I wanted to look at Barack Obama's heritage, if I may.
Obama is half-Kenyan and half-Caucasian. He may self-identify as "African-American," but his heritage really has very little in common with most African-American blacks.
His ancestors were not slaves, but were actually free Africans from the opposite side of the continent. It's similar to comparing someone whose family is from Norway and someone whose family came from Austria. Same continent, but two completely different cultures.
But, the society that we live in seems to believe that if you have any 'black' heritage in your bloodline, then you ARE black - despite the fact that such thinking is outdated.
Chuck
from Escondido, CA
July 01, 2008 at 12:44 AM
I think you're right about TV ads, someone will take the money, but any thoughts about the internet? It'll be bigger this election than ever before, and the costs of a YouTube video or website are miniscule compared to a media buy.
michael valentine
from spring Valley
July 01, 2008 at 12:21 PM
There will always be fringe hate groups and with the internet it is easy to put out an ignorant racist message.
The real question is how much play these base players get on the main stream media and how well Obama's reaction squad is at countering whatever whack, hit job the right wing spew machines put out.
While the MSM certainly wouldn't make up any racist stories but they sure as hell will report an internet racist report time after time.
Candace Suerstedt
July 01, 2008 at 03:57 PM
Stephen,
Nader's embarrassingly stupid comments would be almost funny if they were not so indicative of the basic level of ignorance and racism still dominating this country.
However I think Obama does have a great deal in common, with African Americans. The main one is that he must endure always being identified "black " first; THEN he can be called a man or a candidate or whatever. No one identifies McCain by his race or ethnic heritage.
I think Obama talks like Obama, neither black nor white. And he should be allowed that right, just like any other candidate. He is the product of his background just as we all are. He traveled as a child, an experience which gives one early exposure to different ways of thinking and broadens one's mind. He attended Punahou as a kid in Hawaii. I attended school in Hawaii as well. I don't know how it is there now, but in decades past, nearly everyone who could, (not only rich kids) went to private high school. There were the church schools, usually divided by gender, (unfortunately, I got stuck in one of those), there was Kamehameha where you had to have some Hawaiian blood (now referred to as First Nations or indigenous) to be admitted, and then there was Punahou. If I remember correctly, a lot of teachers at Punahou there were actually surfers from the mainland who figured out that they could teach, and still have time each day to surf some of the best beaches in the world-- not exactly your east coast " prep school" environment but still a great place to get educated.
I too am worried that racism is at the heart of what will dominate the outcome of the election. I think all we can do is repeatedly speak up whenever we see it. We can try to seize every opportunity to identify it when it happens, not sit quietly and resignedly by accepting it as status quo.
.
Matthew C. Scallon
July 01, 2008 at 04:55 PM
Obama faces racist voters who refuse to vote for a Black man, but McCain faces discrimination, too. Not for being White or being a man, but he is discriminated against because of his age.
Obama benefits from appearing young and athletic. Obama can shoot an outside jump shot, something that McCain --thanks to the Hanoi Hilton-- can only imagine doing. Standing next to Obama, McCain looks old, and that kind of discrimination goes on not just in the lunatic fringe but in polite society as well.
Tarsha Alonzo from north park
July 01, 2008 at 09:44 PM
As someone who generally preferrs to keep most of my social and political views to myself, your post brought up enough emotion for me to decide to change some of my ways. I'm someone who strives daily to not allow myself to be defined by anyone else. I'm also someone who, upon viewing, one would most likely consider to be African American. The reality of this country is that any person that has certain characteristics, whether it is darkness of skin, facial features, etc.., will be pigeon-holed into a certain ethnic/racial demographic regardless of family heritage. Does it matter that my mother is Panamanian or that my father is from the Virgin Islands? Growing up, my father always stressed the importance of my brother and I never forgetting how society will view us, regardless of heritage.
It's a shame that so many don't know not to judge a book by it's cover, but the other sadness comes when, even when people know the content of the book, they still formulate a conclussion based on prejudices. I think the scene where Don Cheadle's character in Hotel Rwanda in which he realizes that no matter how educated he'd become or how much he'd hoped that he'd be seen as a "colorless person", an equal, if you will, that it was all for nothing.
In November, I will be voting for Obama, not because of his race but because I support many of his views. I also just have to comment on the previous comment by Matthew. I don't see McCain's age as being as difficult for some to swallow as much as Obama's perceived race (I've noticed you seem to like being the one to poke the bear so maybe this is just another of those moments). Racism isn't something that just occurs in the lunatic fringes, either. It's like other forms of prejudices that surround us every day in most of the places we go, it's just a matter of what we're willing to see.
Alma Sove from San Diego
July 01, 2008 at 11:00 PM
I wholeheartedly agree w/Candace's comments, especially the part about seizing every opportunity to speak up. Unfortunately, Nader made unambiguous comments begging for a response, especially because he's a public figure. The subversive (and possibly more damaging) comments will fly below the radar, as Chuck and Michael V. have pointed out.
Matthew C. Scallon
July 02, 2008 at 12:00 AM
@Tarsha Alonzo, I never heard the expression "poke the bear," but I'll start using it.
I don't doubt that McCain's age is less of a stubbling block than Obama's race. If you've read some of my comments, then you already know the racial background of my own family.
I wasn't making a comparison of difficulty. My only point was that, while racial discrimination against Obama isn't something advocated in private company, age discrimination against McCain is. I refered to the lunatic fringe not as an exclusionary term; there are those who secretly harbor racial prejudice against Obama but outwardly say nothing. It was more as a counterpoint to viewpoints expressed openly in public. Few people will admit out loud to voting against Obama because of his race, but many people will admit out loud to voting against McCain because of his age.
I wish the campaign was about policies and capabilities, but, unfortunately, as I've learn from the Kenyan presidential elections, most people vote for their tribe, however they define it.
michael valentine
from spring Valley
July 09, 2008 at 10:40 PM
One's age has a direct relationship to one's capabilities. At too early an age we need help with everything.
As we grow we become more capable and at a certain point in our lives we obtain the highest point our of capabilities, our minds and bodies are at their sharpest point. After which we decline.
Race? I don't think so. I've have too many friends of different races to buy into any idea that one race is inherently better then another.
Racism is the lowest form of division in our country. In my opinion it is a tool of the rich that keeps poor people at each other's necks. A refuge of the ignorant.
One race of people is no more or less then any other race of people. The key word in the term race-of-people? People.
Daniel J. Smiechowski from San Diego
July 29, 2008 at 04:32 PM
Re: In fear of a Democratic government, William Kristol, (July 29) San Diego Union-Tribune Republican Columnist Bill Kristol intimates a disparaging tone in assessing the Obama mantra of hope in this years presidential election. Mr. Kristol either has an awfully good cherry tree or is suffering a fading memory in diminishing Senator Obama's campaign slogan, "Got Hope". The last president to win a landslide election using precisely the same tactic was none other than The Great Communicator Ronald Reagan, perhaps the most beloved republican president of the modern era. His "A new morning in America" slogan swept him into the nation's highest office over a hapless but most noble and decent President Jimmy Carter. So as the French saying goes, "The more things change, the more things stay the same" Daniel J. Smiechowski
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Joe Spurr from San Diego
September 17, 2008 at 08:32 PM
Testing comment avatars. Ignore this comment.
