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Friday, September 12, 2008 12:00 AM

What small-town America is saying about Obama

In diners and mobile homes from New Mexico to North Carolina, I listened to working-class people try to make sense of a black president named Barack.

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  • Thursday, September 11, 2008 07:57 PM

    @JohnD2008

    I was going to write a snide-ass response to your post, but thought better of it. There is enough of that going on here, and I've done it too much already. I ask you to consider this. 85-90% of African-Americans voted for John Kerry, Al Gore, Bill Clinton twice, and every other White Democrat, male or female, since the late 60s. This time, African-Americans see an African-American candidate who actually has a shot at winning, so this time, so it is probably more that African-Americans are voting for him because he is an African-American who they think is up to the task, rather than anti-White racism.

    I'm not suggesting that there aren't African-Americans who are racists - I don't buy into that "racism can only be practiced by the dominant group" argument - hate and judgment based on skin color is racism, wherever it comes from. But there is a difference between a White guy saying "I won't vote for him because he's black" and an African-American who has repeatedly voted for White candidates saying, this time, yeah, the fact that he's African-American is going to be a big factor in my vote.

    As a really White guy who can travel incognito among the so-called regular white folks, I think there is a lot less white racism than there was 20 years ago. Hell, 10 years ago. And for all of his faults, George Bush is certainly no racist, and I get pissed when I hear that charge leveled at him. Bush just doesn't really give a shit about poor people, in any real sense. McCain is no racist, either. Republicans are finally starting to stop playing that card, and Bush deserves credit for that.

    If your letter is serious, my answer to your question is that you would be surprised at how few urban African-Americans dislike White people. Distrust a little, maybe. Dislike, not really.

    By the way, Dan, this is a thoughtful, balanced article.

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