This article poses the question of the relevance of race in the 2008 election. Also, it states that this election is unlike any other election in history, due to Senator Obama's family background of a white mother and a African-American father. Thus, leading the author to question the motives of voters who vote against Senator McCain. The author uses the motives of voters to substantiate his argument that the polls aren't a good indicator of which candidate American's actually want as their president, because they don't want to be labeled as a racist for voting against Senator Obama. Essentially, this article questions the credibility of white voters as well as undecided voters. Because race overshadows both presidential candidates views, it will ultimately be the deciding factor of who will win the election.
Article from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122513480246872949.html
Do you think this article is correct when it states that race basically overshadows credentials in this election? Also, do you think the majority of votes for Senator Obama will be out of fear of being labeled a racist? Finally, do you viewing our election in terms of black versus white sets America back about 450 years, because of it's inability to overlook race in its most important election?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Race is a formality among educated Americans, but the lesser of informed Americans may be swayed by race. And that minority will end up tipping the scales in one candidates favor; and unfortunate as it is it will be based on race. But the election is only overshadowed by race by ignorant, uninformed parties who aren't voting for the right reasons.
I don't think the importance of this election is settled over the issue of race. If Obama was white, this wouldn't be a discussion and he would already be the president by popular opinion. However, he loses and gains votes based on his race. How many and down what demographics? Who knows? Race will play a role in this election so psychologically unsettling that Americans will be called racists regardless of the ideology behind "their vote", where most will be informed on the issues important to them. And that's lame.
As I have been looking into the voting process myself, I personally have not been swayed by race. Race to me is not an issue, maybe because I grew up in the modern day an age. I feel the race card in today's society should not be addressed because of the simple fact we are leaning towards a total equality between all genders, race, ethnicity, etc... I feel, however, and agree with mike, that the uneducated voter could indeed have a racial impact upon thier vote, by merely where they live, their ethnicity, race.. etc...
I feel that not matter the race, the best candidate should be president. If our election is honestly based upon the race, then how is our society flourishing today? No matter the race, gender, ethnicity of a candidate, everyone should recieve an equal chance.
I think that race did play a factor in this election, but to say it overshadowed credentials in this election is just silly. People didn’t vote for Obama because they didn’t want to be labeled a racist, they voted for him because they felt he would do the best job. I don’t think the votes for Obama were out of fear for being labeled a racist; I think that is just ridiculous. For the majority of Americans, race is not a factor, which is why Obama won the election. In the select few states where race is a huge issue, it obviously did not play enough of a factor to influence this election.
Post a Comment