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• The Truth About Race

  • From: GAHarden
  • Description:

    Im going to say some things here that I think alot of people would like to say and are afraid to. Im going to say alot of things here that many people will probably get bent out of shape over. Im going to say some things here that might possibly ban this letter from appearing on "Get My Vote." Im going to tell the truth from a white mans point of view. At least, one white mans point of view; about race. Ive been thinking about writing this since I heard the advert on NPR. I hope I come across the way I want to, but ive no doubt some people will take what I say the wrong way. Such is life. Anyhow, enough small talk, on to the post...

    A little background first....

    Im 35. Im a graphic designer. I have a 10 year old son. My wife and I are seperated but we have become closer friends than ever. I grew up in the suburbs mostly, although throughout college I lived in the inner city of Pittsburgh. My son currently lives in the city with his mother. I speak from some experience here. And im only telling things from personal experience. So lets begin, shall we?

    My wife takes my son to a local park near her house, so he can learn how to ride his bike. Theyre enjoying an early spring day, several other kids are out and about. Suddenly a bottle smashes at her feet. She turns and is confronted by a group of black kids, between 8-12 years old. An older black girl stands there grinning. My wife, somewhat irked, asks who threw the bottle. They all deny it, laughing and giggling to themselves. Then take offense, saying that the only reason shes accusing them of throwing the bottle is because theyre black. Not because theyre all standing there laughing. Not because theyre the only ones there...but because they are black. It ends with the kids telling my wife to perform obscene sexual acts on them. 12 year old kids saying this to a 36 year old woman and her 10 year old son.

    Another situation at a nearby park ends with my son being punched in the face by an older black kid. My wife and I have our dogs with us, we run to where my son is laying on the ground holding his face. This is a public park. In the city. It was beautful once, but its now covered in graffitti and trash litters the ground. Still, there arent alot of places to take a 10 year old to play so we go. As soon as we get to my kid, the crowd of black kids start telling us to get the *F----* out of THEIR park. We dont belong there. If it wasnt for the fact that Im a big man and I had my dogs, I have no doubt there would have been more violence. We left to the black kids singing "(We) is takin ovah....(We) is takin ovah...." and jeers and catcalls.

    Why are there several colleges that are blacks only, but a college that billed itself as whites only would be considered racist? Why is it that a black man can be proud of being a black man, but if im proud of being white im a racist? Why are black people called African Americans? Why arent white people European Americans then? Why can a black person wear a tshirt that says "The blacker the college the sweeter the knowledge" but If i wore a shirt saying "The whiter the college the sweeter the knowledge" I would at BEST be asked to remove the shirt, and be labeled a racist? Why is it that whenever a black kid gets beat up by a white kid the race card is pulled, but when black kids jump a white kid, its considered justice? Why do I feel like im paying for something that I never had anything to do with? Why do i feel guitly of being white? Why is the inner city a dangerous place to be when the sun goes down? (and dont tell me police presence is greater in the suburbs).

    I dont have any answers to these questions. I dont even have any guesses. Ive tried to teach my kid that all people are created equal. Ive tried to teach my kid that race doesnt matter. What do i tell him when he asks me why black people are so mean to him then? That theyre angry over something that happened to them a hundred years ago? Something that they dont even fully understand? THats not a reason, its a lame excuse. How do I teach my kid to treat everyone equally when hes treated like a pariah in his own school and neighborhood? Because hes white? How do i keep myself from being racist, when I see these things happening in my own backyard? This is a difficult time in America, for everyone. Black people no longer have a leg to stand on as far as equality...the next president of the United States will most likely be a black man. The equality thing just doesnt hold water anymore. "Whitey" isnt holding anyone down. Is this just something that I have to deal with? Do i have to teach my son to stay away from other races because hes going to be treated like a criminal by them?

    These are only a few examples. I could write a bloody book on this. But im sure ive said enough already, and Im interested to see what kind of replies this post gets, if any. In a perfect world, we would all love one another and treat each other as brothers. But its not a perfect world...and races are polarizing themselves even more. I dont think Obama being elected will do anything but push the racial divide even further apart. There is no desire to get along, to understand one another. Not with the generation that seems to be coming up. There seems to be only anger, and hatred, and division, for no other reason than...I dont even know what to write there. The media? Music? Parents? The Gov't? Ourselves? Im at a loss...ill just end this here. Thanks for your time if you read this through. Luck.

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  • 1 year ago
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• Lost my vote

  • From: Cathy Letts
  • Description:

    I am an Independent when it comes to voting though I occasionally switch my registration to vote in the primary elections. Over the years, I've selected candidates from both major parties and a few outside as well. In 2000, I voted for John McCain in the primaries and was prepared to back him all the way to the White House. He impressed me with his independence and truly appeared to hold the good of the country foremost in his policy decisions. Over the past two years, I've watched him bow lower and lower to the wishes and influence of the fundamentalist, and very conservative, right. The same demographic which smeared him in the 2000 electoral contest. His selection of Sarah Palin was the final straw. I am now an ACTIVE campaigner for Obama.

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  • 1 year ago
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• A Politician Who Thinks Like M

  • From: Pat C
  • Description:

    This election cycle has afforded our nation an opportunity to check our progress on a number of things, but for me and my kids, it's more about how far we have yet to go. The subject of race is a good example.

