Thank you, Patricia Williams! Enough is enough. When it comes to doing a good job as President, do race and sex really matter? Sadly, no one is looking toward Ralph Nader, who is the only one who seems to be serious when it comes to helping American democracy. Clinton and Obama are far better than McCain for those who are sick of war, but all three pale in comparison with what Nader could do if given the chance. That is just it. Popular media have only made matters worse by taking advantage of any controversy they can get their hands on concerning the two Democrats. Most individuals only talk about their personalities and opinions because the real issues are sidelined for entertainment. Isn't is time we look to the only one who does not care if his image is good or bad? The only one not superficially smiling? Isn't it time that the whole house of cards is picked back up and given to Nader?

Elias Green

Omaha, NE

How can we polarize a white war veteran who never protested anything? We need to engage in fear-mongering against the fear-mongers, I guess, instead of talking about Obama's first real job as a community organizer. Now Ferraro's innocent comment may come into play in comparison with Pastor Wright's excesses. There is much resistance to progress, manifested by this bickering, a self-destructive tendency to implore an over-arching authoritarianism that clamps down on nuance and insight. I hope that Obama will distinguish his perspective from his pastor's, but that may not be enough. Swift boats are a-coming.

Jim Willingham

St. Petersburg, FL

HAHAHEEHEE!

The Libs are confounded. They thought they would have to wait til the general election until they could commence their usual ame-calling, in lieu of substantive arguments (e.g.: Those darn Republicans, they are all closeted KKK members). Not only is Nader helping out, the Dems are committing hara-kiri. I thought their party was inclusive, progressive and all those good things, not like the other guys. Not like the neanderthal Republicans. Please continue to self-destruct. Go Hillary! Destroy the party!

Change? No! Keep on doing what you're doing. If the Liberals were half-way honest they would acknowledge that what Ferraro said was not racist, but alot closer to the truth than they dare to admit.

Imagine! (with apologies to John Lennon): A Senator into his third year in his first term declaring he's running for POTUS.

Imagine! (again): He's white! With the same credentials as the previously aforementioned hypothetical candidate. Does he/she/whatever have a chance in hell beating Hillary?

Of course not! But then again, critical thinking has never been a Lib strong point.

Robert C. Peterson Jr.

Bronx, NY

Patricia Williams misses the point by a mile, because this race has nothing to do with color. Intead, this race is all about power. And while that statement, on its face, appears simplistic, this race really is all about power.

Right now in America we are running from the truth. We have abused the largesse our forefathers and mothers gave us. America no longer produces much of anything, but we do consume--and too much. We have sold our military secrets to friends and enemies, and lost many allies as of late. We fire thousands, and give corporate leaders multimillion-dollar bonuses for driving companies into the ground. We abuse Mother Earth, and then wonder why we have no water and so many fires. The middle class is shrinking before our eyes and yet we still run because it is easier than facing the truth.

Sound bites, slogans and easy answers spewed out frenetically appeal to the masses hoping that the horrific problems facing this country, and the world as a whole, might be as easily solved. The real problem is that people with the power never seem to do the right thing, and right now there is a major power struggle going on that has less to do with race and gender than with right and wrong.

I think that those currently able to direct this country's path strutured this most important election such that the end result will be that the people with the power will retain the power, and the people who so desperately need some power will, as always, remain powerless. Sure, they pitted a preacher with no experience and some severe ethical lapses against a middle-aged white woman with much experience and a history of fighting for middle-class America and said "go for it." The only person who is going to win here is the powerful, and when this happens we will all lose.

I challenge us all to fight the power, and elect the best candidate instead of blacks voting for blacks and women voting for women. If we were to strip each candidate of gender and color, instead relying only on experience, qualifications, and references (like a regular employer would), Hillary Clinton would have to be the choice. This would be exactly as Martin Luther King spoke of when he dreamed his dream that one day color would not matter. Perhaps, in 2008, gender will not either.

Jennifer Beegle

Houston, TX

In this demoralizing time of "my-'oppression' is bigger than yours!" and related goofiness it would appear that Williams is one of the few people who is basically intelligent and grounded in her views.

As much as I enjoyed her writing, I also must pity her if she has the common sense to conceive and hold the ideas contained therein. Our political system rewards the intelligent and reasonable with agonizing stupidity and silliness in ever-greater volumes. I hope she makes it through this particularly vacuous election without going insane.

Seymour Friendly

Seattle, WA