I agree wholeheartedly, Timothy. You are exactly right about racism, and the need for people of faith to condemn it without reservation. It has no place in this campaign, nor in any other area of American life.

Now, I expect your next column will be on sexism, and the kind of vile, disgusting stuff being directed at Sarah Palin. They are just as worthy of the strongest kind of condemnation.

And then you'll take up the assassination fantasies directed at George Bush that have been floating around left-wing circles for several years now. They, too, should have been beyond the pale in a civilized society.

I also agree with Mr. Shriver. But sexism and Palin? I don't think so. She was thrown out as a sop to those who were disappointed that Hillary didn't get the nomination. She was a marketing ploy to make voters thing that the GOP really does believe in equality and all those good things while they undermined their own message with not so subtle racism. the only vile, disgusting stuff directed at Sarah Palin is about her qualifications (none), her zealotry (Jews for Jesus? Puhlease.), her questionable ethics (troopergate), her scary associations (AIP) and her knowledge of the world (I can see russia from an Island off Alaska).

Left wing fantasies were along the lines of impeachment, not assassination (we leave that to McCain's good buddy Gordon Liddy).

I am a proud and ethical voter who loathes the Iraq war, torture, war profiteering and abuse through neglect of ill and potentially ill children and seniors (witness curtailment of SCHIP, and the infamous Medicare "doughnut hole") along with deregulation, not only in financial accountability, but protections the FDA should have offered vis-a-vis contaminated toys, toothpaste, vitamins, foods and other such products as well as imports.
The exploitation of the military via infinite reassignment, poor protective gear, inadequate mental healthcare and access to veterans' care is another shameful situation developing during the last 5 years.
Failure to handle the aftermath of Katrina has amounted to horrors approaching genocide among the disasters' victims.
Undoubtedly the financial meltdown will have terrible inhumane effects coming this winter as cold temperatures and high heating costs endanger those on fixed incomes, along with the increasingly high demands already affecting soup kitchens and food banks.
I hold the current administration directly and indirectly responsible. There are no polite words or phrases strong enough to express how I loathe what has been done to my country, within and without in the eyes of the world. Many of my friends and associates concur. The degree varies. The expressions are pretty colorful, and often crude. But no one has advocated violence. In fact not a few have gone out of their way to explicitly state that feelings are high, but despite temptation and suffering, no one wishes harm to another. Justice, yes. Harm, no.
As for Ms. Palin, she herself has annihilated her own respect. Not because of her gender, but because of her statements, contadicted by her actions. We can only hope experience may provide her an education in civility.
Ignorance and hubris are not admirable in civilised society.

Not all the angles of race that converge at the Obama campaign have received much attention.

His candidacy is seen as an indication that racial barriers no longer exist. Many see progress in the fact that a black man can run a campaign in which race is incidental. Yet it’s taken Obama’s embrace of post-racialism to lend viability to his campaign. Some activists see him as the culmination of a trend of black leaders moving away from the communities they’ve traditionally served and closer to the political and corporate power that dominates the Democratic Party.

Read the full: http://www.indypendent.org/2008/10/02/illusion-post-racial-america/

Hey Cogitator, your unintelligible rant was off topic.

Shriver, what would you have us do? Register to vote by "race"? Pass a law that to "race" can vote 55% or more for one candidate?

Palamas, good point regarding the assassination comment. One guy goes to a McCain rally and shouts a racist slur. Is that the tone of the McCain campaign, one guy? Has anyone gone to an Obama campaign and shouted "Kill Bush"? Yah, I think so. And did the national press denounce the Obama campaign's "ugly racial turn"? No, the idea is silly. The only reason this is a make-believe story is because it fits the media's bias. I wonder if that guy was an Obama operative or Liberal free-lancer? Why would I assume that? I don't. But why would anyone assume otherwise? Bias?

You see Shriver, there is no evidence that the McCain campaign is racist in nature. By jumping to that conclusion you betray journalistic ethics and you betray your readers.

Given Obama's lead in the polls, it hard to understand why the democrats are working so hard to prepare excuses for his defeat at this stage in the game. If anyone out there would really vote based on skin color, you would not change his mind by whining at this point. Why not let the elections take their course, and come up with excuses afterwards, as losers usually do?

Is racism a factor in this election? We have no idea. No one has produced yet a single shred of evidence to show that it is. But that does not stop the Obama camp and its fawning press from whipping up a storm over it. Look at all the columns in the WP. It's as if they cannot talk about anything else. If racism is an issue in this campaign, it's an issue that they have created out of nothing. Wasn't Obama supposed to be the post-racial candidate?

