"Everyone's a Little Bit Racist..."

Initially appeared on vox.com 10/3/2008.

I was goofing off at work looking at pictures of Obama's visit to Grand Rapids when i heard someone pipe in behind me:

"I wonder how he managed to do that."

"Do what?" i asked.

"Get African-American Secret Service."

I was mystified. "What do you mean?"

"He got African-American Secret Service! In that picture!"

So i flipped back a few pictures and eventually saw this:

Now while i've never claimed to be completely "color-blind," i must admit that i was completely flummoxed. I didn't even notice that there was a black man who looked like he could be a Secret Service Agent behind the senator. For a moment i considered a witty retort but decided against it. And eventually the conversation died a natural death.

I'm fairly certain the person i was speaking to didn't mean any ill will (especially while speaking to a "person of color"), but i'm glad that nobody else was paying attention. In some parts of this country, saying something like that could land someone's fist on your face. I must admit i was on the verge of being offended, but having heard worse statements before, i just let it slide.

It reminded me of a song Gianina and i heard at the Avenue Q show last week, "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist."