That was the other thing I wanted to mention, I just got caught up with your quibbling about the difference between racism and prejudice because I find it truly disturbing.

Racist, or prejudiced, LowTax? What if I say something like, “Blacks are lazy?” Is it only racist if I replace “black” with racial slur? In order to cross the line, do I have to burn one? A cross, I mean. Help me out, because I didn’t realize that it was okay for me as a white Southern male to still hold prejudices against blacks as long as I wasn’t all intolerant about it.

As a black Republican,
[ . . .]
I do not tolerate [racism and bigotry] from anyone, Republican or Democrat

I’m having the hardest . . . ah, nevermind.

Finally, I do not need a study to tell me about racism and prejudice. People are not inherently hateful and evil. People are cautious and careful about the unkown.

And, based on your comments, I doubt that you bothered to even read the linked posts.

The definition of prejudice is an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason. I think that almost everyone is prejudice, because we as human beings tend to form an opinion about someone or something before we have actually met them or learn anything about a subject or thing.

While I may be new around here, I am not new to the world itself. I have seen and witnessed on many occasions the way Democrats, especially blacks, turn a blind eye or deaf ear towards Democrats who say some the most offensive things ever; but had that been a Republican, they would have been screaming from the top of their lungs for that person’s removal.

When I spoke about policy, I was not speaking just in terms of the Treasurer’s Office. Thanks for letting me know that the Treasurer doesn’t make policy, because I can now focus my future anger in the right direction when the time comes.

Look – I know you’re new here so you might want to look around a bit.

There’s a study on the web somewhere (I think on the Harvard website) about racism. Basically, it shows that everyone has latent racism in them. That’s what I’m getting at.

What O’Leary did was allow that latent racism to come to fore. Does that make him a racist or a bigot? Only in the very broad sense of the terms. If he truly were a racist or a bigot, I doubt he would have all those minorities in his office.

Oh – and the treasurer’s office doesn’t make policy

anonymous hit the nail on the head on racism:

It’s a pervasive part of American culture, and it’s not going to just go away if we stop talking about it.

And that’s why I blog about it. It is pervasive in our culture, and rears its ugly head constantly.

We’ve integrated our schools, our workplaces, and our neighborhoods. What haven’t we integrated?

Our hearts.

Frank is one of this nation’s most able County Treasurers, possibly the best in the nation. Arlingtonians were proud of him. Can you imagine that? Who even knows who their County Tresurer is? Most people don’t even know who the Secretary of the Tresury is, but Arlingtoninans literally love(d) Frank O.

There’s no obvious way forward, but there could be a pathway for courage here…

I believe times of trial are the compass needles towards great opportunity. This is the first time in memory that race has become an issue in Arlington. Courageous Arlington Democrats should see this as an opportunity to engage communities of diversity.

This moment blows the windows open on a hidden, silent, present tension. There is a way forward that includes courage, opportunity, and most of all respect.

To say that O’Leary didn’t have to go there is an understatement – he could have gone on vacation the week before the primary and he still would have carried it by a 2:1 margin over James.

The question that I’ve got, now, is what should O’Leary do? I really don’t know.