Judging from this picture, racism starts early in America.
Wow, this is a pretty serious title for a blog post, as well as a very serious subject. I hope I can write something worthy. Senator Obama attempted to address this issue in a speech this week ... and while it did make people sit up and notice, I don't think it went far enough. At least one statement from the speech has started a discourse into the subject that may bear fruit ... though I doubt the Senator was attempting to broach the subject when he said it.
During his speech, Obama referenced his own grandmother (who is white), and some of the racist feelings and prejudices she had. A couple of days later, after probably getting an ear-full from granny, the Senator tried for some damage control on a Philly sports radio show. During that interview, Obama stated that his grandmother was a "typical white person", and if she sees someone on the street that she doesn't know (black) .... there is a reaction.
Now, the use of the word "typical" is of course prejudicial (regardless of how true it may be). The right-wing pundits are having a "field-day" with this ... and the Clinton camp is just sitting back and enjoying the show. This is the peril that we all face while walking through the mine-field that has become race relations in the United States. The problem seems to be that we are incapable of having an "adult" discussion of race without one group or another taking offense. Until we can "grow-up" as a nation, we will be mired exactly where we are now. As for that discussion, as a "typical white person", I think we need it.
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