by David Neil Bain

Created on: May 04, 2008   Last Updated: September 29, 2011

There are deep misunderstandings between white people and black people in America. I am white. If you are black, some of the things I say may not ring true. It may be because I don't understand where you are coming from, because you don't understand where I am coming from, or because we just disagree.

White people are prone to look around and say, "I'm not racist. My neighbor is not racist. I've heard of white people who are racist, but I don't know any. Racism is thing of the past. Blacks who say whites are racist are racist themselves."

Black people are prone to say, "I encounter racism every day. If white people claim they are not racist, they must be lying."

A recent poll indicates that 8% of white voters will not vote for a black candidate no matter what. This figure has no doubt been much higher in the past. Since all major party presidential candidates have been white males, race and sex have certainly been factors in the selection of presidents up till now.

An unknown percentage of whites also claim they would vote for a black but won't. This would be an overwhelming obstacle to overcome were it not for the large number of black and white voters who would prefer to vote for a black candidate -some unconditionally, others subject to a match on their own political ideology and their concept of a good leader.

Barack Obama is charismatic and "well-spoken." Until recently, it could be said that he inspired black people without scaring away whites, but his opponents have exploited his relationship with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright and others to strip away the easy votes, forcing Obama's supporters to work much harder to make voters understand the legitimacy of black anger and separate it from the stupidity of some of its defenders. Obama must walk a fine line between maintaining his base in the black community, not being perceived as an "Uncle Tom", and convincing whites that he will represent their interests as well.

Obama has taken the high road, accurately maintaining that the large issues of growing deficits, an eroding middle class, and an ill-conceived costly war transcend race. The Republicans, founded on ending slavery, are now using race, though never by name, as a wedge issue to divert voters from such larger issues and get them to vote against their own interests.

Obama no doubt lost many votes as the right wing successfully identified him with Wright's statements. Had they not, he might have coasted to the nomination and the election on the margin

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