Dopey White Folks Get By

Conversation topics like sex, politics and religion are usually frowned upon at social gatherings. But, you all know me - I got to bring the pain everywhere I go.

So, last week I went to my high school reunion, and got into a conversation with a white schoolmate who now lives in Texas. She started talking about how in the Lone Star state everyone just LOVES Sarah Palin. I was not surprised, since this was the same state that gave the world George W. Bush!

I posed the following question to my friend: did she think Texans would still love her if she was a ditsy black woman.

"Not a chance," she said. "Maybe when hell freezes over."

My point exactly - how does a woman as dumb as the Alaskan governor get by in life?

Here's my opinion: Sarah Palin has gotten by because she is attractive, witty, charismatic and, most importantly, white. Beautiful people have always gotten the better hand in life, but being white gives one an additional shield of protection from scrutiny. We are mentally programmed in this society to always trust the white people, no matter what.

I continued to say to my friend that there is no way on this planet a black, Latino, Asian version of Sarah Palin would even be allowed to have a career in politics, let alone become governor and a vice presidential nominee. That woman of color would just be laughed out of town - and rightfully so.

Following the election, all the political pundits wondered aloud why Palin didn't have the "judgment" to know that she was too incompetent to take on the second most important job in the world. (And notice how many times incompetent was used to describe Palin. If she were a different color, she would have been called straight up stupid.)

Of course she has no "judgment;" she's a beauty queen! I bet this woman has been surrounded by people all her life, so overwhelmed by her prettiness and wittiness that common sense went out the window while encouraging her political aspirations.

I can imagine what some sectors of the Alaskan Republican party think of her:

Sarah, you should run for mayor/governor/vice president, even though you wink like a vapid moron and possibly don't know that Africa is a continent. But who cares, you're great! You shoot moving objects from planes and hate gays. That's good enough for us.

Even when more of Palin's "knowledge gaps" were discovered after the election, some people still wanted to defend her, including Fox blowhard Bill O'Reilly, who actually said that she could be "tutored on issues" like Africa. Excuse me, Mr. O'Reilly, but if a 44-year-old grown ass woman who has aspirations to run for national political office doesn't have the intellectual curiosity to learn about countries around the world, then why bother getting tutored at this point in her life?

Then my white friend said that current cowboy-in-chief, W., isn't attractive and not particularly witty.

"No, but he is white," I said. "Again, it was same rationale people used for him. Everyone wanted a president they could have a beer back in 2000."

I think someone said once, maybe Chris Rock, that the only way a black man who had a grade C average in college would get into the White House is if he was the janitor. When you think about that, it's true. Some people might say many things about the president-elect, including his lack of experience. But nobody can say that Obama lacks intelligence.

Maybe Obama's election is a sign that Americans really want smart people for once running the show, no matter what their race is.

Recently in a ABC World News interview, Bush said the following:

"I'm sure some people voted for Barack Obama because of me."

No sh*t, Sherlock. At least you are smart enough to know that.