America's Original Sin

What do you see?
Race? Racist? or the President?

The original intent of the Founders was that "all men are created equal." They certainly had a problem with that in reality. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments did not fully resolve their problem. Why do we still have a problem with race? Some of you may even think I'm the racist just for bringing it up!

A while back, a relative with whom I haven't had much contact over the years took some offense at my positive opinions about and defense of President Obama. Never had this relative seen such division in America "caused by President Obama!" I tried to understand the sentiment, but we mutually agreed to disagree and the parting words from my relative were, "We don't have to talk politics, but we'll always share blood and that's more important to me than to win."

That really bothered me. But I left it alone, not because I share the view that our shared blood is more important than any political "win," but because I didn't want to go to that place where those sentiments came from. I think I do understand. After all, we are related.

There is a terrible irony in our Presidential contest. The Republican candidate is the son of a champion of Civil Rights, who walked out of the Goldwater 1964 Convention because of a dispute over the party's plank to oppose the Civil Rights Act. He was a Mormon who was at odds with many, but not all, in his Church with regard to his support of Civil Rights and his views on race.

I'm not saying that Governor Romney or any of his supporters are racist even if some probably are. There are probably some voting for the President because of his race. What I am trying to say is pretty much what I read today so beautifully expressed by Ta-Nehisi Coates. You can read it here. It's pretty long, but well worth the time. Some of you may find offense. Some of you may find tears at the end. I did.


ADDENENDUM
August 24, 2012

If you do read the TNC article linked above, I'd like you to think about this statement of VP Candidate Paul Ryan in the context of that article:

But what does Ryan think of the president?

"He said he would be one thing, and he's a completely different politician than we thought he would be in 2008," Ryan replied

 This seems to be the "official" Romney campaign position that they were "oh, so disappointed!"

LATER, same Addendum day:

Governor Romney's "humor" helps establish TNC's thesis.