Jerome [owner of MyDD], I happen to agree with you about Barack Obama's chances, as expressed in your article entitled "Obama's Fate."
Nonetheless, I have to take issue with you about the role of color-aroused decision-making in the presidential race. Considering that no Black person has ever been nominated to national ticket of either of the two political parties in all of the history of the United States; and considering that there is only one Black US senator among a hundred, even though the country is 13% Black; I think there is insufficient evidence to conclude that skin color no longer plays a role in American politics.
Twice above, you say that you have "nagging doubts" about Barack Obama. Black people and Black political candidates will be very familiar with this "nagging doubts" phenomenon, because whites very often seem to have "nagging doubts" about Blacks. And most whites deny these doubts as you have, until they get into the voting booths and express them openly.
I agree with you that we should get beyond color-aroused decision-making. However, I'm afraid that your insistence that we have done so already shows a level of denial about the nature of color-arousal in America that borders on the delusional, with both feet on the wrong side of the border.
Jerome, above you said:
First, let me just say that anyone who accuses skin color as some part behind the reasoning will find themselves banned--there is zero tolerance for accusations of racism. Jerome Armstrong at MyDD.
Anytime you start a discussion by insisting that the point most people will want to explore is off limits, you acknowledge the necessity of exploring that VERY issue, in order to satisfy your readers' concerns about it. Why would you expect an issue that seems so clear to you to simultaneously be so UNCLEAR to others?
If you exile from MyDD everyone who believes that color-aroused decision-making is not dead in America, do you think that will have a disproportionate impact on any particular demographic group's participation at MyDD?
For example, in light of studies that show a huge gap between Blacks and whites in our opinion as to whether color-aroused decision-making has receded, would exiling everyone who disagrees with you about this have a disparately negative impact on Black people's participation at MyDD? Does that color issue not concern you at all?
Jerome, above you said:
I don't even view Obama as black or with racial distinction. Identity-wise, I can understand why he's seen as such, but in that regard (and I have two kids with this same beauty), it points to a bright future when such fallacies such as 'race' become historical dust, and racism ceases Jerome Armstrong at MyDD.
I have to tell you, Jerome, that I feel sorry for your two children who have other-than-white skin color, but who lack a father-figure who can realistically help them to deal with their experiences in America. They will have to grow up in the real world rather than in the world of your fantasies, and they will have no reality-based paternal guidance to help them with these issues.
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