Monday Morning

Good morning fellow readers of the blogosphere.

There is plenty to discuss this morning on both the policy and
politics fronts. I also wanted to post several entries over the
weekend but between a trip to New Jeresy on Saturday and a simply
excruciating day on Sunday, no entries could be made.

But Monday signals a new week and a fresh look at policy debates and
politcal foibles.

First thing on my mind this week-have we really thought about the
implications of having a president of mixed race in the white house?
I, personally believe this can be nothing but an asset going forward.
I also applaud the Obama campaign for doing everything possible to
keep tv race debate out of the political contest.

But as I survey the message boards and the blogs out there, it really
scares me to see how many Americans want to discount Obama. Message
board entries that end with "once a Muslim always a Muslim!" or that
repeatedly reference Hussein in his name, for dramatic, racist effect.
Let's step back, even if Obama were Muslim (he's not) why would they
discount him from the presidency? Are we that afraid of brown people
that we must find a demonozing label for them?

I recognize that message board entries are often a subversive way for
a small minority of closet racists to vent their venom into the
mainstream. Never the less, I worry that these voices represent enough
people to create a new ugly devision innour country. This would be
particularly ironic as Obama is seen as the candidate most ablero draw
the country together in these politically divided times.

I worry about a nation that cannot embrace a man of color like any
other candidate because of fear and racism. I worry about MY nation
that cannot fully stand behind this candidate. That's not to say we
should blindly agree with his positions because he is young, black and
well spoken. But not one citizen of this country in the 21st century
should discount Senator Obama because of race.

In 2008, you wouldn't think that statement would be necessary.