Conservatives, Race and Powell’s Endorsement of Obama

October 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment

I find it disturbing that white conservative commentators feel comfortable saying that a prominent African American, like Colin Powell, decision to vote for Barack Obama is based on race or that a prominent Republican attorney (Dan Billings) would accuse Powell of racism for the same reason. The subtext of these statements is that African Americans can never see past race when making decisions of national importance.

Equally disturbing is, for some in the media, to report on these statements as though they are “thoughtful insights”, which furthure demonstrates the double standards concerning what is considered acceptable statements that can be made when assessing the importance race plays in an issue. Where’s the outrage? Does the media buy in to a belief that African Americans are at a loss to see beyond race when it comes to making important decisions about what direction the country should be taking? Do we lack the intellect to assess information presented before us and come to a reasonable conclusion? If anyone answered yes to any of these questions, then you should also ask yourself is it because of lack of intellect that so many in the majority continue to vote against their own economic self-interest.

This argument could have an inkling of credibility if it were anyone other than Colin Powell. After all, we are talking about a life-long Republican who served in both Bush administrations. The idea that, as George Will puts it, Obama has a “psychological sway over other African Americans” implies that reason played no role in the decision Colin Powell made to vote for Obama. This type of talking down to African Americans is one of the many reasons that will keep the majority of African Americans from ever considering that the Republican party could ever represent us.

And since we’re talking about race, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the argument that commentators like George Will like to trot out to explain Obama’s support among whites: White Guilt. As Will puts it, the country is just eager to feel good about itself by voting for Obama. For Will to say that the reason for Obama’s white vote is so that whites can feel good about themselves is ludicrous. Could there be some out there who may feel that way? Yes. And many exercised that freedom when they voted for Shirley Chisholm, Jesse Jackson and even Al Sharpton. But to say that these millions of votes cast for Obama by the white electorate is a “feel good vote” is an insult to the intelligence of every white person who voted for him.

The bottom line is that these conservatives need to face the facts. Obama moves people. Does this inspiration come from someone who is black? Yes. But would it be any less impressive if he were white, Hispanic or Asian? No. Conservatives need to stop crying that Obama is getting his support because he is black. It’s George Bush, your reckless support of an economy with no regulation, your reckless support of a war that America didn’t have to wage and your presidential candidate’s reckless utterance of “the fundamentals of the economy are sound” that account for the reason that your candidate is behind in the polls, not white guilt or your belief that Colin Powell is voting for Obama because he is black. The arguments sound bigoted and petty. Respectfully: Grow up.

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Conservatives, Race and Powell’s Endorsement of Obama

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