Do we need to ask are we ready for an African American President?

I'll tell you that I am a full supporter of Barack Obama. I figured getting that out in the open will lead to fewer assumptions and insinuations, or lack there of, later on in the hub. To me, the fact that phrases like race relations are prevalent in society and annoyingly so in the media are clear signs that we have many unresolved issues and phobias toward each other. Why not use the phrase American relations, as thats what we all are, and should be referred to as. The people who pose that question in the media-are we ready for a black president-are simply trying to spark a reaction from the panel they've got lined up to discuss racism in America. People have prejudices, prejudgements, and misinformation. The solution to that is not for the news to be talking about the fact that they exist, but to inform people of how the majority of this countries people operate and view each other. That is neutrally. That isn't to say political correctness should be wide spread, I think just the opposite. Covering up a problem by being polite never helped anyone. It makes you look like a snob, and the other person insulted. Some will take this as a license to say whatever they think, and thats never worked out for most of us. But assuming the answer to a problem or question by simply assigning it to a question of race or religion, is ignorant and stupid. Sure some people fit the stereotypes, they aren't made up, but more often than not the stereotypes are not encompassing of the majority of people they refer too.

Back to the question, are we ready for an African American President. Call me insensitive, but the answer to that question is no. If you are asking that question, then you foresee, either for yourself or others, barriers to allowing that American running for President to hold the office. I think we are ready for a fresh face, with interesting views, a varied background, and something we haven't had in this large a dose since JFK, inspiration. JFK demanded we go to the moon, and we went, in the required time, learnt a lot, and moved on to greater things. President Bush keeps mentioning something about going to Mars every time before he cuts NASA's budget and shuts down the shuttle. I'll avoid going into more detail on either candidate or current President for the sake of focus. Sure Obama is African American, but what does that really have to do with being president? Directly nothing. He was born and spent most of his life in the US with a stint overseas. That can only be beneficial if we want to claim the honor of world power, its good to now the world we have power over. Yet the news on both sides keep bring this fact up, planting the seed in peoples minds that it is important. That it is in some way a determining factor to his ability to run the country. Its annoying, and insulting to most of us that haven't learned to look past race, because we never saw it as a determing factor in politics anyway. It was a none starter, there was nothing to discuss. He could be a terrorist, a drug dealer, an illegal alien, but all of those could just as easily be any other race, but wouldn't be brought up. If you see race as a factor, for any reason, including fear that others won't vote for him because of it so you should make a safer bet somewhere else. Then you are behind in the times. As long as we have to ask if we are ready for something, we probably aren't. The goal should be to make that a non-issue so that there is nothing to be ready for. Only forseeable way for that to occur is to elect someone who falls outside of the collective norm that has been established in over the last couple centuries. It would also help if the news wasn't trying to boost ratings and spark on air fights, and would just have an actual organized discussion that talks about the real facts. If something isn't brought up, then there is nothing to talk about. Unfortunately many of the key issues aren't being brought up because of a replacement race issue.

We all need to stop pretending there isn't a problem. There are issues, there are some tensions between people of different races, and most of them won't be solved for many years. People hold grudges, and mistakes have been made. Admitting they exist is much better than keeping them under the rug, reforming questions to conceal the true question, and sparking hatred on both sides for personal benefit. We've been "ready" for many many years, but because our system isn't perfect and tends to benefit those on top as any power structure is bound to do, its take this long for a truly viable candidate to dispell this false issue of race.