What Happens When We Assume?
For those that don’t remember learning this as a child, when you assume, you make an ASS out of U and ME.
Get it?
ASS+U+ME = ASSUME
In all seriousness though, ever since President Obama took office I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen or heard people play the race card on someone who publicly disagrees with Obama. From Facebook to Twitter to blogs to MySpace to face-to-face, it seems that if you are white and don’t agree with Obama, you’re a racist.
At the same time, I’m so tired of hearing people on the other extreme decry Obama as wanting to be a socialist dictator. Or that he’s going to usher in the return of Christ. I heard the same thing about President Clinton, but guess what – WE’RE STILL HERE!
This brings me to two things that have happened in the past few weeks. First, Obama’s speech to students last week. I was ashamed when I saw so many Christians claiming Obama was going to indoctrinate their children with a socialist agenda, and that they were going to keep their kids home that day. Sad, especially considering the fact his speech (word for word) was made available online days before the event. Then last night, former President Jimmy Carter claims that “an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man”.
Now before someone accuses me of being blind, naive or utopian, yes, I believe racism is still an issue in the United States of America. And as long as people have free will, it will continue to be an issue. But to assume an “overwhelming portion” of the opposition Obama has faced is due to racism is just as naive as thinking racism is not an issue in this country.
I’ll say it right here: I did not vote for President Obama.
Nor did I vote for John McCain.
I did not vote in the 2008 presidential election at all because I did not see any candidate that I could stand behind 100%.
There are some issues where I do agree with him. That does not mean I want to bring a socialist dictatorship to America.
There are some issues where I do not agree with Obama. That does not mean I am racist.
I support and pray for President Obama because he is my president, and I encourage you to do the same, regardless of who you voted for.
So please people, when someone says they disagree with President Obama’s policies or his politics or his health care plan, don’t immediately label them as being racist. And if you are one of those who disagrees with Obama, do some fact checking before you start making claims; otherwise, you do come off looking bad.
