Don’t Call Obama Racist?

Don’t Call Obama Racist?

The following opinion article is so full of holes, the only way I can see to set it straight is point them out one at a time. Leon

Don’t Call Obama Racist

by John Avlon Jul 20, 2013 11:26 AM EDT

President Obama's critics pounced when he said he could have been Trayvon Martin. But conservatives who accused him of dividing the country miss how necessary his unique perspective is, says John Avlon.

Race remains a fundamental fault line in American life. This is only true in the leftist point of view; it gives them a way to polarize every situation where there might be a difference in color but only when a white comes out on top of a black or hispanic! That's why the Trayvon Martin murder trial drew wall­ to ­wall coverage on cable news and why the jury's decision to acquit George Zimmerman drew outraged cries. Again, only from the perspective of the left, who created a new racial profile to fit their scenario ... Nobody has ever been a "white/hispanic" until this incident and it had to be that to create the racial divide!

Carolyn Kaster/AP

And on Friday afternoon, a day before planned nationwide protests, President Obama weighed into the fray with a remarkable, unscripted 17­-minute address from the White House briefing room. "Unscripted"? Every time this man speaks "unscripted", he hems and haws, stumbles over his words, and generally comes off as an idiot (my opinion). He didn't hem and haw this time but he did manage to stir the pot some more ... I'm going to say something here that's not 'politically correct' but, not only do I not like that phrase, it is how I feel about this usurper of the Constitution. He stated that this could have been him 35 years ago ... It's a shame it wasn't!

But by trying to use the bully pulpit to turn this national paroxysm into what he might call a "teachable moment," President Obama reignited conservative criticisms that he is an advocate for identity politics rather than for national unity. That is exactly what he accomplished!

Judge for yourself: "When Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago," the president said. What in the change makes this a 'teachable moment'? He still is preaching the 'victimology' that every race-baiter and racist on the left uses! And they use it to divide!

"And when you think about why, in the African-American community at least, there's a lot of pain around what happened here, I think it's important to recognise that the African­ American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesn't go away. How would this man know anything about the black community? He wasn't raised black; he was raised by his white grandparents after his birth mother and father deserted him! He's speaking to endear himself to the left victimologists, like Sharpton, Jackson, and Van Jones!

"That all contributes, I think, to a sense that if a white male teen was involved in the same kind of scenario … both the outcome and the aftermath might have been different." That is pure speculation by a man who has been terrible at speculations that have meaning, like the economy, unemployment, etc. 

Beyond the jury's verdict, the president's last point is the bottom line for many: would Trayvon Martin have been shot dead—and his killer acquitted—if he had been white? Again, speculation with the sole purpose of inciting racial divide!

On the most basic level, it's hard to believe that a 16­-year-­old white boy wearing a hoodie in Sanford, Florida, would have been automatically seen as suspect. But negative assumptions run deep, as Obama noted. “There are very few African­-American men in this country who haven't had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me.” This is petty but Trayvon was 17, a few days from being 18. I don't know if this writer is black or white but obviously, he doesn't live in a neighborhood that has been having burglaries or he wouldn't even go there! Of course people in hoodies cause apprehension and garner a 2nd look! That why this neighborhood had an active neighborhood watch ... Duh!

There is a residual discomfort and political cost when President Obama speaks as a member of the African-­American community rather than as an entirely colour­blind Commander in Chief. That is a true statement and it is because he has taken the black side in every issue he has had the stupidity to speak out on! And in every one of those cases, he was wrong!

As usual, he walked a line, pointing out that blacks are disproportionately both the victims and perpetrators of crime. And almost lost in his remarks was the implication that his administration would not press federal charges against George Zimmerman despite the wishes of many in this weekend's protests. I will believe that when Eric Holder, race-baiter extraordinaire says the DOJ isn't pressing charges and Zimmerman gets his gun back!

But despite the fact that Obama's biography shows a person who has consciously tried to be a bridge between black and white communities all his life, from high school in Hawaii to the Harvard Law Review, to the U.S. Senate and to his 2008 campaign for president, obsessive critics project a cynical malevolence on his rise as a figure of racial reconciliation. Easy to say; but name one time this man has ever tried to "be a bridge between black & white communities" ... I've never been a witness to this statement - ever!

That's why the reaction of some conservative populist media figures on Twitter provided a useful insight into their intertwining politics and psychology. For example, Fox News commentator Todd Starnes messaged: "He is truly trying to tear our country apart." Conservative blogger Dan Riehl declared the president "the first Racist in Chief". Apt names for this man who has done nothing for the blacks (they have higher unemployment today than when he took office 5-1/2 years ago) and keeps telling them they are victims of white oppression! If you read his book, "Dreams of My Father", it is quite obvious why he is a racist and anti-colonialist: Because his father was both of those and in his book, Obama said he "adopted the dreams of my father" - Read the book and know what is sitting in the White House because it is somebody who hates everything about America!

The president is right to point out that a sense of historic perspective is necessary to understand the emotions beneath our political debates, and that the original sin of slavery. A sin common throughout the world at that time; not just the U.S.! And there is nobody in America today that has ever been a slave, so stop trying to blame the "white community" for inequities in the black community; they exist in the minds of the "victimologists" - Period!

Talk radio host and Fox contributor Tammy Bruce tweeted: "So Obama 'could have been' Trayvon 35 yrs ago? I had no idea Obama sucker­punched a watch volunteer & then bashed his head in. Who knew?" (These and other conservagencia reactions were captured by the liberal website ThinkProgress). If the media isn't bowing to this man, they must be picking on him ... Again, Obama's mission of division wins again!

Of course, these reactions do not represent all conservatives. But the overheated impulse to declare President Obama "racist”—perhaps first and most prominently uttered by Glenn Beck when he was on Fox News—is an interesting tic worthy of some analysis. Oh, boy! I can't wait for this "analysis"!

It is a reflexive form of political judo, pre­empting an anticipated play of the race card by instead calling the first black president "racist," attempting to claim the high ground while cloaked in willful historical ignorance and protected by the approval of hyper­partisan fellow travellers. He could have at least used "spell check" - only 1 L in travelers. But then, like Ron Wite says: "Ya cain't fix stupid!" I don't need to defend Mr. Beck but I do know this about Glen: He is obviously more knowledgeable than Mr. Avalon! Glen has not only read the U.S. Constitution, he has studied with some of the most knowledgeable constitutional experts: Nat'l Center for Constitutional Studies and Wall Builders.

It is also a version of blaming the victim. Because the irrational anger, suspicion and disrespect Obama inspires in some critics is not unrelated to his race. Victim? As pointed out by the evidence in court, Trayvon was the perpetrator!

The reality of course is that President Obama is both an African­-American and the Commander ­in ­Chief, and both experiences inform his perspective. Another claim with no evidence and, according to the racial profiles, Obama is a white-African-American (if he's American)! He has no "experiences" and his "perspective" is slanted so far to the left, he's in the toilet!

The president is right to point out that a sense of historic perspective is necessary to understand the emotions beneath our political debates, and that the original sin of slavery—as well as its complicated legacy—remains our deepest wound. Talking honestly about it is part of the cure, encouraging the empathy to see ourselves in "the other," as part of our never­-ending quest to form a more perfect American union. I partially answered this before but "remains our deepest wound" is true to the leftists who would race-bait and keep telling the black community they are victims!

This column is reprinted from this week’s Sunday Telegraph.

Like The Daily Beast on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for updates all day long.

John Avlon is political director for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. A CNN contributor, he won the National Society of Newspaper Columnists’ award for best online column in 2012. An award that has little or no value with the state of "journalism" today!