5 Reasons Obama's Election Is Bad For Race Relations

by John Hawkins at TownHall.com

Because of our nation's extremely complex history with racial issues, there have never been any "good old days" for race relations in America. We began as a slaveholding nation that simultaneously held the contradictory belief that "all men were created equal," actually fought a civil war in large part over slavery, and eventually we moved on from government mandated discrimination against black Americans for their skin color to government mandated discrimination against white Americans for their skin color.

Because of our tumultuous, knurly history, opinions over race vary wildly. Some people, many of whom grew up with ugly bigotry during the sixties, talk about the country today as if Democrats like Bull Connor and George Wallace were still representative of the views of many Americans. On the other hand, some Americans deny racism exists at all -- although most Americans, quite wisely, fall somewhere in between.

Against this backdrop came Barack Obama with an unspoken promise: elect me as President and America can put race in the rear view mirror once and for all. After all, if Americans elected a black President, how racist could the country really be? Moreover, if, as many liberals claimed, Barack Obama would win the presidency unless America is racist, then didn't his victory mean America isn't racist?

Over the long haul, Barack Obama's victory will probably improve race relations in America, but over the short haul? Not so much. There are several reasons why that's the case.

1) Black Democrats put race first to elect Obama .........

2) After Obama's election, many white Americans stopped taking racism seriously.......

3) The race card is being played constantly........

4) Obama's exploitation of the race card........

5) Obama is no Jackie Robinson........

How healthy is it for the country to have 92% of black Americans approving of the job Obama is doing while only 42% of white Americans approve? When the gulf is that wide -- and getting wider -- what message does that send to both sides of the divide? Nothing good, I can assure you.

Read the whole post here..........