    I raised my two kids without any mention of race until they heard it somewhere else first. I didn't do this on purpose, more because I didn't know what to say. My background with the subject was so convoluted. I was born in the late 60's, a ward of the state in a city experiencing some of the worst of the civil rights unrest. My biological father was "black" and my biological mother was "white." My foster and later adoptive family was "white," and I was raised in mostly white communities. I had a run-in with affirmative action in the 80's that left me declaring my race as human ever since. The writings of Dr. King also influenced and continued to strengthen the conviction of this decision.

    I have experienced racism from whites and from blacks and understand from where it comes, but more importantly I have experienced the best of humanity with people of many races and lifestyles, shapes and sizes. So I was at a loss for preschool words on the subject. The end result was my kids (who have "white" fathers--in darker days one would say they can "pass") thought it was perfectly normal to have come from the belly of a mother with much darker skin who had a mother with much lighter skin named Grammy, but she didn't grow in Grammy's belly. It was normal to share features with a mother and a father who looked so different from each other. There was something incredibly natural about the normalcy of it all in their young eyes.

    For both the rude awakening came around the age of 5. For the eldest it was someone referring to me as "black;" for the youngest it was a discussion about the black history in kindergarten to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Both came home in shellshock, and the processing on the subject of race with each has been ongoing ever since. My main theme in our discussions has pretty much been that it is important to honor the history of race relations, however, that history and other people's neverending issues with it should never define who they are. It is possible to honor history without being a victim to it.

    It turns out that, at the time, both had thought of skin color as no different than eye color or hair color. There's a span of years between them, so I was surprised how parallel the reactions and conclusions. My youngest has a "white" friend who was raised the same way, and his mother said he had drawn the same conclusion and had had the same reaction to his rude awakening. If you follow out their preschool train of thought, I and any other people of mixed lineage are no more black than white. To say so is to say that a brown-eyed white white child is somehow more the child of his brown-eyed father than his hazel-eyed mother. Try explaining otherwise to a five year old with no other previous frame of reference on the matter.

    As for my vote, it's still looking for someone to acknowledge that our nation needs to move in leaps and bounds to catch up to my kids' progressive thinking on race and other problems, like economic justice, health care, criminal justice, war as a solution, etc. And I'd also like to vote for someone who can define what those leaps and bounds should look like, at least roughly. The following poem was written about the conversation immediately following my eldest's rude awakening. It's twelve years old, but it still works for me today; I'd like to vote for someone who will lead in such a way that the sentiment behind this poem will be old news twelve years from now.

    The Color of Love

    Sometimes when we talk

    And I listen

    I know why my son is here

    Like the time he said

    Out of the blue

    Mom, you're like brownish

    He left the 'like brownish'

    Hanging like a giant comma

    Waiting for my open quotation marks.

    The exact tone and hesitation of the comma

    Suggested he had a specific dialogue in mind

    But I would not be privy to a script.

    So I took a deep breath and said

    Yes, I am most definitely brownish.

    Are you thinking of the word 'black'?

    Yes, because people say you're black,

    But you're not. You're like brownish,

    Again with the giant comma-- I fumble momentarily,

    It's funny the word 'black' like that,

    Inserting a giant comma of my own

    Yes, because people are like maybe

    Whitish or even vanilla-ish and brownish, but never ...

    Blackish, I finish,

    I guess that's one time when 'black'

    Is just a word, not a color;

    Is it hard having a Momma that's a different color?

    Not really.

    Does it ever bother you?

    No, because of how much you love me.

    Flat. Like that. Period.

    Me, I'm silently gushing exclamation points

    All over the place.

    So, I guess love doesn't have a color?

    No, definitely not.

    I love you sweetheart.

    I love you too momma.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 3084

• To the Uninformed Guest from P

  • From: R Denise
  • Description:

    I just finished listening to the guest from Denver who trotted out the tired, imprecise line about black Americans being more racist against each other than whites are racist against blacks. The second guest, a historian from Mississippi, gracefully informed the first guest that she was woefully uninformed about the historical and social contexts of colorism in the US; unfortunately, she was impervious to his sage contribution. I am grateful that the second guest was more informed about these contexts, but frustrated that the first guest didn't seem to catch his drift.

    Her examples of black "racism": preference for black people who more closely approximate whiteness/denigration of those who don't; her friends presuming that she'll vote for Sen. Obama merely because they both are African descended. Ms. Denver Panamanian: these are not examples of racism. Prejudice, maybe, presumptuous conclusions, probably, but certainly not racism. First, we live in a country that values -- and rewards -- physical beauty; this same country defines physical beauty as white (or white-ish). Those who recognize and/or subscribe to this value/reward model and definition of beauty may just want what the US defines as "the best," so calling this "racism" is inadequate. This is just one example of the complexity that defines colorism in the US.

    Secondly, the guest from Denver seems not to understand that "white" is a race. ALL presidential elections have been about race. As well as about class and gender. Thus, voters have always been voting for raced candidates -- because of his race as well as because of other "issues" (I'll have to write another blog/rant about the random reason why people vote ...). Why she seems to feel that this one is about race when the others weren't is beyond me. Since this is and has been the case, that her friends presume that she'll continue in this trend is not surprising. The same assumptions have also been made about me -- by my white friends and colleagues. Again, not racist, or not in the way she seems to think. Many in this country do not recognize/acknowledge/understand that black Americans are diverse in terms of ethnicity, class, gender, ideology, etc. Those who homogenize this diverse group are ignorant, maybe even prejudiced, but I would argue that this flattening of black American experiences -- and the assumptions that arise from it -- aren't racist.

