Read the news today? If you missed it, here's an update. South Carolina State Senators Robert Ford (District 42) and Darrell Jackson (District 21) endorsed Senator Clinton today for the SC Democratic primary. That endorsement is of course theirs to give for reasons of their own choosing. But hear what Senator Ford had to say. 'Every Democratic candidate running on that ticket would lose because he (Obama) is black and he's at the top of the ticket--we'd lose the House, the Senate and the governors and everything.'
'I'm a gambling man. I love Obama,' Ford said. 'But I'm not going to kill myself.'
Now I'm a native South Carolinian and I'm black, but you don't have to be either to see what's wrong here. 49% of South Carolina registered Democrats are black. Mr. Ford is black. He graduated from a historically black college. His constituents are . . . black! Yet he totally dismissed Mr. Obama's campaign not on the merits but because . . .see my point?
Now, I'll admit (and you should too) we've all been plaqued by similar thoughts. We've entertained them around water coolers, during dinner parties or on coffee breaks. We spoke in a code more accepting to the American psyche in its schizophrenic avoidance yet obsession with race. "Can he really win the general election?" Insert she, same analogy holds. To some degree we've allowed this nagging question to temper our enthusiasm for the campaign, that is until we got the facts. Once we heard Obama speak, learned of his ground-breaking election to the Senate (where he was outspent 6 to 1) or perused his activist record while in office we were convinced of the potential of this campaign to transform the American body politik. Mr. Obama's campaign is no fluke and I had prayed that the race issue would not be given a prominent political voice until the American public had had a chance to be exposed to the candidate in a meaningful forum.
But that brings us back to state Senator Ford. Growing up in SC, the Confederate flag dominated the political debate. Many staked their political and business careers on the issue. At the apex of the debate, one prominent purveyor of pig (name withheld but famous for his all white suit, shirt and tie) made charged public statements prompting boycotts from national retailers and patrons. These boycotts persists to this day and, alas, the flag came down. This is a lesson all public figures should learn. Abuse public trust and goodwill at your own peril. Statements such as Mr. Ford's have lasting impact on the collective psyche disproportionately impacting the young, uninformed and dispossessed. Does a trustworthy face lessen the impact of a vicious plot? I think not.
Let me pose the question in more personal terms. Can black kids in Mr. Ford's district trust that their welfare trumps his personal interest? My daughter wants to be president (she says it all the time). I hope she doesn't see Mr. Ford on TV in the coming weeks. These statements are clearly derogatory though said with a smile surrounded by black skin. For this reason alone, Mr. Jackson and Mrs. Clinton herself should distance themselves from Mr. Ford's comments and his endorsement. In a state where truancy and illiteracy are among the highest in the nation, no other response is justified.
Mr. Obama, on behalf of my child and all children from the state (Lowcountry and Lower Richland included), I want to personally thank you for being in this race. Your audacity will help transform the political discourse and start a conversation that moves America beyond her current problems. The people of SC are not fools. From secession to sit-ins, they have a long history of voting with their feet. To all South Carolinians who have or know a child: Vote out of office any candidate who says that Barak Obama should not be the Democratic nominee because he is black. The hopes and dreams of your kids depend on it. That BBQ may be tasty, but it's made by a bigot.
