David, the speech nailed it – something we would rather joke about than deal with. I’ve watched it a second time, read it and there are things missing. Like – what do you do with the accumulated anger and resentment that racial and gender issues have produced? My own solution is to look at the ultimate and only victim – on the cross – and realize that our violence and resentment will always hang an innocent on some figurative cross. We like playing victims – being victims – but refuse to see the means by which we – all of us – victimize others.
In a few days my family will remember my dad – it will be the first anniversary of his death. Near the end of his life – the Southern man who taught me that racism was wrong, that calling anyone the n-word was something worthy of real punishment (at our house) – that same man in the last primitive stages of Alzheimer’s called every African American terrible names. He called women terrible names – and this was a man who taught his daughters to never just be some man’s wife – “you’re better than that” he would say. In those last days – the last year – the primitive nastiness of his upbringing is what came out. It was a matter of will, of intellect, of conversion that allowed him to teach his children a different way. Jeremiah Wright, Geraldine Ferraro, Obama’s grandmother, my dad, my in-laws – all have gone through a period in life where the names were part of the landscape – they react – in frustrated anger, in ignorance or in my dad’s case – when the intellect was all gone – in ways that make us ashamed.
What will our children be ashamed of in us? What bigotry or jokes will make them ashamed of us. What will be their shame? Will it be around “smokers”, immigrants, gays, Christians, Muslims, Jews, African American, fat people, mentally ill people, rich people, poor people – the list can go on and on. I think God calls us – one generation at a time out of such things. Perhaps it is necessary for each to look within – what bigotry will my children be ashamed of in me? Perhaps that is the place where our individual conversion can happen. Obama – no matter what your political leanings – is a decent man. McCain is also a decent man and Clinton – a decent woman. However, I think we need someone to inspire us to be better people. To call us out of resentment, old ways of baiting one another, old alliances meant to keep things separate. I do not think we have had this level of candidates in my lifetime – remember – I’m old. We all better be praying for wisdom on this one.

David, I am sorry that those hurtful comments were said to you as a child and later to your daughter. Perhaps, we do have a lot of work to do. Not just to have the wisdom and respect to not have the heart to say these things, but the to have to heart to say when these things really hurt.
Thinker, I am sorry for your family’s loss and the shock of what your dad’s illness did to him and your family. I understand some of your dad’s struggle to overcome what may have been acceptable in his relm and try to do better. Unfortunately, being white and growing up in the South, I know what it is like to understand that this country’s sin of racism, sexism, etc., was wrong but also go to a family reunion and hear the words B*!ch, K!t&, or N!g#$r every five minutes. It is something I think about when I think of what my children (when I am blessed to have them) will see in me as they are growing up.

I was with a group of friends (most of us are Indian-American) in Vegas the other weekend, and we had two white guys and two black guys w/us too. We’re walking along, when a group of white blonde females all look at us. Thinking that we’re in Vegas and they’re about to say something flirty, they got our attention. They then show the peace sign and say “Peace in the Middle East”. We were so thrown off, even the black guys said “did she really just say that?”. First off, the girl was ignorant basically insinuating we’re Arab when we’re not. Why you would show this to a stranger, no clue on my end. Second, I don’t think she was trying to be funny, or cute. She certainly wasn’t flirting. I’ve never heard a comment like that where it was somehow meant to be a compliment, positive etc. She said this to a group of complete strangers. Now white America doesn’t relate to that overall, and that’s why there will be people who look at Obama’s speech and are puzzled or somehow manage to be offended by the truth of his experience. That’s fine. I pray for them too.

Da’e, you make dim sum fo me?

Thank you for sharing a bit of your story David. You and your wife seem to be wise when faced with such ignorance.
I cry every time I hear a speech that was given by MLK. In my adult life didn’t think I would ever hear anyone speak that kind of truth. I cried today.
P.S. GB said he’s going to be calling you this week.

I never heard a racist word in my entire life come from my parents, my siblings, or, from myself as I was growing up. My children are almost the exact same ages as Barack’s kids. They have never heard a racist word from either my wife or myself and neither one of them have even the slightest clue about racism. (And neither understand my disapproving comments about the ubiquity of homosexuality.) The ONLY friend’s my daughter has been allowed to spend the night over at their house, was one of Mexican-American descent whose parents were also both Mexican-American. The other was African-American whose mom and dad were also African-American. Nothing speaks louder than that. My first dealings with racism was when I went to visit relatives in New Orleans when I was in my early twenties. Racism was definately a two-way street situation. I never spoke to my uncle again after hearing his views on non-whites. And the racist comments I received from African-Americans were as unimportant to me as if they had belched. Since then, I would testify that of all the racists I have come in contact with, they were in large percentage not white. It is also safe to say, that the African-American kids happily walking the streets of my very definately majority white small town, are far safer than if they (or I) were walking in inner-city Chicago. And David, you know, since you do deal with the Asian community, that you hear racism from Asians about non-Asians as a common occurence. I’m not going to vote for Obama because he is a liberal Democrat, and, for what he will unleash on America through liberal political legislation. — (On a side note: I can’t help but feel that of all the exposure of truth that has come out of all of this, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell look far better than what happens in “Black” Churches.)

David, “American” is not a race. It certainly doesn’t mean “white”, which is what I assume you’re trying to say about your mother.

Heh Daywid, you can herp for me?
I had a bunch of dollars I needed to exchange, so I went
to the currency exchange window at the local bank.
Short line! Just one lady in front of me….an Asian lady who was
trying to exchange yen for dollars and she was a little irritated.
She asked the teller, “Why it change?? Yesterday, I get two hunat
dollar for yen. Today I get hunat eighty?? Why it change??”
The teller shrugged his shoulders and said “Fluctuations”
So the Asian lady replied, “Yah, den fluc you white peopre, too!

