On Marc Maron?

Everyone is up in arms because President Obama used the "N" word on Marc Maron's podcast today.

We as a society are so far off base in what we define as racial tolerance and understanding that it makes us look like kindergarten children.

President Obama said: "Racism, we are not cured of it. And it's not just a matter of it not being polite to say "N" in public (he used the full word). That's not the measure of whether racism still exists or not. It's not just a matter of overt discrimination. Societies don't, overnight, completely erase everything that happened 200 to 300 years prior."

I hesitated to print the full word because I don't know the policies of this blog-site, and because I am a white man who is extremely uncomfortable with the word.

The President makes a valid point.

People think they have evolved because they don't use that word (in public), but how many of them use it in their minds and in private and in jokes?

How many harbor racist hatred in their hearts no matter what words they do or don't say?

The truthful answer is one hell of a lot.

We focus on President Obama's use of the word (I'm sure Fox and every weak willed and pudding minded republican will be all over it) and we ignore the truth about what he is trying to say and to deal with.

Which is the truth that racism is alive and well in this country, that it is being more overtly expressed than ever before, and that a massacre like the one at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S. Carolina can come as no surprise to anyone who has even half a brain.

We should be thankful that it hasn't happened more often, although we should be fearful that other hate filled fools will decide that this cold-hearted and vicious killer has set a marvelous example.

This country is disingenuous in so many ways, pretending to be things that it is not, pretending that we are still as great as we once were, pretending that our politicians actually represent the working class and care about their constituents.

The worst lie that we put forth is that racial prejudice and hatred has gone away.

This is the kind of thing that when ignored or covered up results in innocent deaths.

I applaud President Obama for having the guts to address racism in a bold and truthful way.