So, I am having a Unite For Change Party in Birmingham, AL http://my.barackobama.com/...tomorrow. Last night a friend came over to help me spruce up the yard a little with his manly power. He prides himself on being a "progressive", "dyed in the wool" liberal. But....and this is what got me...
"I'm all for Obama, but his wife is too African, too black for Barack to ever win in the South."
I am still trying to understand what the hell he meant by that statement!
In the spirit of unity, my friend and former Hillary supporter, came to help me out with some yard work. I was so glad that he is ready to unite and stand behind Barack. He has even mentioned wanting to go to other states to help get the vote out. Alabama is a RED state. "We need the work here too" is always my response.
So after we finish the yard, he is chatting about his views on Barack and then he throws that statement in there that I just could not understand.
Every question I would ask him for clarification, he would still say the same thing, over and over. Even to the point of "look, I'm a white guy from the South, she's just too black." "Do you mean skin color, what?" I'd ask.
"He's half black", he'd repeat over and over.
Can anyone tell me what the hell he meant?
I remember when this campaign first started and Barack wasn't black enough, then he was too black, too uppity, too muslim, too liberal, too inexperienced, now he's too white and too centrist and now his wife is too black?
So I ask you is all of this because he is so unknown on the national level and folks are just trying to define why they are skeptical about him or are these things being tossed about because and for no other reason than the fact that he has dark skin and he is blowing the typical white man's perception of what a black man is, out of the water?
Please don't get me wrong, this friend and I have a really bad habit of playing devil's advocate with each other especially where our political views are concerned. And he is a very intelligent person, but I still cannot fathom why he was trying to drive that point home with me. Was he trying to toughen me up for tomorrow in case a Republican plant shows up? He did mention "plants" and he scoped out my home for things that I should put away that would be easily slipped into a purse or pocket. Am I being naive?
Sound off for me my friends. I'd like to be prepared and as yet I am totally stumped. Is this something that white men in Alabama or anywhere else for that matter; (even though they are Democrats and are supporting Barack) so turned off by a dark skinned, strong, African American woman, that they can't see beyond their own prejudice?
Here's a poll.