Weren't we discussing...

That national discussion of race that was supposed to take place after Obama's famous Rev. Wright speech? It's not happening. Most of these thoughts are from Michelangelo Signorile and Pam Spaulding.

Race is very much an issue in this presidential campaign and in the nation. Obama didn't talk about race and was considered acceptable -- until he did. And then people started to say, "He was in Wright's congregation for twenty years? He must be one of *those* blacks," a part of the secret Radical Black Trojan Horse Agenda. If we let a black into power it will be the slaves taking their revenge out on their master.

Oprah and Condi suffered the same fate. Condi was considered VP material until she agreed that racism is still an issue, until she reminded people she is black. Oprah has a loyal white fan base, but it squealed when she campaigned for Obama. Suddenly she is no longer post-racial. So, yes, race is still an issue.

Yet, that national discussion isn't happening. Sure, reporters talk about how white blue-collar Democrats in Pennsylvania can't bring themselves to vote for Obama. But they never ask why.

Why can't they vote for Obama? Is it because of views they've held since childhood? Do they have black friends or neighbors? Are their only exposure to blacks the ones they see on TV doing a perp walk? Is their fear about crime or about blacks taking their job away from them? Is it fear of the Black Trojan Horse? Or is the case that they truly aren't racist and genuinely believe Hillary is the better candidate?

Various media "experts" are debating various sides of this issue, but they are *not* actually going out and talking to voters. Which means they are talking about race enough to prove they are talking about race but not enough to discuss it rationally.

Part of the problem is the Right is still quite good at throwing "color arousal" bombs (they aren't really *racist*, you see). There have been lots of talk about how thankful blacks should be for the bones tossed in their direction. And few people know how to diffuse or dismantle those bombs. They don't know how, they argue over the way to do it, they run for cover without learning from the experience, or they hurl/dodge the racist label.

The Right doesn't disarm bombs (when they're not flinging them) because there is nothing in it for them to diffuse racism. Progressives are embarrassed to realize they don't know how to diffuse bombs, that they have contributed to the problem or the problem is too big. Blacks are tired of whites who don't have a clue. The usual reactions simply shut down the conversation that we so desperately need.

This Saturday I will be going to the Ruth Ellis Center for training to be a volunteer. This center is a safe place for gay kids to hang out. Many of them are homeless because their parents threw them out when they discovered their child is gay. I want to tell to the kids that there are Christians who think being gay is just fine. I'm mentioning this as part of this post because I am aware that most of these kids are black, and I'm not.