Saturday 24 May 2008

An American Double Standard



The next time some disingenuous commentator starts bemoaning the fact that 60% of “racist” whites are not voting for Obama, I hope someone points out that a much larger percentage, around 90%, of blacks are voting for for him and as such are not voting for the white woman, who, together with her husband, has done more for for the African American community than, just about any politician since the 60's.

Of course nobody will point out that the far more significant evidence of racial bias on the part part of the non-white community might be suggestive of a bit of black racism, to say such a thing would be viewed as political heresy.

The usually excellent Jon Stewart of the Daily Show mocked the white voters of West Virginia who voted overwhelmingly in favour of Hillary Clinton However, not even he has the honesty, courage or integrity to do anything similar about 90% of blacks in Mississippi who voted with their race or the 92% of blacks in North Carolina who did the same.


Furthermore, why has nobody asked the regiment of black celebrities who have abandoned their old friend in their rush to endorse the untried young senator from Illinois if their actions might have been a tad influenced by his race?

Of course the hypocrisy of political correctness is even more deeply ingrained into the American political psyche than it is (yet) in ours, and is revealed in all its malevolence when political pundits contemptuously dismiss Clinton's claim that she won the popular vote (if all the popular vote had been counted)

Can anyone doubt that if the situation were reversed, and had two major states which had voted overwhelmingly for Obama been excluded from the count on procedural grounds these same commentators would be screaming “foul” and making furious accusations about a racist fix. The Primaries in Florida and Michigan would no longer be referred to as “disqualified” but the word which would leap from every news column would be “disenfranchised”.

I hold no brief for Hillary Clinton, other than that I admire her tenacity, and would like to see a woman win. However, she and her supporters deserve fair treatment, meanwhile , a torch of truth needs to be shone upon the Obama campaign, and, at present neither is happening.

If it is racist for 60% of whites not to vote for a black man, surely it is far more so when 90% of blacks do!

Although I have yet to see a country which, after having been led by a black man, has emerged better off for the experience, my objection is not to the possibility of a black US president, blacks make up more than 13% of the American population and their numbers are growing, so that development is inevitable. However, the fact that a limp-wristed nonentity, such as Barack Obama looks set to defeat one of the most significant politicians in America, which, love her or hate her, Hillary Clinton certainly is, due to black racism and egalitarian fantasies, is a travesty which encapsulates the malaise of our age.

If, as seems very likely, Barack Obama is chosen as the Democratic candidate for president, this will certainly not be a result which transcends race, as many of his worshipers will rush to declare it, and many a Clinton supporter will have some justification in feeling robbed.


5 comments:

Sarah Maid of Albion said...

I take your point Mark, but if as you suggest the fact that massive majority of blacks are voting for a black candidate against a white one is not indicative of racism, why is the fact that a much smaller majority of whites are supporting a white candidate against a black one portrayed as just that in the media?.

Why are white voters the only ones held up to this sort of scrutiny?

I have no issue with any group of voters supporting their own race, in the way that massive numbers of blacks and a significant number of whites may be doing, but why is it only viewed as reprehensible when white people do it?.

We all know that were a white candidate to receive the level of white support which Obama is receiving in black support the media would be running cartoons depicting his supporters in white robes and hoods.

The double standard is sickening, but nothing new.

You can chant Obama's campaign slogans if you wish, but the man is a priggish nonentity who offers nothing new.

The only "change" Obama has to offer comes in the form of pigmentation, and that, I submit is why most people are voting for him

Anonymous said...

Whites have been voting white for president for a long time, there was no other real choice. Most are voting for Obama now because he is different. Younger, more enthusiastic and energetic, with the hope that we will have a president willing to make changes and hard choices for the good of the country. To some Hillary just represents more of Bill, a decent president in terms of politics, not of morality. I don't know if Obama can make some needed changes happen but at least the perception is that he will give it an effort. Hillary would also make a decent president, in my opinion, she is the safer option.

A lot Americans are sick of Bush, tired of Clinton, and ready to take a chance on a candidate lacking the age and experience of Clinton and McCain.

Sarah Maid of Albion said...

We have certainly reached an interesting point if people truly are voting for the next leader of the free world, on account of his lack of age an experience.

If you wish to believe that over 90% of blacks are backing young, inexperience Mr O, for no other reason than that they are fed up with Bush and Clinton, then, in a free society you are entitled to that indulgence.

With respect, I do not share your view.

Anonymous said...

Good to talk to you again Sarah, age and experience are not the best predictor of a president's legacy, in my opinion. Reagan had the age but had more acting experience than politics, and his legacy is that of a good president. Nixon had both age and experience, and you know the rest of that story. JFK was young but at least had the experience and backing in terms of his family in politics. George W. Bush had that family history to fall back on as well and I can't think of a worse president in recent history.

Tony Blair seemed young, not sure of his experience but he gave me the impression of being as stubborn as Bush, where did that get him?

Sarah Maid of Albion said...

It was good to speak to you as well Mark.

we can differ on the merits of Age and experience or indeed on the merits of past presidents and prime ministers.

However, the central point of my article was that, whilst commentators are quick to accuse Clinton's supporters of racism for failing to support Obama, they demur from making a similar judgement against Obama's supporters, despite the fact that Clinton received less than 10% of the black vote.

That is a double standard, because these things cut both ways.