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 2 of 44)
16. Cynthia, I always taught my children not to call other people names. It is rude and serves no function. This is what my parents learned from their parents and they in turn raised me in a good Christian home as well. But you know what, you are right. This jackass is a complete and total idiot. God, forgive me. Racism is re surging and it is due to the fact that we have a black man for the first time as a presidential hopeful. The sleeping Grande dragon is stirring in America. Hate towards Blacks Hispanics and women is surging and this dipdooky had the complete lack of intelligence to know this? It must be nice to live in La La Land. Does he get paid to write this stupid crap? I want to know who his employer is so I can boycott all.
Mary Cross at 6:37AM on Aug 28th 2008
17. Mc Cain drops bombs on innocent civilians, crashes several planes he is piloting then ultimately due to his failures is captured by the enemy and made a POW. This is not a war hero. A war hero targets only the enemy. Evades capture. He then returns his million dollar equipment still in sound condition to his commanding officer without being captured. The man is a failure who married money after divorcing the ailing wife who stood by him during his entire imprisonment. Money and not his own personal actions have gotten him this far. Just like George Bush. Exactly like George Bush.
James at 6:43AM on Aug 28th 2008
18. I have never read such garbage. I am 70 years old and if I were this mans mother I would still be whipping his ass after writing such completely ill informed nonsense as this. Racism has never slowed. They only in acted tough laws that would punish those found guilty of the crime of bigoted hate. For the longest even the laws did nothing to stop the killing and torture. Why does he think new hate crime laws are still being introduced into legislature to this very day and many of those laws still do not pass for the simple reason that the law makers themselves are often the bigots. What this man smoking? I want some.
Prissy at 6:57AM on Aug 28th 2008
19. D'Dumbass ends his first paragraph with:
"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."
Then he never addresses how he arrives at this ironic and (ir)rational conclusion
Back to English Comp 101.
Doofus at 7:08AM on Aug 28th 2008
20. Your premise is wrong, and poorly researched. You say that your book was ahead of its time. How? I witness racism every day. I do not look for it. It finds me.
You asked a few college students for some examples of racism, and they couldn't think of any. WOW! GREAT RESEARCH, Dinesh!!!
Have you ever asked black working people about their experiences with racism...or does your research consist of a few questions to a few college students? I am in a very typical workplace, where the managers and execs are white, and when they hire, they hire people who are like them. That's the way it works, and racism is hardly ended now.
Your book should have been called,
"What's so Great About Racism?"
Because that is how you think. I know it. Deny it all you want. You don't want there to be racism, and thus, poof! There is none. You want geroge bush to be great, and poof! You see him as great. The scariest racists are the ones who don't think they are.
America's Most Gangsta at 7:18AM on Aug 28th 2008
21. Dave, I get the republican ideal of the government leaving everyone alone equally. It makes sense, unfortunately, regardless of what DD says, racism is still very much a part of our society, and for the government to "leave everyone alone equally" in the face of existing racism, is actually racist. I work in banking in the South East. Trust me, institutionalized racism is very real.
Ryan Anderson at 7:12AM on Aug 28th 2008
22. Dinesh D'Souza will only vote for McCain because he does not want to pay taxes on his own fortune, and he knows just like Bush... McCain will keep all those handy tax loopholes active for those earning more than 175,000 a year. This and no other reason. Sick demented unpatriotic greed! Pay your taxes! I am sick of suppoting the rich!
Justin at 7:32AM on Aug 28th 2008
23. Actually, your stand is quite predictable. Once again, you have:
Stated a premise, and tried to prove it by stating one example that is supposed to make it so. Have you never heard of an anomale?
Then your research: it consists of asking 2 questions to a small population, within a very homogeneous group.
Your citations often include YOUR OWN PUBLISHED WORK!
Then you usually finish by stating an outrageous conclusion, that has nothing to do with what you have just supposedly proven...and this part always pumps up christians and/or conservatives and/or republicans; and bashed liberals and/or atheists and/or democrats.
By your logic, I could take you as an example, and thus conclude that ALL Indian people have attained alot in this country, and there is no need to help any of the lower classes of people (I thought you'd like that terminology).
America's Most Gangsta at 7:18AM on Aug 28th 2008
24. Vote for a pro big business, keep women down republican or vote for a pro middle class, economics that make sense democrat? Hmmm.... let's see. Being part of the middle class, it's a pretty easy call. The color of their skin is irrelevant. It's policy and ideals that this caucasian man is voting for. And by the way, the color of his skin may be darker than mine, but does everyone keep forgetting that half of Obama's family IS CAUCASIAN???
Reason at 7:50AM on Aug 28th 2008
25. The whole article here is just a pitch for voting McCain. If you remove the bullshit, you get simple premises.
1) Liberals are racist
2) Republicans are not racist
3) Blacks are racists
4) The Obamas are racist
5) McCain is not racist
Thats the blog article broken down. I honestly dont think racism has anything to do with the way people see obama. I dont see Obama as a black man. I see Obama as NOT BUSH.
Cackodemon at 7:54AM on Aug 28th 2008
26. Notice that not a single blogger has (as yet) written in support of DD's newest perversion of logic and/or truth!!
Because he has not played the religion (Christianity is Great) card directly, even his usual fundamentalist and devout Catholic supporters who can be counted upon to regularly restate their support and belief in Dinesh have (blessedly) remained silent. This tells me that there is yet some small glimmer of hope that Dinesh's desperate attempt to equate religious conservatism with political conservatism may fall on deaf ears; perhaps some of our dedicated Christian bloggers are able to apply logic and understanding to matters other than religion.We can only hope!!!
Harvey at 8:26AM on Aug 28th 2008
27. No doubt about it, poor Denise is as dumb as George Bush.
gshort3011 at 8:49AM on Aug 28th 2008
28. retard Dave says:...you've got this one wrong. It's not Republicans that play racial identity politics constantly.
Apparantly Dave has never heard of the southern strategy.
He must also be unaware that the repugnican southern strategy was formulated and adopted to capitalize on the massive flight of southern white Democrat racists to the repugnican party when LBJ signed the voting rights act even knowing it would weaken the Democratic party.
Uncle Meat at 8:55AM on Aug 28th 2008
29. Racism is at its core a spiritual problem. It is the deification of the creature above the creator. I believe that all sins have a demon attached to them. Racism has attached itself to this nation and can only be defeated by repentance, prayer, and fasting. We must also pray for a spirit of forgiveness. I refer you to the passage in Mark 9:29, “Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting”.
janesophie1 at 9:23AM on Aug 28th 2008
30. Racism is at its core a spiritual problem. It is the deification of the creature above the creator. I believe that all sins have a demon attached to them. Racism has attached itself to this nation and can only be defeated by repentance, prayer, and fasting. We must also pray for a spirit of forgiveness. I refer you to the passage in Mark 9:29, “Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting”.
janesophie1 at 9:23AM on Aug 28th 2008