I think I would like to read this book. People think that lynching only happened in the South or certain parts of America. I am originally from Duluth MN. There are old photos of black men being hung from lamp posts in downtown Duluth over allegations of being with white women. I have seen the photos and stood under the lamp posts. It is shocking………….and very real.

Obama has a hard fight ahead of him in being elected President. If it happens, we may have to deal with the past. Many have only denied the past. If we look into our heart, if our choice is Obama or McCain, we must go with Obama……………………Yes We Can

That is a great post, all true. America can say it is over the racism issue, but it is CLEAR that racism is still alive, and it goes both ways.
Most white, working women are going to vote for Hillary, even though many of her and Obama’s stances are the same. Most african american voters are voting for Senator Obama, for reasons other than his individual stance on politics. I would say that most of McCain’s supporters are older, white males. That’s just the way it is. Racism plays a big part of it, no matter what people say.
Obama supporters can say that if he doesn’t win it was because of racism, but opposition can say that the only reason he won the overwhelming majority of the african american vote is because he is black. Both are valid statements.

The Cohen’s are probably one of the most “educated” and beautiful couples in the world.

The reason race still lingers as an issue is because people choose to use it for convenience; Barack Obama is half black and half white; we don’t call him a white candidate but rather a black candidate; it’s convenient for him and helps his political positioning; Condolezza Rice and Colin Powell are black and have both been Secretary of State under Republican leaders; why are they not viewed in the best light? because it’s not convenient to certain agendas; how about Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas, a black man who reaches the highest level of achievement? it’s not convenient for agendas; Hally Barry was black when she won an Oscar; her white mother applauded from the audience; that night it wasn’t convenient to be half white; Barack Obama and his wife and family followed Rev. Wright for twenty years; Wright seems like a preacher that has a problem with people of certain races; people who question Wright and Obama aren’t racist, merely people who are asking inconvenient questions. I’m hopeful that once everyone stops using race for political, social and convenient reasons, we will all be able to judge people by their true character.

Racism is a huge problem in our society and always has been. People are trying to move away from it but really it will never be truly eradicated! It is passed on from generation to generation. And it is not only whites who are racist. There are racist in every race. To try and slap that tag on one race is ridiculous!

And can I add…no one alive today living in the U.S. was a slave!! No one alive today owned slaves! So why is the slave issue always brought up? Yes…it was one of the worst times in our history but at some point you have to realize what happened, learn and grow from it and move on. Why keep dwelling in the past!? It does no good to anyone!

Mr Cohen,

I respect you and I think your wife is stunningly beautiful. I completely understand your point and agree. However there are people who actually are voting according to certain criteria being met. Not someones looks. Sen Obama is a good looking man. He is a great speaker. However at this point in his career he lacks the experience needed on a large scale to make decisions on a national level. He knows nothing about world history which is essential to working with other countries on all sorts of issues. Yes he would make a great President someday not today. I can’t speek for others only myself. I am Jewish and a women. If Joe Lieberman were to run for Pres and I didnt’t like what he had to say I wouldn’t vote for him. Im not voting for Clinton because shes a women. Im voting for her because I know her history both good and bad and I am a moderate Dem and I know that she satifies my criteria. Im not voting for Obama because of his looks. Im not voting for him because he is not qualified and I dont agree with anything he has to say. I would hope people would vote according to qualifications not preaching and using racism. Collin Powell would have made an excellent Pres.

Regardless of whether De Toqueville called racism immovable, being racist is merely a choice. It is a simple choice to decide or not whether all persons are equal. With a bit of deep soul searching most persons can come to the right conclusion.

In South Africa where racism ran deep, the only way it was dealt with, to get over it, was to have a Truth and Reconciliation Commission dealing with both the deep wounds of the Blacks and the perceived guilt of the Whites. That does not mean racism does not still exist in South Africa but it is hugely diminished and South Africa is evolving to a fully “Rainbow Nation”.

If one is truly honest in this election, one would realize that the best candidate is the one most qualified to be President whomever that may be. From a standpoint of a non-white ex patriot South African, I find most White Americans not being honest regarding the racism being openly shown by the Blacks in the country. How many times has the question been asked, if up to 90% of Blacks vote for Obama how come it is not racism? Why is it not racism? Of course it is. Apparently what is good for the goose is not good for the gander. The very denial of such racism is what causes resentment and that is why the Senator from Illinois will not change anything regarding racism.He does not get it.

In Canada’s province of Ontario, Lincoln Alexander the first Black Governor General was asked, “Are you proud because you are the first Black person to be chosen for this position?” He replied ” Of course, I am proud, but I am proud because I am a human, and the best human person chosen for the position”.( Not verbatim). It was not Affirmative Action and he turned out to be one of the best persons ever in the position.

Two wrongs can never make a right. Racism is merely a choice.

“Yet to date, we have been unable to discuss the horrors of the enslavement, lynchings, segregation and degradation of African-Americans without prompting resentment or indifference.”

That hasn’t stopped you and countless other morally upstanding types from talking about it 24/7.

All races have held slaves. Has it occurred to you that whites might be getting a little tired of being singled out for special treatment?

Don’t try to burden people who never owned slaves with a new form of “original sin.” You might just get a backlash.

Actually, it’s amazing how little of a backlash there has been. Perhaps, after long last, that’s starting to change.

It has nothing to do with Race.

Obama only knows how to run for Office. He knows nothing to fill the office.

He is weak and will be a weak nominee, he will be a worse President.

Based on Facts, History and his ablitiy that he has shown.