Yes, there is a lot of ugliness out there, not least in the democrats' attempt to make political hay out of an assassination that has not happened. "If anything happens to Barack, the other campaign will have to bear some responsibility." Can you believe that?

Question to Sparrow4: When Sandra Bernhard says on her show that Sarah Palin should not come to New York or she would be "gang-raped by my big black brothers", do you consider that criticism of Palin’s qualifications, ethics or knowledge of the world?

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/09/19/2008-09-19_sandra_bernhard_issues_gang_rape_warning-2.html

And when Naomi Wolf accuses Palin of stealing her mail to spy on her, how would you categorize that?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-wolf/the-battle-plan-ii-sarah_b_128393.html

Just two small examples. There is no shortage of them. Let’s not try to pretend that the Republican side has a monopoly on foaming-in-the-mouth hatred and bigotry, especially not in these elections.

And talking about qualifications, perhaps a background as a governor counts for nothing in your eyes, but think about this: If Palin’s experience amounted to nothing more than one day as the mayor of a fishermen’s village in the Aleutian Islands, that would be more executive experience than Obama has. All the fancy footwork in the world will not get you around that simple fact.

And of course, he is running for the presidency. She is not.

Listen...the truley prejudiced will vote against Obama regardless of what their preacher says from the pulpit, even if still a closet racist. The unconsciously racist who is Republican will vote for McCain, regardless, and feel consciously smug about NOT being racist. The unprejudiced Republican will vote McCain regardless. So...what's the preaching exercise about? Oh, and what about those Black prejudiced preachers? Should they be telling their congregations its OK to vote McCain?

Yes, it is high time for the truly religious to come out and not only take a stand, but be on the front lines and be ready to shield, according to what they say, 'the meek that shall inherit the earth' from the body-blows being violently dealt by the anarchists and the falsely-religious alike.

Who are 'the meek that shall inherit the earth'? Not those who wage wars, not those who find no point in reining-in their profit-motive, not those who impose their irresistible lurch in 'the pursuit of happiness'. Not those who find scapegoats in those who may 'look different' but seek to make a decent living by working hard and, in all modesty, ask for fair treatment, some respect and an opportunity to build up dignity by their assiduously living their purpose-drive life. And that, even if they are recent immigrants who wish to maintain their culture and the right to speak their mind at they fell is unfair.

It is high time for the truly religious to take a firm stand, a stand, in their hundreds and thousands, in the imge of Chris Hedges, Kitty Kelly and Ray McGovern, people whose religiosity surpasses that of most people I have heard of. But I also wish to see the rational 'agnostics' and 'atheists' who have been clamouring that one can have deeper morality than religious people without beleiving in God take a firm stand. Let them prove to us their 'rational' morality. They have been conspicuosly silent on the issue of the ongoing debacle on Wal Street, the bankruptcy of the purportedly rational laissez-faire economic system. Where are the Daniel Dennets, the Richard Dawkinses, the Sam Harrises, the Simon Weizenthals and their pronouncements on the morality of what has been going in finance, on their failure to have denounced the catastrophe that many saw coming, on their suspicious silence about the treatment that should be meted out to the self-undulging financial-sector CEOs and speculators and their ill-gotten gains?

Let us hear from them. Let us not continue to rely on the eternal saints like Chris Hedges, Kitty Kelly and Senator Ray McGovern to consent the scrifices and do the redeeming acts that will save us from a future condemnation that we are a thoroughly-heartless nation.

"Is racism a factor in this election? We have no idea."

Michaelnj,

Sir, racism is very much a part of this election and has been very much a part of all elections since the Civil Rights Act of the 60's. That's when all those southern blue collar Democrats (and a lot of blue collar voters in general) suddenly switched to the Republican party, which is basically where they've been ever since. Most of these people vote Republican for one basic reason, and it ain't because that party represents their best interest. It's because the Democratic party in their minds, represents African Americans (many use a much harsher term amongst friends).

I grew up with and live among these folks. Most of my friends are comprised of these people. No matter how much I try to tell them that the Democrats represent their interest, they just scratch their heads and laugh at me like I'm crazy. They agree with the points I make but they are just not going to vote for the party that's "going to give everything to the n----rs." That's just the way it is in the rural South! And, most all of these people go to Church every Sunday!

