Race is Obama's Catch-22

A few years ago, Dr. Cornel West wrote an outstanding book called "Race Matters." In the book, he explains why a post-racial America is not yet a reality. Race certainly matters in our nation, and we don't need to look any further than the anti-Obama lynch mobs to find evidence of this fact.

What is most interesting is that the people who hate Obama for being black don't even realize that this is the reason they hate him. That's how the social sickness called "racism" sneaks into the very fabric of the social infrastructure on which our country operates.

President Obama's recent experience is yet another reminder that the disease of racism has its greatest impact on those who think they've been cured. In spite of his continuous efforts to "just get along" with those on the right wing, they have insisted upon engaging in some of the most pathetic, thug-like behavior imaginable, creating a climate unlike anything our country has seen in the last 30 years.

If you think this has nothing to do with Obama being black, you need to open a history book. Lynch mobs rarely attacked a black man just for being black. They attacked him for being black and doing something that white people found to be unacceptable.

Blackness, rather than being a sole motivation for political or physical assault, accelerates the degree of boldness and disrespect shown by your opponents. Rather than saying, "I respectfully disagree with you Mr. President," the opponent simply yells the words "You lie!" during your speech on national television. The opponent then knows (like Joe Wilson) that although the rules of the House of Representatives state that he must apologize to the House for his actions, he doesn't because there are others in the "Sons of Confederate Veterans" organization that share his disrespect for African-Americans. Some liberals are also assailants in Obama's racial quagmire, because their support for him tends to decline whenever he speaks out on issues of race.

What's most interesting is that Obama is in a catch-22. While he and the rest of us know that his race plays a critical role in many of the public outbursts being displayed by the right, the president cannot admit to the obvious. While Cornel West would remind him that race certainly does matter, Obama has recently claimed that race doesn't matter at all when people scream about how much they hate him.

When New York Governor David Paterson publicly claimed that racism is part of the reason that people do not want him to run for governor, Obama distanced himself from Paterson's comments. What is saddest is that this was the politically correct thing for Obama to do. Being a black politician who relies on white voters as his base of power, Obama is not in a position to criticize the same white people who elected him. Only black people are privy to tough love from Obama, as he uses every church visit as an opportunity to tell us what we're doing wrong.

The racism against the president is clear. There are pastors praying for him to die, mediocre universities like Arizona State refusing to give him an honorary degree, people showing up to his rallies with guns on their hips, major media figures (Rush Limbaugh) calling for the reinstatement of segregated buses and political commentators (Liz Trotta) joking about how his assassination would be a good thing. Sorry, Mr. President, that doesn't happen to just any president. This bowl of hatred is especially made for you.

True to his character, former President Jimmy Carter did the talking for President Obama. Carter is an old man without much to lose and he is no longer part of America's political plantation. His honest claim that Obama's attacks are racially motivated is the greatest breath of fresh air our country has seen in a while. Additionally, Carter's stance against racism around the world has put him head and shoulders above all former presidents when it comes to truly making America a better country. Perhaps he can protect Obama when Obama is not in a position to protect himself.

No matter how you slice it, the bottom line is this: President Obama is doing the best he can with what he's got. He is not in a position to discuss race without being politically dismantled in the process. Obama's greatest contribution to our racial understanding is the image of him being politically whipped by those who are determined to undermine his progress. All the while, the presidency belongs to all of us, and we are in a better position to confront racism than Barack Obama. Even when the president cannot speak himself, we should have the courage to speak for him.