I am shocked and appalled that anyone with the intelligence to hold a job or run a business in 2008 would think, much less admit publicly, that they would refuse their vote to someone because of the color of their skin. I am sure that this cannot be the view of many people in J. Metzger's community. I hope the people who differ with that opinion will speak out.

I challenge Mr. Metzger to go to www.barackobama.com, listen to Obama's speeches, read his positions on the issues with an open mind. (If it helps he can remember that Obama is half white.) Then he can perhaps post thoughtful responses about the real issues that are important to our country and our lives.

Posted by: Nita (Ohio) on August 5, 2008 4:50PM

Barack Obama may well win, but he will need a heavy outpouring of 'White Guilt' to do so. It is past time the white voters stop whining about 'the race card' and get to the real reasons for Obamas popularity which is: He has less objectionable rhetoric, and more social justice ideas.

Posted by: minority affirmative (Copley) on August 2, 2008 1:44PM

I am really appauled by this whole mess a man that i thaught so much about has really made it bad not only for me but his 3 biracial nieces and nephew they were devastated to think something would ever come out their uncles mouth like that . This will only make them better people and to strive and prove to the narrow minded that blacks are not bad. I would take the black side of the family anyday because they wouldnt think about hurting my kids in any way like what we witnessed today . So to all of you that know me and my family please forgive the ignorance and dont classify all the metzgers to this mess

Posted by: j metzger (strasburg) on July 30, 2008 1:53AM

Free speech is one of the freedoms we have in America. Everyone here is entitled to it, including those who have prejudices against people with different colored skin. But Mr. Metzger should remember -- free speech constitutes responses as well. Perhaps Mr. Metzger's business will suffer financially from his neanderthal views. Perhaps Mr. Metzger will be the one who faces prejudices from the mentally-advanced community for his ignorant and tired opinions. Karma goes around for everybody.

Posted by: Evolved (Canton, OH) on July 29, 2008 12:23PM

My wife and I are supporters of WKSU and we live in Tuscarawas County. Your recent report on whether Barack Obama would do well in Ohio’s rural counties, while well reported, represented this county in a way that is not accurate. Kevin Niedermier asked a barbershop owner in Strasburg why Tusc. County would not vote for Barack Obama, and he said, well, the county is rascist. Mr. Niedermier left it at that! There was no nuance—yes, there are race problems here (but there are so many organizations here that work against it), however I would suggest that Mr. Niedermier could have gone to any suburban or urban barbershop in Ohio and heard a similar thing—objections to Barack Obama on the matter of race are not just rural problems (in fact, my grandfather, an urban—now suburban—blue-collar union man is quite skeptical on Obama because of race—much to my chagrin!!) There are plenty of Barack Obama supporters here—I wish that your story would not have set up this house of cards (let’s ask people in Bolivar and some older people at a barbershop—who, chances are would reveal some sort of prejudice) and would, rather, have take a broader view of what is going on.



Please keep up the good work. I hold up WKSU and NPR as the last bastions of balanced news and in-depth reporting to my students (they even do audio essays in the style of NPR to experiment with composing with sound rather than just on paper). But, please when considering “rural” life (whatever that mean!), please look for a broader sampling of what is going on here.



Oh, and yes, we are voting for Barack Obama!!

Posted by: Dr. Christopher Roman (New Philadelphia) on July 25, 2008 6:05PM

You know hate is a human trait. That been said No superpower in world histore has every lost power because being defeated and war they all decline because of the economy. Never in histore have this country gone to war and giving a tax break
America wake-up we can't have cake in eat it to.

Posted by: Ricky (Texas) on July 24, 2008 11:28AM