"Speak Out" is an expression of opinion from the Editorial Board of WBTV, and is presented by General Manager, Nick Simonette.
Our new U. S. Congress takes over in just a few weeks.
Which is why this editorial is tackling a fiery, sensitive issue:
Race in politics.
We're just going to straight-ahead ask:
"Are some elected officials hung-up on the fact we have a black President?"
Take the following recent comment from Senator Mitch McConnell…
In the midst of job loss and a huge deficit, he said his top priority is to make President Barack Obama a one-term president.
McConnell later took his comment back.
Then, last month Republican strategist Karl Rove was trying to make a point about the President wanting the G. O. P. to sit in the backseat while fixing this recession.
Rove said if anybody should know how it feels to sit in the back of a bus, it's Obama.
Really?
Folks -- believe me -- we get people being against Obama because of his policies.
That's not only permitted, but it's welcomed under our Democracy.
But no matter what he does, will some always be against him BECAUSE of his race?
Our editorial board had a heated discussion over this question.
We couldn't come to a unanimous answer.
We don't think color should matter.
We do think people still see it though.
There is no way for us to really know if McConnell and Rove's comments were inappropriately based on race.
But we can ask you to think.
What role does race play in politics?
Should it play any?
What role does race play in politics?
Should it play any at all?
We're wrapping up the first decade of the 21st century.
Have times really changed?
What do you think?
Tell us what YOU think. SpeakOut@wbtv.com.
