The ongoing US Presidential election primaries do witness discussion on race issue , even though many a time in a subtle manner! The reason is that both democratic hopefuls- Barak Obama (an African American) and Hillary Clinton ( a female Presidential aspirant) have carefully avoided this issue hotting up due to political compulsions. But, yes, the concept of race in USA is definitely an issue.
I recently read a reader’s views in The Time magazine and tend to agree what he has said. His letter says:
“Caught Between Color Lines I enjoyed John Cloud’s “breaking down the Black Vote” [Jan. 28]. I am from Tanzania, and like many foreigners who come to the U.S., I found—to my surprise—that I belong to a pool of supposedly disadvantaged minorities. I struggle with the skewed concept of race in America. For some reason, having black blood is almost seen as some kind of contamination. How would this racial-political dialogue play out if, say, Barack Obama were one-fourth or one-eighth black? I am reminded of the Christian teachings on original sin. However good, intelligent or capable a person you might be, there is something that still taints your righteousness. Whether we like it or not, Obama’s black half will ultimately lead to the demise of his presidential aspirations. “

Yohanne Kidolezi, BOSTON