    The final straw for me, the reason that motivated this textual contribution, is the first guests statement that Sen. Obama was the first to bring race into this current election. Please, please, please -- I beg you -- do your homework or, if this is too much to ask, THINK! First: as I say above, race has always been a part of the election. Second: anti-black prejudice and US racism is encoded in EVERY invocation of Sen. Obama's "weird" name, his rhetorical flare, his connection to Rev. Wright, his "fist bump" with Mrs. Obama, the cover of the "New Yorker," the ignorance about his religious affiliation. White "normalcy" is also encoded in every failure to acknowledge Sen. McCain's whiteness, white beliefs, etc.

    I was born in Panama, of parents who were born in Panama, of grandparents who were born in St. Lucia and Jamaica. I've educated myself about race in Panama, the Caribbean, and the US. Where the guest from Denver suggests that racism and colorism are the same all over the world, I know that they certainly are not. Knowledge of the nuances and histories and cultures that define the experiences of black-skinned people in different parts of the world is vital before one shares the kinds of opinions I heard this morning. The ignorance that has dogged Sen. Obama's campaign from the beginning should be a sign of how important it is to opine truthfully -- that is, share the truth in its rich, complicated, and contextualized detail.

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  • 1 year ago
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• Electric Over Gas-powered Cars

  • From: michaelmoore
  • Description:

    Until I decided I wanted to buy an electric car, my idea of politics was to vote for whatever meant less taxes for me. I became interested in EVs after reading online about the upcoming Tesla Roadster, a $100k electric sports car. I then watched Who Killed the Electric Car? and was reminded of the EVs that graced California's roads during the heyday of the ZEV mandate.

    A little bit of research made it painfully clear that switching America's commuter fleet to electric cars is the single most effective and practical step we could take to free ourselves from the menace of oil. So I decided to buy an EV and couple it with a rooftop photovoltaic system, which I figured I'd pay for with the money I'd save on gas. It's amazing what a perfect solution this is, both environmentally and economically, but for one small problem: It's impossible to buy an electric car.

    How could it be that 1000s of EVs, highly reliable and highly demanded, were on the road 10 years ago; but today, even in the face of $4/gallon gas and the ominous future of global warming and bloody oil wars, not one is for sale? This called for more research, still ongoing, and the results so far speak volumes about what's wrong with our country. One highlight: Chevron, yes Chevron , owns and is effectively squatting on the patent rights for the Nickel Metal Hydride battery, a battery which has been proven to power cars like the Toyota RAV4-EV over 100 miles per charge even after 100k miles of driving. As soon as Chevron acquired these rights from GM they sued Toyota and Panasonic to cease production of these batteries and effectively killed the electric car.

    More citizens need to learn about the story of the EV and get angry about it. The plight of this technology and the lack of awareness among the general public is emblematic of the ills of our nation as a whole. If we don't take back control of our government and make it serve the needs of the people we're in for an ominous future indeed.

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  • 1 year ago
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• A First Political Opinion: Hea

  • From: Liz Garmendia
  • Description:

    A few years ago I unexpectedly developed a political opinion in favor of national health care. I was halfway through my enlistment in the United States Air Force and having free health care in the military felt natural, like easy access to quality health care is a right everyone should have.

    My opinion was a surprise to me because it was very different from my parent’s and that of the community I grew up in. I was brought up in a mostly upper middle-class suburban community, so I was a Republican by cultural osmosis. My family was in the lower economic quadrant of our community and we never had health care, but my parents were opposed to, and suspicious of any legislation that gave the federal government more power.

    When Bill Clinton was president there was no end to my father’s first slamming tirades condemning national health care. I was in my late teens at the time and had no political opinions of my own. I was too busy with my new access to credit and a manic freedom from high school to spend any thought on the issues.

    So, when I did finally form a political opinion based on my own experiences as an Airman, mom, wife, woman and a long overdue college education, I was surprised that it was in strong opposition to my upbringing. It turns out I am a Democrat, and I cast my first vote ever in Oklahoma’s presidential primary in Feb.’08.

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  • 1 year ago
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• An Asian American on the presi

  • From: donwjoe
  • Description:

    As an Asian American I vote for candidates who fight discrimination and who favor immigration reform.

    Therefore I support John McCain.

    One would think that as an Asian American, I would support Barack Obama. After all, Obama’s step-father was Indonesian, his half-sister is Asian American, and he grew up in Indonesia , Hawaii and Los Angeles , where many Asians or Asian Americans live. Electing an African American could pave the way for Asian Americans to win higher elective office, such as governor of California . And being a Columbia University alumnus, I really would like a fellow Columbian to become president. Unfortunately, Obama’s policies are bad for Asian Americans and America .

    McCain would help Asian Americans. Liberals control universities and use affirmative action to discriminate against Asian American applicants. McCain opposes racial quotas, a stand which would help Asian American applicants, while Obama would continue affirmative action. On immigration, Democrats have a good record, but McCain had the courage to push for immigration reform.

    But most important, the Republicans’ policies are better for America and poor people, while the Democrats, contrary to Obama’s slogans, defend the status quo.

