There’s a rather odd notion in some circles that black people voting for Barack Obama on the grounds that he is black is itself somewhat racist. Here’s Iain Dale for instance:
I could hardly believe my ears this morning, listening to my old mucker Yasmin Alibhai-Brown on 5 Live, talking about the US election. Shelagh Fogarty quoted a poll saying that 97% of black voters in America are supporting Obama. She asked Yasmin if she thought it was OK for black people to vote for him purely because he is black. Yasmin said yes, she thought it was absolutely fine.
I wonder what she would have said to white voters voting for McCain purely on the basis that he is white. Sadly that question wasn’t asked.
I wonder what she would have said to white voters voting for McCain purely on the basis that he is white. Sadly that question wasn’t asked.
This, alas, strikes me a somewhat simple-minded nitwittery. Nitwittery that also ignores history.
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