COMMENTARY: IF YOU CANNOT VOTE FOR OBAMA BASED ON RACE, YOU ARE NOT A PATRIOT, BUT A COWARD

For those who would not vote for Barack Obama based entirely on the color of his skin, you must not believe in America. You must not believe in the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’ and I invite you to read it in its entirety.

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible…With Liberty and Justice for all."

by Mary MacElveen on Tue 23 Sep 2008 10:56 AM EDT
http://www.marymacelveen.com/blog/_archives/2008/9/23/3897328.html

COMMENT: Mary MacElveen is one of the bright new op/ed writers who contributes articles to the media and this blogger. BILL CORCORAN, editor, CORKSPHERE

What part of that pledge do you not get? We are one nation, who are supposed to be a united people, who cherish our liberties and most of all justice for all. A little piece of history for you; it was George W. Bush, John McCain and many within the Republican Party who tried to separate us as a people during these past eight years.

Not to vote for a candidate based solely upon the color of their skin; you are anything but patriotic. In fact anyone who would not cast their vote for either Barack Obama or other candidates because they are black or a part of any other minority group, you do not deserve to pledge allegiance to our flag since it is obvious you do not believe in it.

If you are a part of this group who cannot vote for Barack Obama because he is black and if you do wear a flag pin, kindly take it off. You dishonor it by wearing it.

Many of our soldiers who came home dead from this immoral Iraq War, were African-Americans and the blood they spilt was colored red, white and blue. On the battle field of this war and in wars past, they served and died as one along side with soldiers of other races.

In not voting for a candidate because of the color of his skin, you are failing to honor these brave soldiers who stepped up to the plate and gave their life for God and country. They not you knew what true patriotism was all about.

Black men who die on any battle field do so to protect your freedoms and one of them is the right to vote. How dare you dishonor them and discredit their contributions to this country. They paid the ultimate price as you revel in your hate and cowardice.

I have to wonder if this race-card would even be reported had the Republicans picked former Secretary of State Colin Powell as their candidate. Think about it. Is it because Senator Barack Obama is a Democrat that we are seeing this reported in the news?

If Colin Powell became a Democrat and ran for president: Would these same people not vote for him because of the color of his skin? I would remind these people that Colin Powell did serve in the military protecting your freedoms. Even the freedom to be a racist.

If Colin Powell ran as a Democrat, would Ron Fournier of the AP who has had close ties to the McCain campaign and Karl Rove even have written that article? Would he have even written that AP article that started this fire-storm of hate had Powell ran against McCain?

To me, Senator Barack Obama encapsulates what it means to be a true American because he grew up believing that anyone can serve as the president of this country. As a father, he is showing his two little girls exactly what it means to be an American. Maybe one of his girls will someday become the first African-American woman to go on to win the presidency.

What must his little girls think of folks who would not vote for their father because of his race? I do not know if Barack Obama or Michelle Obama have told them some cannot vote for their father because he is black. Most likely they have not shared this with them, but I do suspect they know of it. How horrible it must be for them if they do know of this. Are they thinking these racist people also hate them? If so, what a thing to do to a child. Those adorable little girls deserve a country united and not divided by racists as all children do.

In growing up in the sixties, I saw as a child the racial tensions beamed into my living room each night on the news and was deeply horrified. I never looked upon my friends who were black as being lesser people, but just friends. Together we played and got in trouble equally if we misbehaved. I always dreamed of a better future and when I first heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. give his, “I Have a Dream” speech his words filled me with immense hope for the future and it angers me that racism still exists today.

I am so proud as an American that one of the presidential debates will take place in Hempstead, NY which was my home town while growing up. In fact one of the most productive mayors it has ever had is a Republican and his name is James Garner who too is an African-American. Garner was the first African-American to be elected as mayor on Long Island. I hope there is some cosmic connection to this debate being held in my home town. In governing all of us, Garner never saw us as being white, black, Hispanic, Republicans or Democrats, but citizens he was charged by oath to govern equally. Garner lived and breathed Hempstead as its mayor. He once told me at my uncle’s funeral while I did move away, I will always be a Hempstead girl.

I do see a connection between both Garner and Obama. I do not look upon them as African-Americans, but a patriotic Americans. As an American, I was proud to have voted for James Garner and I am equally proud to cast my vote for Barack Obama on November 4th.

I look upon Barack Obama with reverence because he is at least connecting with me emotionally and reminding me what true patriotism is all about. In the midst of so much despair this nation has felt in its short history, at least he is giving me some hope for a better future. I crave that future of hope and not of one filled with more wars as McCain promises us. To lead us into more senseless wars is anything but patriotic since it weakens us as a nation. Should John McCain call upon you who are racists to send your sons and daughters into these wars: Will you sacrifice them?

The night that he gave his acceptance speech at the DNC, was a night filled with hope. When I saw those fireworks going off at Mile High Stadium, our ‘Star Spangled Banner’ came to mind and specifically these words:

“And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air…Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there….O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave…O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave”

As a gift to you to help drown out this hate coming from others, please click on this link to hear our nation’s song sung by Whitney Houston. Did you happen to black soldier in uniform saluting our flag? The thing is, he only sees himself as an American serving our country proudly.

Are any of you who choose not to vote for Barack Obama clearly showing we are the home of the brave? Or will you allow the cowardice of your racism to seize the day? Are we a free people when racists will further imprison us as a nation?

If this report of Americans refusing to vote for Barack Obama based on race disturbs you as much as me, then it is up to all of us to get to the polls to outnumber them. Through that action we are telling them, their message of racism has no place in this country. We must be the ones to stand up to them and say, it is we who believe in these United States of America.

To those who would cast their vote based on race, and if John McCain goes onto win the presidency, your collection of votes could have stopped four more years of failed Republican leadership. You could have said to all Americans we choose another direction. If God forbid McCain wins all I will say is: Don’t blame me, I voted for Barack Obama and it is you who have sentenced us all to another four more years of misery. How un-patriotic of you.

You may contact the author at, xmjmac@optonline.net