He likes to use his race card against people, or if he does not get what he wants, or to gain something.

RACE was brought into the Campaign by him, Mentality and ability are what people need and should take into consideration. Which is something he does not have.

People who insist on saying “get over it” when it comes to racism just don’t get it–we still have a long way to go in terms of honestly dealing with race and the current presidential election has made that abundantly clear. It’s really depressing to see how deeply divided people are–more dialog is needed, but it’s going to be an uphill battle to change people’s hearts–sadly, I’m not very optimistic about it ever happening.

YOU CAN THANK HILLARY FOR THE RACE THING

As long as there is a $ to be made from racism, then it will never be an issue resolved. Why is there a need for affirmative-action, naacp, uncf, senate black caucus, award shows for blacks only, magazines for blacks only, tv shows about being black. I could go on and on, but MLK said not to judge a personby the color of their skin; where did that moral go?

Should we have desegregated churches?

Why do blacks continue to use the ‘N’ word?

Rev. Sharpton & Jackson would call us racists for wanting to confront the issue.

Obama seems ashamed of his white heritage.
I recall an episode of The View in which Whoopi said she woke up from a bad dream in which Obama was married to a white woman, and then said to the cast that Obama married the blackest woman she had ever seen.

Racism will end when people start believing that we are all necessary to the whole. We have a long history of sanctioned racism from herding the natives to Oklahoma and putting those with Japanese descent into camps during WWII. The first thing we need to stop is the labeling! No more Jewish-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic or Mexican Americans, Asian-Americans, etc.! I have Dutch, English, German, Irish, Scottish, French, Swedish, Norwegian, and Swiss antecedants! What kind of american does that make me? We have to stop focusing on the differences and start accepting and embracing the unity of all of America!

cassie wrote:

“… being racist is merely a choice. It is a simple choice to decide or not whether all persons are equal. With a bit of deep soul searching most persons can come to the right conclusion.”

Then most of the world’s population has “chosen” racism.

“That does not mean racism does not still exist in South Africa but it is hugely diminished and South Africa is evolving to a fully “Rainbow Nation.” ”

Have you seen any of the news from SA recently? Black South Africans apparently hate black Zimbabweans. People know who they are, it seems, and who is the “other.”

Which is why whites in SA are being slowly but surely “plowed under” (their term). Zimbabwe today is SA in the not-too-distant future.

Fay, CA wrote:

“…more dialog is needed.”

And that “dialog” will just be a continuation of the present monologue. The eternal “victims” lecture, and whites listen.

The only ones who have made this about race is the blacks. If I thought for one minute this man was capable of running this country, I would NOT care if he were purple! If Obama were white, I guarantee all the blacks would NOT be voting for him but for Hillary. When Bill was in office, there was never any question about him or his family showing any favoritism to whites. They never waivered. So, we have to wonder if it’s a good idea to nominate a black man (even if he’s not capable or not the most electable) just because he’s black…come on people….this is our country, for God’s sake. And he can NOT win against McCain. It will never happen. It will either be Hillary or McCain. And, sorry, but it has absolutely NOTHING to do with him being black. If that’s the case, then if Hillary is not the nominee, then it must be because she’s a woman!

Racism exists in ‘North” America and always has!! It is cased in the class struggle and the stupidity of long held social beliefs amongst most racial groups. Hell, in Africa it is commonplace and can be seen in Darfur. India exists in a strict class setup that still puts regimentation to who one marries and where one can live and work.
A previous comment was made about Lt. Gov. Lincoln Alexander in Ontario. The sad fact is with the politicos we have up here, if cocker spaniels were more in vogue our appointees would have four paws and a tail!! Racism is held through long time racial stereotypes and a continuous decline in education amongst an ever growing segment of the population. In our gouvernment, retail, hospitality, and especially our television networks the hiring should be all inclusive for all positions - damn the racial stupidity of the customer!! It will take time to heal but the work must begin!! All news reporting must be of a ‘world’ viewpoint as most is too provincial to say the least hence the lame patriotic spin of the reporters and ‘right wing’ mouthpieces!!

My wife and I have some perspective on this. She is black and I am white.

Recently we were shopping in Walmart (prior to the worker being sued to receive the payments given to her; we don’t shop there anymore) when this man ran into a pole staring at us. A checker at the local supermarket, who used to be very friendly to me, overcharged us by 25 dollars. I could count on one hand the number of words she spoke to me. Several people whom I used to consider friends stopped talking to me after my marriage.

Several folks who are our friends did not believe us until the husband of one the couples was with us when we encounted one of these incidents. It is hard to prove this as most people find it hard to believe in this day and age. True there are no more hangings, but the racism continues in more subtle forms.

These incidents do not characterize the majority of our relations with members of the community we live in. But they are not infrequent either. But once you are exposed to it, you can see it in a heartbeat.

When a politician compares a candidate in a current election to another candidate in prior elections, you know what is being said. You also understand that a majority are not going to understand the echoes of meaning that it represents as they have not been exposed to racism in its subtle yet just as damaging forms. The husband of the couple who witnessed incidents called us to tell us about that politicians statement. He was shocked that people could not see it.

But I want to re-emphasize, many people are not racist and would help us whenever they can. But there is still a segment of the population who would.

I’ve seen a lot of positive changes on racism since the 1960s. I’m hopeful that America has started down a path where racism is not an issue and that people trying to use the race card to win an election or prevent close examination will soon be a thing of the past. Electing someone to a pubic office should be done on the qualifications and merits of the candidate. And those should be the only criteria.

Annie Kate
Birmingham AL