What Privileges Do McCain and Palin Receive Because They're White

Collin

scb wrote:

I'm not defending people who vote based solely on race. But I think it's important to note that race is more than just looks. Race dictates one's experience as well. Obama, simply because of his looks (and regardless of the fact that he's only half black), has had a different life experience than the status quo white experience. We all know what it's like to have a country led by a person who's had the life experience of a white person since this is all we've ever had. Perhaps some people feel like it's time to find out how a person with a different viewpoint would handle things. Perhaps they hope that a person with a different experience/viewpoint would be more likely to consider the experiences/viewpoints of other "different" people when making policy decisions or dealing with foreign nations.

I disagree. Yes, race is more than just the colour of skin... But individual experiences are different. It's stupid to think a person of the same race will have the same views, perspective etc. Or that they'll have a different mentality than Bush or McCain.

Two black people can have completely different experiences. For example, they both might have been the victim of racism. One of them might do everything to stop racism, while the other might become a racist himself.

So they're basing their vote on hope. Hope that this person will be different because he looks different.

Who says McCain won't have new and fresh approaches? He's white but surely that doesn't mean he must be the same as all other white politicians before him? Or do all white people have the same experience and thus the same approach to policy making? I think not, in fact, one might call that racist. But there is a good way to find out where McCain stands on issues. It's not by looking at his skin colour, it's by reading what he says he would do and wants to do. The same goes for Obama and any other politician, imo.

If you truly want someone with a different, new approach... you can read what they have to say about the issues that are important.

DixieN

Just to throw in another statistic on what it's costing Obama to be biracial,

"Racial considerations that have long been palpable in southern Ohio and other crucial regions are again in the foreground. A new poll that accompanied a much buzzed-about Associated Press article on Saturday appears to starkly quantify the cost of racism to Obama: 6 percentage points in the polls."

6 percentage points--A cost McCain doesn't have to bear based on his skin color.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080921/pl_politico/13686;_ylt=Ar5I9vfCk9sUySowu0V4x2Os0NUE

_

Collin wrote:

I disagree. Yes, race is more than just the colour of skin... But individual experiences are different. It's stupid to think a person of the same race will have the same views, perspective etc. Or that they'll have a different mentality than Bush or McCain.

Two black people can have completely different experiences. For example, they both might have been the victim of racism. One of them might do everything to stop racism, while the other might become a racist himself.

So they're basing their vote on hope. Hope that this person will be different because he looks different.

Who says McCain won't have new and fresh approaches? He's white but surely that doesn't mean he must be the same as all other white politicians before him? Or do all white people have the same experience and thus the same approach to policy making? I think not, in fact, one might call that racist. But there is a good way to find out where McCain stands on issues. It's not by looking at his skin colour, it's by reading what he says he would do and wants to do. The same goes for Obama and any other politician, imo.

If you truly want someone with a different, new approach... you can read what they have to say about the issues that are important.

How did I know that you were going to disagree? But you've missed my point entirely.

I did not say all black people or all white people have the SAME experience, perspectives, views, etc. (I don't believe that ANY two people, no matter how similar, have the same experiences/perspectives.) What I said is that black people have DIFFERENT experiences than white people.

People of color know what it's like to be the "other" in this country in a way that white people do not. (Which is not to say that white people can't be culturally knowledgable and sensitive, or can't have experienced racism within the context of a smaller system, or can't have been economically disadvantaged, etc.)

This country is and always has been run as a reflection of white people's experience. I'm just saying perhaps some people hope (not know for sure) that electing a person of color will be MORE LIKELY to broaden that reflection. (Certianly they know their vote won't "keep white people down" as the racist votes cast by some white people have done for blacks.) So yes, maybe they're basing their vote partially on hope, but that hope is based on odds. The odds are greater that a black person will have a black person's perspective than that a white person will have a black person's perspective.

Besides, as I said before, I'm not defending people who vote based SOLELY on race. I'm just saying that when race factors in, it's about more than just looks.

There are many reasons why black people and white people alike might welcome a person of color into office, just like they might welcome a woman into office. But that doesn't mean they'll vote for Palin who, policy-wise, is anti-woman. Of course they'll vote for the person's policies above all else. But Obama's policies actually reflect the broader viewpoint to which I'm referring. And I think it's likely that his dealings with other "different" people will too.