Well, all we have heard this Presidential season concerning the race of Obama – he’s post-racial! Hi campaign has tried to give the ethos that we are finally at the time of Dr. King – race should not matter – only the character inside. As an engineer, I could care less – as long as your code is good, you could be purple with green polka dots and it wouldn’t matter.
But it does to some, and certainly to the media. It seems that race is mattering down south, but not the way you’d think! From RedState (H/T: Erick – who will be on MTNP this weekend, and I have reformatted it for the ‘Grok!):
Is it Okay to Vote Against a Candidate Because of His Race?
There is a double standard in the media’s handling of that question that needs some attention. The answer to the question is no. It is, in fact, the only acceptable answer and if you think otherwise, RedState is not a good fit for you.
But I ask the question because it raises an important point about the media, the Democrats, and Barack Obama himself.
We are, each year, treated to national media reports on race relations in this country and they invariably discuss white America coming to terms with other races in this country. Very, very rarely does the media ever report on other races coming to terms with white America.
Racism works two ways – both towards a race and from a race. The permutations are numerous as it seems that one can find examples of any race acting badly towards another simply because of color (and no, I don’t buy into the carnard that racism is only from whites to others – it comes backwards too). And it seems that Dems get the gold plated pass from the media, but boy oh boy, let a conservative make a screwup or neglect something….watch out!
It is not really relevant, frankly, to point out that most black voters are going to vote in droves for Barack Obama. Regardless of his race, black voters would vote for the Democrat. But when you read about Congressman Steve Cohen’s [a Democrat -Skip] race in Tennessee’s Ninth Congressional District, you really are confronted by both racism and anti-semitism in a way we rarely think about in this country. And the media is silent. Barack Obama is silent.
Steve Cohen just might lose his re-election not because he has been ineffective in representing his district, but because he is white….
…What is happening to Steve Cohen is real racism and there are no prominent national media stories about it. Let me be clear here: Steve Cohen and I disagree on probably 99% of all issues. The point, though, is that the national media is all too willing to run stories of racism involving Republicans and then run as fast as they can in the other direction when the racism involves not just Democrats, but reverse racism.
In 2006, Steve Cohen won Harold Ford’s seat in Memphis in a bitter contested race. Cohen beat Nikki Tinker barely. During the race, Cohen hacked off black ministers for supporting gay rights legislation and opposing school prayer. But what angered people in the district more was that a black congressman could potentially be replaced by not just a white man, but a Jew too. The anti-Semitism has resurfaced this year. Black ministers (started by one who is not even in district) have passed out fliers that say “Steve Cohen and the JEWS HATE Jesus.” (link here) Nikki Tinker has refused to denounce the fliers.
Last year, some black ministers caused a stir against Cohen because he supported federal hate crimes legislation that included gay rights. Robert Poindexter, one of the angered ministers, gave away the game saying, “He’s not black and he can’t represent me, that’s just the bottom line.”
[snip]
And where is Barack Obama? Steve Cohen got on board early with Obama’s campaign. Nikki Tinker only did after Hillary was toast. Neither campaign thinks Obama will weigh in, but why not?
In Georgia, Obama gladly taped a radio commercial for Congressman John Barrow in the 12th Congressional District. Barrow looks conservative next to Cohen. In fact, Barrow, a Blue Dog Democrat, was opposed by most left-wing organization in his primary challenge by Regina Thomas, a prominent black state senator for Savannah. Seventy percent of the ballots in the Democratic primary in Georgia-12 are generally cast by black voters; yet, Barack Obama was willing to weigh in for the white guy.
In Tennessee-9, Barack Obama has remained silent. He could, of course, practice what he preaches. He could transcend race and help the healing. Barack Obama could weigh in publicly for Steve Cohen. Barack Obama could denounce the anti-semitism and racism (and blatant sexism) being hurled toward a sitting congressman….
So why be silent now? And why is the media silent? The only major national media organization to look into this issue has been the Washington Post, and then only via an online blog.
Either the media and Barack Obama really care about this issue, or they use it just as a political weapon against Republicans. The silence is deafening.
As with the problem with Jesse Jackson (being hypocritical concerning the use of the N-word by others, and then using it himself), there is that "it’s ok for me, but not for thee, especially when it helps me!". Either you forgo the race card or be willing to be called for it no matter which direction it is being played. And the mature ones in the Dem party should be on the patrol for this nonsense – but they are sadly missing in action.
What say you, Liberals of all colors?
Other Commenters: Blue Collar Muse, Real Debate Wisconsin, Fort Hard Knox,
