Side Note on the Clinton-Obama Polls

I assigned Obama’s speech to my undergraduates, and we discussed it today. The discussion was on Rev. Wright and the nature of racism, not the campaign, and I was careful to simply ask questions, and not “steer” the conversation otherwise. (My son says that it's impossible for me, but I think I did reasonably well at inviting any and all points of view.)

Most of my students—white and black—seemed to “get it.” They acknowledged their own negative reactions to the videos of Wright, but felt that Obama did the right thing by not leaving the church or throwing him under the bus. The most interesting comment came from a young man who identified himself as a conservative Christian. He said he agrees with many things said by pastors like Falwell and Robertson, even though he cringes at some of their more hateful comments. But the outrageous comments don’t make him leave his church, and he doesn’t see why a different standard should be applied to Obama.

The consensus of the class--white and black alike--was that there is still a lot of racism in our society, but that it is getting better. Whether we have made enough progress that Obama can be elected is, however, an open question for them. (As one student said, "old people really vote. Unless younger people go to the polls in greater numbers than we usually do, that would be bad for Obama.")

For what it is worth.......

Sheila Kennedy

I am normally a very positive person (When I am not balled up in a corner shivering with fear that the sky is falling). And as a proud Republican, I have been drawn steadily into the Obamacans for Change Movement . . . But the recent racially charged "revelations" that Liberation Theology sounds different in the Black "Community" than it does in other communities has given me pause and forced me to say it . . . "Mr. President McCain."

America has scratched open the sore that just won't completely heal. And while Obama's words were epic, the rip tide of fear and provincialism has pulled us back to Plessy vs. Ferguson . . . and if we do not stop it, Black and Brown alike might realize that Dred Scott is their new name.

Ohhhhhh Toby! Such doom and gloom. Well, the facts as I see them are:

* Most people (of all hues and heritage) do not really understand the insidious nature of reacism.

* Most people fail to grasp what they value until it is bumped into (perhaps by a youtube sound bite) causing them to crumple into a pile of dry bones . . . unable to endure the bleaching of the light of truth.

* And most are not courageous enough to listen to the words and way of Obama to not only hear his words, but listen to them as well.

I am not shocked that we have slipped into a passive-aggressive civil war of words, accusations, political gamesmanship and raw mismanaged emotion; the blogs and airwaves are laced with the venom of racial perdition. Perhaps I am contributing to it . . .

I am struck by the potential that despite his outstanding message of hope and promise of Obama . . . That the weight of our historic racial baggage will pull him off of the scene and allow McCain to stumble onto a stage with a wounded country in tow.

Alas, I am balled up in a corner, shivering . . . blow away, ill winds . . .

Toby Miller