Who could not be moved at the sight of a major political party naming Barack Obama, an African American, as its presidential candidate? To me, there could not be a better sign that America has left behind its racist past. We are now approaching what may be termed "the end of racism." The End of Racism was the title of my 1995 bestseller, hugely controversial when it was published, but now it seems to have been a decade ahead of its time. If we appreciate the significance of our current moment, we are driven to an ironic but rational conclusion: perhaps the best way to recognize Obama's historic achievement is to vote for John McCain this November.
Consider this: for the past several years we have been hearing liberal Democrats emphasize how racism still defines America, how things haven't really changed all that much, how racism has gone underground and is now more covert and more dangerous than ever. It may seem strange that a racist country would adopt legal policies that discriminate against the majority and in favor of minorities. Even so, liberal activists and civil rights activists continue to browbeat white America in the schools, in the universities, in politics and in the media if there is the slightest dissent from civil rights orthodoxy.
Well, I don't know how many people have been drinking the liberal Kool-Aid, but these people must be utterly shocked at the success of Barack Obama. Here is a guy who could not possibly have made it as far as he has with only black votes. He has attracted not only white votes but the votes of some of the most affluent and successful segments of the white community. Obama, not Hillary, is the pillar of the white establishment. Moreover, Obama's own campaign is based on the premise that America is no longer racist. Far from making race-based appeals, to blacks on the basis of solidarity, and to whites on the basis of guilt, Obama campaigns on the expectation that whites share his economic values and foreign policy positions and view of America. In other words, Obama's public message is that race doesn't matter and that transracial alliances should be built on shared political and cultural values. It's a good message, and how it must dismay professional civil rights activists to hear it. I wouldn't be surprised if Jesse Jackson is telling family members, "If race relations keep improving like this, I may have to get a real job."
Clearly there are many in the liberal Democratic camp who are made profoundly uncomfortable by the recognition that racism is no more a defining feature of American life or even African American life. Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that racism does not exist. This is a big country, and surely one can find several examples of it. But racism, which used to be systematic, is now only episodic. In fact, when I ask young blacks on the campus today whether America is racist, many say yes. But if I ask them to give me examples of how that racism affects their lives, they are hard pressed to give a single one. The best they can do is to mention "Rodney King" or provide some well-known, recycled horror story. Recently someone told me that McCain is still winning the white vote by a substantial majority and that shows "we have a long way to go" in overcoming white bigotry. By this logic, blacks are have even longer way to go in overcoming their bigotry since Obama is winning almost 98 percent of the black vote. When your logic leads to an absurd conclusion, go back and re-examine the premise.
Even though Obama's candidacy signals that America is overcoming its racial past, neither Obama nor his wife recognize that. Their personal statements, as seen for example in Obama's books, are suffused with race-consciousness, race-obsession and even racial resentment. The more privileges they have received on the basis of race, the more embittered they seem to become. The source of these pathologies is the very liberalism that the Obamas have embraced: a liberalism that declares them equal while treating them as inferiors who need preferential treatment. (Liberals hate to have this pointed out; hence the irrational invective of the early responses to this post.) The solutions are obvious. If you want to get rid of racial obsession, stop talking and thinking about race so much. If you want to remove race as the basis of decision-making in America, let's eliminate America's policies that make race the basis of decision-making. And if you want a party that stands for color-blindess and equal opportunity, you might consider voting for the Republicans.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 44)
1. ATHEISM: A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE
http://www.evolutionfacts.blogspot.com
RICHARD ROBLES at 1:39AM on Aug 28th 2008
2. In the third paragraph you are saying Obama is not racist by the way he runs his campaign, and then toward the end of your rant you say he is a total racist. Then on the end you make the absurd statement about the republican party not being racist, and being for equality for all. Are you not aware of your convoluted thinking?
Jerry Brown at 2:55AM on Aug 28th 2008
3. It is ironic that Barrack and his wife could continue to act like America is mired in the 1920's even as Barrack is one general election away from winning the White house.
And Jerry, you did a pretty good job as Governor (sorry about that Presidential run) but you've got this one wrong. It's not Republicans that play racial identity politics constantly. Look at your own party. It's the home of Al Gore, Sr, Robert Byrd, George Wallace, Robert Fullbright, Margaret Sanger and Bull Connor, all avowed racists, past and present.
It's the Clinton's and their shameless surrogates (like Mark Penn) that have been foisting all this nonsense about Obama being a crack head and a drug dealer. If you want to get mad at somebody, get mad at the racial demagogues in your own party, Jerr.
