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The latest AP-Yahoo poll, in conjunction with Stanford University indicates that if there were no racial prejudice among registered voters, Barack Obama would have 6% more support with Americans.

The U.S.’s most shameful legacy of racism behind the scenes has come to the forefront, reluctantly, in one of the most important Presidential Elections of our lifetime, and we would be lying to ourselves if we don’t think it’s an issue overall.

The AP-Yahoo News poll surveyed 2,227 adults. It was conducted August 27-September 5, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points

The results suggest that 40 percent of white Americans hold at least a partly negative view toward blacks, including more than a third of white Democrats and independents. A small percentage of voters — 2.5 percent of those surveyed — said they may turn away from Obama because of his race.

Of the 8 percent of Democrats who told CNN they plan to vote for Obama’s GOP rival, Sen. John McCain, half said race was a factor.

Experts point out that it’s hard to quantify racial prejudice because many people who hold prejudices are not going to admit to it

“The hardest thing in the world for pollsters to poll for, with the exception of sexual behavior, is racial attitudes and how it affects behavior,” said Walter Shapiro, Washington bureau chief for Salon.com. Shapiro said while people might say things differently off the record, racial issues cannot easily be quantified.

The pollsters for the AP/Yahoo survey used techniques that they thought would be more likely to lead to honest results — such as conducting the poll online and using subtle methods and formulas to calculate racial attitudes. - CNN

That study also suggests that the number of people who may turn away from Obama because of his race could be larger than what the margin of victory was in the 2004 election.

It is sad that in a country that claims equality on the surface, and preaches humanitarianism  and democracy around the world to others,is in fact hypocritical behind the scenes.  The realization that racism still exists in America is no big surprise, but to think that some would throw their vote away, the election, and possibly the future of our nation  because of it, shows how ridiculous some of the underlying fears are in this country.

I think what is most shocking to me about the latest poll is that such a large percentage of people will vote for, or against a candidate for no other reason other than race, and not what is the best interest of themselves and the country.

Somehow I think that some people in America think that a black (or anyone of color) President, it will upset some kind of invisible social-hierarchy.

This isn’t Lord of the Flies, where if one of “your” people are on top, then you all share in the spoils.  Who is best for the country and our agenda for the future is does not have a color on it.  If Barack Obama is elected, blacks in America will be no better off socially just because of it.  Racism, and racist attitudes in America come from the bottom up, not from the top down.

A black President won’t stop police from profiling drivers and arresting them for no reason.

A black President won’t stop small business and big business owners from denying a person of color a job because of deep seeded racism.

A black President won’t stop golf clubs, neighborhoods, and parents from being racist.  What color our President is will not change the way people of color are treated or mistreated in this country either up front or behind the scenes.

This election may prove once and for all whether or not we still need affirmative action in the U.S.

I am not suggesting that if you don’t vote for Obama that you are prejudice. Far from it.   But for anyone to throw away their vote for President for no other reason than  race is simply cutting of their nose to spite their face, and proves that affirmative action is still needed in this country.

In the world we live in there are common enemies against us all as Americans, and issues that affect us as a nation.   To complicate our success, and our future by mistreating each other and holding preconceived notions based on fear and misinformation will slow our journey as a whole tremendously as it already has thus far.

On 9/11, those planes that flew into the World Trade Center, and the Pentagon, they didn’t aim for the section of the buildings with the most white people in them, they came for all of us.  When one of our embassy’s is attacked, it is not just one race of us that is killed, it is all of us, and lastly our brave soldiers and veterans are not in Afghanistan and Iraq taking gunfire and grenade launchers based on race, it is based on being American.

Many of you may choose to stand alone, and separate yourselves, and even hold rallies based on your own deep seeded personal opinion and issues, and one cannot change the attitude hate and prejudice , but we stand together as a nation.  The way others treat us, and the respect that we do, or do not, have in the world community is a direct reflection of how we treat each other. How can we expect anything more from others if we can’t practice what we preach inside our own country ?

Idiots come in every color.  You can’t separate it by race, although many live their whole life justifying racism in their own mind based on what they see on T.V., hear from friends and family, or one particular instance or event.  The reality of racism in the U.S. is most of it is perception, ignorance and a deep seeded need to feel superior stemming from disappointment in ones own miserable existence.

In my experience, most racist attitudes center in a lower income, less educated portion of society, after all, it is easier to blame someone else for life’s screwballs and short comings.

We have problems bigger than our petty differences and deep seeded personal issues, and if we can’t get past those for what is best for our country as a whole, then we are destined to fail and destroy ourselves from the inside.

Throughout history, some of the greatest societies and civilizations in history have all  imploded from the inside out, leaving themselves vulnerable to attack, and they have all been destroyed.  If we are not smart enough to learn from the history of those that have come and gone before us, we too are destined to fail in our young existence.

Every American knows that in times of turmoil, and times of war, we have all fought together, side by side to overcome adversity, as we have every time.  In those times we are grateful to have a fellow American standing shoulder to shoulder, fighting the same battles, and protecting our backs,  no matter what color , race , or religion.

When it comes to what is in the best interest of this country, we are in this together.  We don’t fight or pay taxes according to the color of our skin.

We get angry at others in the world who hate us just because we are American, yet see no problem when we  mistreat each other based on the same kind of prejudices.

We are the biggest hypocrites and cry babies on the planet.  Even after our tumultuous history of violence and murder against each other, we still hold deep feeling inside against each other that affect our decisions.

When it comes down to it, There are 2 days that racism in non existent in this country.  The day you are born, and the day you die.  The rest is learned behavior.

No one is suggesting that you should all of a sudden change your attitude about blacks, Mexicans, Asians or what ever your issues are.  I could care less how you treat your neighbors and fellow Americans if that is the person that you are,  but as a country we stand together, because if we don’t, as country we will die together.

Take your vote seriously.  Vote for who you want based on who is best in your eyes for the job.  Using our most sacred of constitutional liberties to further some racial agenda, sets our country back 200 years.

A vote against a candidate only because he is black will do more than simply keep a black man out of the White House, it will prove that we still need affirmative action in this country because it will prove that many Americans simply cannot be trusted to be fair when race is an issue, and make decisions based on skill, merit, and content of character.

Then again, racists are not smart enough to realize that.

But then again, what do I know.  I’m just an average American Citizen.