Posted on 09/11/2008 6:45:18 PM PDT by 11th_VA
An anxious murmur is rising among black voters as the presidential race tightens: What if Sen. Barack Obama loses?
Black talk-show hosts and black-themed Web sites are being flooded with callers and bloggers reflecting a nervousness—and anger—over the campaign. Monday night, Bev Smith, a nationally syndicated black talk-show host in Pittsburgh, devoted her entire three-hour show to the question: “If Obama doesn’t win, what will you think?”
“My audience is upset,” she said. “Some people said they would be so angry it would be reminiscent of the [1960s] riots—that is how despondent they would be.”
Warren Ballentine, a nationally syndicated black talk-radio-show host, added: “Once Sarah Palin was picked and African-Americans saw the Republicans ignited again, they got worried. We are scared now.”
Black nervousness could help Sen. Obama, the first African-American to head the Democratic—or any major party—ticket, by boosting black turnout in November. But if Sen. Obama loses, “African-Americans could be disappointed to the point of not engaging in the process anymore,” or consider forming a third political party, said Richard McIntire, communications director for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
The latest Wall Street Journal poll shows 88% of blacks backing Sen. Obama. Black voter registration has surged.
“If he loses, it will shake the very ground that we stand on mentally as far as what we need to be to succeed,” said Robert Gordon, a 48-year-old engineering surveyor from Dallas. “From day one, we’ve been told to be a certain way, to be neat, intellectual, speak clearly. He is the symbol of what we were told to be by our parents and by society as a whole. If this doesn’t work, what does that do to our psyche? What do I tell my sons? No matter what the hell we do, it doesn’t matter? We can only assimilate so far.”
Melvin Thomas, a professor at North Carolina State University and past president of the Association of Black Sociologists, said black response to the election likely will depend on “how African-Americans will see a vote against Mr. Obama. What does the racial distribution of that vote look like? If the answer for African-Americans to the question of why Obama lost is race, an Obama loss will have the potential to deepen the racial cut.”
Obama campaign adviser Valerie Jarrett said the campaign isn’t spending its time wondering what happens if the senator loses. “One of the life lessons I’ve learned from Barack is that you can’t have a fear of failure. It is debilitating,” said Ms. Jarrett. “You can’t go into any venture fearful of what will happen if you fail.”
She recalled that when Sen. Obama lost a House race in 2000, she and others suggested he give it more time before seeking another seat. Instead, he ran for the Senate and won in 2004.
“Melvin Thomas, a professor at North Carolina State University and past president of the Association of Black Sociologists, said black response to the election likely will depend on “how African-Americans will see a vote against Mr. Obama. What does the racial distribution of that vote look like? If the answer for African-Americans to the question of why Obama lost is race, an Obama loss will have the potential to deepen the racial cut.”
OK, why is it OK for 88% of blacks to vote for their guy...
BUT, if he loses, because whites voted for a white guy,
that’s worthy of riot??
Please...pretty please....
These people sound like typical libs - petulant, spoiled, and threatening to misbehave if they don’t get their way.
Zero’s race isn’t the issue - he’s a commie rat b@st@rd. THAT is the issue.
"Black Day in July" I lived just northeast of Detroit during the riots in 1967 and it was something to see. They burned down a lot of realestate. Detroit could probably stand to burn down a lot more run down buildings. It's a shame if it comes to that.
You riot, let's call out the unorganized militia and shoot the bastards when they commit the inevitable looting, arson, rape and robberies. (And yes this is legal in Texas)
The stores are being pre picked.
consider forming a third political party
Sounds like a good idea emotionally but would be a negative move. It's the candidate that matters and Obama being black isn't sufficient reason to make him a winner.
It just means that there would be another grand free-for-all shopping spree again.
If the percentage of the white vote for McCain is less than the percentage of the black vote for Obama, how in the world can they cry racism?
“Racism” I believe purports a belief in some ideological creed of racial discrimination, could these clowns please show me where this is much less show me where it is propigated from. Because from what I see it is nothing but servility towards the white hating race hustlers.
destruction of property is a crime just fyi.
When Obama looses, the early riots will happen in the south, were it will still be warm. The other riots will happen in early summer in the colder states. Getting a new TV, refrigerator or finer clothes will have to wait until it is warmer.
You know, they are right.
We really should just let him win.
Honestly, I think Texas will be the last place for riots to break out.
And Heaven forbid it is like 2004 again. If polls are even, or Obama is ahead by a tiny margin and then loses, all we will hear is that the election was rigged. “The exit polls are never wrong,” etc.
That idiot has it backwards. Obama will lose not because he is blak, but because he is an unassimilated leftist, who has thinly veiled contempt for America and hatred for its founding population.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.