Obama’s race-hate row is sheer hypocrisy

If the only American citizens qualified to run for the presidency had to swear on oath that they had never consorted with a white friend or relation who said hateful things about blacks, or a black friend or relation who said hateful things about whites, then all the current contenders would have to withdraw from the race.

So far, however, only Obama has been faced with this test. This is grossly unfair. He is undoubtedly guilty of having consorted with a black pastor friend who curses white America, but can Senators Clinton and McCain honestly deny having listened, over and over again, to whites insulting blacks? Of course they can't. Such racial jibes - now mostly 'enjoyed' behind closed doors - are as much part of the American heritage as apple pie.

Therein lies the dilemma. The America most white Americans have loved is white America; a country that black Americans have no more reason to love, or be loyal to, than German Jews had to Nazi Germany.

In today's America that is no longer quite the case. But in the nature of things, bitter resentments still remain, resentments which are more than justified and which white Americans should take on the chin with good grace.

If Hillary Clinton goes on to win the nomination because of Obama's refusal to denounce his old friend, it will be a shameful, scandalous business, doing serious damage to race relations and to America's image in the world.

It is her loyalty to America, her patriotism, which is about to be put to the test. Lacking the needed delegates, she has a fine excuse to withdraw; in my view a duty to do so. Pray God she does it. ·