The presidential election is less than two months away, and there are plenty of issues about which the voters are unhappy and dissatisfied. More debt than any president in history? Yep. Class warfare and division. Sure thing. High unemployment and a stagnant economy? Definitely. But his racial background? Come on… give me a break!

There’s nothing more frustrating than when the media manufacture news. Rather than letting events unfold and then reporting those events to the viewers or readers, some so-called “journalists” create stories out of thin air. In these cases, the goal is not to inform or educate, but rather to influence. That’s exactly what’s going on in a recent “racial bias” news story by the Associated Press.

The headline for the story reads “Does racial bias fuel Obama foes? How to tell?” When I first saw this story, I didn’t even think I’d be able to get past the headline and keep reading. In an instant, I knew that this was a story designed to make the reader come to a certain conclusion: conservatives are racists. But, I kept going just to make sure.

So, now I’ve moved on from the headline. What’s the opening paragraph? It’s one sentence that reads, “Is it because he’s black?” Ugh! Can I stop reading now?

There’s so much I can write, and so far, I’ve only read the headline and opening “paragraph.” Of course it’s NOT because he’s black. I even get so frustrated that he is ONLY referred to as black. Geez… he’s as white as I am!! (I’m half white and half hispanic.) But, nonetheless, he’s only referred to as black, and that is not the reason people don’t like him.

Are there some racists in this country? Of course. What a dumb question, right? I feel I’m at liberty to ask a dumb question, since this AP “reporter” wrote an entire dumb news story. The point is that just because humans are humans and have all sorts of biases, it doesn’t mean those biases are the issue. And it CERTAINLY doesn’t mean that conservatives are racists as the reporter wants you to believe.

Here are the next two paragraphs:

The question of whether race fuels opposition to President Barack Obama has become one of the most divisive topics of the election. It is sowing anger and frustration among conservatives who are labeled racist simply for opposing Obama’s policies and liberals who see no other explanation for such deep dislike of the president.

It is an accusation almost impossible to prove, yet it remains inseparable from the African-American experience. The idea, which seemed to die in 2008 when Obama became the first black president, is now rearing its head from college campuses to cable TV as the Democratic incumbent faces Mitt Romney, the white Republican challenger.

Just look at that first sentence! Race has become one of the most divisive topics of this election? To whom? When? The latest news story on Obama is that he’s going after Mitt Romney on the Medicare issue. Romney is on the campaign trail too, and he’s talking about jobs. NO ONE is talking about race, except maybe this AP “journalist.”

Then there’s the next sentence which reads, “It is sowing anger and frustration among conservatives who are labeled racist simply for opposing Obama’s policies and liberals who see no other explanation for such deep dislike of the president.” Wow! Does this “reporter” honestly think that all liberals feel that any opposition to Barack Obama is racial? What about the dwindling crowds at his own rallies. Those should be full of screaming liberals like they were four years ago, right? Why are they not showing up? Could it be that they are frustrated with Obama’s policies and inability to turn the economy around? Hmmmm… Maybe they are racists too?

The article goes on and on and on. In this entire column, I’ve only analyzed three sentences so far, and yet the meaning of the entire news story is clear. Go ahead, check it out. See if you can read through the entire thing. If you can make it through a few more paragraphs, you will read from an “expert” who says:

“We’re at a tipping point,” said Susan Glisson, director of the Institute for Racial Reconciliation at the University of Mississippi. “But I don’t know which way we’re going to tip.”

Glisson knows that many conservatives disagree with Obama solely because of his policies. “But I am also quite certain that there are others who object to the president because of his race, because they have a fear of blacks that is embedded in our culture,” she said.

What about all those people who voted for him simply BECAUSE he is black? (or half black)

This “news” story is a perfect example of what to look for when reading the news. There are issues that people are concerned about, and there are issues that the media want you to be concerned about. Don’t fall for it!

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