I think the package by AL-Jezeera was very well written. It looked at a predominantly white working class community in the deep south and asked whether or not race truly would be a determining factor in how they voted during this election. I think a package like that will not be shown by a major American network for a number of reasons. Firstly, I think it shows just how uneducated many Americans still are, which does not put our nation as a whole in the best light. Secondly, if a major news network addresses the fact that race is a factor in determining how people vote that means the presidential candidates themselves would have to address it. As we have discussed before in class I think it is a subject neither wants to address. On one hand if McCain addresses racism he might alienate voters who would vote for him because they clearly are racist against blacks. On the other hand, if Obama addresses racism he has to admit that racism is still a divisive issue even in 2008, which contradicts his post-racism platform.

 

I found Merida’s article quite surprising. I can’t believe that Obama campaigner’s were called racist slurs and that one of the headquarters actually received bomb threats and I had never heard about those incidents until now. It truly does amaze me that racism like that still exists in 2008 and it does not help that many media outlets have turned their shoulder and pretend that it doesn’t exist.

 

The best line in Foser’s article was definitely a quote by Michael Savage he wrote, “Savage also asks, "Why are there no queries being provoked about Saddam Hussein -- I mean, Barack Hussein Obama?"’ Really? Did he really say that? That is like saying Chris Matthews and Chris Rock are the same because they both have the name Chris. That is the most ridiculous statement I believe I’ve read all month. And what is with these reporters using the just kidding or the I was only joking defensive. Completely unacceptable for a professional reporter. Oh and one more thing, if they were trying to make a joke, why not start by saying something actually humorous, hey maybe they could take a lesson from Chris Matthews errr I mean Chris Rock my bad!

 

I feel like this whole who is more full blooded American is just another way of being racist. The opening quote by Peggy Noonan about getting misty eyed over George Washington and Henry Ford? I think that being American means something slightly different for each American after all wasn’t America founded by those who wanted to be in control of themselves of their government. I think every American can appreciate America’s rich history and for each there are different aspects of that history that could bring him or herself to tears. Just because Obama’s America is not through the same lense as Peggy Noonan’s America it does not make it any less American. Also isn’t full-blooded Americanism having a mixed background. Isn’t America the melting pot?

 

Elliot’s article brought up some interesting points about the candidate’s view toward Muslims. I deep down think that Obama isn’t against the Muslims in this country in anyway but I do understand his need to distance himself from them as a political move. The last time a presidential candidate ran for office, who wasn’t a protestant Christian was JFK. He was a Catholic Christian and he still received a lot of bad publicity from people claiming he was going to take all his orders from the Pope. If Obama was a Muslim it wouldn’t be smart politically for him to admit it. He already has to deal with all the racist things said about him because he is black. I can understand him not wanting to take on religious discrimination in addition to that. I wish I could say that things like race, religion and gender don’t matter in 2008, but it wouldn’t be true. I’m 20 years old and I have already experienced discrimination first hand in the work place. My hope is that my generation is different, that my generation filled with classmates of every religion, race and gender are more tolerate then their parents and grandparents.