I realize that breaking down human beings into charts, graphs, percentages, and on and on, is what the big thinkers and media do. However, I’d like to get to a point, and hopefully it will be soon, where we stop breaking down by numbers, real people. Americans are voting in America. A debate on race is one thing, a minute by minute analysis of who, what , where and how they voted is really bordering on overboard.

Lorie Ann, Buellton, Calif.

What a surprising article Roland. Imagine that, a story promoting Obama…

Roland,
I want to tell you how much I appreciate and respect your commentary. Is there anyway that you can become the correspondent that debates James Carville? Jamal Simmons, is a nice guy. But in terms of being the one who is the pro Obama commentator, sometimes he just seems neutral and/or ineffectual. Especially in comparison to Carville who is for the Clintons like a pitbull with passion. Will someone in CNN please be fair and give Obama a spokensperson that can articulate his case with conviction?

People will think for themselves and make their own decisions…..this isnt about color, Obama could have been anything, I would still vote for him

Hi Roland,
Actually this is my husband’s name also.
Is it ok for Governor Ed Rendell from PA to ask the people of PA not to vote for Barack Obama because he is black, but instead to vote for Clinton whom he supports. This is what I heard on a local TV station last night (WJAC 11:00pm). Please investigate. I want the world to know how our politicians still think about race in 2008. I am raising 3 beautiful, smart, black children and they are upset about it. What do I tell them?.
Mimi

I have some thoughts on what’s going on between Hispanics and Blacks:

Perhaps some level of competitive assimilation -something that every minority group in this country seems to buy into- an ugly little never-ending, completely counter-productive game of ‘We’re more like you, than THEY (insert another minority group) are,’ designed to win them greater inclusion, and ultimately assimilation (something that’s not going to happen, with the power majority).

It’s sad, but consistent.
When every group becomes aware of and posessed with some level of cultural understanding and appreciation for themselves and others, we will likely see some evolution beyond this, but while we largely as a country continue to minimize or deny many of the race-based atrocities that are inescapably a part of our collective past, that understanding, appreciation, and evolution is not likely to happen, at least not on a wide-scale.

Roland,I never knew that kind of tension exsisted between Black and Hispanic voters. Maybe if more Hispanics in Texas voted for Obama that might help ease these tensions. Also I feel that if Hillary loses either Texas,Pennsylvania or Ohio she should drop out. A fight between Hillary and Obama at the convention will turn alot of voters off. I am a republican who would consider voting for Obama.The problem is that I do not really know what his positions are on certain issues. For example social security and prescription drug programs to name a few.Hopefully the next few debates will help answer these questions.Thank you for taking my comment.

Roland…..you are the biggest racist on CNN….It’s unbelievable. Barack has Spent his whole life denying he is Black. He was known as “Barry” when he attended college. I would even go out on a limb, and say, he probably called himself a Muslim, before it wasn’t cool anymore to do so. His father was a proud man and a Muslim. Maybe Barack will make a great President one day. But first he should prove himself a man who can shape policy, not just “preach” about it. And as for you, maybe you should ask real questions regarding how he plans on making changes, press issues, not just “slice and dice” America into Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, and whoever else.

“Hispanics make up 36% of the population in Texas, yet are 20% of all registered voters”. Are you suggesting that 16% of the hispanic population is illigal? The latinos are independent in their thoughts and to suggest that they won’t vote for a black candidate is not true. Latinos are voting for Hillary because they have a tendency to reflect on the past to predict the future. Bill Clinton was good to latinos and Mrs. Clinton has benefitted from that. The problem Barack has with latinos is that he has not said any thing specific that benefits their socio-economic well being.

I’m very familiar with South Texas Latinos…I am from there. They will NOT be voting for Obama. They don’t know who he is, he has done nothing for them (unlike Hillary), and he’s black. These are important factors in their eyes trust me.

Tony I think Roland meant that they are all not registered, I had to spend years convincing my family to register and still do the youth. I believe in voting and I know individual votes count, usually. Latinos are also voting for Senator Obama because we don’t all want to live in the past. He treats Latinos with dignity and expects from them the same as everyone, he believes as America invests in her people so should her people invest in America.

im wondering why is it that the blacks and hispanics dont really get along anymore why are we so broken apart feom each other im hispanic born in the 60s back in the 70s and 80s we didnt have this problem about hispanic and black voter fighting with each other about who we are going to vote now that we have a black candidate running for president we all use to be so close together so what happen i think obama will help all hispanic and blacks the same way so can you explain to me whats happenning im hispanic

Roland, I am listening to Anderson Cooper’s Race and Politics session and I am realy livid. First if there were NOT an African American and a White Female running who have serious chances of winning, the discussion on Race and Gender in Politics would NEVER be discucced. The issue if race, gender is NOT one of POLITICS but ONE of America.

There have been African Americans - Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Shrley Chislom who ran for President, but there were NONE of these types of discussion, so why NOW?

Targeting is something that all politicians do, by demographics so as to use their resources wisely..

The majority of the Latinos and Asians are immigrants and the African American are NOT Immigrants, but citizens born here whose ancestors where SLAVES who have long been taken for GRANITE.

These discussions are typically superfical and do NOT move us forward, especially when we still see NOOSES hung all around the country and the perpetrators are NOT even charged with hate crimes.

The issues of race and gender are NOT just to be talked about but worked on to eradicate the injustices from this country.

Roland,

First off, I am a black man despite my name. This whole divide between Hispanics and blacks ultimately comes down to perception. My fiancee is of Mexican decent and I had the an excellent conversation with her mother one day where her mother shamefully but honestly admitted that she used to have a problem with blacks because of what she grew up seeing on tv. This perception changed once she started working with blacks, and now she believes that Hispanics and blacks are pretty much one in the same, just as I do. The only difference between the two groups or any minorities really is the language. Otherwise, our roots are all the same. All minorities tend to have strong family values or believe in the family unit, have our own distinct flavor in food, style of music, and have a foundation of religion. So ultimately we are all a lot more alike than we care to admit. Its that language barrier along with life experiences and perceptions that keep us ignorant and incapable of enjoying the variety and cultural delights of others.