Why has race been so important in American politics?

Question

is it inherently a political problem? How have racial issues and politics changed in America?

Answer 1

Race is significant because each candidate wanted to protect a race but swings to other ethnic groups to get as many votes in order to win.

Answer 2

Though a portion of the nation was founded on slavery, and discrimination lasts much longer than the institution, race in politics has become the other extreme. Remember Bill Clinton? He referred to himself as the "first black president" due to his actions towards equal rights. Under this standard, should we not refer to F.D.R. or J.F.K. as the first, or mayhap Lincoln? I live in Baltimore, where a white democrat referred to his black republican opponent as "not black enough" to represent Maryland blacks. To this, he responded by saying that he didn't represent black Marylanders, but all Marylanders. A nice retort, but why did he even need to? Because, despite the rantings that the majority of Americans are white, that is changing. In fact there are more Hispanics than blacks now, and at the current rate of increase, they will be the majority by the end of the decade. It is this change in dynamics that is leading to more racial unease on all sides. Politicians of all races play the race card to stay in office, simple as that. With any increase in demographics, politicians try to attach themselves to it. And if they cannot attach themselves to it, they will do what they can to make sure their opponent can not either.

Answer 3

America is a diverse country, and the dominant race which is the White race, fear the rest to take over.

Answer 4

It's the kind of subject that no one wants to deal with. The only thing more despicable than the person guilty of bigotry, is the person welding bigotry like a sword. It has become the bully's tool.

Answer 5

It was a nation founded on slavery.