Wow! Is that the best you got?Quoting from Dan Rather who was laughed out of the news business after the fiasco with the Bush military story that he as a good Liberal insisted on broadcasting even after he knew it was false.No ....Race is not an issue with 99% of the likely voters...Failure to lead and to instigate policy that would solve the economic problems,energy problems ,employment problems,unfair and unequal tax policy,the uncontrolled growth of goverment at all levels and the interference of regulations in economic recovery and all the other issues facing the country that the President and his cronies have failed to even try to address is what will get him sent back to Chicago.The irony of the race question is that Blacks have suffered more under Obama than any other President in many years.Articles I have read document the loss of strength and viability of the "middle class Blacks" and the high unemployment numbers of young Blacks.Obama has failed all Americans but ironically he has failed the most loyal group he has ...the most.. Selah

Wow, Curt, I'm not even sure where to start with this. Being indignant about being called racist does not make one racist. Honestly, we're just tired of hearing it. It's the only argument the left has, as they can't really argue from the side of propping up Obama's accomplishments.

Birtherism (is that a word?) has nothing to do with race. It has to do with a belief in our President not being qualified (from a birth standpoint - we already know he wasn't qualified in any other way) to be president. So the idea that you keep mentioning that same thing means that anytime a President is vetted on his country of origin or even asking a President for his birth certificate means we're being racist? I really don't get it.

This country was more than ready for a black President. We just would have rather had a President that, again, was qualified for the office, be that person white or black, male or female.

I also find it interesting that those that continue to bring up race are those on the left. Everything comes down to race, according to them. Rev Jackson and his ilk see racism in everything. Obama uses the race card at every opportunity, stirring up controversy so he can continue his class warfare. He calls on the black vote to help him in November, and that's OK. No problem. Would have loved to see the reaction if GW had called on the white male vote to help him out.

Let me also just say I'm not a birther. I may have my doubts, but I don't care enough about it. It's not going to matter anyway. If we were to come up with proof today that Obama wasn't born here, that he was, in fact, a Kenyan national, it wouldn't change anything. Nobody would have the guts to remove him. Again, because they would be considered racists. Obama's untouchable. Hopefully just until Novemer, at any rate.....

To call Dan Rather a Journalist is an insult to the few true Journalist left in the USA.He is best described as a retired goat farmer from Texas.

David, I'm not going to deny that racism exists. But calling upon and living within the findings of a work that is more than 30 years old? Are you saying that as a society we just haven't progressed at all? I disagree.

Racism does exist, of that there is no doubt, but on both sides of the spectrum and I'm just as aggravated by both sides of this coin. These wars on woman, race, class - whatever, are so counter productive to moving the country forward. Let's hope we all survive through November so we can finally start some healing!!

It never ceases to amaze me how differently Blacks folks and White folks see the world. As Forrest Gump would say, that's all I have to say about that:)

Really? Sharon and I are of the same age, but from vastly different backgrounds. I grew up here in Atlanta, she's got a South African heritage that absolutely is NOTHING like my experiences growing up in the Decatur area. I remember riots when Dr. King was murdered. I remember grieving with my parents over his death and then praying for our nation as we tried to heal. Looking back, I can only imagine that those on both sides of the racial issues who had something to gain from discord - whether political, power or financial gain - aggravated and promoted the differences between races. In my neighborhood, all the parents were just working to provide better homes for their children and keep us in school and out of trouble. Both black and white. We honestly didn't have time for ideaological differences. My high school was finally desegregated in 1972 and I can tell you, there were a great many who feared it before it was instituted; and I'm sure the kids who were "bussed in" from Scottdale Mills were just as apprehensive.
So, sure, the 70's and 80's were still times of racial divide; but I maintain that even with acknowledging there are White Supremists and Black Panthers, most of us just aren't that concerned about the color of our neighbors.
And I'm pretty sure that Sharon's world-view as a short blonde woman might have been formed by different experiences, but as she said ..."Let's move on."

