Dispute tied to politics rather than to racism

There’s a lot of talk nationally, in the Bee’s editorial and blog about the president and race. Some suggest that if you disagree with the president, than you are racist. It’s a great attack as many will back away because they don’t want to be accused of being racist. The president states he is half-black and half-white based upon his parents’ origin. We can say (not a scientific guess) the president is of equal mixed blood and of equal black and white origin.

The only issue of his race is that both in his speeches and his book, as I recall, he states at some point in his life he decided to live his life as a black man.  Not sure why he made that decision but most of us know it’s not easy living a life with mixed ancestry. Sometimes you’re not accepted by either side. Many blacks voted for the president because he is black, one can understand their pride and enthusiasm. But, he wouldn’t have made it without an awfully large number of whites voting for him as well.

If we can argue that people are opposed to the direction he is taking this country because he is black, can’t we equally argue we don’t care for his program because he is white? Now, he’s not changing direction all by himself. He couldn’t get anything moving without the white politicians (and other ethnicities) helping him. So, how do you attack racially, the white politicians for their policies and planned change. Folks, your attacks of racism are pretty weak.

ED GOULD

Sandpoint