I think we have moved from "racism" to "class bias", but the "race card" is too good to let go.

I am sure that many of us live in neighborhoods which include middle class black families, we probably never notice, or concern ourselves.

On the other hand, the meida constantly remind us of the "drive by shootings" and other uncivilized actions in black neighborhoods. This makes its mark on us. When we go to a mall and see black kids in hoodies and pants around their knees, we feel some concern for our safety, this is not racism. It is recognition of the "uniform" of gangbangers. If we saw a group of black kids in blue blazers, or school uniforms, we probably wouldn't be concerned. As Jesse Jackson put it "I was worried when I heard footsteps behind me, but I relaxed when it was a white person".

Compare this. When I was a kid, in the days before self-service, I stopped at a backwater gas station in Georgia. I said hello to a black guy sitting outside. For that, they wouldn't sell me gas because I was a "nigger lover". I did have Massachusetts plates, and that could have been the reason. Governor Peabody's mother became famous there for joining in "sit ins". They had little use for people from Massachusetts. On the same trip the Georgia police tore my car apart "looking for guns". They left me on the highway with a torn apart car.

Had nothing to do with Obama's agenda at all. Face it, the thought of a black man in the oval office, be it Obama or Colin Powell or Michael Steele, is a cattle prod in the lower instincts of some people.

Posted by hellas:
"Had nothing to do with Obama's agenda at all. Face it, the thought of a black man in the oval office, be it Obama or Colin Powell or Michael Steele, is a cattle prod in the lower instincts of some people."

No, I think that if Colin Powell held the office he would seem more "presidential". He would be comfortable in the "corridors of power". Like Eisenhower (translates to "iron worker"), he might have to overcome the problem of having been a General officer "you give an order and now no one listens". I don't have an opinion on Michael Steele.

Then there is the issue of the questions that arise. Was Obama born in the U.S.? Is he a Muslim?. These questions may seem ridiculous to many, but they shouldn't even arise.

Let's face it-there are certain people who hate Blacks and there are Blacks who hate Whites,and that's just the tip of the iceberg.There are racial hatreds where Blacks and Whites aren't a factor at all.
Then there's religious and ethnic hatred,not necessarily involving race(Belgium,Yugolsavia,Nigeria,Rwanda)and so on and so forth.
Now,what may be exacerbating the rising dislike of Obama,apart from his race is his leftist politics;his arrogant,rather disconnected demeanor towards the American public;his apparent servility to foreign potentates combined with his apologies for the USA;and some of his appointments.
For some people the fact that he's Black just makes it more intense.
Now along come the liberal/leftist contingent braying that if you don't like Obama you're a racist.Well,I find that offensive as hell,and it makes me more determined to oppose this President and work for his defeat in 2012.
Locally,the great poobah of GoLocalProv/RIF,Matt Jerzyk said the anyone who votes against the state name change is perpetuating racism.I believe when he sees the election results he will realize what an empty kettle he sounds like so often.
It's this barking "you better do this or"....take your choice-you're a racist,homophobe,etc,and people are sick of being lectured by bleeding hearts,rich kids mad at daddy,fantasizing"revolutionaries",and race pimps.
If you want a glimpse of this demented mentality,check out "klaus" on Kmareka-a more odious,condescending person is hard to find.Well,maybe Sheldon Whithouse has him beat,but even Stuart and Rhody couldn't touch this guy with a ten foot pole.

We often get heat from the right and left, alike, on Anchor Rising, because we're not so much partisan as ideological. It's always been our objective to change underlying ideas, whatever the more immediate political calculations might appear to require.

It's impossible to know, now, but I'd speculate that, had President Obama been a more conventional president — more modest in his ambitions and moderate in his ideology — the trends of opinion on race would be heading in the other direction. Of course, it's not but so partisan to wonder whether the Democrats actually see that as a desirable opportunity lost.

Both quotes above are from Justin , different days and different topics.

So you would like the President to be more moderate in his ideology and more modest in his ambitions. The phrase that was used years ago for a black being moderate and modest was "knowing his place". You obviously do not like this "uppity" President and that's O.K. but suggesting that he is responsible for a deterioration of race relations is ludicrous. Is it only you and other right wing conservatives that can "change underlying ideas, whatever the more immediate political calculations might appear to require."
Is it only you and your kind that can use ideology in the expression of political power that's been won at the election polls? What is equally impossible to know is had the town hall opposition to healthcare been less hysterical and the rise of tea parties with their yearning for the days of the founders been not only after a non white President was elected maybe blacks would not be as pessimistic in their view of race relations according to the poll you cite.