On the bright side, the metro areas in southern states are starting to pull the voting power away from these rural areas but not fast enough, in my opinion. Sorry if I've offended anyone! I will continue the good fight!

So if you vote McCain or Nader, you are racist now?

I have my questions about Obama that spring from his stated plan to increase corporate taxes (as if companies need one more reason to move to China!), not because of his skin color.

I guess thats not ok, because its more important to prance around and preach about tolerance over good leadership.

Obama announced that he DOES NOT support McCain's plan of RESTRUCTURING the payments of troubled homeowners but supports BAILING OUT THE DEBTS OF BANK. McCain supports both.

OBAMA's idea is tantamount to bailing out the people who FLEECED THE POOR and those who were fleeced are left to rot outside of their homes.

Obama should understand that those FORECLOSED HOUSES cannot be sold at a higher rate except it be given back to its real owners. Those houses are not attractive enough to be sold to anybody else other than its previous owners.

"The face only a mother could love" is also true to houses. The house only the owner could love.

The truth is the TAXPAYERS and the GOVERNMENT actually GAINS or PROFITS more from JOHN MCCAIN'S PLAN.

The plan is good not only in terms of money but also of GOODWILL and the vigor it would give to the homeowners to be productive again.

MichaleNJ: "Is racism a factor in this election? We have no idea. No one has produced yet a single shred of evidence to show that it is."

What kind of evidence are you looking for? I'm not asking the question in a cynical manner. I would submit to you however, that the "evidence" you are looking for is probably impossible to find. I would also submit to you that there's just too much 'circumstantial' evidence to suggest that race would not be a factor, simply looking at the racial history of this country.

There have been couple of recent polls (one from Stanford and the other from AP (?)... not sure) where the data seem to suggest that racism will be factor. I don't want to paraphrase the results, but I believe some 8% of those polled stated that they would not vote for a black candidate (and those are the people who are being honest). Is that proof? Of course not. But to suggest that we can ignore the impact of race on this election would be far from correct either.

Very well said.

I think the religious institutions in the US have contributed so heavily to racism that they owe it to this nation to find remedies.

I consider racism and bigotry "the original sin". The incident reported in Quran and Old Testament about refusal of Satan to bow down before Adam happened before Satan led Adam astray. Satan refused to bow down to Adam when commanded by God because in the words of Satan, "I am superior to Adam because you made me from Fire and you made Adam from clay". The satans among us have devised million different ways to convince us of their superiority

As a Muslim all I have to do is to remind myself and my family of the words of Mohammed (peace be upon him) in his last sermon. “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action."

Does any thing more need to be said after this?

Why refer to Obama as black since he is half-white?
Is this some throw-back to slavery days when you could be sold if you were 1/64 black?

The one common denominator that almost all African-Americans have--outside of experiencing day-to-day racism--is that they are descended from slaves.

Ironically, his forebears were never slaves in this country (his father is from Kenya), but his mother's family's ancestors might have been slave-owners:
http://ybpguide.com/2007/03/02/obamas-ancestors-possible-slave-owners/

And it's noted that's he's Irish:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269836,00.html
http://www.irishamericansforobama.com/

Are we as Americans not some of the wackiest people south of the North Pole?

Swedish economist Gunnar Myrdal in 1944 wrote THE AMERICAN DILEMMA about the conundrum of race relations in the U.S. You'd think we'd have come around by now.

If the USA is to continue to be the world leader, it is a good time that the face of American resemble the face of the world and the name of the leader be an international name. (What's the most common name in the world? Mohammed, right?)

What a victory it will be for us all.

--SOME WHITE GUY

JohnBCarter:

What you say sounds awfully familiar. Where did I hear that before? Oh yes, right here:

“It’s not surprising that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigration sentiment or anti-trade sentiment,”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0408/9640.html

At least Obama, in his own patronizing way, tried to offer some justification for those poor saps who are just too dumb to know that voting for the Democrats is good for them, and when his bigotry was pointed out to him he admitted that his words were “ill-chosen”. You, on the other hand, seem to be proud of your bigotry.

In any event, if someone ran a survey asking a representative sample of voters whether or not they were going to vote for a certain candidate based on the color of his skin, then we could know if race was a factor in this election or not, and how big a factor. I am not aware of any such survey, and your stories about the people in your neighborhood hardly qualify as a substitute. So my point still stands: We don’t know if racism is a factor in this election. You BELIEVE that it is, I BELIEVE that it isn’t. But that is what we believe, not what we KNOW.

