by Thaxton Lewis

Created on: September 07, 2008

The sad part about all of the race and gender issues in this election is that it is the same scenario, diferent century.

The fact that it is of great significance to anyone that a woman or a black person can become a president or vice president is astonishing.

It shows that this country is still a long way from being ready for the occurrence.

Even Pakistan had a female leader, and yet the concept frightens Americans, or is used by the opposing party to make one wary of voting for a woman, or a male who is not old or white.

It is embarassing, that in this age where information is plentiful, where technological advances could have us all living longer, where we can communicate with people around the world day and night through computers and cell phones, where what once took years to get around the world takes less than a few seconds, this is still an issue.

How about the economy, or the environment, or the health care system, or our roads and bridges, or our ability ot prepare for recoveries from natural disasters?

I could care less about Sarah Palin being our Vice President because she is a woman.

That is irrelevant. I am more concerned with how she views the economy and the environment, especially given her adversarial background to the environment in her native Alaska.

I do not care that she is a woman. And the fact that some people will vote for her because of her gender shows the inherent stupidity of humans.

The same goes for those who vote for or do not vote for Obama because of his race.

How strange that though he was raised by a white mother he is seen as just a black man.

Mothers give birth to you, you live inside them and have a connection to them that a father's can never supplant.

Yet, Whites do not connect to Obama as one of them in the least.

Also, it is unfair that, outside of race and gender issues, Americans seem to have issues with a third party establishing a legitamate candidate.

Why? Having more than two options seems to take us out of a purely black and white way of viewing things. So, I suppose that gray areas are to much for America.

Other countries without our liberties have more parties than we do, and seem to do well with the multiple options for their voters.

In such a wealthy and blessed nation, why are we diminshed to stereotypes and race and gender baiting during what is perhaps one of the most pivotal times in the country's history.

It is just pitiful, and makes me sick when I watch the news or read it online.

So much else is going on in the world, and unless the important issues of education, health care, the economy, foreign policy, and other vital issues are addressed, I do not want to hear that the black gentlemen just speaks better than you, or that the woman is being demonized in the media because she is a woman.

I want to know what theleadership qualities of the candidates are, and where they stand on the issues.

This is America, and there are many people from all over the Earth here, so let us focus on what matters, and not this trifling ignorance of race and gender.

Just the issues, Please.

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