the pundits and most people have over thought and overworked senator obama's statement. simply stated, when people have problems they turn to the familiar for comfort.

Senator Obama's statements were undeniably unwise and poorly thought out from a political standpoint, but they were also valid. I grew up in a small town in upstate New York that had high unemployment as well as a surfeit of gunshops, churches and taverns. Narrow-mindedness, xenophobia and bigotry went hand-in-hand with religiosity and gun-toting beer swilling machismo. While the senator's remarks were politically incorrect, I know from decades of first-hand experience that they were also accurate.

It is refreshing to hear a candidate speak the truth, even if it is inadvertant and even if he is subsequently forced to backpedal. It is a shame that our society's church-based, folksy-based ideology makes the voicing of his observation taboo.

"It is refreshing to hear a candidate speak the truth, even if it is inadvertant and even if he is subsequently forced to backpedal. It is a shame that our society's church-based, folksy-based ideology makes the voicing of his observation taboo."

Yes, it's a shame that people can't just tell the godam truth. Like here's a goody: black people blame a lot of their problems on white people, the gun violence, the crack babies, the children being born to children, the extremely high drop out rates, when the truth is that they should start to try to blame themselves, and take responsibility for their own failures, just as they do for their own triumphs.

Ahh, wasn't the "refreshing". Too bad Obama didn't say that. In fact, I don't think I've ever heard him say the words "personal responsibility".

What exactly is it that makes inner city black people cling to "guns" or "religion"? Do Latinos in LA get along with the blacks there? How are the black people in LA different than those "xenophobic" "small town" folks with their "god" and "guns"?

Could it be that small town America, AND inner city blacks are BOTH being screwed over by illegal immigration, and both may have more in common the Obama is willing to address?

Wouldn't it be "refreshing" to hear one of the major candidates talk about the subject A LITTLE more clearly?

I still like Ron Paul.