Prejudice is still alive and well in America

by David Grand
October 8, 2008

Doubt it? Then I challenge you to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you have unfavorable views about blacks? If you answered in the affirmative, you're in good (or bad) company with the one third of white Democrats, who according to an AP-Yahoo News poll conducted with Stanford University, harbor negative views toward blacks--many considering them "lazy," "violent" or "irresponsible."

And while Republicans are prejudice, too, the survey showed they wouldn't vote against Obama because of his race; but that they'd stay home before voting for any Democrat, regardless of color.

Surprising? Not to me. Nor should it be to anyone whose old enough to recall the turmoil over civil rights in the 60's, and the uphill struggle blacks have had (and still do) in achieving racial equality in  all aspects of their lives.

Now, while whites, in general, respect blacks who've achieved fame or fortune (be it in the fields of entertainment, art, athletics, science, and literature), they tend to judge those at the lower rungs of society as ne'er-do-wells, who they prefer to distance themselves from as much as possible.

As far as what impact Obama's race will have in the election is concerned, is not for me to say. But if framed as a multiple choice question (the four choices being (a) Major? (b) Minor? (c) Marginal? (d) None?), I'd reluctantly have to choose the first one. For not to would be spitting in the face of reality.

The poll results would appear to support that, in suggesting that the percentage of voters who may turn away from Obama because of his race could easily be larger than the difference between the candidates in 2004--about two and one-half percentage points.

The reasons I believe it'll be (in horse racing terms) a photo finish are: that even though there's a lot fewer bigots than there were 50 years ago, they having become an extinct or even an endangered species by any means. On the contrary, their numbers, however difficult to quantify, are in the untold millions, particularly in the Deep South and rural areas where prejudice remains rooted in their psyche and customs. And no man of God or politician would be able to turn 'em around.

And moreover, that while those who view blacks as an inferior form of human kind are today less vocal in admitting of their prejudice in public or in the workplace (aware as they are of possibly losing their jobs), they make up for it when in the company of those of like mind, say, at a bar, where racial epithets flow as freely as the beer.

So there you have it, with the only unknown being whether voters, are willing to set aside (however grudgingly) any prejudice they may hold toward blacks and vote "their wallets" instead, as they traditionally have.

Your guess is as good as mine. And no doubt even my Ouija board, which I rely on for answers to tough questions, would be stumped on that one.