No one has to exchange their yen if they live where yen are the currency of the country. It is not a crime to like America. Yet.

“Threeeighteenoheight”
Your final sentence speaks volumes. You typed this:
“On a side note: I can’t help but feel that of all the exposure of truth that has come out of all of this, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell look far better than what happens in “Black” Churches”
I am glad your kids have never heard you utter a racist word, but I hope you let them read that statement one day when they are older. You won’t accept it from anyone here, but ask them if that is a racist statement.

It is great to talk about race. Some people will forever deny there is a race problem,because for them to offend others is a way of life. I thank God for true born-again believers,because they are going to bring about a true change in America. They will not be consume by the gospel of Rush Limbaugh. Bigotry is a cruel and evil act of the natural man and the Devil. Jesus said I have over-come the world,and we who believes in Him will also over come the world. Obama is my choice for the next President of the USA. God will keep him safe.

Well said. I appreciate you sharing more of your story here.

I beg to differ as I was also married to a different race. What does my daughter call herself, she wants to consider her upbringing unique as well but how does she identifies herself, “I am white” no “I am Indian” (Asian). Well she is neither full bred white nor Indian. When one is curious of her identity she says, one parent is white and one is Indian and I am an American. She and I never considered ourselves the “minority” that is a word that people inflict upon themselves. Whether minority or majority, we are people, we are Americans. There is no way that Sen. Obama can justify what his minister said. Obama sat in that Church for 20 years and neither you nor Sen. Obama can tell me that this was the first time these things were said. It was said before and Sen. Obama did nothing about it, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
This is a free country and it’s might be ok to speak about how you feel inside but as a Senator listening, if my minister was saying that to me, I would have denounced him a long time ago. Sen. Obama said his minister said things that all of our ministers or Priests or Rabbis would say, well my Priests and Rabbis don’t do that sort of thing and have the congregation applauding. This country has housed and fed millions of people here and abroad, no one who lives here has the right to speak evil of this country let alone a minister.
On another note, speeches are not accomplishment or achievement. If speeches don’t bring about success then they are not accomplishment. Speeches are remembered and followed and admired. When something is gained from speeches then something has been accomplished. Mohan Das Gandhi gave speeches and his words spoke volume and he succeeded. He gained independence for a great nation from the very powerful British Empire. Not to belittle anyone, I agree with Sen. Clinton.

every priest, rabbi and minister I have ever heard has said things that I find reprehensible – a moment of anger or revenge cloaked in the Scripture and said out loud. If you haven’t heard it – it was because it echoed with you – atta boy Rev – we’re in tune with our anger here – we’re all guilty of such things. the self righteous finger pointing toward Reverend Wright from Christians is simply a way of avoiding something in ourselves. I sat and listed all the priests, bishops, ministers, rabbis and lay preachers I have heard over the years last night – could only remember about 40 and I know there have been at least dozens more. the minister who brought me into Church when I was 8 – talking about a woman we all knew – veiled, but vengeful. The priest who brought me into the Catholic church – misogyny was his middle name I think. The priest who married us – liked teenage boys – we found out much later. The minister who brought us through adolescence – embezzled funds for years. The minister who spoke at my dad’s funeral – made terrible remarks in the sacristy about the “limp wristed” organist. The rabbi who taught me very basic Hebrew – remarks about Palestinians I find beyond the pale. They are human beings – tuned into our anger, our biases and we become angry if their anger doesn’t match ours. Listened to several of Reverend Wright’s sermons over the past few days. Would you want to be remembered for your moments of rage, of anger? I don’t think this was his style – it took a lot of research on the part of either Hilary or Republicans to find those sermons. there are lots of young kids doing that kind of work right now – finding anything that might in someway to destroy another candidate. Heck, one of my kids got a job offer for such a research job – she decided it sounded like “bottom feeding”. Whatever Reverend Wright said – it just made some feel like – at last I have a reason to reject this Obama character – and I’ll feel really holy in doing it. I’m sure that there are those in the Obama campaign looking for stuff about McCain and Clinton. But – this little mob gathering scene is little more than that. Christianity and being American are not even close to being the same thing – they can be connected, but often are not. His remarks were wrong and have been rejected. I just don’t know any saints in the ministry, the priesthood or anywhere else for that matter. Just people – flawed people who learn lessons by their mistakes – and then there are those who accuse. the word for such people is related to the word ‘satan’. We’re all guilty of that energy.

This whole controversy smacks of political opportunism, certain people just looking for something to smear Obama with, even when it was not his own words! What Rev Wright said was disgusting, but so is a lot of the hate speech you hear on TV and the radio from white evangelists. Where is that outrage?
I think Obama should be praised for not following the lead of this preacher, but setting an example with his life that hatred is not a part of his thinking.
I sure would be upset if I were to be held accountable for every mean-spirited, foolish thing the people in my life have spouted!Obama has responded with honesty and insight and that should be the end of the finger pointing. He has challenged to lift the discourse to a higher, more productive level and that should be the lesson of this whole episode.

The second great demographic story in America in the 21st century which everyone forgets (after the Latino population explosion which obsesses everyone, especially conservatives) is going to be the massive increase in multiracial people like you, Tiger Woods and Barack Obama.
Someday in your lifetime (I’m an optimist about your disease), you will either be able to see lots and lots of younger people who “look like you” did at this stage in life or — maybe even better — the concept of “look like you” will lose meaning, as it already seems to be among the ultra-multiracial Generation Y.

BTW, the writer of the above (i.e., me) has a grandmother who grew up on the Cherokee Reservation in western North Carolina, and has many Native American features (although I basically grew up “white”).