Gerard2003:

"What kind of evidence are you looking for? I'm not asking the question in a cynical manner. I would submit to you however, that the "evidence" you are looking for is probably impossible to find."

I agree. That is precisely my point.

What an idiotic post. Mr. Shriver, have you paid the least attention to the vile calumnies and assassination fantasies that people of your ilk have directed toward Pres. Bush and VP Cheney in recent years? What about the vicious invective toward Gov. Palin -- and her children, for crying out loud?

You hypocrite!!!

As for your preposterous cries of racism: Bull. There's plenty to despise about Obama's extremist anti-American ideology without getting worked up over his ancestry.

Obama's "extremist anti-American ideology?" Pray do tell us exactly what is his "extremist" ideology? Yeah taking care of the middle class I guess is somewhat extremist these days.

Sounds like someone depends on FOX for their propaganda, uh I mean information. You would do well to expand your research beyond FOX news network and McCain's rabblerousers for the truth.

I have only witnessed the "RACE" of Barrack Hussein Obama being mentioned from the Obama camp and matter of fact from Obama himself. He mentioned several times how he doesn't look like the rest of the Presidents on the dollar and oh in Florida when campaigning he was telling the crowd they (the right) are going to make you scared of me by mentioning his name is weird and oh yeah did I mention he is "black". I am tired of this election; the main media, etc. all Propaganda!!!! They are doing a GREAT injustice to those Americans who only get their stations. SHAME ON THEM.....You all keep drinking the kool-aid, but dont start crying when your freedoms are taken away by Barack Hussein Obama and his socialist partners. Is Race a factor? 95% of blacks are voting for Obama......42% of whites are voting for McCain.....which side do you think is RACIST! WAKE UP PEOPLE..... I also want to mention I am a WHITE woman married for 22 years to the most wonderful BLACK man!!!! Color means nothing to me......moral issues, a persons background & history, and their track record. NOBAMA...........VOTE MCCAIN AMERICA!!!

"If anything happens to Barack, the other campaign will have to bear some responsibility."

The thought that if some lunatic go an act out on his mental illness, we should go out in a witch hunt against anyone who expressed opposition to Obama's candidacy is simply a veiled invitation to attack NOW anyone who is not for Obama.

This is an invitation to civil unrest if Obama loses the campaign.

These doom sayers are more dangerous than any lunatic.

First the threats were against Hillary, now against McCain.

If Obama looses, the mob will be out crying "racism' and attack anyone on their path.

It is you, irrational and manipulating MSM, whom i fear most, not the lone lunatic.

You are sowing the seed of hatred. You incite the response of hatred against hatred.

If the media continues to talk about the Bradley Effect and posit their belief that the only way Obama loses is because of racism, then they are feeding to a controversy and creating the story.

Is it not possible that, rather than race, people need only to look at the thin resume as sufficient reason to not vote for Obama?

But, I forget, this does not matter; because he is the second coming.

I agree with both COQUI44 and cqrtdoc: those who show a pronounced proclivity towards racism are in a relatively negligible minority. The very thought of "If anything happens to Barack ...." should not be entertained.

I am myself a nonwhite recent immigrant to North America, and have not at any point hesitated to express very vocally my disapproval of the anti-poor economic policies of the Bush administration, my intense outrage at the illegal war in Iraq and the barbarity of the occupation and auxiliary practices of torture. But I must say that I bow my head very low at the open-mindedness and goodness of heart with which the American people are supporting Obama.

In January 2009, it will be a new dawn and everything indicates that America will experience a new 21st Century Enligthenment. Nothing is decided yet, I agree; and I will acept any outcome. But, yes, even if Obama loses, it cannot be blamed on racism.

Good article. Racism unfortunately works both ways, but in this case a few nuts (and an old woman) attending GOP events have been the instigators. In every family, of every background, racism exists in 2008, somewhere in the family. Sometimes disguised as humor, but racism just the same. For Christians it is anti-Christ to be a racist. Jesus himself invited all to 'love one another.' St. Paul openly recruited people from other lands, other backgrounds to be part of the faith. So racism is a sin. Teaching it to others is a bigger sin. Older people can't help themselves sometimes, younger people and middle aged have no excuse. Love one another.

cqrtdoc wrote:

"Is it not possible that, rather than race, people need only to look at the thin resume as sufficient reason to not vote for Obama?"

Obama's resume is just a bit larger than Lincoln's. Go figure.

And don't forget that Jesus was a community organizer, and Pilate was a governor.

