Can We Put Away the Race Card Now?

by Gerard Emershaw

President Obama recently told New Yorker magazine that the color of his skin encourages some to dislike him: “There’s no doubt that there’s some folks who just really dislike me because they don’t like the idea of a black president.” However, he also acknowledged that there are some who like him precisely because of the color of his skin: “Now, the flip side of it is there are some black folks and maybe some white folks who really like me and give me the benefit of the doubt precisely because I’m a black president.”

It is quite true that there will always be some racist collectivists who love or hate simply on the basis of race or ethnicity. However, it seems that these two minorities cancel each other out. Therefore, logic dictates that one assume that most Americans support or oppose the President and his policies for reasons that have nothing to do with race. Most of the same individuals supported or opposed similar ideas held by President Bill Clinton for reasons that had nothing to do with race. Chances are that one day most of the same individuals will support or oppose similar ideas held by Hillary Clinton or some other future Democratic Party President who is not black for reasons having nothing to do with race. Playing the race card is illogical and simply ends the possibility of any rational discourse on a subject.

It is so unlikely that conservative opponents of President Obama would suddenly support Obamacare, gun control, or climate change control policies if the President were white. It is also unlikely that progressive supporters of these policies would suddenly stop supporting them if the President were white. At this point, it is justifiable to just tune out and stop listening to any pundit the moment that he or she attempts to play the race card. Reverend Martin Luther King said: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” When will the President and his most zealous backers start judging their opponents by the content of their character and not the color of their skin?