I was surprised to read in yesterday's NY Times Op Ed piece by Nicholas Kristof entitled: "The Push to Otherise Obama". Only now, nearly two years after this journey began does Kristof realize that: religious prejudice is becoming a proxy for racial prejudice.
He is shocked, that some people still believe that Obama is a Muslim...and he is stuck with the realization that the label is a conundrum of mind-boggling proportions. Discuss it, you lose. Defend it, you lose.
It is a truly sad reality but reality all the same. I took pity on Kristof given that he seems to be a victim of the whole mess himself, having had his own words used for ill purpose. He too has been caught in the mess.
The fact is, the mess is much larger than he can imagine. It is larger than race, religion or any one person who personifies certain qualities we desire or despise.
I don't even pretend to imagine that any candidate can get us unstuck from the place we are right now. But I do believe that by making the daring choice, the different choice, the seemingly exotic choice we could jar things just a bit.
A large measure of our country will NEVER be ready for a Black President, much less one whose very name and background personifies difference. And since we'll never be ready, maybe it is just time to rip off the band-aid.
Just rip it off...it may hurt a bit at first...maybe it will actually hurt ALOT...OUCH.
But then it will be done, and real healing has a chance to begin.
Woke 2 Will Be Worse
2 hours ago
2 comments:
It would break my heart and give me serious doubts about the future of our country, if one man, who stands head and shoulders above his opponent in every way possible, is denied the chance to be our president---not by the content of his character but by the color of his skin.
Yes, Sandra, I second that. People do disappoint us, break our hearts, that is a fact. Keep your faith that something good can happen, though we know not yet what.
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