Cain Was Not Playing A 'Race Card'

There is a difference between being post-racial and racially blind. Herman Cain’s resume is as long as my driveway. He is highly intelligent and energetic, a mathematician and Navy man who exudes positivism and confidence and has accomplished much. He will tell anyone who listens that he owes much of his success to the opportunities afforded him by the USA. This is a someone who has expressed no residual anger against the USA for the stains of the racist past, ones which Mr. Cain, as a Black man growing up in Jim Crow Georgia, surely experienced first hand. Instead he has chosen to base his message on America’s best todays rather than its worst yesterdays.

Now, he has been reluctantly pulled into a controversy over an offensive word that was reportedly etched on a rock outside of a hunting ranch leased by Governor Rick Perry. Apparently the word “Niggerhead” was what it read, until painted over after some time in the early 1980s by Perry. Still, Cain has been repeatedly asked, what does it say about his opponent for the nomination?

I heard him asked such questions by Sean Hannity, who is certainly no enemy of the Tea Party or Rick Perry. So, coming from a sympathetic interviewer (Hannity and Cain have been friends for over a decade) exactly how is Cain supposed to approach this question?

If he doesn’t address it, he comes across as dishonest or even a GOP shill, after all he is Black and that word, as Cain has said, carries with it universally charged disgust among Blacks no matter their politics, be they Al Sharpton or Larry Elder. He must have some feelings about it, even if in mere passing.

Yet, if he does answer it then Rush Limbaugh and his army of ‘dittoheads’ come down on him for exploiting his race and smearing Perry thus playing into the MSM narrative of a racist Republican party.

So again I ask, what is he supposed to do? Well, he is supposed to answer it honestly and forthrightly. In other words, exactly how Mr. Cain answered it. He said it was insensitive but that he does not think that makes Perry a racist.

There are those on the right who are tweeting that they are “ex-Cain supporters” now because he played the despised race card. Oh give me a break! He was asked a question and answered it. And I am sure it was a rather awkward subject for him as he is a candidate of ideas, not identity.

Well then I am here to willingly step in and take one of the ex-Cain supporter places and announce I am an ex-non-Cain supporter.

As I said before, being post-racial as Mr. Cain is does not mean being racially blind. Mr. Cain is to me, among many things, a man who also happens to be Black just as I also happen to be White. In his case, I think his positive attitude towards, indeed his enthusiastic love of his country given his race is that much more a reason to garner my support.

He is no stranger to prejudice. He had to take drinks from “colored only” water fountains so he brings an American experience to the White House that many cannot. He just chose not to let it get in his way of his success. I would never vote for or against a man based on his race. But if his views align with mine in many other areas, if he happens to strike me as my kind of guy while also bringing that Black experience and credibility of a man who truly overcame much to get to where he is, more power to him. Put another X in the asset column.

What Tea Partiers need to understand, and indeed conservatives like myself who are so sensitive to being called racist every time I disagree with Obama, is that it is not up to Whites to decide what racial topics should or should not be off-limits for discussion but rather Mr. Cain.

One thing anyone really paying attention to Mr. Cain’s answers can tell you, he did not “lash out” at Governor Perry nor is he attempting to exploit this issue but rather put it to rest. He offered he doesn’t know all the facts because he has more important matters to attend to. He has said that he does not think Perry harbors racist feelings. But he also said the blatantly obvious: if the word was left there, then that is insensitive. Period. If the Tea Partiers take umbrage to that even, if, as one tweeted the abandon Cain because he is no different, that “it is all about race with those people” then I think some introspection is in order as to why one would view them as “those people” at all.

The Tea Partiers cannot offer themselves up as so non-racial that even a subject so clearly offensive to any Black man as a sign that reads “Niggerhead” on a governor’s ranch cannot at least be broached.

Herman Cain did not break this story. The media did. Once they did, and it was out there, Cain’s hands were tied. He had to answer. And so Mr. Cain did just that…with dignity and honesty. And then he did what we should all do. He moved on. Maybe Rush should too, before he does real damage to his party’s already shaky image, whether it is fair or not.

Now let’s talk about this 9, 9, 9 Plan shall we?