Tolerance 101 (Part 2)

(Edited slightly (esp. because I can barely spell):

It's election time, and naturally, there's been a lot of talk about Obama vs. McCain; who's the better candidate? Who'll "save" America from full-fledged economic depression? Who has more experience? Who has a better running mate? This election raises many, many questions and, in essence, will reflect more than ever who we as Americans really are.

When I hear people - my co-workers, relatives, friends, etc. - question the credibility or intelligence of Barack Obama because he is part African-American, it absolutely infuriates me. "Is our country REALLY ready for a black president?" some ask, while others say things like, "the White House was not made for a black president!" These comments are not only ignorant, but sadly illustrate how some, even in our modernized and progressive nation, are completely backwards and seem to mentally exist in another era.

I am not here to delcare Sen. Obama a more qualified candidate than Sen. McCain, or vice versa; However, as a human being, I am here to defend the quality and character of AN INDIVIDUAL, regardless of his/her race or status in society. In a country where liberty and tolerance are "supposedly" thriving, it's downright embarrassing that some individuals actually question and/or comment on the manner I've described above. This is 21st Century America, not 1930s Germany or 18th Century England.
In all fairness, I am guilty of stereotyping as much as anyone else. As brutal as they are, we're all somehow trained to think that all blacks are lazy, all Jews are cheap, Italians are mobsters, Germans are Nazis, and Lebanese are terrorists. The list goes on; even white Caucasian Americans are stereotyped as "nerdy" by some. When I think about the narrow-mindedness and dangers of stereotyping I'm reminded of a simple phrase from Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech –

"One day, I hope my children will live in a nation where they will be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

This might be the most crucial piece of the address - a part which I could not agree with more! Some people surely fit their own stereotypes, but in this world where such prejudice runs rampant, we constantly see GOOD and GENUINE people who clearly defy their personal stereotypes. Could Gepetto from Pinnochio really pick up a machine gun and blow someone's head off? :)
On a serious note, take a look at the current state of things - one of the richest men in the world, whose net worth was recently valued at $58 billion, is Carlos Slim Helu, a "lazy" Mexican. Some of the NICEST people I've met in my life live right here in New York City, this "hotbed" of nasty, snippy people (and conversely, some of the most worldly, cultured people I've met are from my home state of Ohio, a "Midwest nowhere" according to some). Many Germans are embarrassed by the works of their former leaders; Italians aren't all vigilante thugs, and even some white people are cool :)

So, a Sen. Obama of African-American background may very well be our next president. Why should his race and physical appearance deter us ONE bit? If you simply don't like Obama for his tax policy or any other viewpoints, that's one thing. But declaring publically (or even secretly to yourself) that you will not vote for him simply because you don't trust a black man in office is simply an admittance of your own ignorance. Admitting that a person's status/natural-born race actually overshadows any admirable qualities they may have is simply an admittance that stereotypes continue to cloud your judgment and carry more weight than that which really matters.

Most of us are smart, intelligent, and rational human beings. We know instinctively what's right and wrong; and we have some concept of what benevolence is and fairness is. Is it benevolent or fair to knowingly judge another individual based on misguided criteria that includes the race in which that person was BORN into? You can condemn, chastise, or even discriminate against a person who has caused you harm or demonstrated dislikable qualities. But dismissing, not voting for, or not giving a chance to a person based on their genetic makeup without giving them a chance at proving themselves is just downright wrong.