My race problem

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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").