They have to make it about race

Retired Gen. Colin Powell, who became the country's first black secretary of state under President George W. Bush, said he will not necessarily vote for the Republican in this year's presidential race.

Of course, the title of the article is thus: "Black Conservatives Conflicted on Obama."

I think this has little to do with Obama being black.

"I will vote for the individual I think that brings the best set of tools to the problems of 21st-century America and the 21st-century world regardless of party, regardless of anything else other than the most qualified candidate," Powell said Thursday in Vancouver in comments reported by The Globe and Mail in Toronto.

The article continues about black Republicans having a hard time. I find it hard to believe they would vote solely on race. If they do, then I feel sorry for them. I feel sorry for individuals- of any party- who would base a decision to vote for someone on the color of their skin. For history's sake? Well to me, that takes us back a few steps, not forward. Electing a black President would be a first in history. It would remark that our nation has grown from a nation of slavery and division over superficial situations like skin color and risen to accept a man for his character over his appearance.

But haven't we taken that step when black men were given the right to vote? When we hung off their every word about dreams and equality and basic human decency? When they were elected to any public office?

If the reason behind voting for a candidate is due to the pigmentation of the man or woman's skin, history should not laude us, it should pity us. It should pity our lack of intellectual depth and our triviality. It would be the same if we were voting for a woman solely because of her gender. Or anything other than our belief in that person's character, ability to lead, sound policy initiatives, and experience.

But history will show us, either way.