Reply #20: I agree with the substance of his remarks

[sunnybrook]

100%. Unfortunately it may not politically expedient for him to have said that, but then again, maybe I lack vision. We are so accustomed to leaders that play by political rules, instead of making strong statements that could provoke a backlash. But sometimes those statements could have a positive effect long term, while just looking stupid or naive in the short term. The reality is that people will jump all over the "we elected a black president and now we are post racial" but Obama had to handle race with kid gloves, it was said he could not be seen as "angry" or that he had to try to make people not think about his race (of course I am referring to white people.) The speech he gave on race was brilliant, but what I am saying is that we are not as far as many people who want to constantly sweep this under the rug would have us believe. I have to say I don't know how this is going to play out long term politically, but it is not untrue.