Obama speaks

In the written version of his speach, Obama seems to defend black rage by suggesting that all Americans are enraged, blacks no more than whites, the enemy being corporations and Washington insiders. He argues that blacks are justified in believing themselves victims because of America's racial history.

Blacks were enslaved 150 years ago and they are still enslaved, he seems to say. A race does not get over slavery, he seems to argue.

Blacks were discriminated against 50 years ago, and they are still discriminated against, he argues, because of their black skin. A race does not recover from discrimination, he seems to argue.

Obama does not speak much about black obligation. He does not mention that blacks ought to get married before they have children, the same as whites should. He does not mention that if blacks are to be treated the same as non-blacks that they should behave as non-blacks do, and speak as non-blacks do.

Obama speaks of black churches. Why? Shouldn't churches be colorblind? Why should black churches be different from white churches? Why do blacks choose to attend black churches? Obama doesn't say. Perhaps the question hasn't occurred to him.

Obama paints a bleak picture of America. Nobody has health care, nobody has a job because the jobs have been shipped overseas, Obama seems to suggest. But the unemployment rate is under 5 percent. How does Obama reconcile this? He doesn't. Everybody gets health care, though some get theirs at emergency rooms. Isn't this a good thing? Obama doesn't say.

If Obama (who is only half black) is representative of blacks then race relations have a long way to go.