Obama, Wilson, Carter and Racism in America

Recent statements by American politicians are bringing the racism debate back to the national forefront. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-N.C.) was admonished by Congress Tuesday, for shouting during a Presidential speech. Former President Jimmy Carter announced publicly, on NBC's "Nightly News", that the outburst was racially motivated. Is the Obama presidency changing racism in America?

Joe Wilson Admonished for Outburst: Was it Racially Motivated?
Rep. Joe Wilson was admonished by Congress for shouting "You lie!", during President Obama's speech to Congress, last Wednesday. This was after the President stated that illegal aliens would be ineligible to buy health insurance with federal subsidies. Given the topic that sparked the outburst, the skin color of our President and Wilson being a Southerner, it is not surprising that racist allegations started flying Wilson's way. Additional fuel was added to these allegations, by Wilson initially refusing to publicly apologize to the President and Congress. He felt that his private and accepted apology to President Obama was enough.

Wilson maintains that there were no racial undertones in his outburst. Republicans and his son, Alan Wilson, quickly jumped to his defense, summarily dismissing any racist allegations. A few Democrats have also stated their disbelief that Wilson's comment was racial. MSNBC reports that former South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Dick Harpootlian, who has known Wilson for years, disapproved of Wilson's outburst, but thought it was a lack of tact and not racial.

Jimmy Carter's Racism Allegations: Should He Have Spoken Up?
According to CNN, former President Jimmy Carter thought Joe Wilson's comments were "based on racism". He stated this during an Atlanta town hall and on NBC's "Nightly News". He also believes that the heated protests against national health care are based in racism and not policy debate. President Carter formed his opinion based on his time in the political arena and living in the South.

This public statement has caused many politicians to criticize Carter for speaking his opinion, while some support his views. The critics, such as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Donna Edwards (D-M.D.), claim that Carter is dangerously fanning the fires of racial debate in America and detracting from President Obama's message. Two politicians, among others, who believe racism is driving force behind Obama criticisms, are Reps. Hank Johnson and Charlie Rangel.

So should former President Jimmy Carter have spoken up? Not to say that his opinion is right or wrong, but one would have to believe that his life experiences have given him the right to a public opinion. He is not known for inflammatory speech, like many politicians who receive media attention. It is hard to believe that Carter is inciting racial arguments, when he expresses sadness that he believes some Americans to be racist.

The Obama Presidency: Is It Affecting Racism In America?
Former President Carter believes that the Obama presidency is bringing American racism to the surface. It is hard not to subscribe to this belief, when racist anti-Obama signs are shown on the nightly news. Yes, they do make better footage than boring signs disagreeing with the President's policy and are not held by the majority of protesters. But they are there, proof positive that America still has race issues.

Not to put too much weight on our President's shoulders, but how well he does in office may just change the landscape of racism in America. He has been, since he decided to run for office. Having worked in an all-white retirement community, I have watched adamant racists make the decision to vote for Obama. They believed that he would be the better choice to help our country. While casting their vote was a huge step in eradicating their racist misconceptions, it would not take much to convince them to regret their choice. It is an unfair burden put upon our President. A man should be judged individually on his own deeds and not have those actions reflect upon everyone of the same skin color. Unfair, yet it is there.

Some people believe that bringing up race detracts from President Obama's message. Unfortunately, race is causing some people to not listen to what the President is saying and judge his policy by his color and not the words coming out of his mouth. That makes race the silent issue behind every proposal he makes. That is not to say that people cannot disagree with the President, that is their right.

Many people believe that the election of an African-American president, who won by an overwhelming majority, is proof that racism is dying out in America. They may be right. That said, I hear racist jokes regarding President Obama, daily. This is in Illinois, the state that elected him to the senate. I have also been witness to more and more people telling racist joke tellers that they are out of line. So, yes, racism in America seems to be shifting, due to the Obama presidency. It will be interesting to see where racism in America goes from here.

Sources:
www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/16/carter-racism-claim-draws-widespread-criticism/
www.msnbc.com
www.cnn.com