FreedomWorks Foundation Content

Race Relations in America – Black and White Tour

Thursday kicked off the first official stop on the FreedomWorks’ Black & White Tour. The goal of this tour is to promote open and frank discussions concerning race relations and economic polices in the United States. FreedomWorks CEO and President Matt Kibbe, along with FreedomWorks Outreach Director Deneen Borelli addressed those in attendance.  The event was held in downtown Pittsburgh at the Doubletree Hotel.  Some attendees said they were part of the Tea Party, and others stated they were just curious, but all were concerned about racial relations and the corresponding economic and social policies in the United States.

Rewind to 2008, when we all remember then candidate Obama continously implying to American voters that by electing him, the “racial stalemate” will improve.

“I have a firm conviction-a conviction rooted in my faith in God and my faith in the American people-that working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice but to continue on a path of a more perfect union.”  

Many Americans believed that by simply electing a black President, that the racial tensions and wounds of the past would miraculously be healed. That simply has not been the case over the past four years.  In fact, President Obama has repeatedly used race, class and income disparity to divide the American people.  

Unfortunately, these people did not take their research a step further into Barack Obama’s past before letting their emotions overrule common sense.

Fast forward to 2012 and the lofty words of then candidate Obama ring hollow compared to the actions of now President Obama.  Throughout his presidency, Obama has done the exact opposite of healing and mending fences as he promised on the campaign trail.  He, along with the help of the mainstream media, bring up racial differences every chance they can in a divisive and destructive way.  Our country is just as divided as it was four years ago, possibly even more so due to the cynicism as a result of his false promises.  The race card is now used more than ever as a tool to silence criticism.   Nothing can marginalize or discredit a person quicker than calling them a racist.  As a tea partier, I know this firsthand. 

Race relations will not improve, until race is no longer mentioned and we see each other simply as Americans.  Obama is smart enough to know this, but he chooses to act otherwise. Any criticism of the President for his policies is immediately reported by the media as racism. 

The Black and White Tour addresses these very issues in a no holds barred productive way. On Thursday evening, both Matt and Deneen had an uncensored discussion about race, the economy and the direction Obama has taken the United States over the last 31/2 years.

Economically, our county is in worse shape now than it was 4 years ago, and the plight of minorities in this county has not improved either. Deneen personalized her story as to why she, as a black woman, is a tea partier.  She articulated how the economic policies of the left have hurt the black community the most. Matt put into concrete terms how Obama’s economic policies will take us as a nation over the financial cliff.  Matt also talked about the tactics of the left, and how they will use race as a weapon if you disagree with them.  One lady in the audience drove across Pennsylvania to hear them talk.  She felt passionately about how difficult it is to be a black woman and to not like the President.  As she shared her story it was easy to empathize with what she is going through. 

The bottom line is that the liberal media will try to weave a narrative of racism as a convenient excuse for any opposition to President Obama’s reelection. We will not let this tactic dissuade us from criticizing President Obama on his policies, his political ideology, and his poor job as President of the United States.