I grew up in South Africa where Apartheid was the law, but as USA had MLK to show a better way, South Africa had Mandela. Both were men of tremendous vision who preached about the similarities instead of the differences. We need to remember history in order to not make the same mistakes, but we need to move past it in order to progress. Those who won't let that happen, on either side of the divide, do us all a disservice. I believe that in friendships, as in marriage, you find soul mates, and I know there is no color to the soul mates in my life.

Racism is still around, and I doubt it is something that this country will ever move beyond. A sad state of affairs.

@David, well, I'm going to see Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man (which isn't Tyler Perry, but Steve Harvey) tomorrow, and I will let you know who is in the audience. ROFL! Thanks for the bit of humor in what can be a touchy subject!

Caricatures of presidents precede any racial divide. Partisanship politics makes anyone who runs for any office step into a pretty harsh and brutal spotlight. I'm just not sure that you can cry "racism" when it comes to Obama when exit polls show that he received the highest votes among whites than any other Democratic Presidential candidate. Google it - it's pretty easy to find.

If we continue to let race be an issue, from EITHER side, this country will continue to be bogged down in a tough economy while small factions fight over religion, race, wars on women, wars on black, wars on Christians ... and on and on and on. Anytime someone disagrees loudly with a very loud proponent of any ideaology or doctrine ... IT'S JUST NOT A WAR, people.
It disturbs me that rather than find acts of united efforts in our towns and cities that many seek to find discord and magnify differences to create dramatic headline differences.

This has been a great discussion. Each successive generation is more color-blind. Therein lies our hope.

I find this conversation very interesting. I did not get from this article that anyone was more racist than the other. Rather it would be a tool for both parties to use. For ANY ONE person to delude themselves or those around them that racism does not exist is ridiculous. Honestly. In the moments since announcing his candidacy BOTH parties have used race in some form or fashion. Protest too loudly, huh? PERCEPTION is REALITY, as we all know. Especially those of us who are in PEACHTREE CORNERS. HONESTLY. As a minority who has been in this area for 25+ years and who has decided to raise my children here - it is what it is. It's how you choose to handle it and decipher it. This article was simply stating - that no matter how you CHOOSE to slice or dice it; RACE WILL BE AN ISSUE. It CAN be a GOOD thing or it CAN be a BAD thing. It's up to US as VOTERS to make that call. And to make sure that the officials which we have ELECTED keep the ISSUES we find most important RELEVANT. Indigenous or not, that argument alone will not solve our current economic situation. Truthfully each time a lawsuit has drained our court systems that has been a hindrance to our economic situations. But, that's just my OPINION. As we are ALL entitled.

I would have said racism is in the past, but after what happened in the election with Joe Sawyer, I no longer believe that. I have never seen anything that made me more ashamed of my community.

However, in many ways it is gone, and to some degree there is actually "reverse racism". That is, we are so afraid to offend a black person that we take steps to go beyond what would socially be considered "normal" in being polite to them.

Sadly this is certainly not the case with Latinos; who continue to receive a mountain of abuse and derogetory names in this country (or at least, in Georgia). And I know several "mixed race" couples (like Joe) that suffer from a LOT of stereotyped racism; it's like we're saying "we're cool with you, as long as you don't cross the line and start to mate with one of US".

Until we get rid of the you/us euphamisms in this country, it will continue to be prevelent. Just kinda sad.

If the birthers aren't motivated by race, then why aren't they after Romney? His dad wasn't born in America either. All we have for proof of Romney's citizenship is a birth certificate, just like Obama. At least we've seen Obama's.

Actually, Karsten, president Obama released his birth certificate while running for president, so he didn't consider himself "above" anything.
Yes, David, I do remember the Atlanta birther court case. That's my whole point. People like Karsten can understand birther doubts, yet they don't apply that same logic to anyone else, while claiming it has nothing to do with race. Really? Why wasn't Obama's original birth certificate good enough? Why was more documentation asked of president Obama than any other president in history? Why so accepting of Romney when he, too, has a foreign father? I've never seen Romney's birth certificate. Where is it? Where's the outrage? Why the delay on releasing his taxes? Why are people so accepting of Romney's Mormonism, but so reluctant to accept Obama's Christianity? Why the double standards? Seems racial to me.

