...and you kinda understand.
The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood 
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And then you see Ferraro arguing today on Fox that Bob Herbert (whom i didn't even know was AA) is favorably to Obama because he is a "black journalist" and you are back to wanting to vomit.
Dude tell me that didn't happen...
All I can say is daaaammmmnnn! That was spot on! Wow and they said it on Clinton News Network no less.
I'm not surprised by that (Ferraro on Herbert).
It's sad, but that "black people favor black people at the expense of reason" meme runs strong. It's not overt, like calling Hillary a bitch is overt, but it's still really damaging in devaluing black people and what they have to say.
I hate to say this, but I have a feeling that some people get angry about Ferraro being called a racist because they think "she's just saying what everyone is thinking." They hear her saying out loud what they think. So they see her as being persecuted for saying unpleasant truths, because if they think it in private, that is their truth. Hence, it is Obama's camp who is playing the race card, in their minds.
What they don't want to examine is the sticky ball of what makes up race relations in this country, and their own racial attitudes. That maybe their own thinking is a bit racist in some way, even if they would never call a black person a nigger. And that's too much for them to handle, that maybe in this case they are wrong on such an important topic.
Ta-Nehisi, I really enjoy reading your blog. I can't help but notice that this race vs gender war is getting you a little down.
All I can say is -- this is some of the ugly in this campaign season. I know it's really disheartening. The politics of divide and conquer always have that "kill hope" effect. But that's not the only thing that's happening this election season. Don't let the same media that completely failed to report the truth on the Iraq War fool you into thinking they have any accuracy in predicting how the nation will vote on Nov. 5.
The whole "Obama has a white problem" meme is exhibit A in how the media gets things wrong. Obama doesn't have a white problem. He has an Appalachia problem. It's still upsetting, but it carries a much different implication about which states he can carry in November. Not to mention a lot less pessimistic about racism in America today.
He's doing really well among a lot of white voters in the West and some of the Mid-West, and even some Southern states are in play this year (shocker!). I haven't checked recently, but last time I checked a poll on it TEXAS of all places might possibly be in play this year, within 5 points.
Anyway, to cheer you up:
http://videos.billingsgazette.com/p/video?id=1888836
Barack Obama is now Barack Black Eagle. He was adopted into the Crow Nation today. Don't you love it?
No President has reached out to Native Americans as thoughtfully as he has done today as a candidate, addressing their issues and truly courting their vote. I suspect this maybe that critical difference in places like New Mexico. McCain is going to have to fight him in his own backyard.
Breukelyne,
Do you have a blog? You really should have one. I always enjoy your comments.
^^ Thanks TNC. I don't have a political blog, just a travel blog only (a bit unfinished but please have a read if you're bored). I'm posting the addy on this comment sign in. Shoot me an email at my email addy on my sign-in if it didn't come through.
Thanks again for THIS blog. I really enjoy reading your insights. :-)