In today’s age, some may not believe what I am about to say is possible. As for myself, I am a Blk American, who also happens to be retired Army. Because of my military service, my children were raised with all creeds and races of people. At any time, I could come home and find my house full of children of many races. In fact, as small children, when I asked about a particular play mate of theirs, it never occurred to them to say the "black boy" or the "white girl". I had to learn each visiting child’s name in turn, and this was always a source of pride in my house. Even today, one of my son’s girlfriends is Puerto Rican, another is black, and my third sons’ girlfriend is white. They all feel comfortable in my home because when it comes to race, we simply don’t care. To be frank, I have too many other things going on (mortgage, work, bills etc...) to spend my time separating people out by color. I and my wife are true believers that racism will be eliminated by young people, who don’t have the racist notions that many in the older generation still hold even to this day.
Now to my point. Barack Obama is not leading this Presidential campaign primarily because of his race. There are some Repuglicans and others who may not vote for him because f policies or his liberal leanings, but race if the larger factor overall. We have not come as far as some (including myself) think we have, or should have. With the incompetence brought upon us by George Bush and his acolyte John McCain, this should be a blowout. In fact, was it not for race, John McCain would not even be the nominee. The Repuglicans are not quite that stupid. Anyone knows that the other candidates did not stand a chance against Obama. They each in turn carried baggage which would drive people to Obama. Picture Giuliani’s race problems in New York as mayor, Huckabees southern roots (and religious leanings), and Romney’s Mormonism up against an articulate and popular Barack Obama. John McCain is the racist counter the Barack Obama phenomena. He is white, a supposed war hero, and has experience.
Like Jackie Robinson before him, Barack Obama must tread lightly on this race issue. He must show strength by not responding in kind to the smears, but also leadership by not taking them lying down. That’s why you don’t see him attacking Sarah Palin directly. That would incite the old white male establishment (and some females as well), some of whom still harbor the old fashioned idea of protecting a white woman’s virtue. Were he to attack her directly, that could be catastrophic. Why is it that you think the McCain campaign maintains that his comments are "disrespectful, and that she deserves to be treated with deference. Those are code words for the old red neck gang meaning a black man beating up on a white woman. As we are seeing unfold before us, Sarah Palin will self-destruct on her own, without any help from Barack Obama. Recently, John McCain has started telling the most open and blatant lies that I have ever seen. McCain has flip flopped more than flipper the dolphin, but the Repuglicans seem deaf and dumb to his antics. Again, race plays a part. If Bracak Obama were white, these inconsistencies would further drive voters to the other candidate, but because he is black, it’s ok. The news media also gives John McCain a pass on many of these lies.
In my opinion, being a POW 40 years ago means squat. As the song goes "what have you done for me lately". In my memory, John McCain has brought us adultery, the Keating 5, lies, flip flops, and overall failure to do his job in the Senate, which is to look out for the average citizen. On a side note, here is a guy who was volatile, crashed many planes, and finally gets shot down. To my mind, John McCain sounds like a screw-up rather than a hero. If his relatives were not admirals, he probably would never have gotten the opportunity to crash the second plane. John McCain’s troubling life story is compounded by his casting aside of the dutiful first wife, marrying the utterly dumb trophy wife, feeding off the fat cats, and then going out to find the trophy Vice-Presidential candidate (Sarah Palin). Sarah Palins selection and possibility of becoming President has placed us all in danger, and is in and of itself a betrayal of us all. She is one hearts beat away, with a 72 year old heart being in between her and the Presidency. In the Army, I was taught that it takes a lot of "atta-boys (great performance)" to make up for one "awww shit (mistakes). Former soldiers who saw duty in combat, and then went on to commit crimes are routinely denied burial at Arlington National Cemetery, so your service to your country is NOT a perpetual get out of jail free card. I really don’t think John McCain gives a damn about the average man, but instead wants to fulfill some personal destiny because his forbearers were Admirals, and he never made it that far. Does John McCain’s POW experience count as an atta-boy that gives continually? Do we owe him the Presidency for his service, I think not. The American people rejected John McCain once before as a potential President, and then went on to select the Idiot-in chief (George Bush). Were it not for race, they would reject John McCain once again