Curt, enjoy reading your perspective. I see you in 45 South often. I appreciate your efforts to improve our district. As far as Obama, there is little difference between this election and any other. This time the flavor of the month (of a Presidential election cycle) is race. Never mind the other issues that are hurting the electorate. Congress is in a stalemate because BOTH parties cling to platforms that are not consistent with solving problems. That is why Independents far outnumber party affiliations. In all honesty, there are way too many voices to the far left and to the far right making noise and distracting from the issues. Personally, I am a moderate independent who is fed up with the various finger-pointing, innuendos and stereotyping. As a voter of 34 years, I've never seen so much irrelevant mud-slinging. Fed up with the "race card," fed up with the refusal to raise income taxes. We apparently have morons running the country.

Part II:
I seriously doubt anyone with something beyond a high school education will correlate Obama's birth certificate authenticity, the Trayvon Martin case, Romney's "dog on top of the car," Solyndra, "green" jobs, the Treasury Secretary's income tax record, or any other irrelevant media pandering to a decison of who to vote for. What they WILL look at is the REAL unemployment rate (somewhere between 12 and 15%), overbearing government regulation, the repeated attempt to legislate change by clinging to government regulation, hidden new taxation to fund indigent healthcare (otherwise known as Obamacare), and partiality when it comes to favoritism with the many laws and regulations of the current administration. To summarize, this is Romeny's election if he wants it. Obama's incompetence and Socialist-leaning agenda has distanced himself significantly from the moderates and undecided voters. The next several months will be interesting to say the least.

Let me add one final note. My political hero in life was Seventh District Congressman Lawrence McDonald (Larry), a Democrat, who was murdered by the Soviets (and possibly the CIA/KGB) on September 1, 1983, over the Sea of Japan on the way to South Korea. Clearly a planned attack on a plane carrying one of the most influential, politically charged Congressional leaders of the past century.

We as a society will do a lot better collectively when we come to the realization that CULTURE is the issue, not race. The problems of today have more to do with CULTURE. This idiotic idea that race is the issue creates the animosity that most of you are commenting on. Accepting culture does not mean you must abandon yours and start subscribing to someone elses. Therein lies the problem. Culture is also connected to education. How do you understand a culture that you know nothing about? The media is driving this fallacy of "war on women" and "racism." The percentage of "racist" people in this country has dropped dramatically (although you will NEVER eliminate racism from the world community, and that means ALL animosity against ALL races including Caucasian). The percentage of people castigated for not accepting other's culture has risen dramatically. There is your problem, not racism. The media wants contentious debate and intellectual dishonesty. It is absurd to thing that Republicans don't like Obama because he is "black" (he isn't black, he is brown by the way). Controversy drives ratings which drives ad revenue. Let's get away from this nonsense and focus on the issues. Disagreeing with Obama's policies does not equate to a "racist" stance.

By the way, exactly what is a "White Hispanic"? Someone contact the NY Times and ask for a clear definition. I am confused.

Why do people in Atlanta waste so much time trying to frame everything in race? Move on. Middle class white folks quit patting yourself on the back and talking of being color blind and everyone else....well, just move past that as a framework for everything. Live your life and quit worrying about everyone else.

Floyd: president Obama has released his birth certificate! Long form, short form, newspaper announcement, etc. Why is that so hard to accept. He says he's a Christian. Why is that so hard to accept?
Chuck: employment/economy has gotten better under president Obama. That's a fact. Sorry. And, "Obamacare" as you call it, was/is the republican alternative to "Hillarycare" in the 90's. I didn't hear cries of socialism when the individual mandate was being pushed by Gingrich and Romney. Also, Chuck, no, disagreeing with Obama does not make you a racist, but no one is making that claim. Nice deflection. The fact is president Obama has been the victim of MANY racially charged emails, bumper stickers, right-wing media rants, accusations and conspiracies. Don't believe me, just google it. Pretending these things haven't happened only makes you look sympathetic to their actions. What's so hard about saying, "Yes, some people do have a problem with OUR president's race, but not me. I disagree with his policies and legislation." At least we could take your complaints seriously then. And lastly, Chuck, White Hispanic and Latino Americans are citizens and residents of the United States who are racially White and ethnically Hispanic or Latino. Examples include: Cameron Diaz, Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen, Christina Aguilera, Raquel Welch and Andy Garcia to name a few. Does that answer your question?

