Race & The Race.

The Left seems to think that the Right is going to win the election.

Why do I say this? They're already gearing up the excuse machine. To wit: Lingering Racism May Hurt Obama and Racism and the Race. Probably others too.

I said this before Obama even announced his intent to run. If he loses, the Left will blame racism. This wasn't exactly a feat of prognostication. From the moment of his election to the US Senate, damn near, the question was asked: "Is America ready for a Black President?"

I'm not dumb enough to claim that America is racism-free. Not when it's been maybe two months since I went to the bathroom at the Park & Ride and saw something about "dirty Mexicans" scrawled on the stall door. Not when, in junior high school, I had a school employee tell me "I believe her because she's black and you're white." (Thereby allowing another child to steal my lunch for the day.) Not when my best friend and I still get funny looks when we go out to dinner together because on the surface we appear to be a mixed-race couple.

But to point the finger at ingrained racism as THE reason why Barack Obama might lose the election? Please!

I read newspapers religiously. I have a subscription to the local paper, & read USA Today whenever I get the chance. I have seen no fewer than six editorials in which the author said that either he or someone he knew planned to vote for Barack Obama because he IS Black. And that was 100% okay with the author.

So how is it that it isn't racism to DO something because of someone's race? Nevermind, I don't really care. I've heard all the justifications before, and they're bullshit. If you are going to do or not do something specifically because of the color of a person's skin, then you are racist.

I gave up on counting the number of times someone enthused about Barack Obama simply because of his "historic candidacy." Because, of course, that's a great reason to vote for someone. That's right up there with the circa 2004 "Anybody But Bush" war cry. (And see how well that one turned out?)

Know what, though? I've never heard anyone say they won't vote for Barack Obama because he's black. I've heard a few folks say they could never vote for a Muslim, which is another topic for another time, because the dude's not Muslim. (Don't give a damn if his Daddy was. Don't give a damn where he went to school. He's been a Christian at least 20 years. If you really think he's Muslim: Shut up. Your stupid's showing.)

But not vote for the dude 'cause his father's from Africa? Nope. Haven't heard that one.

You know what I have heard a lot of? "He's too inexperienced." "His tax policies suck." "He'd be too friendly with terrorist regimes." "This idiot really wants to have a sit-down with Ahmadinejad?" "Why is he hanging around with guys like Bill Ayers?" "Why won't he answer questions about ______?" "If abortion is really 'above his pay grade', he's got no business as President."

In other words, if Barack Obama doesn't get elected, it's going to be Because he's on the wrong side of the issues from the majority of the American people. Just like John Kerry. Just like Al Gore. Just like George HW Bush. Just like Mike Dukakis. Just like all those white guys, in other words. Hey, equality!