    McCain would increase the supply of energy. Environmentalists oppose burning coal, nuclear reactors, drilling for oil, construction of refineries, etc. Environmentalists want poor people in northern states this winter to freeze on dark buses.

    McCain supports school vouchers, which the majority of African Americans want. Meanwhile, the Clintons , Gores, Kerrys and Obamas send their children to private schools which poor people can’t afford. The teachers unions’ attitude is: “The Olympics are on TV but we don’t believe in competition. We will fight to keep our government monopoly and force you to pay higher taxes for a shoddy product. We also don’t want extensive testing to reveal your children can’t read, write, add or subtract.”

    McCain is opposed to racial quotas. Rather than using race based affirmative action, universities should give preference to students who come from poor families.

    McCain wants healthcare reform. Every policy wonk inside the Beltway knows healthcare costs are increasing at an unsustainable rate. By 2030 Medicare will consume 50% of the federal budget. Evidently Democrats want to eliminate the Pentagon, the FBI and national parks to pay for Medicare. McCain’s policies would help to reduce healthcare costs and make healthcare plans more portable. The Democrats’ healthcare plans want to expand and build on a bridge which is about to collapse.

    Why do I support McCain? Because his policies are good for Asian Americans and best for America .

    Don W. Joe
    Asian American Politics
    www.asianam.org

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  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 1680

• Oil prices (keep 'em high!)

  • From: Jon Gorey
  • Description:

    I am unabashedly liberal. People complain about paying taxes? Frankly I don't even think I pay enough. A little wage garnering in exchange for health care, education, and safer streets seems like a fair deal to me.
    

    So something has irked me for awhile: there's no candidate out there (that I know of anyway) who will stand up and say:

    "You know what? Gas prices are high... and I'm gonna let 'em stay that way. Because you all need to stop driving so damn much so we can ween ourselves off oil, Middle Eastern or otherwise."

    Honestly no candidate could get away with that stance, especially not on the democratic side, where both Obama and Clinton are trying to assuage the fears of low-income voters in a faltering economy. Can you blame them?

    The thing is... the environment is a key issue for the left. And just about everyone agrees that if we were less dependent on foreign oil, we'd be in a lot better shape economically and in terms of international security and relations. But the key reason we ARE so dependent in the first place is that oil was so cheap for so long, and for decades we allowed our lifestyles and infrastructure to develop with cheap gas as a given.

    Would people be driving 50 miles to work each day from exurban mcmansion developments if gasoline prices in the US had mirrored those of Europe's for the last 20 years? Some would, but certainly not as many.

    Everyone likes the idea of changing their lifestyles for the better -- whether it's saving the environment or quitting smoking, it all sounds great on paper or on New Year's Eve -- but the one thing people truly respond to is economics. Many people finally quit smoking when it simply becomes too much of a financial burden to buy a pack every day. And the only thing that's really going to get a lot of people in this country to change their behavior, to use less gasoline, to make better decisions in terms of the cars they buy and the places they live, is to keep gas prices high and force them to break the habit.

    One other (probably more politically viable) idea would be to foster telecommuting as technology advances. It's not exactly a solution, but it would still help somewhat, without requiring a radical overhaul of infrastructure. Though I do worry it would lead to more vacant cities and the general detachment that sprawl generates, when tight-knit urban centers of commerce and community are in fact better for society.

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  • 1 year ago
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• Raised Racist

  • From: rjrockwell
  • Description:

    Here’s how I first became aware of race: I was four. My father and I were at the checkout stand in a liquor store. A dark-skinned old man in denim overalls took a place in line at the counter next to me. I had never seen anyone that color before. The old man smiled at me, and I smiled back. I turned to my father and asked, “Who’s that?” He hissed: “Shhhh, I’ll tell you later!”

    Later, he patiently explained that although the old man looked like a person, he wasn’t, really. He was something called a n-----. N------s weren’t people, he explained, they were animals who walked on their hind legs and wore clothes to look like us. But they weren’t like us at all, and I must never have anything to do with one. I was puzzled because I had felt the old man as a person; I had felt his kindness. My father, whom I had adored up to that minute, was wrong.

    Soon, my somewhat less adored father also had occasion to explain about Jews, who were responsible for an astonishing array of evils, starting with murdering Jesus. I could read by then and pointed out that the Bible said the Romans did it. But my father insisted that I learn to “spot” Jews because they were so dangerous. He ran his finger down the pages of the phone book: “Any name that ends in –berg, or –owitz, or –stein. Any name that’s a color, like Green or Brown or Black, especially Gold and Silver. Any last name that’s a first name, like Simon or Arthur or . . . .” He went on and on.

    By the time I was 11, I realized he was nuts. When I resisted his “instruction,” he hit me and shouted a lot. That was its own mess. Worse than that, though, he had programmed me to notice my fellow creatures in these demeaning ways. I couldn’t look at a list of names or a group of faces without noticing . I had this reflex, like a tic, and every time it went off, I felt sick with shame at what was going through my mind. Even though I didn’t believe any of it, I was mortified .

    It took a long time, and it was hard, but eventually I rooted out the garbage in my head. I knew I'd done it a few years back, when I looked at a list of names and didn’t notice . One day, I realized I didn’t know whether there were any Jews or African-Americans in my class. (I was a teacher.) Right there in the elevator, I burst into tears because I was free. I still am. At last, my father is completely dead. And Barack Obama will be my president.

