Editorial: Murtha’s ‘racist’ comment draws attention to the truth

Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, is infamous for his often controversial comments. An… Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, is infamous for his often controversial comments. An avid opponent of the Iraq war, Murtha has repeatedly spoken out against President George W. Bush and Republicans, blaming them for handing the president a ‘blank check’ to do what he wants in Iraq. And just last month, a Washington County marine, who was charged with killing Iraqi civilians, accused the outspoken Democrat of slander. The marine sued Murtha for the Congressman’s interpretation of the event as a ‘cold-blooded’ killing, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. This week, Murtha has done it again. He generated controversy on Wednesday when he called western Pennsylvania ‘a racist area’ and said that racism could cause Sen. Barack Obama to lose the election in November. Murtha represents the 12th District, located in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania, and his comments essentially labeled his own constituents as racists. In a statement issued by his office yesterday, the Congressman apologized for his remarks, saying, ‘While we cannot deny that race is a factor in this election, I believe we’ve been able to look beyond race these past few months, and that voters today are concerned with the policy differences of our two candidates and their vision for the future of our great country.’ The apology was an obvious political move that completely contradicts Murtha’s previous comment. And while the apology was crucial to ease tension, his ‘racist’ comment was perhaps even more crucial. Murtha could have made his point with more sensitivity, but nevertheless his statement has drawn attention to an important divide not just in Pennsylvania but also throughout the United States. As difficult as it is to admit, race is a major issue in this election. And the more we can acknowledge that, the more likely it is that we can try to solve the problem. According to a survey by Stanford University in conjunction with the Associated Press and Yahoo! News, Obama’s support would increase as much as 6 percentage points if his race was not a factor for voters. The survey also revealed information about implicit racial attitudes, feelings that many people don’t realize they have. Researchers incorporated images of black and white faces to measure these attitudes and found that more than half of whites exhibited negative feelings toward black faces. Unlike the racism during the civil rights movement, racism today is often brushed under the rug. It is an almost subconscious feeling can be deeply embedded inside people. Because of this, we hardly ever realize it’s there. This is what makes today’s hidden and immeasurable racism potentially as dangerous as racism in the ’60s. We think we have progressed and that bigotry has disappeared, but it remains a perilous undercurrent in our everyday lives. As shocking as Murtha’s comments might have been for some western Pennsylvanians, they have shed light on an unsettling truth. Today’s racism is difficult to detect, but it might be poisonous this election. With fewer than 20 days left until the election, voters must start looking inward. They must make sure they are voting without bias and for the right reasons.