Prejudice in Central Pa.
When first reading Mr. Argento’s article about prejudice in central PA, I thought he was poking fun at the irony of Mr. Rendell’s analysis in light of the fact that white conservative central PA’s most recent candidate for governor was a black man. By the time I finished the article, I wasn’t so sure. So who exactly is it that did vote for Mr. Swan for governor? Was it the non-white central PA conservatives, or just the cool, hip big city conservatives that miss the redneck label due to pure demographics? How do you have your party’s candidate be a black man and still have the left ranting that somehow your racist?
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By the way, Mr. Argento and Mr. Rendell, whom do you presume white central PA’s hayseed rednecked bigoted democrats are going to vote for? Mr. Argento and Mr. Rendell just don’t get it. Conservatives don’t look at the world like they do. We can’t even begin to comprehend their world. We don’t look at candidates as black men, or white women. In fact, we don’
t look at them at all. We listen to them. Mr. Obama and Ms. Clinton will not get central PA’s conservative white vote for one simple reason. They are not politically conservative. So why is it we are discussing sex/race in regards to this election year at all? Is it because Mr. Obama is not black enough (as determined by some pro-Hillary leftists), or because Ms. Clinton rode in on her husband’s coat tails (thank you Mr. Chris Matthews pro-Obama non-hick white non-conservative)? The hypocrisy is breathtaking in the realization that for the democratic party, race/sex has suddenly become the ultimate of litmus tests. If you put forward a black man/white woman as your candidate, you are shouting out to the world that you can’t possibly be racist and/or sexist. Yet, the very core of your appeal is to a vast number of blacks and women and everyone in between who has been convinced that they can not possibly survive or flourish or succeed without your divine intervention.
Speaking of hope and change, how hopeless and status quo (racist/sexist) is that? Lastly, the left should be very careful what they wish for. If this country does indeed elect a first ever black man/white woman to the White House, then the label of racist/sexist America won’t fit any more. And where oh where would the democratic party be then? Finally, the real prejudice lies in Mr. Argento’s arrogant presumption that he knows the heart and soul of American conservatism. He would better serve his readers with honest debate rather than succumbing to intellectual laziness whose only expression is name calling.
Karen Torpey
York
How dare you infer that non-conservatives cannot see past race and gender! You are guilty of the same assumptions in which you are complaining about. Mike Argento probably just saw more trucks with rebel flags parked at houses with Bush election signs in the fall of 04'.
I grew up in Hanover with no blacks, and I've had overwhelmingly negative experiences with their behavior and culture while in college and to this day. There is no way I'll vote for a blustery but no-beef jiver like Obama. Race still matters to me, because it's a predictor of a person's behavior.
I guess what they say about hanover is true. Even the educated folks are bigots
Oh my,Racism lives more than ever in York. I live it each and every day through my friends and my children. I am treated different than those around me of color and I am really sick of people with narrow minds..."I have only had bad expereriences with minorities". What did you do or not do, to be treated badly? Open your mind dude, one day the races will be ultimately intertwined. White will be a thing of the past!
You are right Ms. Torpey, conservatives don't look at the world as liberals do. Thank God for that, I could not imagine a world of only conservatives, what a small narrow minded world that would be. With white men in control, not the world I am looking for, and I am white.
As for race being an predictor of a person's behavior, that is absolutely ludricrous. I grew up in Baltimore, and guess what Mr. Spangler? Many of the whites were not well behaved. But that is ok because they are white? How about people decide on their behaviors, it has nothing to do with color.