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  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 1440

• A Fond Farewell to GOP Base

  • From: Arthur Gurmankin
  • Description:

    A number of GOP voters will consider moving to Canada because of "Barack Obama's election win and America's overwhelming vote for 'change'." They say they are "fed up with the direction of U.S. politics," so presumably their planned move.

    I wanted to wish them a "bon voyage," but when I read that there were "150,000 hits on Canada's immigration Web site after President Bush was re-elected in 2004," I began to wonder why anyone would want otherwise, to leave our great country. While I can totally comprehend a Bush-re-election-precipitated-exodus, what is it about the "direction of U.S. politics" as it applies to the Barack Obama victory that makes some Republicans want to leave? Obama hasn't even been inaugurated yet!

    So, I speculate:

    * They're planning to become Canadians because they'll miss the prosperity and candor of the Bush years, the erudite and sure hands of Bush, Rove, Rumsfeld, Gonazles, Delay, Libby, Cheny, Wolfowitz, Abramhoff, Ashcroft, the Republican Wall Street Crowd, lies about WMDs in Iraq, a phony war resulting in 4000-plus dead American military and thousands more wounded and/or disfigured for life, Katrina, stolen elections, a trillion-dollar budget deficit, no-bid contracts to Republican-loyalist war profiteers, the shredding of the Constitution, spying on American citizens, torture, the world-wide loss of respect for our country -- is that it?

    * They just can't come to grips with the loss of that shining moment on the American horizon when the proverbial "heartbeat away" makes Sarah Palin, Commander-in Chief. Is that it?

    * Or, maybe their reason is more profound, more what the principle of Occam's Razor leads me to believe. William of Occam's idea that "All things being equal, the simplest solution tends to be the best one," would lead me to believe that they are perhaps part of the so-called "base" of the Republican party; The Base, as in "the lowest part or edge of something." Indeed!

    A significant part of support for John McCain (a good man who lost an election because he lost his way) came from The Base -- a refuge for bigots, hypocrites, ideologues and the dirtiest of dirty political players. The Base that flatters itself with complimentary attributions like "family-values-Christian-right-compassionate-conservatives". The Base that on election day was applauding robo-calls to Cuban American voters in Florida telling them that "Fidel Castro had endorsed Barack Obama" and calls to potential minority voters telling them they'd "be arrested-on-the-spot at their polling place if they had outstanding parking tickets". The Base that spread the lie that Obama is a Muslim as if that, in-an-of-itself was a bad thing while simultaneously running video of Obama's Christian minister, playing the "guilt-by-association" game. The Base that exalted to temporary stardom, a redneck, country music star wannabe, book-deal-seeking, fifteen-minutes-of-fame-tax-evader and Republican-shill-welfare-recipient-hypocrite, Joe the Unlicensed Plumber. On behalf of The Base, Joe was telling the press that "if Obama was elected, Israel would be annihilated" -- as if the Republican poster-boy knew anything about anything.

    So, Republicans-contemplating-a-move-in-protest, while I admit that I cannot know for sure, if you are in fact, planning to leave America because the election of Barack Obama doesn't take us in the "direction of U.S. politics" that has historically discriminated against minorities, women, Jews, Italians, Irish, Asians, pre-JFK Catholics and others -- you can't leave soon enough for me. If in fact, that is your reason, when you get to Canada, you might consider trying to save your soul a bit by encouraging the people who left in 2004, to "come back home." If you go for this reason and never return, it will not bother me a lick if you fail, in your ex-patriated state, to...touch base.

     

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  • 1 year ago
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• Racial Politics from Abroad

  • From: Jacy Gaige
  • Description:

    When I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin a little girl interrupted a story I was telling about my own school days to exclaim incredulously "White people go to school?!"
    
    I tried to explain that each and every person is born as a blank slate, and she looked at me with the kind of incomprehension I imagine greeted the first advocates of civil rights broaching the topic of racial equality with average Americans. She thought white people were born knowing things, and then traveled abroad to enlighten others.
    
    I realized that I'd forgotten what believing in inequality feels like. That because we, as the college-educated liberal establishment, think in terms equality, we assume others do too. But we've forgotten - or never knew - what it looks like from the other side. From the lines of hopeful immigrants staring at shrinking quotas, from colored Americans comparing the color palates of universities and prisons, from refugees looking at the shiney white SUV's and helicopters that deliver food aid.
    
    So, is race an issue for me in this election? Yes; whether I want it to be or not. As a white person living in Africa I connote knowledge, power, and wealth. The day of the full solar eclipse last year I took a bike ride through the surrounding villages to witness the preparations and take photos. Villagers bombarded me with questions and it became clear that they thought I was a scientist sent to make sure they were staying indoors for the event.
    
    I am a white American of Eastern European heritage and I don't appear unambiguously white. In Sudan, a country of many skin colors with corresponding social status, I am constantly asked about my origin so the asker can then place me in the proper mental category. Privileged, or not; omniscient, or not; lucky, or not.
    
    So I want a candidate who can break down these stereotypes; who can make the people around me believe in equality; who can turn pre-conceptions on their head and create a new world.
    

