I think that the most covertly and overtly racist thing in 21st-century America is not the utterance of the N word, but in denying that race is not still an issue and a problem in this country. By denying it, claiming it's all in the past, that the mere mention of it is false victimization, or my favorite "playing the race card", we attempt to sweep it under the rug while not addressing the problems it continues to plague our nation with today. The people who claim the loudest that there is no race problem, or none worth talking about, are the people who don't have to deal with its ramifications. The race card cannot be played unless it's in the deck in the first place. The race card cannot be played unless it's dealt.

This nation is far from having put race behind us. Some have commented that it is distructive for Obama to make race an issue in this campaign. Obama is not making race an issue. Obama is dealing with an issue that already exists in this campaign. By doing so, he is asking us to think about what our focus should be on, the issues that affect us all - the economy, the war, healthcare, education, etc. These are issues we all struggle with, regardless of race. But it's difficult to deal with the substance of the issues the next president must deal with while we are bogged down in these issue of who said what and what it meant and who denounced it without rejecting it and which hole the Alice descended while chasing the March Hare.

And all the while, gas is over three dollars a gallon, the elderly can't afford their medication and utitilities, our children-fathers-mothers-sisters-brothers continue to die on foreign soil fighting a war to raise the profits of Halliburton, and more of us have no place to call home. But what do we argue about? Ow, he hurt my feelings. Ow, she hurt my feelings.

At over 200 years old, don't you think it's time we grow up? So what, you don't like the color of my skin - keep it to yourself and let's make sure our children can get an education without getting shot on campus. So what, someone got the job and you didn't - grow up, happens to us all, deserving and undeserving alike. Don't like how if feels, fight for justice. Then no one gets what they don't deserve. So what, you don't like what a black preacher said - ever listen to Pat Robertson, John Hagee, or Rod Parsley? I hope Jesus is more Christian than those who profess to speak for him. Whether you say it's foreign policy or God's vengeance on a wicked society - we were attacked. Meanwhile, we're going bankrupt fighting a war we can't win in a country that doesn't want us there, on the other side of the world.

Don't like the way things are - fight for peace, justice, charity, and brotherhood - instead of fighting one another.

I think she feels the way a lot of Democrats feel. We are wholeheartedly disappointed in Bill Clinton's behavior and tone during this campaign process, and as a result, if Bill/Hill get the nomination, we don't want to reward them for it by sending them to the Whitehouse. No one was a bigger Bill Clinton fan than I was, but he has made me sick. I never liked Hillary, but because of how I felt about him, I was willing to support her for the nomination until I was offered a better alternative. The Clintons' tone of entitlement, the condescending way in which they have spoken to the voters, and their race baiting in this campaign have FOREVER tarnished the way I feel about them. If they get the nomination, I will have to think long and hard about who I will vote for in November. McCain against Clinton - he starts to look like the lesser of two evils.

And you can talk about us all you like - but the fact remains that the Obamas and their supporters have had more integrity in this cycle than the Clintons have in their collective 35 years of experience.

I'm not happy. For the most part, I am not unhappy either. At 42 years old, and invisible to men, yeah - I would like my 25 year old body back. But what I'd rather have, that would really up my happiness quotient is more money. I make a so-so salary doing a job I don't hate, but don't love either. My car is 13 years old. I have $70,000 in student loan debt - which if you calculate the interest, I will never get paid off before I retire or die (death is likely to come before retirement given how long I will have to work in order to support myself). The cost of everything keeps going up, but my salary only increases at most 2-3% a year. I don't have a cell phone or cable tv because I can't afford to add another costly, monthly bill. I don't have a home computer, or any of the other bells and whistles that modern life makes a necessay luxury. So - all in all, it's not whether or not I'm hot right now that is at the top of my list. But perhaps if I were hot, I'd attract a husband and have a duel income lifestyle that would make all the other things possible. But it's been my experience that when involved with men, I go from not being happy to being unhappy. So - what's a girl to do?