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I guess we have to be really careful that we don't say something racist. How do we know if we are a racist?

Kenley: Thanks for posting this. A good point is made concerning the art of debating.

Brian's comment leads me to believe that he did not view the vid.

The democrats are really making a sucker out of Obama. All the white democrats in charge like Pelosi and Reid are setting up Obama to lose the election big time. By forcing him to tow the line with thier stupid refusal to drill they are sealing Obomas doom. The American people want to drill and the dem leadership knows it, that's why they won't even allow a vote. They know if they allowed a vote that many democrats would be in favor of it. The democrat congressmen are getting hammered at home by thier electorate to open up drilling and they're affraid they are going to lose local elections. Pelosi and the dem leadership are putting all their cards on the idea that if they continue the ban on drilling that the high gas prices will be blamed on George Bush and big oil. At least Obama is smarter than that, he's already is making moves to allow drilling. But he's still belholdent to the white dem leadership who is dictating what their "boy" has to do to get the nomination. I think they are the real racists. Hopefully Obama will have the sense to to be a real leader and tell Pelosi and Reid to screw themselves, like they are screwing the working American families that have to decide between filling their gas tank or filling their stomachs. Meanwhile the democrats have flown off in their jets for vacation while the American people are struggling.

Here's one way to tell a person they sound racist:

"Brian, you sound racist".

(....and obsessed...and paranoid..and extremely miserable.)

is this guy black?

First you invoke the term "boy," then write, "Hopefully Obama will have the sense to to be a real leader and tell Pelosi and Reid to screw themselves..."

My gawd Brian, I am soooo offended! What a disgusting statement to make.

This is so simple yet so great! What a concept - hold each person accountable for their words and actions.

Its funny to see this post here today because I've been thinking about race in Ojai lately, specifically race in the workplace. I've worked in and seen many businesses in Ojai that employ both Caucasian and Hispanic people. My observation is that, in general, the Caucasian employees are visible to the public and the Hispanic employees work behind the scenes. Caucasian waiters, Hispanic cooks. Caucasian receptionist, Hispanic housecleaner.

This is not a new or profound insight. What surprises me is the minimal interaction among employees in shared space, namely breakrooms. No hostility that I see, just no communication. Sometimes a hello or a how are you, but sometimes people don't even acknowledge the arrival of an individual who doesn't share their ethnicity or primary language.

It raises the question of how many communities exist simultaneously in these workplaces and by extension in Ojai, (and Southern California, the US, the world....) And is this what we want, or simply what is easiest. It is easiest for me to talk to the people with whom I share a primary language and with whom I share more culture, although I speak some Spanish and most of the Hispanic folks I work with seem to speak English. I love that people can be themselves, and that includes choosing their community and their friends in this country. I just wonder if we are all missing out a little, and if by changing these day-to-day interactions just a little, we might ultimately change the day-to-day interactions on the streets of South Central, on the border with Mexico, and so on. A bit of a stretch? Maybe. But I think the climate you create in your smaller sphere of influence influences the climate in the larger world.

I think I'll initiate a conversation with someone I don't know next time I'm at work.

Perceptive and practical post. Racism. Uhmmm. I think it's a cover for moneyism. The facts I believe support that. If we lived in a culture where money did not equal God, one with a different shade of brown would not be a potential terrorist out to steal one's money (and power, and sometimes sexual mates).

Lisa,
Maybe you misunderstood me, Pelosi is the one who is treating Obama as a subordinate. I think Obama is a smart guy but if he is just going to go along with the party line on this he's going to lose. I would vote for him is a second if he was willing to do what it takes to get the country back on track and not listen to Pelosi. He would waltz into the white house if he made some smart decicisions which would benifit the American people. The dem leadership is not letting Obama lead and that' what makes them racist in jmy opinion.

Obama: New Energy for America plan today
http://www.NewEnergyforAmerica.com

# Provide short‐term relief to American families facing pain at the pump
# Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future.
# Within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined.
# Put 1 million Plug‐In Hybrid cars – cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon – on the road by 2015, cars that we will work to make sure are built here in America.
# Ensure 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.
# Implement an economy‐wide cap‐and‐trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.

What about nuclear power?

The dem leadership is not letting Obama lead and that' what makes them racist in jmy opinion.

Do you think they would be doing anything different than what they would be doing with, say, John Edwards? What the heck does race have to do with the situation other than what you are projecting onto it?

Race should have nothing to do with the "race".

Is Obama against nuclear power? I assume he is, but I'm willing to bet a dollar that before the election he will make some comments supporting "some" nuclear power.

Tyler, where does the power for the "plug-in" hybrids come from? Coal? Natural Gas?

Race should have nothing to do with the "race".

Please tell that to those in your party who keep bring it up!

Do you think they would be doing anything different than what they would be doing with, say, John Edwards?

And pee-ewww, sorry for that stinky sentence.

Brian - if you were in BO's positon would you be considered their "boy"? c'mon think about what your saying - As a Latino trigger time Marine Corps Vet I truly believe that you would have issues with any candidate who was not White. Brian I would never go into comabt with you - but I will always support our right to speak. Semper Fi Amigo - Frank G.