Hot Seat: Frederick Douglass and Barack Obama

First, Stephen Douglas did not seem to despise the America of the 19th century but its actions, its hypocrisy. The words of the Declaration of Independence, written by men that he admired, gave him hope that someday slavery must end as men of good conscience yielded to their better natures. As you mention, certainly other countries have committed wrongs. Their role in perpetuating slavery is often overlooked, making America seem like the sole perpetrator of that crime against humanity. Even Africans participated in the capture and sale of their countrymen as European ships transported them to the auction blocks. However, that we shared in an international conspiracy while building our nation on the backs of oppressed peoples, enslaved or indentured, does not diminish the atrocity. And that much of the world participated in it long after the ages of so-called 'enlightenment' makes it all the more repugnant. All nations have a duty to remember and be vigilant against the tendency for morality to become a commodity when the price is right. This includes, amongst a long list of present day evils, arms sales to undeveloped nations that put guns in the hands of children forced to fight in genocidal wars. As to the comment on what Blacks might want, every segment of the population, including Poles in Wisconsin, the Pennsylvania Dutch, the Italians of New York, orientals, the Irish, hispanics, latinos, native Americans - the endless list of subsets that forms the melting pot that is America - wants the right to maintain aspects of their uniqueness and to prosper from their labors while nourishing the next generation. In every sect are countless examples of people working together to build families and communities that are American, combating problems that cross all boundaries like the costs of healthcare and education, as well as the loss of jobs and homes. There are parents offering up their precious sons and daughters to fight our wars who have a legitimate stake in deciding our nations policies. Young people are going after education against the odds and stirring an older, more complacent generation to remember what it was like to get involved to affect positive change. Things do evolve, experience does broaden, and our nation can move forward if we resist the temptation to paint all members of any group with one brush.

The sad thing is, that people like you don't care. What do you care about? Clothes, drinking, partying, etc. It is this country that allows you to do that, and if you don't care then don't complain when your freedoms are taken away

so true, so true. Obama needs to be judged on his ACTIONS, not his words OR is skin color.

mhkolod, you are quite right. Obama was elected based solely on his race -- 96% african-americans, 67% hispanic, 62% asian -- and the racism was basically anti-white (white americans were split approximately 50/50 between Obama and McCain). This is the story the media will not address: that racism is now strongest in the non-white communities.

Well, now we get the product of that racism:

A president who is failing us and our children economically.

A president who is pushing national health insurance (how does that improve Health Care? does having insurance mean you will get better and necessary care? NO!).

A president who wants to limit CO2 production to save the world even though CO2 is a lagging indicator of global warming and sunspot activity, the earth's magnetic field, the earth's eliptical orbit, and its precession and nutation -- things we cannot control -- are really the culprits in climate change.

God help us all when race trumps ability!

Minoities are the bigest racists of all,it's all about what they consider pay back. That's is the product of Demoidiot Progresive thinking. We are all WHITE DEVILS IN THER EYES. If someone pushes me I push back. If someone hates me for being White I will hate back. White peple need to quit worring about political correctness and being proud to be white does not mean your kkk member.

Hello. White men are STILL on top of the world. What is your beef? Minorities have always had to struggle to be recognized, work twice as hard doing the same job in order to get the attention needed for advancement. Women know these things. We are not white men either.