Racism... A New Double Standard?

Racism… A Double Standard
By Ryan Riell

I’m still waiting for the outrage over comments made earlier by the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). In case you haven’t already heard, Senator Reid called President Obama a “light-skinned” black man “with no Negro dialect unless he wanted to have one.” Senator Reid has since apologized, saying “I could have used a better choice of words” with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

Now, a little background on Senator Reid. He has been one of the key actors in the health care bill that is getting rammed down your throat, which, if it passes, will be the crowning achievement of President Obama’s progressive administration.

Why is that important? Because President Obama and the Democratic party instantly forgave him for his bigoted and racist remarks. Can someone explain to me how a “light-skinned” black man is different than a “dark-skinned” black man? Can someone explain to me what a “Negro” dialect is? Is there a qualification difference between a “light-skinned” and “dark-skinned” black man? What about a “medium-skinned” Black man? Does someone who speaks with a “negro dialect” less qualified to be the President of the United States? What “better choice of words” was he going to use to describe the color of President Obama’s skin have to do with anything? What word would he have chosen instead of “Negro” dialect. Do these questions piss you off a little bit?

Here’s some context for you. In 2002, then Senate Majority leader Trent Lott (R-MS) said Strom Thurman (one of the most anti-black members of the Senate in the 60’s) would make a good President and as a society, we would not have as many problems today (2002) if we had followed his lead. After these comments, the liberal media and the Democratic party jumped all over him, forcing his resignation as the senate majority leader.

In December of 2002, Obama said “the Republican party itself has to drive out Trent Lott… they have to stand up and say this is not the person we want representing out party” (Obama, Chicago Defender 2002). In a statement dated January 9, 2010, now President Obama said this “I accepted Harry’s apology without question… I’ve seen the passionate leadership he’s shown on issues of social justice and I know what’s in his heart.”

So why did President Obama almost instantly forgive Harry Reid? I submit two answers for you to examine:
1) There is a HUGE double standard being upheld by the liberal media and the progressive left
2) If President Obama made a fuss about this, it would further jeopardize his health care bill, that less than 35% of Americans already want.


Either a comment is “racist” or it is not. If a Republican or conservative commentator had called President Obama a “light-skinned” black man “with no Negro dialect unless he wanted to have one”, that would still be the lead story on the nightly news, with President Obama, Michelle Obama and every other liberal demanding the resignation of that person.

In today’s world of “political correctness” anything that someone says about race is racist and that is unfortunate. So you make the decision, either Harry Reid is either a racist or an idiot. Either way, he’s our senate majority leader.

Now, onto the education front. It is very unfortunate that most Americans don’t really like to read. I guess that is a function of Atari, all the way up through X-box. So, if you’re not going to read, I have found an outstanding mini-series for you to watch. It brings America’s Founding into your house and on to your TV. The HBO series “John Adams”, which, so far (1 of 3 DVDs so far). If you want to get smarter and gain some insight into the Founding of America, purchase the DVDs or hop on Netflix and order it. If you would like another outstanding resource on the year of 1776, please read the book 1776 by David McCullough, it is a fascinating book!

If you don’t get smart on the rights that have been granted to you by your Creator, you just might wake up one day and realize they no longer exist.