I'm waiting for someone to explain to me how Powell - a former National Security Advisor to Reagan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Secretary of State, a literal defender of America, is picking a man who would make America less safe. - J. Hill - Cali
Before I ruminate endlessly about the evils of racism which are legion, I'd like to talk about it on a more personal level due to some particularly fruitless debates with a friend (not all his fault, I admit to a some serious and exasperated intolerance). I just want to point out something I've come to see via some evolving thoughts I've been contemplating while canvassing and phone-banking for Senator Obama and fielding my friends' complaints that I'm being too sensitive and a hypocrite (e.g. reverse racist). Of course Barack Hussein 
Obama isn't purely "African American," no more than Colin Powell (who is actually of Caribbean descent). There is no such thing as "purely" anything when it comes to human genealogy. That is a word that doesn't fit, no more than the term "absolute" fits in quantum physics or long term weather forecasting. My friend pointed out that Obama is "half-white," like he was ordering coffee at Starbucks (okay, a little snark to ad levity is good). To be fair, he agreed that, unlike Rush Limbaugh, Powell's endorsement was based on reasoned thought, not simply that they share similar skin tone. I'm very pleased that he at least hadn't proclaimed Powell a racist, even though he hasn't hesitated to point out that whites aren't the only racists (something I'm fully aware of working in an Italian restaurant while in college). It really should go without saying, but I guess it needs saying -- it isn't about who is or isn't racist, it is about the corrosive effect racism has had and continues too have on society as a whole -- the majority over minority "races." (I.E. Discrimination! Duh!) It does peeve me just a wee bit to point out this obvious point people who do not know what it is like to be a minority in their own country (a few months in a foreign land doesn't count). That "half-white" comment struck me profoundly, like I'd never heard such a phrase before which isn't true of course growing up in North Carolina, but for some reason it seemed irrelevant and obsolete, like when you hear an old geezer complaining about the "coloreds" or some such expired colloquialism. In some anthropological sense, the "half-white" moniker is, I suppose true, half African descent (dark skin)
and half Caucasian (light skin) why is it relevant? 
It is relevant because, like a gun in a knife fight, it has been a better and more effective weapon in (scaring) getting out the "white vote," than defending and proffering your side's ideas for better governance. It's easy. This has often been referred to as the "southern strategy" of the GOP. Republicans since Nixon have pushed radically anti-middle class tax structures, trade agreements, deregulation, dismantling of social services at every turn, divided the electorate, intentionally mind you, on racial lines to continue the interests of the very, very few. Why has this worked? Because of course, everyone wants to be rich, and people naturally defend those that already are, in hopes to join their ranks.
Obama isn't purely "African American," no more than Colin Powell (who is actually of Caribbean descent). There is no such thing as "purely" anything when it comes to human genealogy. That is a word that doesn't fit, no more than the term "absolute" fits in quantum physics or long term weather forecasting. My friend pointed out that Obama is "half-white," like he was ordering coffee at Starbucks (okay, a little snark to ad levity is good). To be fair, he agreed that, unlike Rush Limbaugh, Powell's endorsement was based on reasoned thought, not simply that they share similar skin tone. I'm very pleased that he at least hadn't proclaimed Powell a racist, even though he hasn't hesitated to point out that whites aren't the only racists (something I'm fully aware of working in an Italian restaurant while in college). It really should go without saying, but I guess it needs saying -- it isn't about who is or isn't racist, it is about the corrosive effect racism has had and continues too have on society as a whole -- the majority over minority "races." (I.E. Discrimination! Duh!) It does peeve me just a wee bit to point out this obvious point people who do not know what it is like to be a minority in their own country (a few months in a foreign land doesn't count). That "half-white" comment struck me profoundly, like I'd never heard such a phrase before which isn't true of course growing up in North Carolina, but for some reason it seemed irrelevant and obsolete, like when you hear an old geezer complaining about the "coloreds" or some such expired colloquialism. In some anthropological sense, the "half-white" moniker is, I suppose true, half African descent (dark skin)
and half Caucasian (light skin) why is it relevant? 
It is relevant because, like a gun in a knife fight, it has been a better and more effective weapon in (scaring) getting out the "white vote," than defending and proffering your side's ideas for better governance. It's easy. This has often been referred to as the "southern strategy" of the GOP. Republicans since Nixon have pushed radically anti-middle class tax structures, trade agreements, deregulation, dismantling of social services at every turn, divided the electorate, intentionally mind you, on racial lines to continue the interests of the very, very few. Why has this worked? Because of course, everyone wants to be rich, and people naturally defend those that already are, in hopes to join their ranks. Of course Obama and Powell are both viewed as "black." It really is how you appear, the texture of your hair, the shape and size of your nose, the amount of melanin in your skin, not your ancestry, because if you take that line of thinking to it's logical conclusion, then racism is completely absurd and farcical on it's face because all human beings alive today, are decedents of incredibly resilient ancestors that spread across the planet and flourished due to no small part to incredible intelligence and manual skills and familial and tribal bonds (that now pit us against one another). In fact, we are all related. All human beings. I know, how un-fucking-patriotic of me, huh? Wanting the best for my fellow citizens and for the rest of the 95% of humankind alive today and those to come tomorrow.
Better the pride that reside in a citizen of the world, than the pride that divides when a colorful rag is unfurled. - Rush
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