Forum in Norfolk highlights role of race in politics

I learned of the socialist experiment in Jamestown while attending my university. I had a double major in microbiology & history, with concentration in western civilizations, American & African histories. The fact you brought up about the "Gentlemen", is why the colony had to try, a form of socialism, until the "Gentlemen" could be convinced to work. I agree, we have a rich, diverse, interesting history.
I don't know if you watch much TV. Perhaps you missed some of the interviews, on the "Big Three" networks, & also CNN, MSNBC & Fox, of people in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, etc., who still insist Obama is a Muslim. I have a friend, with whom I volunteer at a local hospital, who still believes Obama is Muslim. The point should be; it shouldn't matter if he were.

Pocahontas told me the entire Jamestown thing was nothing short of racist. I even remember writing it in my diary, just before she and Walter went to England. P 187!

If you took the Jamestown tour offered for 2007 (can it have changed much in one year?), you could not conclude that Jamestown was socialist. There were definite issues when the aristocracy got here and realized that they were not going to be allowed to be "the bosses" and just watch while everyone else worked. So they were definitely not an aristocracy. However, they lived by the Bible verse "if a man does not work, he shall not eat." If someone did not put in his labor, he didn't get his food. Under socialism, or should we say sometimes under the American welfare system, that person would be able to claim they suddenly got disabled since being selected for the trip over and would be fed anyways. Food was also withheld for missing church services and other offenses that we would consider minor today. Interesting history of our country. Cheers, MGM

McCain also missed many votes in the time period alluded. Some of you seem to be unaware, that it is written, in our laws, that if a person can be shown to be of 1/32 Black blood, then that person is, by law, Black.
Anyone running for President is inexperienced, unless one is running for a 2nd term.
As for the idea of Obama being a socialist, some of us need to lighten up on taking untrue blogs as truth. Besides, one of the first practices of socialism in this country, took place in Jamestown, Virginia. Had it not succeeded, one can only imagine how different things would be.

Did anyone invite Holley or Riddick?

Many Americans will pay lip service to Obama, chanting his name and praising his glory...and on the day that counts, they will vote for the other guy. And the liberal media and MoveOn.Org types will be shocked. But this is the reality of today's America, where any open dissent from supporting Obama can get you publicly lynched for being a racist, no matter what your reasons (inexpericence, socialist, etc). There it is, folks. The Dems have managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of certain victory again! Too bad they already threw their ringe, Hillary under the Obama bus..oops! lol.

Obama is just as much white as he is black. If color is an issue, you might want to keep that in mind.

Greetings strange, bipedal life forms,

Why do you refer to your most evolved life forms as "liberals"?

Why do you discriminate based on skin color? Can't you repair the white ones? Have you tried to cure their lack of skin color with genetic engineering?

You seem to be an angry life form. Do you hate anyone who is not like you?

I'm not getting out of the spaceship until you answer the last question.

One poster just wrote that there will not be different colors in heaven. We can't know for sure, but I believe otherwise. We won't be disembodied souls--that was an ancient Greek belief, not a Jewish or Christian one (unless you still believe in Zeus, you can't believe in disembodied souls). On the other hand, if there is only one color in heaven, which one would it be? All white? All black? Why not a mixture, a diversity, as God has created a diversity in this world? And . . . Martin Luther King's dream truly realized up there--everyone judged for their service to God and each other, not for their skin color. Cheers, MGM, who will keep dreaming till I find out for sure

there is people that prosper in racism,and i see where blacks are saying it is fine to use the n word.if you want a start in stopping racism stop using that word,not just some but all people there is no exceptions,change starts at home.black is a color but has been become an excuse for many of the problems you have.we are all gods children and when you leave this world you wont be black white red yellow or or any color,but judged by how you carried out the word and how you did on this earth with your lives.you have free will and choices to do as you will.i live my life with religious beliefs and those govern my decisions.i don't like either choice we have this election but i would not vote for inexperience,or because someone is a color.

You can't joke about Obama because it's considered racist, but remember Obama is just as much white as he is black. So what's the big deal?

Wesley Clark is a devout democrat who has in fact run for office. I think it is dubious to use his quote knowing his obvious partisan bias as a way to qualify or disqualify McCain.

