Is opposition to Obama racist?

Former President (1977-1981) Jimmy Carter is the most senior Democrat to comment publicly that the venomous nature of the opposition to Barack Obama’s healthcare reforms can only be explained by racist undertones.

Racism continues to be the most divisive social problem in the United States, an issue that is never far beneath the surface when African Americans are the subject of political discourse. This is partly explained by the legacy of slavery and segregation - both of which were outlawed much later in the USA than other comparable democracies. You may recall, for instance, Muhammed Ali’s visit to the UK recently when the TV news channels broadcasted mini biographies of the boxer’s life, including Ali discussing how he was refised service at a lunch counter despite having won his country the gold medal in heavyweight boxing at the previous Olympics. This was, of course, as recently as the 1960s.

The BBC’s North America, Mark Mardell, provides a brief background on this latest controversy:

“This debate - which is so difficult to have in America - is beginning to surface. Carter said he thinks an overwhelming proportion of what he calls “the intensely demonstrated animosity” towards President Obama is based on the fact he’s a black man.
Regarding Joe Wilson, over the weekend we saw people pointing out that he was once a junior aide to a segregationalist politician - and that he was one of the few politicians to vote for the Confederate flag to fly over the state congress in his home state.

Mr Wilson hasn’t answered these allegations.

But conservatives are furious. They think their opponents are playing the race card. They regard it as a cheap shot, because in some ways racism is the worst insult that you can hurl at someone in America.”

So opposition may or not be informed by racism, but the point is that race continues to be an issue and it would be wrong to think that because America has elected a black leader, the issue of racism would somehow disappear.