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  • 1 year ago
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• How can I tell if I am a racis

  • From: Bruce E. Hanson
  • Description:

    Okay, controversial title out of the way. Now, let me explain....

    I was born, raised, and continue to live in the state of Maine, which is one of the "whitest" states in the U . According to the latest census figures, Maine is 96.9% white. I suspect that when I was younger, the fraction of non-whites was even lower. Even today, it is very unusual to meet an African-American on the street. I am far more likely to meet someone who speaks French as a first language.

    So I wonder, how do I tell if race will be a factor for me in the next election? This will be the first time I have ever had a chance to vote for an African-American in my life, at any level of government (and I have voted for or against nine presidents). Without an experience of meeting, getting to know, or even generally being around black people, on what basis am I to decide if race is a factor in my decision?

    In Maine, we have had to fall back on our "fellow" white people as targets of our prejudice. There was always someone at school to poke fun at, because they were "different" somehow. I am reminded of a story I was told by someone who had friends up from the South to visit. The Southerners were amazed to see that all the menial jobs up here were filled with white people. Maybe we white Mainers have had to substitute white people for blacks as the targets of our prejudices, even as we have substituted white for black as our janitors, bus drivers, etc.

    Does that mean that we (and I) are racist? Or just prejudiced?

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  • 1 year ago
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• Health Insurance Scam

  • From: Arthur Gurmankin
  • Description:

    Within the last year, a family member made a serious decision regarding her health. Because both her maternal and fraternal grandmothers had contracted breast cancer (resulting in mastectomies in both cases and ultimately, in the death of one of these women), that, plus determinations of genetic counseling, together confirmed her own "high risk" status for contracting the disease. Consequently, to reduce her risk, she underwent the surgical procedure of breast reduction.

    Because her surgeon led her to believe that she did not require "pre-authorization" from her health insurer, she paid the surgeon directly -- $ 9 thousand dollars. When the insurance company denied her reimbursement, I urged her to appeal and advised her not to "go it alone" so-to-speak. She sent the following letter to her United States Senator whose office has been extremely responsive and helpful. The letter is as follows:
    ________________________________________

    Dear Senator ________________,

    One of the most serious problems with health care in America is the "for-profit" aspect. Legislators who fail to acknowledge or address that fact can hardly make a case for their being sympathetic to middle class working families.

    I recently had a surgery performed and did so after consulting a number of physicians and other health care professionals. With a family history of breast cancer on the sides of both my mother and father, I was convinced that breast reduction was a viable option if I hoped to pro-actively decrease the chances of becoming a breast cancer victim.

    The surgeon who performed my breast reduction, informed me prior to the surgery that an insurance pre-authorization was not necessary and I took him at his word. I paid the surgeon, and In submitting a request for reimbursement to the "A----" Insurance Company, I was denied. I have appealed the denial.

    A woman living with an on-going fear of breast cancer, etc., constantly weighs her options and contemplates what she ought to do and when she ought to do it. A woman with children carries the additional burden of concern about what would happen to those children were she to become seriously or terminally ill. "Sooner" becomes the time frame rather than does "later."

    For an insurance company to deny payment for such a decision, in this case because a woman (myself) took the word of her physician and consequently failed to get a pre-authorization, is the tail wagging the dog. How can legislators permit insurance companies the ability to say "yes" or "no" with regard to a medical decision and do so based on cost-effectiveness rather than medical viability?

    I respectfully ask you to help me with my appeal as delineated above. I often wonder how my future would look if I had not been able to borrow the money for my surgery or if I had no health insurance (which in this matter, may as well have been the case). A human being should not be at the mercy of a corporation. Until Americans are able to make health decisions without the profiteer insurance companies' interference and influence, we are vulnerable for the worst of reasons.

    Sir, I hope you will intervene on my behalf and, as a representative of the citizens of the State of "N--," and work to end or reign-in health-related profiteering.

    Sincerely,

    ________________________________________

    As the result of the Senator's intervention, it was determined that the surgeon failed to use the correct codes in filing the insurance paperwork. Getting the surgeon to cooperate in doing so in the correct fashion, happened ONLY because of the Senator's intervention. A second appeal was filed...and the insurance company again denied the claim, "reason" being that "not enough tissue" was removed in order to qualify. Isn't it advantageous when a corporation can make its own rules -- even in matters that are potentially life...or DEATH?

    Here comes a bad (but somehow fitting pun). I will seek my "pound of flesh" on behalf of this family member. If necessary, I will attempt to run for public office as a one-issue candidate - that issue being THE END OF HEALTH CARE AS A COMMODITY -- THE END OF HEALTH CARE FOR PROFIT. Should I get myself on a ballot, I will make it clear from day one, that winning the office is not my objective as much as trying to force my opponent(s) to publicly debate me on this one issue, the debates to be conducted in the "Town Meeting" format. I will use any campaign funds to promote in various media, not my candidacy, rather, the debates!

    To the insurance company that placed the straw which broke my metaphorical "camel's back," and to the others, I say; "We shall see at the end of the day, if you'll still be glad...I MET YA'."

