Move past racism
“A lie told often enough becomes the truth.” -- Vladimir LeninI was disappointed when I opened Sunday’s opinion page to see a Letter to the Editor that began with an oft-repeated lie: Any and all opposition to Barack Obama is based upon racism. We have heard this preposterous refrain over and over since he first emerged on the national stage.
President Obama is bi-racial. At which race is this alleged racism directed? Since Obama seems to be thought of as black rather than bi-racial, the writer must have been referring to his black half. In order to exercise racism, one generally needs to be of a different race, so it seems as though the writer must think that any non-black person who opposes Obama does so solely on the basis of him being half black rather than because of his leftist agenda.
Former business executive and talk-show host Herman Cain opposes Obama, so much so that he campaigned for the opportunity to run against him. Mr. Cain is black. Is Cain’s opposition to Obama based upon Obama’s race? Perhaps – using the writer’s logic, I suppose Cain could have a problem with Obama’s white half.
Exhuming events of the distant past and screaming “racism!” in the present in response to every slight, real or imagined, prevents all of us from moving forward toward a better future. It is time for everyone on all sides of the racial divide to stop being small-minded, vindictive people who cannot and will not see past the color of an individual’s skin.
Graham Cox, Newnan
