Sadly, despite all the progress our nation has made against racial bigotry, racism has by no means been extinguished. Still, in 2012, most Americans appreciate that their black neighbors are pretty much just like them. They want a decent economy where people can find jobs. They want safe neighborhoods. They are concerned about the future; our nation should be strong so their children and grandchildren will have opportunities and security.
They know that we have a strong black middle class - and that black Americans are well represented in virtually every aspect of society and the workforce. The days of the "first black 'so & so' are becoming more rare. Even in the presidency.
And speaking of the presidency, when President Obama's Vice President, Joe Biden, spoke to a gathering with a large black audience, no one had any doubts about what the vice president's words meant. Not even former Obama campaign co-chair Artur Davis.
ARTUR DAVIS: When I heard him reach for the bottom of the deck and talk about one party putting people in chains? When I heard someone that I admired and have been on platforms with, talk about ordinary conservative principles being essentially racial viciousness – that’s the allegation that he was making yesterday. I was disappointed by it, but I have to tell you it brought back memories to me. It brought back memories of these Democratic politicians in the South who think they can go before black crowds and say one thing, but nobody else will hear it, and that they can somehow get a cheer in the room, and that they can blithely go on about their business.
Davis could not be more right about this. Those of us from and in the South have seen the exact sort of Democrat snake that Davis is talking about. The region is infested with them. We need to see a lot more of Artur Davis on the campaign trail and on talk shows. He’s a one-man army against the Obama campaign. Regarding Biden, Davis added “Every black person in that room knew who the ‘ya’ll’ were, knows what the ‘chains’ were.”
The fact is, Biden’s statement about chains was one of his few non-gaffes of the week. He knew exactly what he was saying. This was racial dog-whistle language intended to stir up hatred and fear.
The good news is that Obama-Biden’s campaign of hate isn’t fooling anyone. Former VA Gov. Doug Wilder went on Fox today and also called Biden out. Wilder says that slavery is “nothing to joke about.”
I think that the Obama campaign is running scared - real scared. If, however, they think that this is the way to win votes and either keep or earn the respect of the American people - irrespective of race - then I think they will find themselves sorely mistaken.
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