Racism: Safety Net for Black People?

True racism does exist in this country and I believe it always will due to the fact that there are always going to be bigots and other associated idiots in the human race.  Racism has caused untold suffering for millions of people in this country and around the world.  

The race card is tossed around too casually these days though and I believe it's used by some blacks as an excuse for failure.  Let's face it:  if a white person fails academically or professionally, he has no one to blame but himself.  However, if a black person fails, he can blame it on this being a racist country.  It's kind of a safety net to avoid taking personal responsibility for trying and failing, or worse, not trying at all.  

So now we have Obama's defenders throwing down the race card.  Tavis Smiley declares that the election of 2012 is going to be the most racist in our history.  Whoopie Goldberg says the "birther" controversy is due to racism.  Joy Behar gets in a snit at the first whiff of criticism of Obama and attributes it to the color of his skin.  This casual use of such a loaded word minimizes the suffering of those who have experienced real racism in their lives.  

Throwing this charge out there at the first sign of disagreement or criticism of Obama serves two purposes:  first, it distracts, and in some cases intimidates, people and derails a rational discussion of his policies and second, it allows the president's supporters to maintain their blind allegiance to him.  

It must be very painful to realize that the man on whom you pinned such high hopes, our first black president, is totally incompetent at governance and good only at campaigning.  It's much easier and less painful to simply accuse those who question or oppose him of racism.  

One Long Lecture

Is it just me, or does the Obama presidency seem like one long, tiresome lecture?  He's telling the GOP that getting their way "is not how it works".  Well, I clearly remember BO telling Republicans "I won" and "elections have consequences".  


What a dung heap this administration has become!  Obama didn't mind ramming his way or the highway down the Republicans' throats before the election of 2010.  He's telling Congress that they must reach a compromise (i.e., Republicans must cave) so we can avoid a government shutdown.  We wouldn't be in this mess if the Congressional Democrats had done their job and passed a budget for 2011. I hope Republicans hang tough; if they give an inch, Obama will take a mile.  


Meanwhile, the Dems trot out their shopworn scare tactics:  Republicans are out to starve old people and children and deny seniors needed medical care, and on and on ad nauseam.  These served the Dems well in the past, but like the boy who cried "wolf", fewer people will be fooled this time around.  

Obama's Campaign

Obama is swinging into campaign mode once again (I would argue that he's never really quit campaigning).  Speculation is that he will spend a record amount of money in his attempt to get re-elected.

I'm wondering if people will fall for his deceptions, as they did in 2008.  There are people in this country who will vote for him no matter what, and I've written them off as hopelessly and willfully ignorant.  I would plead with my fellow citizens:  don't fall for his rhetoric.  His tone may have changed and he may be acting slightly more hawkish, but at heart he's still the same left wing  ideologue that he always has been.  We need to move our country back toward the right if we hope to save it.