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  • 1 year ago
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• I have no Black friends

  • From: Michaeljc4
  • Description:

    I don't have any friends who are black. I have one or two black acquaintances at work, but other than that, everyone I know and spend time with is white. I live in an all white suburb of Boston. I attended a virtually all white college in Maine. When I went to graduate school, there were a few black people in my program, but we never became anything other than passing acquiantences. Most of the people who attend my church are white. I don't know if any of this can be helped, because--at least here in New England--people of differing races don't seem to mingle much. There are exceptions, perhaps: trendy Somerville, nerdy Cambridge, parts of Boston--but I suspect that for the majority of us here in the Greater Boston area, we are surrounded by people who look just like us. And even if someone lives in a 'mixed' city like Quincy or Malden...how much socializing do people do with the members of other races?

    The only time in my life I have ever been in close proximity with black people was in the Navy. We lived, ate, slept, drank, worked, fought, and did everything together. We had candid conversations about race and class that would be the envy of any college professor. We did everything together, and talked honestly--if not always charitably--about what it meant to be black in America. When you are stuck with someone for 12 hours in a little tiny room with nothing to do but talk, the masks come off, believe me.

    I am a dad now; I have two beautiful baby girls who are going to grow up very much like I did, and have no friends of other races. None of this is on purpose; I didn't chose to live my life isolated from black people, and I didn't consciously chose it for my girls (in other words, I didn't say, 'Hey! There are no black people in this town...let's move there!')

    I'm not sure what, if anything, I can or should do about this.

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  • 1 year ago
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• Civil Rights Activist from the

  • From: Poppa150
  • Description:

    We organized. We marched. I was a public television producer and did shows with black activists. It was wasn't particularly dangerous or strenuous, but we were optimistic.

    Not any more.

    The Dysons, Jacksons, and Wrights despise "middle-classness" and I guess this means one can build a life on a couple of dashikis, a nice Kwanzaa celebration, and an early exit from the educational system

    And still they come -- the Koreans, the Vietnamese, the Hmong, the East Indians and now the Eastern Europeans. They run a store, a gas station, a motel, and begin the climb to their dream--the American Middle-Class. A home, food and clothing, church, school, nice car and a better future for their kids than they had.

    What do many black kids get? A chip on their shoulders and nothing but a long list of grievances.

    Black politicians insist on their MLK and Rosa Parks Boulevards but ignore those black kids or defend them when they mess up.

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  • 1 year ago
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• Getting out of my white ghetto

  • From: D Rensberger
  • Description:

    I’m a white man who for twenty-eight years has been employed by a black institution of higher learning. My boss has always been black; almost all my colleagues have been black; almost all my students have been black. (But not absolutely all; “historically black” colleges and universities have always admitted white students.) Unlike most white people in the United States, I have spent every working day as a minority. I’ve worked where blackness is the norm. Standards of appearance, speech, and behavior are set by African-American culture. It has not been black folks who have to figure out cultural clues with which they may not be familiar, it’s me.
    This experience benefited me by reversing what white people take for granted, in particular the deeply ingrained assumption that this is our show and we are running it. You can learn something from having black colleagues or a black supervisor. But it’s a whole different ballgame when there is only one white guy in the room, and there is no automatic assumption that he is in charge.
    Where black is normal, standard, dominant, you have a chance to test whether what you think you know is real. It turns out there are black people who can neither dribble a basketball nor carry a tune, but who know more about history and philosophy than you do. If you pay attention, you may have a chance to learn what black reality actually is, in all its human diversity. Occasionally you may even get lucky and be ignored, and hear some things that are generally said only in an all-black context. Be prepared for surprises.
    We hear talk about “black rage” from time to time, why it exists, where it comes from, what to do about it. Frankly what impresses me more is the lack of black rage, considering the long-term provocation. When I think about it, the generosity of spirit that I have experienced is amazing. Never once in almost thirty years have I felt any hostility directed at me, or even been given a shabby work assignment, because of my race. Never once have I felt threatened in any way.
    So, my advice to my fellow white folks is this: get out of your ghetto. Use work or education or church or volunteer work to spend some time where you are not the norm. Pay attention; really listen to what people unlike yourself say and think. The experience is humbling, refreshing, and seriously life-enhancing.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 1059

• Barack Obama and Dreams for my

  • From: Betty Parker
  • Description:

    When you hear that I am a 79 year old white Southern woman, you might be amazed that for many reasons I am voting for Barack Obama. An important one is that I know my mother, who died ten years ago at 91, would be voting for Obama if she were alive. What? A white Alabama woman voting for an African American. Yes, she would and I will vote for Obama because his views are nearest those my mother held and I still hold. First, race is not an issue with us. With a lifetime among African American people, we know first-hand that skin color makes little difference. Second, our core values agree with those of Obama when he at the Saddleback Church quoted Jesus in the NT Book of Matthew: "Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me."

    My mother turned 21 (then the age required for voting) in 1928 and voted for Herbert Hoover, not because she agreed with him but because he was NOT Catholic. Shocked by her mistake as the Depression unfolded, she vowed never again to consider religion or any other such factor when casting her vote. Without the New Deal's Social Security, she and my father in old age would have faced dire poverty. Without the Great Society's Medicare, they could never have afforded medical care that helped each to live past age 90. Without the Civil Rights Movement and legislation passed under Pres. LBJ's leadership, she would have grieved that African Americans were denied a life of dignity.

    I believe that Obama, a constitutional lawyer, will appoint enlightened U.S. Supreme Court judges. I believe he will seek wise counselors and show Lincolnesque courage as he confronts the country's myriad problems. And, by the way, my mother would have heard echoes of another of her heroes, Pres. JFK, in Obama's eloquent speeches.

