The Political Point

Today, I read a blog that really made me think. About what? The "Us" vs. "Them" underlying mentality that is taking place on the political battlefronts currently being fought for the Democratic Party Nomination and possibly for the seat of what is easily classified by many as the most powerful office in the world.

Here is the link to the blog in which I am referencing and on which the foundational principles of what I have to say were launched from:

http://butforrealthough.blogspot.com/2008/01/clintons-bill-loses-his-ghetto-pass.html

(KUDOS to the Author of this blog for being bold enough to say some things that definately needed to be said!)

There is DEFINATELY a perception looming around that Obama automatically has the black vote simply because he is black. NOW, before I get off into my main points, do I believe that there are those out there who could care less what the issues are and have thrown their vote at Obama because they are black and so is he? YES, I do. BUT...I also believe that there are those out there who will vote against him (black AND white (and everything in between)) for that very same reason. It would be foolish to think otherwise.

Why would it be foolish? Because, let's just face it....regardless of the fact that this is 2008 or that there no longer abides the LEGAL issues of the institution of slavery, RACE is still a very big and very REAL issue with the people of this country. There, I said it.

When we look at the two candidates fighting for the democratic nomination the first two things we see are: 1) Man vs. Woman and 2) Black vs. White, and not necessarily in that order. It is my opinion that if people would stop being in such denial about the issue of race, it would cease to be an issue.

In watching the political warfare that is going on and in many conversations that I have both been a partaker and an observer of, I have heard the opinions and reasonings of many people for the direction in which their political loyalty and support have been sworn. Some, very intelligent and some...well, let's just say, make no sense to me at all. During the course of this race there have been statements and insinuations that there are places that Hillary can not win because the voting majority are black and that those places have a history of strongly supporting the black candidate, which has to automatically mean that the same will be done in this elective process.

Statements of this magnitude really upset me, why? Simple....the statement simply implies that I do not have the capacity to watch the candidate, learn of the issues and their stand on them, go to their political websites and request a written copy of their political plan should they be awarded the office of Commander in Chief, and make a choice as to whom I believe to be the better candidate for me based on my learning and understanding of that candidate on the political level and compare their beliefs and plans to my beliefs and desires, AND THEN, choose to whom the power of my vote will be given! And if it doesn't upset you, it should. As I previously stated, yes...there are those who see "The Black Candidate" or "The White Candidate", or "The Female Candidate" and in that basis immediately "cast" their vote. Do I agree with that...NO! I think it is one of the most foolish things in the world to do, BUT, I have no control over that. HOWEVER, does the fact that there are people taking that path mean that those people are incapable of making a choice on a more substantial foundation? OF COURSE NOT! And THAT is one of the points which bothers me. PLEASE don't misunderstand me to be saying that this is a reasonable path of logic...IT ISN'T! Casting a vote in any election should be rooted and grounded in some reasonable rationale! You should know something about the person for whom you are voting. You should have an idea as to what it is that they plan on doing should they be voted into that office and how their plans will effect your life and the issues that you care about, AT THE VERY LEAST!

So now, I have to look at the otherside of this issue, which is...Have we as a people become so indifferent to and jaded by the effectiveness (or lact therein) of politics that it is more important to vote for a black candidate over the BEST candidate? NOW BEFORE YOU GO AND GET INTO A TYRANNICAL TEMPER TANTRUM, I am NOT saying that Obama is not the best....I am simply forging a point here....and that point is this...We MUST be sure that we are doing the research that should be done when it comes to something as important as an election.

So again I go back to my question...have we become so indifferent....have we sent out the ideology that we we are so shallow as to only vote for someone because we are of the same race as we?

It is certainly something else in which we should be investing some serious thought.

What reasons are the right reasons to back ANY candidate?

I can't say what is right...but I CAN and WILL say that it should certainly be MUCH more than the fact that they are members of the same race as you!

(FYI, I DO support Obama...but his race has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with it b/c I started out a Clinton backer!)

SO WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOTE IS GIVEN, BECAUSE IT IS DESERVED AND BASED ON MERIT...NOT RACE????