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 5 of 44)
61. SBG,
God installed sky-vacuums when people were going to the polls to vote Huckabee if I recall.
Mokele Mbembe at 11:24AM on Aug 28th 2008
62. For the last 25 years the Republican party has engaged in a policy of class warfare against the poor and middle classes.
In order to get working class and middle class whites to vote against their economic interest, the Republicans have made appeals in two areas: race and religion. The subtext for both is fear. This election, it is my fervant prayer that the politics of hope will be able to overcome the politics of fear.
randy at 11:32AM on Aug 28th 2008
63. By the way, this statement, “A black person voting for a republican is like a slave asking for fifty more lashes, please massa” is the most ignorant, racist comment I have ever heard!
janesophie1 at 11:22AM on Aug 28th 2008
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No, not if it's true. And it is. True. Obviously no slave would have done that, and no black person with a working brain would vote for a Republican. It's like asking for lashes. Please sir, can I have some more? Please take away my civil rights and keep me safely ghettoized. Please raise my taxes and allow the quality of ouur schools and neighborhoods to deterioriate. Oh, yes, I'll vote for the party where the Dixiecrats went after they were kicked out of the Democratic party for being pro-slavery. That makes sense!
I am so *nonracist* that you can't take my candor. Your problem, not mine.
We weren't talking about colors like a bouquet of flowers, by the way. You're insisting on being silly if you take it that way. Appreciating the colors of others is opposite to being a racist, so it's obviously not the way we are meaning "color-blind" here. "Color blind" as in not thinking less of others for their race or color, is the OBVIOUS meaning of the term in the context of this discussion. Concentrate! You can get this stuff.
Saint Brian the Godless at 11:37AM on Aug 28th 2008
64. Dinesh,
Your logic here is impeccable, and the percentages of blacks and whites that support each candidate is very revealing. Well done!
As for the majority of the individuals responding to your article, they consistently mistake name-calling and opinion-spewing for rational arguments. Many of them believe you are becoming less significant with every article you write. Of course, their passionate responses underscore this claim. After all, if you're not significant, then why bother reading your blog at all, let alone respond to it.
The many, worthless responses to your articles should be rebuked as foolishness, and the fools who write them should be pitied.
Troy at 11:40AM on Aug 28th 2008
65. DD, One more of your stupid ranting. Do you even know what you are trying to say? you are saying so many contradictory statements. The height of your hypocracy in seen in your statement, that we have to vote for Republicans to eradicate racism. Do you think republicans are ready to hoist a non WASP or a woman cadidate for even a vice president, let alone a president, in the next hundred years?
R Shanker at 11:53AM on Aug 28th 2008
66. Dimwit is at it again. Right at the beginning of the article, right where I stop reading, he has to interject 'MY BOOK'
Geoff Barker at 11:46AM on Aug 28th 2008
67. 52. I strongly believe that every sin is represented by a demon.
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That's funny, I strongly believe that every hypochrist is represented by a little plastic Jesus on a dashboard somewhere. Because it looks like the real Jesus, but is much smaller and is plastic and lifeless like the hypochrist philosophy.
Saint Brian the Godless at 11:47AM on Aug 28th 2008
68. The only reason obummer beat hillary is because of racism. African americans voted almost 100% for him because he is black and that is out and out racist.
Geoff Barker at 11:46AM on Aug 28th 2008
69. I admit there are a lot of ignorant white bigots that just hate people who are different(black, latino et cetera), but there are also white and black individuals who are only voting for Obama because he would be the first black president. They see this as a chance to "move the country forward". It is completely repulsive. It is bigotry and it is a slap in the face to Sen Obama to vote for him simlpy because he could be the first black president. If America was truly free of racism then we could nominte a minority man or woman who was truly qualified and not one who is know for a speech he gave a few years ago.
