tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7209091428880958270.post1282196866387960233..comments2024-01-31T00:09:10.070-05:00Comments on The Being Brand: Being "Essentially a Nation of Cowards"Judith Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593319882150923231noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7209091428880958270.post-59002408058908720742009-02-19T19:26:00.000-05:002009-02-19T19:26:00.000-05:00CJ - I hear you. I, for one, did not mean to infer...CJ - I hear you. I, for one, did not mean to infer in the very least that Republicans or Democrats voted against the President on the bases of race. To be honest I never even thought of that. I don't think race had anything to do with how the vote went down. It seemed more ideological and power motivated to me, as in the upcoming races of 2010 and 2012.<BR/><BR/>The election of Barack Obama was a great thing. I think many Americans saw him for just who seems to be, a thoughtful intelligent sincere public servant. But there are many reasons we make decisions and often they are not based on one thing alone. I would also venture to say that Americans saw him as better equipped to handle the economy in this financial crisis where their personal finances have been dwindling rapidly. <BR/><BR/>Finances often trump race. Love does too.<BR/><BR/>This post was essentially meant to ask the more intimate questions of conversation and personal trust. (This seemed to be where the Attorney General was in part referring to.) We do not necessarily desire or need to have direct personal conversations with our elected officals. But in order to make better decisions regarding a whole host of things, including education and health care in our communities, we need to have more intimate discussions with our neighbors, any persons who are near us.<BR/><BR/>By the way, I do not think that the 900 pound gorilla that you spoke of is dead. It most certainly is not. But it can be acknowledged and moved beyond. We are one race, the human race. When we think of the diversity of the world the whole discussion of race, as we know it in the US and even in other places in the world-- including Africa, it seems pretty nil. But there remain intimacies to share and conversations to be had.Judith Ellishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04593319882150923231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7209091428880958270.post-1293717739214357912009-02-19T18:27:00.000-05:002009-02-19T18:27:00.000-05:00I would hate to think that race will continue to b...I would hate to think that race will continue to be that 900 pound gorilla in the room...Call me naive but part of me likes to think that that gorilla died the night of November 4, 2008. <BR/><BR/>I really get the feeling that I am wrong. Based on the way I've seen Mr. Obama treated by Republicans and some fellow Democrats--I would like to see their voting against him as an honest disagreement based on ideas rather than a desire to undermine him that is characterised by racist overtones.CJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09114260399528088378noreply@blogger.com