Is Obama facing racism?

News this week is that the first black US President has been facing tough resistance on his proposed health care system reforms. If you recall well, these health care policies were controversial from day one of the campaign.

However, former US President Carter yesterday put the resistence straight on the shoulders of plain cold racism. Most white Americans, it seems, are trying to find a way, anything, to discredit this new black President. We must all admit, being the first black president in a country that has been characterised by race divisions for centuries was never going to be a walk in the park. There are still some remnants of white supremacy, and indeed on the balancing scale some black supremacists. The scale may not even out in the next 5o years.

But we must be careful with these race matters. Most of the time, race is played to overshadow incompetencies, sometimes giving undue advatages to undeserving office bearers. I am an advocate of President Obama because I believe in his intelligence, not his colour. I would like to see President Obama judged not by the colour of his skin, but by the matter in his head.

I have no doubt that President Obama is good for Africa, Europe and the Middle-East. He is a moderate, unlike the texan born, cowboy gun totting Bush who invaded half the world. Issues of his race are a reality, but his colour alone MUST NOT be used to discredit his policies. Policies must be attacked for what they are, and not by whom they are made.