it helps.

[hlthe2b]

5. We are discussing here, not promoting an accusation

Listen to the interview. Perhaps you'll understand a bit better what we are discussing. But, realistically, who here is suggesting we go out and publicly accuse people of racism. We are discussing racist attitudes on an archived radio interview and on a discussion forum...:shrug: