Just Because He's Black?

I have been asked quite often in the last year by friends, co-workers and even family members how I can reconcile not supporting the first black man to have a legitimate chance of becoming president of the United States. I always answer that I do not vote for the color of a person's skin, or their hair color, gender, height, weight or other physical attributes. I try instead to always vote for the candidate who most closely resembles and represents my own beliefs, morals and politics, and who I believe will best represent, protect and lead our great nation. Barack Obama does not fit anywhere in that definition.

But I must say, I like the answer put forth recently by Ms. Barbra Howard, the Florida state chair for Congress of Racial Equality, and another strong black conservative Republican:

"Therefore, when [Sen. Barack Obama] says he wants to tax the windfall profits of the 'evil' oil companies, I do the math and see that instead of hurting them, it will ultimately be the consumers who will end up paying the price. And when he talks about bringing Republicans and Democrats together for the good of the country, I look at the fact that he is the most liberal of Democrats with no evidence of being bipartisan. But when he promises to make America the leader of the free world like it 'used to be,' I can't help but look at his friends who don't even like America -- like domestic terrorists Bernardine Dohrn and William Ayers, who were sorry they didn't bomb enough buildings on American soil. He opposes vouchers, which comprise one of the single most effective strategies that helped low income black mothers provide the same quality education for their children as middle class mothers do. He said Iran and Venezuela were 'little countries' that didn't pose a threat to America. It is of no consequence to him that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promotes 'Death to America' or that his friend, Venezuelan dictator President Hugo Chavez, stood in Harlem ranting against President Bush, calling him 'El Diablo.' Funny you can't go to Venezuela and call Chavez anything but El Presidente and not disappear. But let's not let facts get in the way of our euphoric, hypnotic trance. We must bask in the glory that only 40 years ago, Democrats were beating blacks who just wanted to vote. If Obama wins, we can pop the champagne, and when our taxes go up, we can just blame Bush again and pay the piper."

[Hat-tip: Shay of Booker Rising]