Understanding Obama & Race Politics

I have compiled a list of some insightful writings that expose a common theme:

Dr. Shelby Steele on Obama & Race

Mascot Politics

Obama the Magic Negro - LA Times

Obama the Magic Negro - LA Times

Read Obama the 'Magic Negro' written in the LA Times.

The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture, coined by snarky 20th century sociologists, to explain a cultural figure who emerged in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education. "He has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist," reads the description on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro .

He's there to assuage white "guilt" (i.e., the minimal discomfort they feel) over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history, while replacing stereotypes of a dangerous, highly sexualized black man with a benign figure for whom interracial sexual congress holds no interest.

Mascot Politics

Read Mascot Politics By Dr. Thomas Sowell, an African American Academic, to begin to understand how race plays in politics.

Obama-Supporting Catholic Priest Michael Pfleger

Spend some time researching the Obama-Supporting Catholic Priest Michael Pfleger on Youtube and see what he has to say.

Citizen Soldier by 3 Doors Down

Barack Obama's Endorsements

MoveOn Endorsement Throws Progressive Weight Behind Barack Obama

My Vote's for Obama (if I could vote) ...by Michael Moore

Army Ranks See Imbalance in Iraq War Sacrifice

Army Ranks See Imbalance in Iraq War Sacrifice

by Steve Inskeep

Listen Now [7 min 47 sec] add to playlist

Morning Edition, July 12, 2007 · Army Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling, commander of the 1st Armored Division, which is soon to deploy to Iraq, has two sons who are Army officers and have served in Iraq. Hertling says many in the military are recognizing, if not resenting, a growing imbalance of sacrifice in the war in Iraq.

KEY POINTS:

"We feel like we are an Army at War not a Nation at War"

"It's very nice to for people to say they support the troops. But we sometimes we just don't see the action being backed up by the words.