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  • 1 year ago
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• Dear GOP, STOP WHINING!

  • From: human
  • Description:

    Ever since Emanuel was appointed, I've heard non-stop whining and fear from the Republican part of the legislature. Ok - listen up, all of you who've held the reins for what - around 25 years or so... 

    QUIT WHINING! For all of the complaining about divisiveness and fear regarding Emanuel coming on board, note the other 4 fingers of your hand are pointing back at yourself. If you really mean what YOU say about being willing to be supportive and work together with the administration we the tax paying voters have elected, get over yourself and stop whining and get to work.

    The more whining you continue to do, the more you lose even more future Republicans. Want to completely demolish your party? Keep complaining, whining, and spewing your fears around. When you're ready to get to work on the problems we face as a nation - mostly made by your own George Bush whom you forced on us and for whom most of us never voted - we, the other part of the nation who have been absorbing this economic disaster, will welcome your help.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
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• RACIST NATION - THE BIG LIE

  • From: Poppa150
  • Description:
    For years, I have discussed race with many of my friends who are convinced that the USA is a fundamentally racist country. Their thinking mirrors that of many black and white pundits, thinkers, race hucksters, etc.
     
    Now, in the wake of Mr. Obama's election, many of these same folks are all agog but not one I have heard has tackled THE BIG LIE.
     
    It turns out that America is not a "racist nation!"
     
    Wow! Will they attempt to explain their
    closely-held biases? 
     
    Heck no.
     
    Will they abandon those stupid and damaging assertions?
     
    Heck no.
     
    They're too valuable.
  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
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• Vietnamese Americans support J

  • From: Shandon Phan
  • Description:

    As young Vietnamese Americans, some of us grew up listening to our parents tell us bedtime stories of the war; the rest of us experienced our history firsthand as we watched our parents being taken away to re-education camps and special economic zones. We share those common stories of struggle that shaped our community presence in America – the fight for freedom of South Vietnam, the arrest and executions of our relatives during and after the war, the mass exodus of the free Viet people, and the suffering of those who are left behind.

    Some may call it a burden, but we take pride in treasuring that part of our history. We understand the price of freedom and what it means to sacrifice for the love of one’s country. And we will stand with the leader who lives and leads by such values and who inspires us all to serve a cause greater than our self-interest.

    We have found such a leader in John McCain. Senator McCain’s life symbolizes the timeless quintessential American story. A man of courage and compassion, McCain has the character and leadership of the next American president. Like the South Vietnamese struggle for democracy, McCain epitomizes our community’s values of patriotism, compassion, hope and freedom.

    We seize upon his candidacy with immense pride – yet we haven’t discussed it often with individuals outside of our community.

    The future of our democracy lies with our young citizens who honor the sacrifices of those who stand ready when their country needs them. As a young American naval aviator, McCain fought heroically in Vietnam to protect American honor and values; in doing so, he fought for our freedom as well. Captured by the enemy and badly hurt, McCain rejected the Viet Cong’s offer of an early release and demanded that every man arrested before him be released. As a result, he was imprisoned and tortured for five and a half years. In making that first courageous choice, McCain has shown his unwavering faith, strong character, and leadership ability early on in his life.

    McCain’s qualifications extend beyond his character. As testimony to his “Country First” political philosophy, McCain led a bipartisan group of Republican and Democratic senators that worked tirelessly to resolve the stalemate in Congress on issues such as campaign finance reform, tobacco, health care, immigration policy, and judicial nominations. Senator McCain’s political courage and fiercely independent personality has earned him tremendous respect from independents and Democrats alike.

    Our country is in a time of war, with ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Through our own hard-earned experiences, we understand the consequences of losing a war. The recent Russian invasion of Georgia threatens the future of democracy and freedom in that region and reminds us once again the dangerously volatile nature of foreign affairs and the necessity of a strong and wise American leadership. With substantial experience in military affairs and foreign policy, McCain is best qualified to confront the threat of radical Islamic extremism and to delivery victory in Iraq. His refusal to play politics with the Iraq war and his support for the “surge” strategy shows a rare combination of vision, judgment and principled leadership during a time of crisis.

    As Vietnamese Americans who believe that Senator John McCain is uniquely qualified to lead our nation, we have been handed an unprecedented opportunity to express our gratitude for his sacrifices. Recognizing this opportunity also demands us to act.

    We can begin by announcing our support for Senator McCain and the sources of its inspiration to our friends, our co-workers, and our neighbors; by registering to vote, writing editorials to the newspaper, and organizing people to volunteer for his campaign. We can become better Vietnamese-Americans and begin to voice our concerns in politics at the national stage.

    In this election, we are given the chance to speak up in one voice and tell the world of our struggles and of our success in a freedom-loving nation.

    With President McCain, America will move forward with strength, prosperity, wisdom and compassion. A victory for McCain is also a victory for our community and for the advancement of human rights and democracy in Vietnam. We humbly ask you to vote Senator McCain for our next president and join in the nationwide effort to secure a total victory on Election Day.

    ---

    Shandon Phan, 29, is the Founder of Asian Americans for McCain and a Maryland delegate to the 2008 Republican National Convention. Jessica Vu, 22, is a native of San Jose and a student at Harvard Law School.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
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