(This of course will probably get axed but here goes:) A person must be versed by participation in the plight of the ages in human equalities/inequalities. He would possibly concede that no, Madam Obama's comments were not uttered as a racist or by racist attitudes, but rather as a pragmatic minority who is honest and in touch with her feelings. I suggest she is one who is above all sober in her way of thinking. Also, she is one who is not intimidated as some black people are by the sheer magnitude of this subject and their reactions to it. Some people don't get involved in overtly working for their own rights because they don't want the "hassle" of speaking the truth without fear of reprisal as slaves were when slaves were not free. Today we have free slaves who are still not free, mostly by choice. I suggest that is what people like Palin count on (subconsciously if nothing else). That is why so much is said about PATRIOTISM, as if only a certain sector of society can be patriotic.
If patriotism depended on the one-pointed view of some people, there never would have been any amendments to the Constitution initially or thereafter. Further, even the woman who is referenced would not be able to vote or have others vote for her. There are people who appreciate history because it is a good teacher for those who look for clear cold truth and not biased truth tainted with misperceptions and willful ignorance (which also can still be found in history books). This same tactic was used just after Michelle's and my families were emancipated and then freed by LAW, which law is still to this day needed and we know it.
When the rich and powerful lost their free labor among other things, the first thing they set out to do was to divide and conquer: POOR, RURAL WHITE PEOPLE AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE WHO HAD EVEN LESS. The aim was to set the black man up as the "poor white trash's" worst nightmare. That has not changed. I have found in my lifetime that the most prejudiced people are often some of the poorest. But having been born and reared in the country, I have of course seen both of these conditions. If people are honest today, they can see the outworkings of it. Some say this is the "German" in white people. I suggest it is the "history" in those who play that card that Sarah Palin is playing in this subject.
I also suggest that there are those who like to throw out that "card" under different disguises, who think others won't discern its true tincture or concoction. When some do not want others to work on race relations in any situation, they will accuse anyone they want, seeking to paralyze (a scorpion) with the sting of playing the race card. They use that card as if it were a Scrabble piece or a domino to be played at the opportune time. Sarah Palin plays it adeptly and subtly. For example, she and those like her will throw out the name of Rev. Wright in playing this card, as if just to mention his name will 1) make people cower in fear of being misunderstood, or worse than that, 2) make them just plain cowardly whereas they will slink back into corners they never crawled out of anyway.
Many years ago I read one history book, "BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA: 1860-1880," by WEB du Bois, in particular (among many others I read), which made me very aware of this subject, and appreciative of how white people have been manipulated as pawns against black people and other minorities (among others in those days: Jews, Chinese, and other white people even). The rich uses the poor and sometimes ignorant against the poor and sometimes ignorant. Yet I was determined because of two politicians in that book, that I would love the whole rainbow of colors for their sakes as well as that of Jesus. A real study of them made me deeply examine myself because I did not want to be like the prejudice I witnessed against my parents and everyone else like them. Yet nothing was breathed about it except in the safety of the heart or among "friends."
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