I have to say that an African-American woman who lived through the turmoil of the Civil Rights era I'm getting really, really tired of people who make statements pointing to an assumption that their would be civil unrest of Mr. Obama lost the election. People of color are way beyond that. Besides, who's to say that white folks won't revert to that kind of behavior if Mr. McCain loses? That was the general tactic of white folks in the past anyway, as opposed to the civil disobedience approach of black folks. I suppose white people just stood by silently and watched as Little Rock High was integrated?

Grow up, people.

Arminius.....Good talking points......how many days did it take you to get that one down.

The statement that "Jesus was a community organizer" is WRONG!!

Jesus Christ is the Son of God Almighty; Jesus Christ sacrificed his own life for you and me! He is the Alpha and Omega......the Beginning and the End..........JESUS CHRIST IS THE MESSIAH.....not Obama......

America we must turn from our wicked ways and humble ourselves before God.....and He says He will heal our land.

For any Christian that can vote for Obama or anyone person for that matter.....that agrees to taking life at its most innocent time.....are accomplice to murder!! PERIOD!!! We have NO RIGHT to take a life!!!

I do believe the Word of God says......Satan comes to STEAL, KILL, AND DESTROY......and God comes to GIVE LIFE and that MORE ABUNDANTLY!!

I pray God hears his childrens cry....and heals our land. We (as a nation)have moved so far to the left that their are people (Obama voters)in America that don't even know what is RIGHT and just anymore.

Socialism is NOT the America I know. If you don't have, then get your butt out their and get it for yourself. America will be a WELFARE STATE, under Obama. I am middle class and my husband and I have worked our butts off to get what we have. We will decide who we give to.

MichaelNJ: Good examples.

Sparrow4: What planet do you live on? The only disgusting stuff directed at Sarah Palin has to do with what? You haven't heard about Andrew Sullvan's inquisition regarding whether Trig is really Gov. Palin's son? You haven't heard about the people outside a Flyers hockey game and the filth they were yelling? The obscene t-shirts Obama supporters wore to her appearance in Philadelphia?

Yeah, Obama is definitely the only candidate being disrespected through the use of prejudiced stereotypes. In your dreams.

Oh, and about the assassination fantasies of some Bush haters--not all of them wanted to stop at impeachment:

http://michellemalkin.com/2006/08/31/assassination-chic/

(I know, Michelle Malkin is in the same category as Sarah Palin, right? But look at the links in the article before you blow it off, and then tell me some lefties weren't drooling over the prospect that Bush might get whacked.)

You can be for McCain or you can be for Obama, but it should be on the issues and who you think can lead the country in the right direction and restore our honor around the world.
But when Palin announces into the microphone at rallies that "Obama is not one of us" or suggests that he is "one of the bad guys" this is inciting division. Not unity. She can say he does not have experience, voted the wrong way on this or that, will raise your taxes, or is a liberal. But to suggest Obama is NOT ONE OF US... is DEAD WRONG and RACIST. and she knows it. PERIOD!

The only significant folks playing the race card are either in the Democratic party (most recently Harry Reid), strong Democratic proponents ( like Wright and Pfleger), or Democratic acolytes in the press (it's getting harder and harder to pick up a copy of the WaPo or NYT without seeing some new "racist" issue, from the use of the word "disrespect" to the fact Sarah Palin wore a white dress.) Now we see even the issue invading WaPo's religious commentary.

From a psychological point of view, it's understandable - after all, the Democrats have full reason to be embarrassed enough by their history to want to point fingers away from themselves (see, for example http://spectator.org/archives/2008/08/12/democrats-the-missing-years ), but it is still detestable.

People keep *saying* those things, Halifax, but that doesn't make them true.

It hardly matters, too, if the kind of racially-scaremongering religious conservatives who are now part of the Republican 'base' *used* to be in the Democratic party fourty or a hundred years ago.

This ain't about brand names. It's about who's doing what *right now.*

MichaelNJ,

It does not appear that you read my post if your are saying I am a proud bigot. Where are you getting the idea that I am a proud bigot from my post. I am ashamed of this southern mind frame I am describing. It breaks my heart to no end. And it is very real in the South and has been for a long time. The good fight I speak off is combating this kind of thinking. Do you follow what I am saying?????

Do I quit being friends to people I grew up with because they are still racist. NO. It just means that I cut them a little slack because I know how they were raised and where they come from. I still try to take them to task about it and change there way of thinking whenever possible.

