Chamblee54

Some times you see something, and realize that you are being pushed over a line. Today’s straw, landing on the camel’s back, was a meme. It has pictures of a statesman-like BHO, and a goat smiling BS. The text was white comic sans letters, on a black background. “Regarding those who call Obama an illegitimate president because his father was born in Kenya, Bernie Sanders replied: “No one asked me if I was a citizen or not, and my dad came from Poland. Gee, what’s the difference? Maybe the color of my skin.” The comment was from a Las Vegas town hall meeting. Some things that are said in Vegas need to stay in Vegas.
No one denies that white people and black people often do not get along. Few deny that there is systemic inequality. The connection of “birther” speculation to systemic inequality is tough to see. Of course, the definition of racism is elastic, and can fit whatever situation the observer wants to critique.
Are we helping the cause of racial tranquility by making comments like that? Yes, it is foolish for “birthers” to whine about a birth certificate. But entertaining followers in a town hall debate does not mean you are going to be able to govern. Maybe BS should focus on his economic fantasies, and quit scoring cheap shots about racism.
On a lighter note, some have noted the Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders have a first name that starts with the same letter. Has this ever happened before? The answer is yes. It has happened twice, with John Tyler preceding James K. Polk, and Abraham Lincoln followed by Andrew Johnson. There have also been two times where three presidents in a row had first names starting with the same letter. These teams were James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, and William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding. Pictures today are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”.