And the war on women is anything but a fallacy, Chuck. Just saying it's a fallacy doesn't make it so. In 2011, states enacted 135 new reproductive healthcare laws. Personhood amendments, transvaginal ultrasounds, and attacks on contraception to name a few. How is this a fallacy? I thought republicans were for smaller government and individual freedom? So why are they trying to regulate every woman's womb?
Don't forget, we still haven't seen Romney's birth certificate. Why aren't birthers demanding to see it? Why won't Romney release his taxes? Also, Romney still hasn't addressed his Mormonism, specifically his beliefs in the Book of Mormon. Why isn't anyone pushing him to do so?
Example: Mormons believe that God created multiple worlds and each world has people living on it. They also believe that multiple Gods exist but each has their own universe. We are only subject to our God and if we obtain the highest level of heaven we can become gods ourselves. Why don't these "non-racially motivated" critics of the president ask Romney to explain these non-racially motivated issues?

I agree. As a liberal that is white I have been out amoung the good folks of Gwinnett County and I am quite sure that there is racism involved in this election season. A disclaimer here; I am not perfect as a person...who is?
But, I hear it all the time...stupid remarks, emails that are ugly, and if you listen carefully just plain ugly talk.
After Obama gets re-elected our next President should be an hispanic, gay female,or just about anyone other than a white male. I mean really .

Jimmy
I am glad you are not assuming that the candidate that I was mentioning would not be all the things you mentioned? Its good to know that you are open to a real change. I'm guessing you are in a minority here in Georgia.

My point is that we have had men ..white men running things for so long.

I'm with Jimmy here - I want a candidate who is up for the job and the rest is not relevant. Gee, I might even be happy with a white man if he's qualified for the job. LOL. Discrimination is discrimination, whichever way you cut it. Someone very wise once spoke about the content of one's character. Hopefully qualifications for the job are also important considerations when it comes to the president.

Chuck: "Wes, you and Matt are trully angry people. That is obvious. You are also very afraid Obama will lose (which is very possible)."
Me: Yep. You got me, Chuck. I'm a truly (with two L's) angry person. And I'm terrified, Obama, whom I did NOT vote for, will lose. Very astute observation, Chuck.

Chuck: "Oh, I see Matt. I am a moron..."
Me: I never called you or anyone else on here a moron.

Chuck: "...but Matt, it cuts both ways. George Bush had many more haters and threats than Obama has."
Me: You know that's not true, right? Here are some links for you. In case you don't want to read them, here's a summary, death threats against President Obama are 400% higher than they were against Bush.
http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/new-report-find-secret-service-overwhelmed-by-increased-threats.php
and
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/5967942/Barack-Obama-faces-30-death-threats-a-day-stretching-US-Secret-Service.html

Chuck: "What educated voters are interested in is what is the meaning of his agenda, how he plans to fund his healthcare mandate and how much more regulation we can expect to see around healthcare, energy, finance and taxation (seizing control of these sectors does plant the seeds of fear of Socialism)."
Me: How does one respond to such drivel? I'm not sure, but I'll try. What socialism is president Obama planting, injecting, infecting or inseminating into our society? Attempting to give more Americans access to healthcare by mandating they pay for it, is that what you mean? Raising taxes back to the Clinton years to both help fund healthcare and improve income inequality, is that what you mean?

I am a Black life-long resident of Gwinnet county, Dr. Mason delivered at Joan Glancy in 1960 and was raised to believe that mixing of the races was “an abomination to God”. I was the only child in my family that attended integrated schools elementary thru high school and I remember my parents being opposed to integration. I also remember my brother having major anxiety in the '70s when he told my parents he had proposed to his White girlfriend. But we never thought of ourselves as being racist. My parents had true and genuine friendships with Whites.
In our scrapbook, there is a '70s AJC clipping about my dad-"Gwinnett has its first Negro Grand Juror" and less than 50 years later, a Black man was elected President. It’s those two facts that gives me hope. Hope that we can get to a place where race really doesn’t matter but to get to that place, I think we have to honest and frank discussions about where we are now. Acknowledging that although we have come a long way, we still have prejudices. When a member of congress yells “liar” to the president, or singer calling for beheading the President. That’s not just 2 sides having a philosophical difference. There is something more afoot.

