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African-Americans Fears
by Marin Dees, Jr., Warwick Democratic Committee District Leader

Regarding the remarks I contributed to the article in the Sunday News, January 13, 2008, “Obama: African – Americans here fear issue of race …” The first of the three comments was the one that I had hoped would be emphasized. I felt then, and I feel now that the pollsters and pundits were wrong on the projections, and analyses of the results of the votes in New Hampshire. My review of the polling data published for a full year prior to the election leads me to conclude that the conclusions the commentators espoused were faulty and not borne out by facts. (It seems that Dr. Terry Madonna, the local pollster, made a similar finding as I).

However, the overriding reason for this letter is in regard to the comment that read “Dees said Obama needs to be someone who can relate to all of us.”  What was printed in the January 13th article does not reflect how I see the facts. My view is that Senator Obama does relate. The following statement represents my intent: “Obama, indeed, is and would be someone who can relate to all of us - not just one group of Americans”.

The facts of his birth, broadly speaking, make him a brother or cousin to all Americans. That is who he is. However, since New Hampshire, it seems a metamorphosis has occurred; commentators and others, have changed the discussion from him being an unique American vying for the presidency to a discussion about race. The facts of his birth have been disregarded. These little “slights” from the truth have divided us in the past, and continue to divide us as Americans. 

I, like many others, deeply admire Senator Obama, and see him is a role-model, not only for Blacks, but for all. Further, I have no doubt that he is superbly qualified not only to run, but to be president of the United States of America.

It is apparent that not everyone understood the import of what I meant when I said “people in the black community do look at candidates and ask ‘does this candidate have a chance to win? … [and] they’re not in the business of just throwing their votes away.”  I think Black voters, like others, have the individual ability to independently analyze the plusses and minuses of each candidate’s platform, his or her strengths and weaknesses, and his or her ability to relate. And I believe other Black voters would agree with me.  However, as I said in the January 13th article, we are not a monolithic group of people.

Finally, I think that Blacks, like others, hope and believe that the candidates they vote for have a chance to win, albeit, the chances may be infinitesimally small.