When organizations like the Black Coaches Association, the Black Congressional Caucus. etc. are allowed to exist, who can deny racism exists?
When Eric Holder drops charges that are so obvious and on video, of the Black Panthers, threatening people at the polls, it is obvious that racism exists.
Liberals are the most bigoted, racist, mean spirited people ( and just plain stupid) that I ever meet.
Try debating an issue with them. They immediately jump to the "racist, homophobe" defense as they lose the argument on the merits.
It's tired, it's worn out.
It's actually come to the point where I relish being called a racist/hompobe by these stupid people because it simply means they have no answers. Like we didn't know.

The black community is actually fairly conservative, but republicans threw away their votes for generations with the "Southern Strategy"....... Dumb.

Get your facts straight, Sammy.
It was the big stupid liberal experiment called the Great Society that relegated generations of black families to the dependency class and into the comfortable bosom of the Democratic party. Built upon the typical stupid liberal mindset that you can defy human nature...that you can give people stuff for nothing and then, one day, they wake up wanting to go to work for it. Hardly! They become wards of the state. That, coupled with the liberal nonsense that they are victims, creates a culture of dependency/victimhood. And that has been the conscious, disgusting strategy of the Democratic Party - keep them dumb, dependent and Democrat. Such a vision. So disgusting. So successful.

Posted by Sammy:

"The black community is actually fairly conservative"

Every poll that I have seen supports that. We forget that the largest portion of black people is not "urban". They are small town, hard working and church going. Knowing that, why should we be surprised that they rank as "conservative"?

They disproportionally support "affirmative action" which they see as having been helpful to them.

"When organizations like the Black Coaches Association, the Black Congressional Caucus. etc. are allowed to exist, who can deny racism exists?"

And the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

And the United Negro College Fund

Colored People? Can I go about referring to them as "Colored"? I'd probably get punched in the nose for that. How about if I call someone a "Negro"? But why do their organizations keep these names? And yet, I'm supposed to vote to drop the "Providence Plantations" from the state name, or else I'm a racist? When's the NAACP going to change its name?

What's Cliff's opinion on this?

Here's the ultimate stupidity-"people of color" is considered the height of political correctness,yet "colored people"is seen as demeaning?WTF??
When I was a kid,it was really bad to call someone "black"-"colored" was considered polite,as was "Negro".
We obsess too much about race.
i make a conscious effort not to mention a person's race when I am speaking about them unless it's unavoidable.
I have little hope for racial harmony,and that depresses me because if for no other reason,it affects my family.maybe that's a self centered way of looking at it,but so be it.
I'm not a world saver like some people here.

The black community is indeed socially conservative, and available for white conservatives to exploit when there's an anti-same-sex marriage referendum on the ballot.
But when a black conservative asks for a place at the table where big decisions are made, he gets the back of the hand. Ask J.C. Watts. And if Obama loses in '12, think Steele doesn't join him on the unemployment line the next day?

Steele is no gift to the conservative movement,so let him sink or swim.
I'll tell you this Hellas-Condoleeza Rice wouldn't be backhanded unless the people doing it are complete retards.
She'd be a GREAT President-no family,no dstractions-a brilliant mind,and a workaholic.What else do we need?

Great

As National Security Advisor to President Bush she did a bang up job. She described a daily security memo as "historical" in front of the 911 Commission. That's the one that stated that Al-Queda was determined to strike inside the country. Bush was on vacation at his ranch at the time.

So she worked for a dullard?How is she to blame for that?I worked for some people who belonged in a home for the feeble minded.Nothing to be done about it.
You're more predictable than the morning rooster.

Go ahead and duck the issue of Condi's incompetence. You're not one to chicken out even if your goose is cooked. I'm obviously trying to egg you on to use more fowl language. Have a nice day.

Puns?Ohmigod!!We're reduced to puns.
Anyway,I have a lot of confidence in Condoleeza's competence and knowledge.
Being an expert on Russia by definition includes an almost as complete knowledge of China,given the long,complex relationship between the two countries.
Good qualities nowadays.
She's not susceptible to being lured by money and as I said,she had no distractions.Maybe we need a President who can devote all their energies to the job.The whole "First Family"thing has always been a sideshow to keep the peoples' attention diverted.