Karsten, I wasn't going to comment any further on this thread. Personally, I feel this particular discussion has gone on long enough. But, let me say this emphatically. It is a sin to yell at the President when he is delivering a State of the Union Address. I wasn't a fan of President Bush and I didn't vote for him in either 2000 or 2004, but I would never tolerate anyone showing disrespect toward President Bush. In fact, I respected President Bush and I prayed for him, Laura, Jenna and Barbara regularly. Keep in mind Romans 13:1-2; 1 Timothy 2:1-3; Titus 3:1-2; and 1 Peter 2:13-17. Also, keep in mind that the nefarious Nero was in charge of the government at the time those passages were written. Nero was a ruthless leader who physically persecuted Christians.

Chuck,
Saying something is a fact does not make it so. America is a capitalist nation with some socialist aspects (roads, parks, fire departments, police departments, public schools, etc.) And unions, while I agree in need of some reform, are not socialism. They are/were created to defend workers' rights. Why would you be against that? As I said, some unions could definitely use reform. Some have definitely over played their hand, but that is not socialism. I can argue that with you. For example, Teacher unions prevented women from getting fired for things such as getting pregnant. Apparently you define that as socialism. I define it as preventing unjust termination. As for your claim that the left side of the democratic party are socialists, are those the same socialist democrats Allen West called communists last week? And didn't a prominent Catholic bishop insinuate President Obama was a totalitarian by comparing him to Hitler a few days ago? So if you're keeping score, President Obama and the democrats are communist, socialist, totalitarians. Really? Me thinks the rhetoric is hyperbole at best.

Let's be honest and say the Republicans have angered ANYONE in the middle; and have distanced themselves from the entirity of the female vote. Their tax suggestions are ludicrous, and thier candidates, Romney included, have been overspending and painted each other TERRIBLY. No, Obama is winning, and despite being a Republican (for now, keep pushing and I'm jumping ship), I'm voting for him because my party is being idiotic. And it has nothing to do with this "race" matter.

I was interested to read the reference to, and dismissal of, John Howard Griffin's work earlier in this thread. I read "Black Like Me" probably six or seven years ago after being jarred awake by my telephone at 3 a.m. and witnessing, on my answering machine, one of the ugliest minutes of speech I've ever heard. I'm white, but my last name is Parks, which was enough for this prank caller to ask, in a contrived southern accent (this was Lansing, Michigan), if I was related to Rosa Parks: "the n----- who rode in the front of the bus." The caller identified himself as "Billy Ray from the NAACP," and in a cheery voice he threatened that if I was related, if I was black, or for that matter if I sympathized with Martin Luther King Jr. at all, I could expect to be tortured and killed. He left a phone number "1-800-hang-a-n-----."

The caller, given the muffled giggles in the background, was most likely a drunk college student having a little fun. For me, it was a a powerful, chilling and very visceral reminder that racism remains deeply embedded in our culture. We've certainly progressed as a society in that it's no longer OK to share this ugliness out loud, to another person's face. We're fooling ourselves if we think this kid who called me that night would have the same inner feelings about meeting a black man named Parks on the street as he would a white one. Or if we think he's the only nice, well-educated person in America who harbors those feelings.

Karsten,
There's a lot of room between "one idiot" and "everybody." My point is, there's a lot more "idiots" than some people think there are, because they're underground now -- and a lot of them only surface in 3 a.m. phone calls. We don't know how often race influences people's perceptions of and reactions to others. I can tell you that, after being treated like a black man by a white racist, Griffin's work felt very contemporary to me.

