Are whites scared to vote black.

I am a African American male and I have a question for white Americans out there.

I cant help but notice that all the polls in the primary in NH showed Obama winning by a huge margin. The way im thinking is alot of people were called during the polls and wanted to vote for Obama, but when it came down to it people saw the reality of having a black man become president or helping a black man become president and it made them change there mind.

Is this true? Do you think it had to do with something with it? Please be honest. I know racism is far from gone in this country and I know it had something to do with it.

Just as example older whites seem to vote for hillary this is no accident older whites are more prone to be racists or just resist the fact that a black man could be there leader.

Please everyone tell me what you think.

[edit on 8-1-2008 by Mrknighttime32]

[edit on 8-1-2008 by Mrknighttime32]

I'm an "older" white woman and I like both Obama and Clinton; I haven't made up my mind yet. I have no problem with an African American man becoming president, and if Obama was the first I'd be happy. However, you have to remember that no woman has ever been president either, so if Hillary won it would also be an historic first. Both of them are exceptionally courageous and talented. I'll make my final decision after I know each one's exact positions on the issues that are important to me, consider their experience, etc. Neither race nor gender will be the deciding factor, although I like the fact that one is black and the other is a woman.

I have some friends that, even though they wont come right out and say it, wont consider Obama because he is black...

I wont vote for him because he is a Democrat....

But if it came down to Obama or McCain, I may have to switch sides... Obama at least offers some new perspectives and is not quite the socialist Hillary is...

Racism is not dead my friend, just swept farther under the rug....

Semper

The opposite is more true. Obama will likely get heavy support from the white population (even those who would usually be in direct opposition to his politics or the (D) politics in general) because white America (especially the wealthy) will see a vote for Obama as a vote to relieve some of the constant "white guilt" they've been living with for generations. Voting for Obama just because he's half black is a way to announce to the world "see, I'm not racist." This is an incredible attraction for most whites because either consciously or subconsciously nearly every white in this country is living under perpetual fear that doing/saying anything at all will get them labeled a racist. Just look how often it happens for no reason whatsoever.

The great white fear in America is to be called racist. A vote for Obama is going to be seen as a "get out of being called a racist unfounded or not" card.

It's the same phenomena that gets a girl once called racist to exclusively date black men in her adult life. The same phenomena that causes the uptight white guy to overtip his black waiter. The same phenomena that forces men to claim some black woman is hot during male bar chatter even if she is not because he knows (and has seen it happen to his friends) that if he says "nah, she's not hot" his preference in women will be chocked up to some genetic klan residue locked within his evil white DNA.

Maybe Shelby Steele can explain it better.

I'm in my mid forties and white, I won't vote for Obama not because he's black, but because he say he champions change, yet he opposes impeachment . ( somethin that would bring change) His words say he wants change, his actions oppose it.

I only have one fear for Obama. If he was to become President, he would indeed be assisnated. I myself personally haven't found a canidate I like yet. I have to keep on the research. I am niether Dem or Repub but am a conservative in the fact I like a strong National defence. Back on track. Obama would not make a term in office and is a wasted vote in my opinion. We would have the VIce for President. I am a White Southern Man
in my 40's and like Semper already stated - Rasicm isn't dead. I am not a racist but it is clear to me here in the South the two things we will not see is either a Black or a Woman serving an entire term as US President in my life time.

I'm white, And will never vote for a Black President.


However If I agree with a candidates views and he has a history of not only upholding those views but upholding the oath he took to the Constitution while serving in past public office, The color of his skin is meaningless.


The Oath to the Constitution of The United States is what matters.

Voting based on Skin color, Religion or trivial issues that have nothing to do with the oath to protect the Constitution and within it the rights of The People.
doesn't Serve The People.

If Obama supported this www.archives.gov...

I would vote for him, However he doesn't.

I don't care what color a candidate is but the MSM thinks that white people are at fault for the polls being so fare off they said its because white people lied. Here we go with the race card.

I don't care what color a candidate is but the MSM thinks that white people are at fault for the polls being so fare off they said its because white people lied. Here we go with the race card.

No guys im not pulling race card just pointing out things that I see. Everyone here knows that there are alot of whites that do not wont to have a black leader. Not all but there are lots. My whole point is that it is really sad. I myself am black but does not mean I would vote for Him because of that. I am against any candidate that supports abortion or any other unmoral acts. But I do know that the man faces even more unfair things then does Hilary. Hilary gets the whole sympathy thing going and people decided to come vote for here. Her and Bill Clinton start to cry about how unfair it was the Barrack was getting all this hype and guess what happens. NH is mostly white voters so Obama had no choice but to get some of them. But there was a major factor in the polls being that wrong. I believe alot of whites do believe he would be a good president, but would never say it around their white friends or will never vote for him. Its so sad that people still think like this. At the end of the day we all bleed. No matter what skin color you are, and we all will die one day no matter what color you are.

