I've seen this happen so many times in politics where black candidates are involved that I've lost track. An opponent has trouble attacking the black candidate, so they find somebody connected to the candidate and attack them. I can't say why this is more prevalent with black politicians unless it's that the black experience has produced more fringe players who can be used for this purpose. Plus, there's always Farrakhan.

Then the opponent starts in with the disavowal game. Will you now disavow this black person who is of some stature in the black community to prove to us that you really aren't one of "those" black people?

And now that Obama has provided the disavowal, left with no choice ...

I've seen this happen so many times in politics where black candidates are involved that I've lost track. An opponent has trouble attacking the black candidate, so they find somebody connected to the candidate and attack them. I can't say why this is more prevalent with black politicians unless it's that the black experience has produced more fringe players who can be used for this purpose. Plus, there's always Farrakhan.

Then the opponent starts in with the disavowal game. Will you now disavow this black person who is of some stature in the black community to prove to us that you really aren't one of "those" black people?

And now that Obama has provided the disavowal, left with no choice by Wright's latest display, the reaction is "too little, too late."

Those who have read my columns and seen my picture over the years know me to be a self-professed white liberal.

I know racism when I see it

But as I've also mentioned in the past, I have tasted the poison that is racism, having been fed a steady diet of bigotry as a kid growing up, while also being raised not to have those prejudices. I know firsthand that when you get that prejudice in your system, it doesn't just go away on its own. It's stored away.

In short, I think I know racism when I see it, and the Rev. Wright affair has it in full bloom.

This is a gut check time for white America, and don't give me the "double standard" baloney. If we could ever clean up the white racism, the thing that some of you consider black racism would take care of itself.

If somebody tells me they're against Barack Obama because he's on the wrong side of the issues -- that he doesn't have the right approach to the war in Iraq or that he can't be trusted on taxes and government spending -- I can understand.

But if they tell me they're against Obama because he went to Wright's church, I can see that for what it is."

Dulios, obviously you need to learn the definition of the word prejudice.

We've never heard Obama say any of the things that got Wright in trouble because Obama doesn't believe those things.

If I found out an acquaintance of mine was in the KKK, then I would not need to hear him spout racist hatred to know that he was a racist.

This is a gut check time for white America, and don't give me the
"double standard" baloney. If we could ever clean up the white racism,
the thing that some of you consider black racism would take care of
itself.

This, again, shows racism and hatred of the commenter. Racism IS NOT a white problem. It IS NOT an American problem. Rac...

Dulios, obviously you need to learn the definition of the word prejudice.

We've never heard Obama say any of the things that got Wright in trouble because Obama doesn't believe those things.

If I found out an acquaintance of mine was in the KKK, then I would not need to hear him spout racist hatred to know that he was a racist.

This is a gut check time for white America, and don't give me the
"double standard" baloney. If we could ever clean up the white racism,
the thing that some of you consider black racism would take care of
itself.

This, again, shows racism and hatred of the commenter. Racism IS NOT a white problem. It IS NOT an American problem. Racism IS NOT a black problem. It is a human problem and your comment points out that you do not care about the human problem of racism. You only care about identity, labeling, and using racism to your advantage.

But if they tell me they're against Obama because he went to Wright's church, I can see that for what it is."

Really? What is it? How is Black Liberation Theology ( a theology that preaches the destruction of "the white enemy", that is founded in Marxism, that preaches violence is acceptable to reach your goals) good for America and why is that not reason enough not to vote for Obama. Or, are you too racist to accept that I am not racist?

I know racism when I see it

And I know it when I read it.