Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
As the global drama unfolds in the major theatres of Iraq and Afghanistan, piracy and nuclear tests, another theatre is opening up. This one is at home in the U.S - the blight of racism. I feel very sad when I write this.
First it was Notre Dame University where a Catholic Bishop and many of his followers are protesting that Obama must not give a commencement address there because he is pro-choice. Now Obama has killed no one. Is it possible that it has something to do with the colour of the skin of the President? George W. Bush caused the killing of tens of thousands, and maybe hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis and Afghanis. Notre Dame had no problem giving Bush such an address. Many around the world, including many in Canada, consider George W. Bush a war criminal and a murderer. I suppose these Catholics endorse such killings by allowing Bush to speak (at least that's what Notre Dame seems to think).
Now Arizona State University does not object to the speaking of President Obama at the university, but university officials say he does not deserve an honourary degree because he does not have enough "body of knowledge." Now let us see whom else the university gave an honourary degree to. One is our own Kim Campbell, who was Prime Minister from June 1993 to October 1993 and lost her own seat in the October 1993 general election. It was so bad that only two Progressive Conservative MPs were elected. Now did she have enough body of knowledge when she became Prime Minister, for a short few fleeting months, that she warranted receiving an honourary degree from Arizona State University?
Here is what the spokesperson for ASU, Sharon Keeler, had to say:
"It's our practice to recognize an individual for his body of work, somebody who's been in their position for a long time."
Arizona State University President Michael Crow crowed Saturday in an e-mail to faculty and students that he was hesitant to award President Obama an honorary degree because of potential political consequences to the state-supported school. I wonder what those political consequences will be? Maybe the white folks of Arizona will be offended.
It is indeed sad state of affairs. Many Americans are unable to cope with the fact that world has changed and colour of skin does not matter. It should have never mattered but then we humans are known to commit such blunders and justify it through the dark cloak of religion.
"I am John McCain, and I approve this message."
John McCain is desperate. He will approve any message which he thinks will help him win the Whitehouse.
After reading many commentaries, and listening to many commentators on Television - including David Gergen - I have reached the conclusion that McSame and his surrogates are carrying out a subtle, and not so subtle, racist campaign. The latest is manifested in their ads featuring Britney Spears and Paris Hilton and comparing them to Barack Obama -- some say a subtle hint of two air-headed white women with a black man (similar to what was done to Congressman Harold Ford Jr., an African-American, when he ran for Senate in Tennessee -- this particular ad was roundly criticised).
Then there was the Moses ad which gave the subliminal message (understandable to many in the South) that Barack Obama is an uppity black man who doesn't know his place. McSame and his surrogates are trying to do everything to scare people by conveying the message, "can you really see this man in the Whitehouse, and can he really be leader of the World's most powerful country?"
Too bad for McSame, he is fast losing support because of these tactics. The latest polls on MSNBC show McSame losing support even among so-called "hard-working white people" by 8-9 points.
McSame should go and hug Dubya a few times, maybe then his Karma will come back.
Recommend this post
The following story reveals how bad racism is in the United States, and what difficulties Obama's workers faced in Indiana: Click here to read the story.
Recommend this post