"I also think Obama is qualified to be President, because of his service to Illinois & the USA. They are both capable & honorable men. Voters need to look at each man's plans & decide on the issues, nothing else."

If you were truly concerned w/ the issues you would have noted Obama's penchant not to show up for over 130 votes. He is a fairly new Senator who has a history of doing nothing. He will attack his opponent for their voting history while he didn't even show up. I agree the issues are the bottom line of qualification but you have effectivly discredited Obama by suggesting it. It is a bit disingenious as well after reviewing some of the past posts concerning your stance on race.

John McCain has admirably served the USA as an elected official, for many years. He also served in the US Navy in Viet Nam, being held as a POW for over 5 years. However, as General Wesley Clark stated, why does anyone think being captured by the enemy during war should make one any more qualified to be President than one who hadn't been? General Clark also served in Viet Nam. I believe McCain is qualified to be President but not because he was a POW, or served in Viet Nam, or in the military at all. I also think Obama is qualified to be President, because of his service to Illinois & the USA. They are both capable & honorable men. Voters need to look at each man's plans & decide on the issues, nothing else. By the way, I am a veteran too.

Not that that would be a bad thing (Muslim does not equal terrorist, after all).
The folks I heard who got the silly e-mails forwarded checked them out with Snopes.com and dismissed them immediately. I don't know *anyone* who thinks he is Muslim, not Christian.
The only people who might think that are possibly in the small pockets of this country that still don't have Internet, cellphone, or cable access (in other words the way rural areas, like maybe a tiny bit of the Western part of Virginia). Otherwise, we are all in the 21st century and most of us know how to read.
I think the people who refer to the "far right folks who believe that Obama is a Muslim" don't actually know any conservatives and are setting up a strawman to demolish. Just my opinion. Cheers, MGM

Not voting for Obama because he is black is racist.
Voting for Obama because he is black is racist, too.

Obama has consistently been rated one of the most liberal senators in his VERY short term in office.

If you ask the vast majority of people why they are voting for Obama, they cannot give you anything of substance.

What is one bill that he SPONSORED (not co-sponsored) & passed? As much as I dislike McCain, at least he's accomplished something (regardless if it was good or bad).

If Obama was white, then Hillary would be the Democratic Nominee. He'd be another John Edwards.

"The usual racists have shown up to spew the same drivel they post every time a story concerning race appears on these boards."

I looked but did not find them. However, the story did imply that if Obama was not elected it may be due to the country not being ready for a black president.

"I disagree with the presumption that a vote against Obama will be perceived as racist."

The story implies it in the first sentence.

"If you vote for John McCain, I won't call you racist. But I WILL call you an IDIOT."

You will not be able to call me a poor reader, researcher,observer, listener or a sheep for voting for McCain though. Those of you complaining about Obama unfairly being jusged over his name have no problem mislabeling McCain as McBush for your political goals.

Senator Obama is a liberal. Period. That is his claim to fame and that is the ONLY reason I will not vote for him. He stands for redistribution of wealth – another welfare program that rewards the lazy and punishes those who work hard. Incidentally, charitable contributions by hard working people who give to the poor and needy is a far better example of a “great society” than a government handout.
He stands firmly by abortion – You can call it freedom of choice and right to privacy, but in the end, when all is said and done, an innocent life is snuffed out for convenience.
Although his health insurance plan sounds good on the surface, it actually borders somewhere between nationalized vs. socialized (depending on the day of the week).
Those are the primary and compelling reasons I will not vote for him. I am with the other person who posted and said it’s time for third party – Libertarian.

I hope you are not implying that Obama has denied that Hussein is his middle name. He has not.

Obama supporters have been complaining, however, because they recognize an infantile, insidious attack by conservative extremists who have found little real ammunition to attack Obama with. So they make stuff up and hint at Obama's "sinister" background.

But Obama's supporters should chill. This is a typical and transparent attack by the far right and the public has started to see through this sort of thing. It plays into the hands of Obama, who is mobilizing thousands of voters against partisan fear-mongering.

President Obama. Get use to it. All the dirty tricks in the world can’t save the far right this time. They have made too much of a mess.