I also believe there are alot of people that will not post there true comments on here because no of days it is better to be undercover racist. I just want to know what is so wrong with being black. I never understood this.

I think that some white voters are afraid of having an African-American for either President or Vice-Presisdent. Thid does not necessarily mean that they are all racists (though some obviously are).
I, for one, am not afraid of having an African-American as either President or Vice-President. I will cast my vote for Barack Obama if he winds up being the Democratic Party's nominee for either President or Vice-President.
I think it's high time that America has an African-American in the Whitehouse. This would honor the efforts of previous African-Americans like Martin Luther King, Marcus Garvey, Frederick Douglas, and other prominent and not so prominent African-Americans who have struggled mightily for inclusion in the American Dream.

reply to post by Wally Conley


Thats a very honest answer. But do you know what is so scary about having a Black man as leader.

Originally posted by semperfortis
Racism is not dead my friend, just swept farther under the rug....

I agree with you and Semperfortis on this. However, this country has come a long way in a relatively short time. Obama may very well get the Democratic nomination; one defeat in one primary does not mean it's over for him, not by a long shot. A few short years ago this probably would not have been possible. Clearly, a lot of white people are voting for him. Will there be enough? We'll see in the days ahead.

reply to post by Sestias


My point is that some whites are so scared he could win that they will not let him win.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


No. They might tell the exit polls "I voted for Obama, gooo me!" but in the booth they actually voted for the most milquetoast white dude they could find. Case in point: Dukakais.

C0le,

I like your many varied and entirely referenced examples of how Obama doesn't adhere to the consti... oh. Wait. Damn, I must have been hallucinating, 'cause you supplied neither jack nor squat to back that up. Why not just say what you mean? "I'll vote for a black guy so long as he's not a god-damned Democrat"

Or in other words, you'll never vote for a black guy. 'Course that's mostly 'cause the option won't be presented to you, so don't feel bad.

[edit on 10-1-2008 by The Walking Fox]

Originally posted by The Walking Fox
reply to post by thisguyrighthere

 

No. They might tell the exit polls "I voted for Obama, gooo me!" but in the booth they actually voted for the most milquetoast white dude they could find. Case in point: Dukakais.

I'd buy into that theory if the voters weren't so obsessed with how the rest of the world vies America. Every white, liberal voter is much more concerned that the French might view the nation as a racist nation rather than how well America is run. Obama could do a great thing like cut spending, cut taxation and increase savings but all anyone will care about is "Look at us, we have a black President. How progressive!" Conversely, Obama could run the nation even further into the ground and again all anyone will care about is "Look at us, we have a black President. How progressive!"

To be honest I dont think any candidate that becomes president is going to be able to do anything that they say. Bush has messed up so many things in the past. 7 years it is crazy. He has literally changed the world way of life. Just about more then any president. That is a great accomplishment but in the wrong direction.

reply to post by Mrknighttime32

I am a African American male and I have a question for white Americans out there. I cant help but notice that all the polls in the primary in NH showed Obama winning by a huge margin. The way im thinking is a lot of people were called during the polls and wanted to vote for Obama, but when it came down to it people saw the reality of having a black man become president or helping a black man become president and it made them change there mind. Is this true? Do you think it had to do with something with it? Please be honest.

I am sorry to have to say this Mr K/T/32, because America’s blacks have earned and are deserving of better, but the answer to your question is YES!

Believe it or not, I’m just now 200 pages into Kevin Phillips’ latest book of some 400 pages, “American Theology” who is explaining how the South lost the military phases of the Civil War - 1861-1865 - but has consistently - since 1876 - WON the peace that followed. The high water mark for Southern racism was Plessey v. Ferguson, 1896, when Jim Crow was legitimized by the US Supreme Court. That struggle goes on. Recall Sen. Trent Lott, (R-MS) felt totally comfortable in honoring SC’s Sen. Strom Thurmond by lamenting his loss in the 1948 election! And his accompanying anti-black slur.

