Echoing AP Poll, Anti-Racism Activist Says Obama ‘Faces Huge Barrier’ with Many Whites

By: Michael H. Cottman and Jackie Jones

A leading anti-racism activist says Sen. Barack Obama could lose the presidential election in November because many whites will never vote to put a black man in the White House -- even if they tell pollsters and friends they are color blind.

“Senator Obama faces a huge racial barrier,” Dr. Joe Feagin, a sociology professor at Texas A&M University and author of more than 20 books on race and racism issues, told BlackAmericaWeb.com Monday.

“Whites have learned to hide their feelings about African-Americans,” he said. “Race for whites is a highly emotional concept in our minds. There is so much hidden racism in this country.”

Feagin, who is white, said his research indicates that many whites are not truthful in polls about how they feel about blacks. They still maintain racist, age-old stereotypes about blacks and “in the privacy of the voting booth” probably won’t support Obama.

The notion that many whites say they are “color blind” -- whether Democrat or Republican -- is a farce, he said.

“Whites don’t want to look racist when asked about Obama [in polls] but if they vote for Obama, they would have to lie to their friends and say they voted for McCain,” said Feagin, an Obama supporter.

Echoing AP Poll, Anti-Racism Activist Says Obama ‘Faces Huge Barrier’ with Many Whites....