It's kind of like Obama with the Reverend Wright. He knows the kind of racist crap the man witnessed during his lifetime and therefor cuts him a little slack when he makes some over the top comments.

Do some radicals on the left say some stupid things about Palin and McCain. Sure, but it is not because of the color of her skin but because of her actions and hypocrisy!

And, in no way is McCain or Palin responsible for what some nuts out there on the Right do or say. They do have a responsibility to calm this kind of talk down when they hear it and I salute McCain for doing so recently.

Finally, on another dumb point you tried to make, let me say this. If in the history of our country there had only been black presidents and this was the first election where a white person had a chance. Would you call white people racist for overwhelmingly supporting that person????? I don't think you would!

Lets not argue over technicalities of what the term racist means. I know it when I see it, and it's still out there. And you don't have to look very hard to find it, even in Southern churches. I say it's the perfect topic to preach on!

MichaelNJ

And before you fire off another post about my Reverend Wright comparison below (as it does not quite read how I meant it to read), the white racists I speak of learned it from their parents and peers. It's still racist crap, whoever sees it...Some see it for what it is and some don't.

I was wondering if McCain is really well prepared to handle difficulties in the middle east.

No Madam, Obama is not an arab, he's a decent family man. I found the defense uglier than the attack.

Arab=Muslim=Terrorist? And people are wondering why is it so difficult to spread democracy in the world ...

I'm not afraid by a 75 old racist woman. But shouldn't we expect a better judgement from a candidate to the us election ?

Regards the comment below: My 85-year-old (white) aunt announce there would be "blood in the streets" if Obama lost. Assuming this was some sort of uncharacteristic derogatory racial remark, I said, "That wouldn't happen."

She replied, "Oh, yes it would, because I'd be out there leading it. If those republicans steal another election...."

Please... the vision of my elderly aunt, walker upraised in indigation as she leads an angry crowd keeps me up at night, so please vote Obama/Biden on Nov. 4.

: )

"I have to say that an African-American woman who lived through the turmoil of the Civil Rights era I'm getting really, really tired of people who make statements pointing to an assumption that their would be civil unrest of Mr. Obama lost the election. People of color are way beyond that. Besides, who's to say that white folks won't revert to that kind of behavior if Mr. McCain loses?"

Under what scenario could Obama lose that would not be considered racist? Do we have to give him the win whether or not we believe he is the best for the job, just to prove we are not racist?

I have a better slogan....

Erase sexism in the voting booth.

Palin is a "sop"?

You are an idiot.

Too bad the writer doesn't write to rid Sexism from the voting booth. To bad he doesn't now argue against Agism in the voting booth. No, he like the rest of the liberal media are only concerned with not appearing racist while either promoting or tacitly encouraging stories that are based on sexism (anti-Hillary and now anti-Palin) or agism.

For anyone noticing, there is no proof of this so-called "Bradley effect!" I lived in LA when Bradley lost that race and won the next time around. He was a very good mayor and a good person, but the so-called effect was no different than numerous other pollings that picked one person and then the other guy wins. It happens too often to attribute it to race. I would call it a "fantasy" but then I might be called a racist since obama believes that term is racism.

Sir, a lot of churches don't welcome people of varying shades. Plus, the fact that being part of a church allows some people to feel it's okay to discriminate against others (such as gays or Muslims or Muslims against Christian or Jews.) based on their beliefs.

To try to get churches to preach tolerance and acceptance....wellllll, let's just say I won't be holding my breath for it.

Timothy Shriver's claim to fame is his family connection to the Kennedy clan, NOT his intellectual or political acumen. This simple-minded column (Racism--Bad!) is yet another example of that. Yep, racism is bad. So are sexism, age-ism, religious discrimination, child abuse, rape, murder, assault, theft and fraud. Fraud includes pretending you have something insightful to say only because your name is Shriver.

I thought the column had an odd tone. Can't really figure out who he's targeting,unless he's trying to speak to those Democrats that just can't bring themselves to vote for a black man. Believe me, in southern Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia, those folks really do exist. It is an issue. A friend of mine recently told her 86 year old grandfather to close his eyes when he listens to Obama speak. I'm really surprised that it hasn't been discussed more, actually.

there is no equality in the voting booth.

This opinion piece sounds very much like Obama on Billionaires Row talking about people who cling to guns and faith. There is no discussion of whether Obama is qualified to be President. Many people oppose him because he has no executive experience. He has not produced any significant legislation in Illinois or the Senate. He constantly shifts positions on the issues.

