{"id":2587,"date":"2013-11-21T06:41:30","date_gmt":"2013-11-21T11:41:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=2587"},"modified":"2013-11-21T07:08:19","modified_gmt":"2013-11-21T12:08:19","slug":"ifwhywhen-race-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=2587","title":{"rendered":"why\/when race matters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tell me:\u00a0 why does skin color matter? \u00a0When<\/em> does it matter?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In an interview with the BBC to promote her new film, \u201cThe Butler\u201d \u2014 a film about race relations \u2014 Oprah Winfrey discussed race relations and the White House.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The BBC interviewer asked:\u00a0 “Has it ever crossed your mind that some of the treatment of Obama and the challenges he’s faced and some of the reporting he’s received is because he’s an African American?”<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Noting the celebrity status and thus power of Winfrey, there is ample credence to the notion that Oprah\u2019s public relations team most likely provided this question to the interviewer beforehand.\u00a0 Nonetheless, here is Oprah\u2019s response:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHas it ever crossed my mind?\u00a0…\u00a0Probably it\u2019s crossed my mind more times than it\u2019s crossed your mind.\u00a0 Just the level of disrespect.\u00a0 When the senator yelled out, \u2018You\u2019re a liar\u2019 \u2014 remember that?\u00a0 Yeah, I think that there is a level of disrespect for the office that occurs, and that occurs in some cases and maybe even many cases because he\u2019s African American.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While the timing of Winfrey\u2019s public assertion may have more to do with her theatrical release, it\u2019s interesting indeed that the claim comes simultaneously with Pres. Obama\u2019s approval ratings sinking steeply.\u00a0 With the flawed rollout of Obamacare and the recognition of unknowns, mistruths, and broken promises, Obama has plummeted to approval numbers comparable to Bush after Katrina and Bill after Monica (… sorry, that line flowed off the keyboard just a little too quickly).<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But my point today is not about approval numbers.\u00a0 In fact, my personal impression is that our leaders and their staffs pay far too much attention to polls and perceptions; too much decision-making is guided by their perceived image.\u00a0 My question today centers more around race.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Regardless of whether the question was posed prior by her own PR staff, I have little doubt Oprah said what she meant and meant what she said.\u00a0 She believes that Pres. Obama has been disrespected many times because he is black.\u00a0 In other words, she believes skin color matters.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I struggle with that.\u00a0 I don\u2019t struggle because I disagree with her.\u00a0 No, the reality is that there exist people in this country who dislike and disagree with this President and his policies solely because he\u2019s black.\u00a0 The reality is equally true, however, that there exist people in this country who like<\/i> and agree<\/i> with Obama and his policies solely because he\u2019s black.\u00a0 Neither of those scenarios represents objective, critical thinking.\u00a0 In both select situations \u2014 regardless of opposition or advocacy<\/em><\/strong> \u2014 skin color matters.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where I hesitate is when a person asserts a definitive conclusion from a limited vantage point… when someone such as Oprah concludes a motive exists, which may be based more on their own passion and opinion than on a complete and comprehensive perspective.\u00a0 For example, when the congressman yelled, \u201cYou lie,\u201d what logical, irrefutable information do we have that ties the assertion of falsehood to the color of Obama\u2019s skin? \u00a0Note that no president should ever be chastised like that; no leader should be chastised publicly, so disrespectfully. \u00a0Let us also note that the comment was in response to an Obamacare promise, a subject which we are painfully now learning was enacted with some significant mistruths.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is well known here that I believe the Affordable Care Act, in totality, to be an unwise law.\u00a0 It\u2019s too big, too costly, and too prone to corruption.\u00a0 Let me also state unequivocally that my perspective has zero to do with the color of anyone\u2019s<\/i> skin.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Race does matter in our country.\u00a0 It matters to many blacks, whites, Hispanics, you-name-it.\u00a0 We don\u2019t always know why.\u00a0 But unknown to Oprah, we can\u2019t tell you when.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Respectfully,<\/p>\n

AR<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tell me:\u00a0 why does skin color matter? \u00a0When does it matter?   In an interview with the BBC to promote her new film, \u201cThe Butler\u201d \u2014 a film about race relations \u2014 Oprah Winfrey discussed race relations and the White House.   The BBC interviewer asked:\u00a0 “Has it ever crossed your mind that some of … <\/p>\n

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