The election of Obama revived the underlying racism in this country

[kentuck]

Some of us may have been naive in thinking the election of Barack Obama was a great step forward in equality and racial politics. But when we see the racist language of Donald Trump being embraced by large numbers of Americans across this country, we cannot help but notice that we have not made the progress we need to be an equal and color-blind society.

We need no more proof than Donald Trump repealing or changing everything that had Barack Obama's name on it. Donald Trump made them feel comfortable with their racist feelings.

Barack Obama did a great service by exposing this racism, although I am sure that was never his plan. Now we know.

[lapfog_1]

1. exposed not revived.

It's always been there, but stayed hidden until Obama... and then Trump completely let the racism out for an ugly run.

[kentuck]

2. That does appear to be the case.

Obama exposed this hidden racism.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Which has always run just

rampant the surface .

[Solomon]

3. And just think. Obama is half white.

That's how bad the racism is. The one drop rule is still in effect.

[Solly Mack]

5. Obama being elected didn't revive it. Racism was alive and thriving already.

His election sparked the always constant feelings of fear in racists and that fear pushed the racists to act out even more.

[kentuck]

7. But Obama received millions of votes that were not racist.

From white voters.

He could not have won without them.

I do not believe that the majority of this country is racist...

[Solly Mack]

8. Doesn't change the fact that racism was alive and well before he was elected.

I didn't say the majority was racist. I said racism was alive and thriving already - and it was and still is.

Because blatant expressions of racism are more frequent now doesn't mean the subtle, often more insidious forms, aren't always taking place.

[kentuck]

10. True.

Racism is alive and well.

[brewens]

6. I thought we were better race wise than we are. These alt.right types go off on how it was

Obama that set race relations way back. In a way yes. By being "uppity" enough to get elected President, in their eyes. They say they suffered for eight years under Obama. How's that? I guess it's stressful seething with hatred because a black man is President.

[OneBro]

9. Republicans, FoxNews, Russia and Trump all poured fuel on America's racism.

Obama's election was a sign of America's amazing, beautiful potential as a nation, but republicans worked with Russia to feed the cancerous cells of racism. By the time we on the left opened our eyes enough to accept that republicans were truly that evil, our nation was burning.

[Power 2 the People]

11. It was never about race

I think it was more about politics and power than it was about race. Obama's election was a threat to the social order and they knew they had to discredit it quickly.

The Republicans knew that Obama's election was more about an ideological wave rather than a racial one. Because of the disaster of the Bush administration and Obama's upset of Clinton in the primaries, the repugs feared that America was moving away from the past and the social order of the elites. The power of the American oligarchy was at stake. Obama's election was a sea change that united America's youth,poor and middle class under a single banner of hope.

The mission was clear...destroy Obama by any means necessary. If they could show the masses that the Obama revolution didn't deliver the change they so desperately wanted they would be disheartened and dissuaded from thinking things would ever change. After all, if nothing ever changes, why vote?

Race was just a tool in the right wing arsenal. America moved leaps and bounds by electing Obama. It was the Republican elites,through their media, that strengthened and encouraged the waning and withered strands of racism that still existed in the American soul.

[gollygee]

12. I think we just see it more because of cell phone cameras

This stuff happened before but, without evidence, most white people never believed the victims. Heck, even WITH evidence a lot of white people still don't believe the victims.