He chooses poorly for advisors, including people like James Johnson, who is the one person most responsible for the mortgage crisis, and Rezko and Ayers and ... His VP selection process was a shambles: he couldn't make up his mind and finally made the announcement in a fund-raising email on Saturday morning of the final weekend of the Olympics, and his selection was the ultimate Washington insider with no executive experience at all, rather than a person such as Phil Bredesen with experience and capable of changing the political culture in Washington.

Obama and his family stayed at an extremist church for 20 years, before leaving it this year when the media started reporting what went on there.

I make this lengthy comment to demonstrate that there are many valid reasons for opposing Obama that have nothing to do with race.

I must also point out that Mr Shriver makes no comment about the hate being directed at Gov. Palin by the Democrats, much of it not printable here. Most of it is simply because she is a woman, as the comment by the Chair of the SC Democratic Party that if Palin had an abortion she would not be on the ticket, or the comment shouted outside a building where she was at a meeting, "Let's stone her, old school" (reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer). Much of it is religious bigotry directed at Pentacostals, out of ignorance about the excellent record they have in serving the poor in developing nations. Some of it of course is pure secular snobbery, as the comments after the VP debate by E.J. Dionne when a caller to the Diane Rehm Show said Palin talked about cooperation between "Maliki and the Talibani" and he agreed that Palin was stupid, not realizing that Talibani is President of Iraq and she said "Maliki and Talibani".

If Mr Shriver really cares, we should see a column about the industrial strength hate for Palin being spread by Democrats and their allies, rather then more complaints about the by comparison mild attacks on Obama and Biden by the Republicans.

JohnBCarter:

To answer your question “Where are you getting the idea that I am a proud bigot from my post”?

From statements such as: “Most of these people vote Republican for one basic reason, and it ain't because that party represents their best interest.”

At the heart of bigotry and racism is the conviction that you are superior to another group of people. That is what you do when you presume to know what’s in the best interest of another group of people better than they themselves do. What you say in effect is that they are too stupid to know what’s good for them and need the guidance of someone as enlightened as yourself to show them the way. That is not the same as disagreeing with their views, which is natural in any political debate. Do you understand the distinction?

Same as when you say: “Do some radicals on the left say some stupid things about Palin and McCain. Sure, but it is not because of the color of her skin but because of her actions and hypocrisy!”

In other words, if someone attacks Palin it must be because of something she did or some view she holds, whereas if someone attacks Obama, it must be because of the color of his skin, not because of his views or his actions. That is your totally objective, unbiased, non-partisan opinion, right?

As to your painfully contorted point: “If in the history of our country there had only been black presidents and this was the first election where a white person had a chance. Would you call white people racist for overwhelmingly supporting that person????? I don't think you would!”

You seem to be saying that I hold it against black voters that they support Obama. I’d be grateful if you could point out where did I make such a statement.

Bottom line, I’m still waiting for you to come up with a shred of evidence that racism is a factor in this election. Again, I’m not talking about gut feelings, hearsay, conspiracy theories and wild speculations. I’m talking about verifiable evidence.

Where is the message of Christ in all this?

Why have so many forgot the heart of Christianity is the Sermon on the Mount?

Why have so many forgot Micah 6:8?

When American's started paying more attention to the rants of their "prophets for profit", (encouraged by Reagan's opening the door to the Religious Right) instead of the very simple and basic tenents of their religion, they marginated Christ.

The fence sitters have come off the fence and are finally realizing the dangers of electing the McPalin duo.

The Oval Office should ideally be occupied by a person of high character - Obama clearly wins hands down in that department, as in so many other areas.

Every Presidency has a learing curve, and I'm willing to bet Obama makes it around that curve in record time.

McCain has always 'assumed' that he knew what the job entailed, just as he assumed that he had every 'right' to the Presidency. Both assumptions were simply a profile in self-delusion.

Palin never had a clue about her own job as VP, other than as a political windfall wildly beyond her greatest expectations.

Fortunately our worst nightmare will not come to pass according to current popular vote and electoral vote estimations - it's Obama/Biden in '08!

Frankly, if McCain's supposedly gonna 'change' so much, and is such a responsible governor, why doesn't he feel the need to have a real transition team set up?

People wanna talk about character, what about simple foresight, as opposed to expecting everything to fall into your lap when presumably, a lot of people would be counting on you to have your s.... ducks in a row?

Mr. Shriver, if Senator Obama is not elected, it may be in part because of his commitment to abortion-on-demand without constraints, as so clearly presented in the video of his address to Planned Parenthood. Given the high rates of abortion for minorities, a President Obama may do far greater damage to racial reconciliation than the incidents you mention.

