True Colors

The euphoria that I and many others felt after Obama's victory in Iowa was soon tempered by the reality of the bloodfeud that had to come as She-Clinton and Obama compete for the Democratic nomination. While it was great to re-examine the reality of racism in America and the possibility of a Black man becoming president from a perspective of optimisim and hope; it is oftentimes best to allow cynicism to enter our minds just to keep things honest.

With the spectre of political correctness permeating nearly every aspect of our society; it is oftentimes difficult to get a straight answer out of anyone when the question pertains to a cntroversial topic. In New Hampshire, Obama had a 10% lead and was about to put another nail in the Clinton coffin until something strange happened, he lost. The only explanation for this outcome is that some of the White voters polled would rather lie about their intentions to vote for a Black candidate than possibly be branded a racist by telling the true feelings. This is where cynicism has its place and in tandem with something negative it NEVER fails to reveal the truth.

If we look at recent history in regard to race relations it is never moments like the March On Washington, Thurgood Marshall's appointment to the Supreme Court etc. that reveals where we stand as a nation, Rather it is events such as the L.A. riots and the O.J. Simpson trial that bring out our true colors. The riots and more significantly the Simpson trial had elements that wouldn't allow for fence riding and political correctness: crime, sex, interracial marriage and the Criminal justice system just to name a few forced people to truly speak their minds. In much the same way the Primary being located in South Carolina allowed for the same perfect storm.

The legacy of slavery, the confederate flag and an electorate that was nearly 50/50 Black and White in terms of population gave us the opportunity to have a better glimpse at where we truly stand. Watching some White voters openly stating that " Obama, Osama is too close of a connection" and the first "Black President" and his wife becoming suddenly paler by the minute as a means to win at any cost really demonstrates just how far we have actually come in terms of race relations. While Obama did win and captured 22% of the White vote, what happened in South Carolina was meant to set the stage for the major showdown on Super tuesday.

South Carolina was the only place that the Clintons felt comfortable in making their implicit overtures for the White vote to counter the supposed mandate that Black voters have now given Obama. Taking this into consideration with the crying game, I can't wait to see how things play out on Super Tuesday.