More About Green Than Black

"Sure this country has a black President, but when you look at a black President, President Obama is left with his foot stuck in the mud from all the Republicans with the way he's treated."...Hank Aaron (Hall-of-Fame Baseball Great) Aaron continued saying, "The bigger difference is that back then (when Aaron chased the home run record) they had hoods (KKK). Now they have neckties and starched shirts." Sounds as if,  Aaron can still be called, "Hammerin' Hank !"


There are a couple of things laced into this equation referenced by the great home run king. There are many racists who find no trouble cheering the Black football running back as he dodges tackles seeking the end zone. However, it simply becomes too much of a jump to cheer a black man in the Oval Office of the White House. This would require those prejudice minds to concede that the black-fella is a smart fella.


Mr. Aaron is correct with his assessment of Republicans saying NO, NO, NO to this President. Aaron thinks that Republicans wish this black President to fail; he is Right On! However, we should be careful overgeneralizing. The prejudice-attitude is fickle, it will 'hitch' a ride with any body going the preferred bigotry-racism direction. Don't forget that Abe Lincoln was a Republican but he was a Republican on the wrong side of the race issue for the Southerners. Those Bubbas never got over the fact that they had to have their kids get off their 'white' ass and pick cotton.


This year is the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Bill signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. We must keep in mind that 'civil rights' transcends 'race'. Let's not forget the rights of women, workers (unions) and gays; 'CIVIL' speaks to the rights of American citizens.


We may only speculate that the Republican Party might cooperate with a 'white' President more than Obama, who is a 50-50 mixed- race guy. Aside from that guess, I am sure the Tea-Party-Republican Party resistance against gays, unions, minimum wage, education funding, immigration reform, affordable health care, environmental protection, food stamp programs, etc, would not waver. They do vote YES on occasion; they vote "YES" on any attempt to disenfranchise poor and 'black' voters. That said, we should be careful NOT to attribute ALL the  Conservative resistance as a RACE MATTER. As much as those Tea Party folks may see the color black negatively, most of their logic is predicated & driven on and by the color GREEN.