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.
Even if it is not close, a blowout if the Dems crash and burn, I still say some areas will riot. Minneapolis, St Paul, Madison WI, San Francisco, etc.
I just don’t see it just cause McCain wins, certain factors would have to be in play for mass riots.
Oh my..I guess you could rephrase this article from the female perspective...What are we going to tell our daughters?
It may be that Gov. Palin has neutralized the race card with the possibility of the gender card.
Tell them that neat intellectual clear-speaking white guys have been losing elections since the nation began. Don't think you're special and entitled to win just because you're black and can speak English.
No matter what the hell we do, it doesn’t matter? We can only assimilate so far.”
Sorry buster, you haven't even begun to assimilate from what you had to say here.
I wonder if mom and dad really told Robert as he was growing up that he should vote for someone who was neat, intellectual and speaks clearly.
While I agree that Robert, and all of us, should strive for that ideal, we should vote on the strength of ideas. You know, the old "content of his character" thing.
LLS
I have to wonder though, just how much enthusiasm is there for Obama, even in the black community? Of course he will get 90% of the vote there but when I drive through neighborhoods that are heavily African American I see few Obama signs or bumper stickers. Certainly there are none for McCain but I just have to wonder if the appeal is very wide but not that deep.
I am an even keeled guy, but I would like to use the obama yard sign down about four houses to get sighted in.
(To the tune of a well-known CW song...)
Fathers, don't let your sons grow up to be commies...
Here it comes... if you don’t vote for Obama, we’ll burn down the cities.
If the riots really happened, the chasm between blacks and others will become permanently unbridgeable in this country.
“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.”
You know, I can honestly see the point they are making here. And I can sympathize completely with the hope of a black President, honestly! This is the coming to terms with all of this country’s ugly history. But I also don’t think the color of his skin is enough in this case. Yes, he is articulate. Yes, he went to Harvard. Yes, he is what all PEOPLE, black or white should strive to be. But he is completely wrong politically IMO.
This does look pretty big, I’m sure Charlie will want to interview the big Zero ASAP (/sarcasm)
Oh for the love of God, John Kerry was articulate, wore $1000 suits and was Ivy League educated too just like Obama and he LOST in 2004!!
Because according to lefty dogma, it's not racism when blacks vote almost exclusively for a black candidate--only whites can be racist.
As a general rule, people who throw around the r word aren't interested in making sense.
LLS
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