The Obama and Clinton rivalry has really opened my eyes...

Let me first start by giving some background. This video was posted on a forum that I frequent. The video in and of itself, sadly, does not surprise me and is not the reason for this blog. The responses that this video sparked ... responses that I have seen all too often since Barack Obama became a seriously candidate for President ... are the reason for the blog. There are a lot of things that have come to light for me over the past several months, things that have troubled me a great deal. The main realization that I've come to, the one that is the purpose for this blog, is this: I thought that racism was finally starting to go away. It wasn't gone, not by any means, but I thought it was lessening. I realize now that it had never decreased, but that people had just started to restrain themselves more. They held back their true feelings because they knew what they could and could not get away with. With Obama likely locking up the Democratic nomination tonight, and Hillary set to concede, (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24944453/) people are no longer holding their tongues. Racism isn't gone, it isn't even fading. If anything, it's gotten stronger.

Let me remind all 6 of my readers once again that this video is not what caused me to write this blog, it's the responses this video got. So I will start by posting the video, then the responses.



In the thread in which this video was posted, someone gave this response:

"I said it before and I'll say it again. White Clinton supporters will vote for McCain, and there's only one plausible reason they'd cross party lines at a time like this.

Sorry white people, but until your dumbass grandparents die there won't be a black president."

That last sentence was powerful. It's harsh, and I don't think a lot of people, particularly white people, are ready to see something like that. That may be, however, some of the truest words I've seen spoken during this entire campaign. Can this point even really be argued? It's a well known fact that elderly people turn out in droves for elections. And there are too many white people, old and young, who feel the same as that woman in the video. There is no real reason to hate Barack Obama. He ran a great campaign. He never attacked Hillary. He focused on the issues. His goals, should he stand by them, would get this country heading in the right direction.

But this is not a blog about Barack Obama. If anyone wants to know why I support Obama, feel free to ask and I will respond at a later time. This blog is more about the reasons people have for feeling that he is, as that woman said, an "inadequate black man." I've always had issues with women's logic when it came to arguing. My issues is that, well, it's either very poor or they don't use any logic at all. They will argue just to avoid admitting any wrong. They will take that argument far off topic, just to avoid admitting any wrong. I have no problem with a female President, as long as she does not embody any of the negative stereotypes against women. Hillary embodies several of them. One of them is the use of poor logic. Her main, and really ONLY reason for Obama not being fit for President is his lack of experience. She's run her entire campaign on this idea, and has got all of her supporters to buy into it.

I will not argue against the idea that Barack Obama is inexperienced. He has only served one term in the United States Senate. My argument is this: Where is all of the experience that Hillary claims to have? She's only served two terms. Somehow that makes her vastly more experienced than him? I'm sorry, but I can not count her time as first lady as "experience." I don't think I can say I have experience as a mechanical engineer on my resume, just because I live with someone who does. And if we're going to go outside of time served in the Senate to go toward her "experience," why not do the same for him?

Once again, though, this is not a blog about Clinton or Obama's campaign. I said all this for a reason. I think the whole "Obama doesn't have experience" argument, is the argument that white people use because they know they can't say "We don't want him because he's black." The experience argument does not hold enough weight to be legitimate, it can be used against her as well. Now that Obama is about to secure the nomination, more and more enraged white people are coming out against Obama. I find it funny, and sad at the same time, that so many people can be against a man who plans to do so much good. With all the hatred against him, how can people think he's only gotten this far because he's black? Last time I checked, being black isn't an advantage. It doesn't help you achieve things that were previously thought to be impossible. If it did, there would be no such thing as affirmative action.

This is a perfect segue into my second point about racism. People feel that Obama has only gotten this far because he's black. This implies that he is essentially getting "pity" votes, and that people have jumped on him because he's a black man who is a halfway decent candidate. The #1 argument, among both blacks and whites who don't use the "experience" argument, is that Obama supporters only support him because he's black. To me, this is simultaneously the most racist and most overlooked comment that has been uttered during this entire campaign. And unfortunately, blacks are just as guilty of this one as whites.

The problem with this argument is that it suggest that black Obama supporters (since they are the main ones who would vote for him because of his race), are too stupid to find any legitimate reasons to support him. Granted, there are a lot of black people who ARE too stupid to find legit reasons. They don't pay attention to politics. They don't know anything about him. They see a black man with a legitimate shot at being President and go "OH SHIT!! A nigga bout to be President! I'ma vote for that nigga!!!" But do you really think these people go out to vote? Are these people the Obama supporters with whom you discuss politics and debate who would help our country the most? These people are not Obama supporters. They are loud mouths who will have no real effect on anything come November.

I can only think of one person I know in my entire circle of friends, associates, family, and casual acquantainces who pays anywhere near as much attention to politics as I do, or as I have since I turned 18. Just one. Not only have I done my research, I pay closer attention to this stuff than 90% of the people who want to slap an Obama or Clinton bumper sticker on their car and poke out their chests because they learned a politicians name for the first time in their life. These people, who want to imagine themselves as intellectuals because they know something about the election before November, have the gall to insinuate that someone such as myself, who actually CARES about what happens in this country and has done his research, has no better reason to vote for Obama other than because he's black.

Well I've got news for all of you. I've done my research. I'm not some ignorant nigga who sees a black man on CNN and does some chicken dance in his livingroom. You say I support him because he's black. I say you DON'T support him because he's black. I have legit reasons for my support, do you have any for your lack of support? If so, I'd love to hear them.