Even Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, etc had trouble bragging on things Obama had done. He's all sizzle and no steak.
cps36 at 11:53AM on Aug 28th 2008
70. Intelligent people who have some knowledge of history and who have self-respect do not play the "white guilt" card. We are all of us responsible for our own acts and not the acts of our forefathers and mothers. We remember the ugliness of the past because we don't want a repeat and because there are a few people who try to instill hatred and violence even today(much as Jewish people watch for signs of genocide). I am a Black woman of African ancestry. I do not blame modern day Africans for their ancestors who sold my ancestors to Arabs and later Europeans and Americans. I do not believe that all whites will vote or not vote for Barack Obama because of his race. In fact, Mr. Obama has run as an American, a man, only mentioning race when forced into it by his "friends" who betrayed him to get into the limelight (playing the race card) and attacks by John McCain followers and Clinton enthusiasts. Unfortunately, there are people who won't vote for Obama, not because of his policies, his supposed inexperience, his being a Democrate but solely because the idea of a man who has African ancestry being in the White House is anathama. (And not all of those people are white, some blacks hate black people also) But for those of us who want to face the future and make a choice we will vote based on qualifications, platform and prior achievements not race or age (McCain deserves to be considered on his merits, not his foolish attack campaign or his age). Mr. D'Souza is at times interesting, other times he is thought provoking, but he never seems to be very knowledgeable of who or what the myriad peoples of the United States are. He seems to only know about a narrow segment of America and he guesses about the rest of us. I thought for many years he was just a visitor with a green card who made wry observations based on the fact that he was a social and political conservative. I finally bought one of his books and he is never always wrong but he lacks a certain love or respect for his fellow human beings that shows in his writings.
Anne Anderson at 12:23PM on Aug 28th 2008
71. 65. The only reason obummer beat hillary is because of racism. African americans voted almost 100% for him because he is black and that is out and out racist.
Geoff Barker at 11:46AM on Aug 28th 2008
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Nah, get over it. It's belonging to a long-downtrodden minority and seeing how electing this man could change that forever, among several factors. I don't see that as racist, sorry.
The other factors include not being racist against blacks (since they *are* black) as in not automatically voting for the white man as so many other white men and women are doing. Because it's incredibly *obvious* who is the better candidate here, and only a white racist would think otherwise. I'd vote for Obama if he were white or indian or whatever color, but the fact that he's the first black (actually only half black and half white, let's not forget) man ever to be elected to that office, and it's long overdue.
After all, think about it. Even the minority of blacks that are actually racist toward whites, will have a hard time justifying it after we have a black president. So it's not only the right thing to do for the country, it's the right thing to do for real equality and to end racism. A twofer.
Saint Brian the Godless at 11:56AM on Aug 28th 2008
72. Even Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, etc had trouble bragging on things Obama had done. He's all sizzle and no steak.
cps36 at 11:53AM on Aug 28th 2008
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If by "sizzle" you mean high intellect, an incredible ability to communicate, a friendly and "real" nature that appeals to a wide spectrum of people, and actual hope and a vision for the future along with a desire to actually act to make things better rather than let them stagnate in our apathy, and if by "steak" you mean hateful neocon rovian bullshit and deceit coupled with megalomania and a sharp temper, along with being one of the dumbest kids in his graduating class at West Point and a blabbermouth while in captivity, and having so little character as to divorce his sick wife when he got back and trade her up for the hot newer richer model, and being a hypocrite and a waffler and a general stumblebum, then I agree completely.
Saint Brian the Godless at 12:07PM on Aug 28th 2008
73. cps36,
all sizzle and no steak? what does mcshame have to offer? seriously, i'd like to know. i'm rather tired of the same old bs that has brought this country to it's knees. Obama doesn't have all the answers but at least he's actually looking for clever solutions. it is true what Obama said, "these guys (republicans) take pride in being ignorant".
Jay at 12:09PM on Aug 28th 2008
74. GB,
The only reason Hillary didn't beat Obama is because women are not sexist enough. Maybe your logic is trying to say is that women are better than blacks.
Mokele Mbembe at 12:11PM on Aug 28th 2008
75. 73. GB,
The only reason Hillary didn't beat Obama is because women are not sexist enough. Maybe your logic is trying to say is that women are better than blacks.
Mokele Mbembe at 12:11PM on Aug 28th 2008
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Lol...
I don't see black people voting for Obama as racist unless it's their *only* reason for voting for him, and I just don't see it that way. They love him so much because he's *brilliant* and they're proud of that. So am I, and I'm not even black. I want a brilliant man in the office. We need that now more than ever. And there's just so much more to him. So many things are superior about him as a candidate. Comparing Obama to McCain is like comparing a diamond to a ripe cowpie.
Hillary had it and fumbled it due to hubris, plain and simple. But when she fumbled it, the Obama team was ready to take advantage of that. They outplayed the Clintons. Think about that if you ever doubt his qualifications or experience. That alone is impressive. Their campaign is run like clockwork.
Saint Brian the Godless at 12:22PM on Aug 28th 2008