Dave at 3:51AM on Aug 28th 2008
4. yes, why don't we vote for mccain? mccain is out of touch with real people.his shoes alone cost more than my car note {$500.00}and almost as much as my house note. and what about his wife? just like me spends money on what is needed to the tune of $750.000 on a cc for one month? what? my entire family could live off of that for years. the cost of gas is $4.00 a gallon on average, many are losing their homes, jobs, utlitiy cost is on the rise, and jmccain will not increase the minimum wage to offset the rise in inflation, jmccain thinks the economy is fundamentally sound. what? no way, no how no mccain! four more years? how about four more months! how many houses does he own? john mccain married his money - barak obama earned his! barak never ran on the race issue. he and his wife speak from their experience and their perspective as blacks in this country, as we all do. oh and that liberal kool-aid has plenty of conservative mix, and what's so refreshing about it is, that dogmatic flavor once known as red/blue right/left conservative/liberal is on it's way out. the fear tactics used by the hardcore haters is about to fall. as a fellow blogger said;
what have we learned from experience?
we have learned we need change!
obama/biden clinton/clinton 2008
twiggy at 5:25AM on Aug 28th 2008
5. You are a complete fool if you think racism has even slowed. We have tough laws enacted and decent people to sit in jury boxes is the only reason you do not see people of color hanging from trees in every American city. The hate mongers are still out in full force, they just sit in their kitchens drinking beer while pissing on themselves wishing they could kill and get away with like the good old days. You are without a doubt the biggest idiot given a voice to spew your stupidity. And given many of the topics you have written on and the slanted views you hold so dear about YOUR religion and homosexuality and women and people with views other than your own I would say you are one of the biggest bigots out there. Shut up!
Dinesh D'Souza is a fool. at 5:36AM on Aug 28th 2008
6. When are idiots like Dinesh D'Souza going to get it in their heads there is no white vote or black vote or hispanic vote or woman vote or left vote or right vote. There is only an American vote. You can slap as many labels as you want onit, but in the end we are all of us Americans voting in a free society. The very fact that you see a difference is the proof that you are a bigot.
Dinesh D'Souza is a fool. at 5:35AM on Aug 28th 2008
7. For such a dark man of color you certainly are a complete idiot about your own plight. I wonder if you do not realize that every time you board a commercial flight someone is watching you and wondering if you are going to blow the plane up or take hostages? Bigots are everywhere. Not being able to see your own bigotry in a mirror I guess you are blind to all bigotry.
DD Double dumbass at 5:42AM on Aug 28th 2008
8. I, a white man, am not voting for Barack Obama out of guilt. Guilty of what? Do you believe anyone feels guilty for the sins of their fathers so far removed they do not even know their names unless they are into genealogy charting? I am voting for Barack Obama because he is a man I trust with the future of our nation. He will not use scare tactics to invade other nations, he will not pander to the rich and corporate America. He will lift up the sick and abused among us and he will keep our nation safe against all other nations or entities who seek to do harm either on the home front or abroad. He will do this without stealing their oil reserves in the process or leaving tax payers with a multi trillion dollar bill for a private war fought with taxpayer money desperately needed by those who paid those taxes to run our nation. Bush dynasty invaded another nation and destroyed the lives of every innocent citizen living in the region when it could have been settled and defeated with a single snipers rifle. Get real.
DD Double dumbass at 5:54AM on Aug 28th 2008
9. When consistently about 70 percent or more of your readers disagree with you do you become disheartened and wonder if you are in the wrong profession? Give it up, you are wrong more often than the weatherman.
DD Double dumbass at 5:56AM on Aug 28th 2008
10. For those who want to lose weight quickly and keep it off try the Dinesh D'Souza super slim diet plan. Every time you read one of his articles you will vomit until you dry heave and it will be a long time before your appetite returns. I have already lost 2 inches around my waist and I feel great! Thanks Double Douche!
Kim at 6:04AM on Aug 28th 2008
11. Dinesh D'Souza if you were a can of dog food you would be recalled.
George at 6:05AM on Aug 28th 2008
12. I am another white man voting for Barack Obama. People who fail to see racism are only those like this idiot who wrote this article. DD lives in a private gated community and shops in all the high end stores in between sips from private label wineries... and he is insulated from the truth, therefore he does not know the truth. Spend one week in any small town in Texas, rent a house next door to any person in a white neighborhood and roll those dice and see how warm the reception is for you. Odds are 50-50 you will be living next door to a KKK member. KKK is alive and well in Texas, just very underground. I know people (my own disowned family members) who are active members and I know streets where they will shoot a black man for knocking on the front door then swear he was climbing through the window after they stage a crime scene. Houston jails are filled with black men falsely identifies as rapists or drug dealers. Many have been recently cleared 15 years after the fact in light of new DNA evidence and witnesses coming forward to reveal evidence tampering by the police and DA's office. Oh, it gets hot in Texas alright. I was born and raised in Texas and I know exactly what I am talking about. Neighboring states are as bad or worse.
Lenny at 6:19AM on Aug 28th 2008
13. "And if you want a party that stands for color blindness and equal opportunity, you might consider voting for the Republicans."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH HAHAHAHAHHAHAH!!! Good one DD. You're doing it again, aren't you? Another one of those blogs where you say the most obviously outrageous, dumbass, ill informed things, then say "they didn't recognize satire." Right DD? No? You really think this? Dumbass. You need to get out in the real world more. And it wouldn't hurt to investigate the policies, agendas and actions of your beloved Republican party. Wasn't it Republicans that went after John McCain with the illegitimate black baby stories to "scare" voters away from him? Start there, then keep looking.
Jude at 6:21AM on Aug 28th 2008
14. Dinesh D'Souza I will be leaving 5 rat terds in your Christmas stocking this year.
Signed, Santa Claus
Santa Clause at 7:09AM on Aug 28th 2008
15. Anyone who supports this argument or agrees with this foolish man who wrote this completely WRONG article will join ranks with an idiot.
Cynthia at 6:24AM on Aug 28th 2008