I am getting more and more puzzled by the use of race in this election and more and more disheartened by what that shows about America.

I feel like a lone voice in America protesting the use of race as a polarizing and defining characteristic.

While Biden can say how much of a transformative thing it will be to elect a black man, Ferraro is blasted for noting that Obama's race was an obvious factor in his candidacy.

In fact several high profile mentions of race have been made late, both here and internationally, all pointing fingers to how good it will be to elect a black man, and more importantly, how bad it will be if we don't.

The fact is that if Obama is not elected president, the only aspect of his candidacy that will matter will be that of race.

We may not have the race riots and such that people like Al Sharpton have warned of, but we will certainly have a national debate about race, and about how we are still stuck in the days of Jim Crow because those racist white folk will not break their racial fears and hatred long enough to elect a black man.

We will be subject to (highly paid) expert after expert trotted out in a line all with woeful dour faces bemoaning our loss of progress in equality.

We will have white shills to run apologies for the rest of the poor unenlightened racists.

And little will be said about the fact that maybe some people believe that McCain might be a better choice for president.

It doesn't matter that Obama's policies are nothing special despite his claims to be the candidate of change and hope. It certainly won't matter that he himself noted in 2004 that he would not run in 2008 because he would not be ready. Nor will it matter that his years of legislative service have left little signs of innovation or leadership. In fact little of anything.

Race.

His associations with former terrorists will obviously not be an issue, nor will his advisers having anti semitic views.

No, it will be his race.

The stage has been clearly set already such that no matter how decisive a win among any demographic of voters for McCain, the loss will still be seen as a setback to racial equality, and a slap in the face of Dr King's dream.

So what does that say about us? First, it does not say we are racists.

It actually says that we fear racism. We fear the accusations. We fear the implications and the insinuations.

Our history is clear about the horrific acts of racism in America, and the stigma of being called a racist is one of the most dire, at least to the whites in America. Blacks are insulated by the modern mindset that says that they cannot be racists, because only whites are. Google institutional racism, cultural racism or white privilege to see.

Or read this.

Racial guilt is for sale in every corner of America.

What this really shows is that we have not come as far as we want to think we have. Oh not in the attitudes of white people. I think the claims that whites harbor inborn institutional racism are bogus. I think the real problem is that many minorities are harboring a sense of racial paranoia.

I am not even claiming I blame them necessarily, I think the fact that so many bad things have been done that a certain amount of distrust may be warranted.

My problem is that too many minorities are far to eager to assume racism any time a white person is on the other side of the debate. The vast majority of whites in America are not racist, and wish only to live in equality. They also at some level would like people to stop poking trembling fingers of outrage in their faces anytime an situation they are involved in involves a person of color.

What I also really have a problem with is the race baiter's who manipulate, use and flat out depend on that distrust for their livelihood, for their success and for their rise to power. And let me assure, you there is a huge industry that depends on race as its motivator.

Obama preaches a good fair message, but his campaign and almost all of his ardent supporters in some sense display this manipulation. They are all depending on race bringing in the black vote and on racial paranoia keeping people from voting against him.

Lost amid this is any sense of whether Obama is good for the country. In reality he offers nothing new, so the race between him and Palin McCain is in most ways the race race we have run for the last 30 years. The liberal v Conservative showdown, where Abortion is more important than national security as far as some people are concerned.

Without his race to galvanize his base, he would be just another junior senator.

So what does this show? It shows that racism is no longer a cultural condition.

it is a product, an industry, a tool and a tactic.

And that's the real problem.

That's just how I see it, Straight Up,