Cheney's neocons and the Dobsonites will never accept an Obama presidency. Their rage and lust for political and religious superiority and will not go away quietly.

I suspect that, incited by stepped-up hateful rhetoric by the single-minded collection of Irish Catholic bigots on RNC Fox News and hate radio demagogues like Oxycoton Rush Limberger, they will assassinate Obama like they did the Kennedy's and Dr. King. Radio and TV ratings will provide more racism and fear for the fuses of their cannons.

We may be looking down the NRA barrel of another civil war as the armed majority finally revolt against the last eight years of deception and bullying we have suffered from the hands of Rovain neocons and Palins's intolerant white Huckabee evangelicals whose agenda is to turn America into their own private theocracy.

May the God of the whole universe protect America from Palin's and Cheney's intolerant white god of division and fear. Maybe we need the Reverend Muthee to exorcise this witchcraft as well.

What has been overlooked by the media is the role of the Episcopal Church in the culture wars: specifically, its history of lobbying publicly for abortion-on-demand, rather than confining its resolutions for pastoral guidance. This was made clear when a former Presiding Bishop signed an Interfaith Letter to Congress urging the members not to override President Clinton's veto of the proposed ban of the partial-birth abortion procedure. (see the archives of The Living Church, "Calling for Civility," 2/16/97. Because the Presiding Bishop represents the Episcopal Church to the world, he effectively declared the Church's indifference to the fate of the unborn.

Coincidentally, on the same date of the Letter - April 29, 1996 - the retired Bishop of Newark appeared before a House Subcommittee and made a forceful appeal for legalizing "assisted suicide," which was broadcast on C-SPAN.

IN one remarkable day, the Episcopal Church removed the unborn and the dying from the conscience of its members and has remained silent on these issues in the public forum.

Because of the symbolic role of National Cathedral, the actions of the Episcopal Church have some consequence in the country's self-understanding. If there is the Democratic sweep many anticipate, given Senator Obama's firm commitment to abortion-on-demand without restrictions, a Democratic party associated with a woman's right to choose, and the tacit aprpoval of the "church for the nation," the United States will have a new identity and one in which the sanctity of life may finally be established as an idea that has "long been discredited" in American society.

Not sure if your aware of this but it is 2008. We have the possibility of a black president and racism is basically dead. I say basically because humans will always have sin in their hearts. There are always some wackos out there. Ignore them. If you can arrest them. But don't blame everyone and create enemies. It's a great political straegy but this is what causes racism.

By the way you seem to be ignoring the hate for Palin (kind of hard to hate McCain too much). Look up 'Abort Palin' on the web. A little disturbing. Seems like there are a few wackos on both sides.

It also seems like the 'Kill Him' remarks may have been just rumors. The Secret Service seems to think they weren't said. Some bad things were said but probably not what was reported.

Why don't we just drop the 'Racism' montra and vote our conciences. Racism will die when we let it.

Back in the 1930's, the "liberal" media outlets supported the socialist Hitler and trashed the conservatives.

Today, the "liberal" media outlets support the socialist Obama and trash the conservatives.

But, here is the difference. Hitler came to power and Obama will not.

Anyway, the most disturbing thing is that the "liberal" (in fact, they are godless socialists) media outlets are in the tank of the party of hate, racism, slavery, intimidation, and violence -- the Democrats.

Setting the Record Straight (part 1)
http://www.freedomsjournalmagazine.com/blog/?p=207

The President Who Stole Christmas! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doChINcDTJU

The Antichrist Has Come! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7vh5LJjJhc

Ooga-booga! Obama is an eeeevil librul who's gonna steal your guns and your white wimmin! He's the anti-Christ because some no-talent author says so! He's a Muslim because he's got a funny name! He hangs out with a radical black pastor!

Nobody. Frickin. Cares. The question is, "are you better off than you were four weeks ago?" With McCain offering up yet more of the same policies that got us into this mess, it's no wonder Obama's in the lead. He's a smart, perceptive guy who's got a lot of good ideas. And "spreading the wealth around" seems like a good idea when you've got corporate CEOs living the high life while our government is bailing them out!

How about this, McCain supporters. Give me ONE reason why I should vote for McCain other than he's a "maverick", a war hero, or he's not Obama.

Inviting anyone who might be concerned to speak out on behalf of suffering Christians in India:

http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/2365