I find it amazing, if not truly mind boggling, that anyone accepted on merit, & graduated, with honors, from one of our finest Ivy League universities, served, admirably in the Illinois Senate, ( where he worked to get much done, to get people off public assistance & into jobs & school), serves on major USA Senate committees, etc., can be considered an empty suit, by anyone. Especially since we've had someone less than deserving, (a career D+ student), who got into Yale through the "Ultimate Affirmative Action Program", Legacy, sit in the White House the last 71/2 years. Mr. Bush also got into law school, despite a D+ GPA at Yale. How many everyday people could get their kid into a decent college, yet alone law school, with D+ GPA?

More people will probably vote FOR Obama, then will NOT vote for him because he is black. I won't vote for him because he is a socialist. If I had to vote by color, I would rather have Alan Keyes.

Somewhere out there is a Irish, Pacific Islander, African, Israeli, German, Native American, Brazilian kid who one day will run for President. Hopefully when people ask him "what he is" he will just say "I'm an American and I'm running for President."

We called her Hillary Rodham Clinton, (and John Fitzgerald Kennedy) so why when people want to include BHO's middle name they are called on it like it is some how wrong?

It IS his name. The poster did not make it up.

If BHO wants to change it, he can, but to deny that it IS his middle name is infantile, to deny people the ability to refer to him in such a way is dishonest at best.

During the primary the news media loved their darling Obama, huge crowds were shown at primaries across the states. Now, he's lagging in the polls. What happened? Keep in mind politics is all a matter of design. The media had Obama's face on the news every time he took a breath, and the agenda was to do anything to keep Hillary from being the nomination. Now that it's happened, where did all his support go? I'm not an Obama or McCain fan, I don't like either of them, and it will be difficult to vote in this election.

The usual racists have shown up to spew the same drivel they post every time a story concerning race appears on these boards. If you have spent any time at all here, you know who they are and you should ignore them.

Nowadays, they hide behind technology instead of sheets.

Forty years after the U.S. civil rights movement, American society has reached a point where it can look beyond a candidate's skin color

That's a rather silly thing to say at a forum topic that proves exactly the opposite by its existence.

Boone noted the Rev. Al Sharpton, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, among others, have paved the way for Obama to reach the highest office.

Did I miss something? What office did Sharpton ever hold? Jackson was merely a "shadow senator" from DC. And he sure isn't any role model for ANYONE to follow. Unless you mean blackmailing major corporations with boycotts by blacks unless they hire a certain number of minorities. Yep,that sure is paving the way...I think Boone could have found men with better reputations than Sharpton or Jackson to use as examples of men who paved the way.

I guess it does not matter if you do not pay taxes but for those families who earn overs 40k a year you better pay attention to what the socialist party candidate is saying. Personally I do not feel responsible for other countries poverty, hunger and problems and do not want .07% of the USA's GNP (2005 figures = $79.5 billion) going out in foreign aid. How about Buying our guys overseas what they need first? How about 79.5 billion in road repairs or any other project that benefits US citizens? I do know this, if the socialist does get elected then I'm headed to the nearest unemployment and social aid center. Why should I work hard so someone else can have a decent life? The only people who will get hurt by so called fairer wealth distribution will be the working man not any of the socialist leaders friends.
Like a wise old man once told me during the so called revolution of the seventies "Without the rich

1. - Barack Hussein Obama is his real name, not some moniker. The fact that you have chosen to refer to his middle name as a moniker tells us quite a bit about you, and your lack of comfort level.

2. I can't stand Mccain, or Obama. I think both of them are poor choices, with Obama being the worst.

3. Anyone who votes based on someone's race, appearance, gender, religion, or sometimes even Political party, isn't playing with a full deck. There are dunces and smart people on both sides of each category mentioned.

There is no way to keep this election from being about race. We have to remember there are black that hate whites, and whites that hate blacks. It's a sad reality, but it is reality.

Martin Luther King said memorably that men should be judged by their character, not by the color of their skin.

We don't really know what the content of Obama's character is yet, but we do know that after 20 years of sitting in Jeremiah Wright's church, Obama claims he did not know the pastor's beliefs.

Huey said "Seeing Obama's skin color as positive isn't racist". Following your logic, its ok to think positively of someone because of their race, religion, sex, etc...but not ok to think negatively because of the same factors. Reverse the situation (I know how you hate to think that way)...and tell me if you would feel the same way. Bottom line is you are taking race into account...which, whether you want to believe it or not, is discrimination.