Karsten writes

"Look what Obama's done with his czars and EOs this term, "

You are , of course , aware that there are no actual "czar" positions and Bush appointed quite a few more of these high level "overseers" than Obama has ..right? You might also be aware the W issued nearly THREE HUNDRED EO's?
Probably not ..
I find myself with Mr Leader here. The Repubs have gone bugnutty . The failure to focus on real issues that effect a majority of citizens while pandering to the religious freaks on matters of gays, abortion and simple women's heath issues has turned off a great of us who USED to believe the republicans truly represented a smaller government alternative instead of hypocrisy and nonsense.
Four years ago I couldnt conceive of voting for Obama, now I'm not so sure he isnt the lesser of two evils .

Karsten, First of all, I don't believe Mr. Thompson said or implied that "race was everything in this upcoming election" as you put it. Rather, I believe Mr. Thompson was trying to say that whether they admit it or not, the president's race is still an issue for SOME voters. Secondly, I find it ironic that you say, "The republicans have angered those who care to listen to the liberal talking points." Then you go on to use conservative talking points like Reverend Wright and "Czars" in your posts (and let's not forget your subtle defense of birthers in earlier posts). Every president since Franklin Roosevelt has had "Czar" appointess in their administration. Bush had a total of 36 positions filled by a total of 46 different individuals over the years. Some had the blessing of Congress, but most of them did not. I can give you a list if you'd like. You say you don't like our current democratic president, past deomocrat president, or even democrats that have ran for president, and that's fine. It's your right as an American. But can't you at least try to be honest and fair with your criticism? Or do you just hate democrats that much?

Chuck,
Let me get this straight. You're telling me that it is impossible to debate with people like me because we sterotype, and then you proceed to sterotype and label me? Nicely done, sir. And to answer your question, no, I do not think president Obama's actions reflect a totalitarian regime. Rather, I think many Americans have gotten comfortable with lobbing outlandish accusations without any real thought as to what they're really saying. President Obama's years in office have been far from Hitler led Germany. I have been quite rational and reasonable in my responses to you, but I'm starting to fear I'm wasting my time. You appear trapped in your rhetoric.

Matt, you've raised some very good points. I do not disagree with ALL of Obama's decisions or efforts at reform. As a moderate, I do however question some of the people he surrounds himself with and tools he uses to create fundamental change. I also have to refer to his book(s) and his interviews. He does scare me, but frankly I do not see anything to get all excited about on the other side. We are living in unstable times because no one qualified seems to be interested in running. Perhaps it is because of closet skeletons. Who knows. We have major social issues to work out, but too many agenda-seeking people who only want to increase their power rather than help to solve problems. I do believe there are plenty of people involved who do not want a Constitutional Republic to stand. On the other hand, we do have people who want to force "what is right" on others. Neither is a good direction for our country. We'll have to wait and see who wins in November. Both candidates have a LOT of work to do to alleviate the concerns of independents and moderates, and that is the electorate who will decide the election. I do believe that on election day race will not be the deciding factor.

Well, one thing that is evident is Mr. Obama's plan to take control of carbon-based energy and wipe it out using regulation. The EPA under Obama's appointees and Czars have enacted hundreds of new regulations totaling $38 billion with another 219 set to go into effect. One of his lesser-intelligent appointees, Region 6 EPA Administrator Al Armendariz, spouted off about their hatred of the oil companies with the comment “I was in a meeting once and I gave an analogy to my staff about my philosophy of enforcement, and I think it was probably a little crude and maybe not appropriate for the meeting but I’ll go ahead and tell you what I said,” Mr. Armendariz said. “It was kind of like how the Romans used to conquer little villages in the Mediterranean. They’d go into a little Turkish town somewhere, they’d find the first five guys they saw and they would crucify them. And then you know that town was really easy to manage for the next few years. … So, that’s our general philosophy.” In addition, here is a link to some of the irrational regulations that (as part of the bigger picture) prove that Obama has an agenda to destroy the fossil fuel industry BEFORE there is an alternative (China is laughing their a$$es off at us):
Link: http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/18/news/economy/drilling-regulations/index.htm
Sorry, can't blame this one on Republicans nor Fox News.