Judging Barack by the Content of His Character

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
-Martin Luther King, Jr., "I Have a Dream"

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at Friendly House gynmasium in Davenport, Iowa, January 2, 2008.
REUTERS/Jim Young

Diane Cardwell of the NYTimes:

For Sadou Brown in a Los Angeles suburb, the decisive victory of Senator Barack Obama in Iowa was a moment to show his 14-year-old son what is possible.

For Mike Duncan in Maryland, it was a sign that Americans were moving beyond rigid thinking about race.

The notion that people in this country are still being held back because of their skin color is ridiculous to me. Sure, racism is still alive in America. But institutionalized racism? I don't see it.

Democrats who have been fed this load of garbage beyond the 60's, are they just now waking up to the fact that anyone can become the President? Have the race profiteers been holding the Democrat mind, down? If asked whether more black men were in college or in jail, how would they respond? If it is just now dawning on them that America today is not the America of yesteryear, well then welcome to the present.

“People across America, even in Iowa of all places, can look across the color line and see the person,” said Mr. Brown, 35, who was working at the reception desk at DK’s Hair Design near Ladera Heights, a wealthy Los Angeles suburb.

But is Mr. Brown looking across the color line? Or is he stuck on race? As Morgan Freeman said on 60 Minutes, when asked, "How can we get rid of racism?": "Stop talking about it." And by that, what he means is, quit obsessing over it.

If Barack Obama becomes President, yes, it will be a milestone; but we should not be surprised over it. America's been ready for a black president for some time, now. It's just a matter of whether or not the right one comes along.

I don't want Barack Obama to be my President. And it has nothing to do with his skin color, and everything to do with his politics.

Republican supporter Brian Hagmeier listens as Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) speaks during a campaign stop in Burlington, December 29, 2007.
REUTERS/Keith Bedford

Jank Morton left a comment at my cross-post over at Flopping Aces.

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