History. Oh how different our world could have been if war hero turned president Dwight D. Eisenhower had done his duty! On May 17, 1954, the US Supreme Court over-ruled Plessey and declared “segregation is inherently unequal” in the US. For a few days, the South was shocked by total disbelief. If the popular president of the United States had spoke out immediately supporting the Supreme Court, we would not be here today making this conversation. But instead, Ike remained silent as the racists organized. He later remarked that appointing CA's Earl Warren to be Chief Justice was his “greatest mistake.” Need I say more?

Ike finally acted in September, 1957, more than 3 years later, when he ordered the US Army to Little Rock to make it safe for the Little Rock 9 to attend a tax supported public school.

Ike, you failed America when it needed you most.

But look what Ike’s ’s predecessor had done in the midst of the 1948 election when he, Harry Truman, was running in a 4 way race against J. Strom Thurmond on the States’ Rights Party ticket - Dixie-crats - Henry Wallace on the liberal Progressive Party ticket and Thomas E. Dewey on the Republican ticket. This is the election where Truman was predicted by every poll to be a loser. Truman desegregated the Armed Forces. See Note 1.

I know racism is far from gone in this country and I know it had something to do with it. Just as example older whites seem to vote for Hillary this is no accident older whites are more prone to be racists or just resist the fact that a black man could be there leader. Please everyone tell me what you think.

Let’s get to the facts. The ONLY Republican president NOT to play the race card after Herbert Hoover’s term ended in 1932, was Gerald Ford. I’ve mentioned Eisenhower above. Nixon had his “Southern Strategy” which everyone knew about and he, Nixon, ran in the south condemning school bussing. Ronald Reagan loved to tell - and Republicans loved to hear - the welfare Cadillac story. Bush Sr had his Willie Horton and Bush Jr has done everything every time he could to hurt America’s blacks.

I have labeled people like Alan Keyes, J C Watts, Walter Williams, Clarence Thomas and Condo Rice as cannibals. Because they “eat” their own kind to get ahead. Colin Powell does not. But just look at what happened to him. But the other’s prosper.

Now I’m an “older white” as you put it. Born in Kentucky before 1954, which by the way, I say every white person born before 1954 is prejudiced. (Kentucky has the dubious distinction of being the only state to join the Confederacy AFTER the war). I will not recite my story as I’m sure you have LIVED it. I must relate one incident however. Louisville public schools, like all de jure segregated schools, were ordered to bus students to achieve racial balance in all the schools. Whites offered the usual tripe; wastes time, costs money better spent on schools and was to some extent dangerous. But not one person reminded that the separate black schools, being scattered across town, had bussed black students forever. But who’s ox was being gored?

Most public schools are no longer desegregated. Republican judicial appointees have nearly wiped out Brown v. Topeka. All the more are schools reverting to their old ways when you look inside. A lot of schools have good numbers outside, but inside, where the track system allows for segregating allegedly on academic grounds, the classes are mostly all or nearly all white or black.

Which leads me to this conclusion. Free advice to America’s blacks. Do not waste more time and energy on trying to become integrated. Instead, look for ways to make life better in communities that are friendly to blacks. I’m not asking for ghettos, but to accept the reality that you are not welcome in the gated communities where the R&Fs - rich and famous - who are also the Movers and Shakers of the nation, now reside. Such items as neighborhood police, employing residents to do those things all neighborhoods need, sanitation removal, painting and fixing, having day care centers, playgrounds, and the ability to keep out drug dealers, pimps and loan sharks. Now that’s my opinion as you asked for.


Note 1. On July 26, 1948, President Truman issued EXECUTIVE ORDER 9981 “WHEREAS it is essential that there be maintained in the armed services of the United States the highest standards of democracy, with equality of treatment and opportunity for all those who serve in our country's defense:

NOW THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, by the Constitution and the statutes of the United States, and as Commander in Chief of the armed services, it is hereby ordered as follows:

1. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin. This policy shall be put into effect as rapidly as possible . . “

[edit on 1/10/2008 by donwhite]

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


Sort of like how ALL white conservatives are terrified of the idea of a black president or one without a Y chromosome? Cripes, generalizations are fun. I think I'm gonna go put on a war bonnet, get drunk and eat a whole mess of frybread. Woowoowoowoo!

Now, I do know several liberals who are pretty much what you describe, falling over themselves in adoration of "the first X in the white house!" Of course, I may be proven wrong in my estimate this time, since the one white guy staying in the dem race this time around is actually pretty far from bland and nancy.

My point is that some whites are so scared he could win that they will not let him win.

Point well taken. There's no doubt that's true. I just hope there are enough who are not scared to give him a fighting chance.

[edit on 10-1-2008 by Sestias]