Race: The Double Standard

---by Micheal

Favoring one person based on his race, and disfavoring another of a different race -- having a double standard -- is supposed to be a bad thing. Years of indoctrination by the public school system has beaten that into my brain. Yet, this year's presidential race has proven that double standards are only bad for some people.

Despite his efforts to be simply a presidential candidate, Barak Obama is regularly heralded as the "black" or african-american candidate. Given the long reach of "affirmative action", most of the media are falling all over themselves to say only nice things and cut him more slack than anyone in recent memory.

Recently, Juan Williams (a notable name in the black history and civil rights movement) enthused about how great a reception Obama should get when addressing the NAACP convention. Why? Because he's the first african-american candidate. Simply put, since Obama is "black", every other black person ought to love him. Isn't this just acceptable racism? If a white voter likes a white candidate because he's white, that makes him a damnable racist. But black voters ought to love a black candidate because he's black. That's all fine.

When McCain also addresses the NAACP convention, he will be judged by what he says, doesn't say or ought to have said, etc. etc. Williams expects McCain to receive a cool reception because of McCain's prior legislative record and presumed ties to the current administration. He will be judged by his words and record. Obama, on the other hand, must be loved simply because he's black.

Jesse Jackson was lambasted for daring to criticize or disagree with Obama. I'm no fan of Jackson, but why must black people be a monolith of opinion? White people are always going after each other for their stances or policies. Why are black people excused this political feature?

For all the liberal public-school "education" I endured about not judging someone by the color of their skin, it seems to be only half true. White people dare not, but black folks CAN (and according to Williams, should) judge someone by their skin. If you're black, you must like Obama because he's black.

How shallow is this? Wasn't Mr. Williams getting the same educational dogma as I was?