I think for some reason people seem to forget that Sen. Obama is as much white as he black. He had a white mother and a black father; so really he is a white man, because the child is the race of the mother.

"Obama's pastor, a man who had mentored him and performed his marriage ceremony, had used his pulpit to attack Jews, the United States, and whites." Doesn't he have that right as some in this county should have the same right not to like blacks, browns, jews and yellows without interference from the government?

It is suggests that you are implying he is not white, because his pastor "had used his pulpit to attack Jews, the United States, and whites." Then later you mentioned that Sen. McCain was white. So it appears to me that you like the rest of media want to keep race an issue.

If thats where he wants to go to church, then he gets what he gets when the voters who dont like it dont vote for him.

The last time I read freedom of religion is a constitutional right. But with freedom also comes responsibility for ones actions and with whom we affiliate ourselves.

I don't agree with the comment from mvenice BUT the comment appeared to be an honest opposite viewpoint, and well stated.

Bodybag, on the other hand, seems to want us to view his comments as just being a contrary point of view, BUT he gives me the impression that he is merely a smart ass know it all idiot.

Remember Steve, you can not argue with an idiot, since he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

Note to Bodybag:

Racism doesn't have to be "out of control" for it to be a problem, all it takes is one incident to get the ball rolling. Worse yet, a nonchalant (perhaps ignorant?) attitude by members of the community in response to such will surely complicate matters, don't ya think?

Oh and perhaps I should enlighten you about some of those places you mentioned....I'm not so sure about you but yes, I've been to some of those places you listed.

I lived in Southern California and personally experienced the 1992 L.A. Riots and even worked on a few of its reconstruction efforts (and I'm not the only Nevada resident, either...). To this day, I still remember how acidic the stench in the air smelled the morning after the verdict came down that exonerated the officers who had pulled Rodney King over and arrested him...and the blood that was shed when Reginald Denny's head was beaten with bricks....etc...

I spent a summer on the Colorado River Indian Reservation in Parker, AZ, one of the more impoverished communities in the state.

I lived in St. Louis, MO near Tower Grove Park for 18 months and as one of the few white people in the area, was in the minority and yet, I counted people of all races and cultures as my neighbors whom I could turn to for assistance or help.

I could go on but I won't. My point is, I see racism occuring because many folks here in Nevada haven't once stepped outside their comfort zones and been exposed to other races and cultures.

The truth is, we have people who have lived their entire lives here in Nevada who have never learned how to communicate with others using language that doesn't offend or upset someone, who have never learned how to compromise and get along with someone they might not necessarily like (and not because of the color of their skin but rather, because of their personality or other such reasoning), and more importantly, who have never been held accountable for their skewered viewpoints and prejudiced opinions.

So do me a favor, Bodybag, think before you type...otherwise you would have mentioned Chicago's south side, Kansas City's East Bottoms, East Memphis, North Little Rock, and any number of other communities with a diversified population...which is exactly what Nevada doesn't have. No, not really.

I'm probably more liberal on most issues than not, except for the death penalty and making our borders more strict. I feel that Steve was just reporting on what happened in this article and was asking open questions. I really didn't feel that he was pushing one side or the other.

What Obama's pastor had to say would of course make the news especially during an election time. Obama said that he didn't agree with what the pastor had to say. I don't know but I would think that he will probably distance himself more from the pastor and his church. Yes, the pastor can say what ever he wants but with him being associated with a candidate it's going to make news especially when it's preaching hate towards whites and Jews. If Obama went to the church in Kansas that was protesting soldiers funerals that would make the news. I feel that the media does make race a big issue in this election unfortunately but I don't know how I would be able to protest or make a difference against it. It seems like my vote didn't help or make much of a difference the last 2 Presidential elections but hopefully this time it will.

Regarding the last comment by theboz, please don't take idiotic comments by a few locals as being typical of Nevada.

I was born and raised here and yes I know my hometown is not perfect, but it far surpasses any other place I visited during my world travels with Uncle Sam's Navy. The fact that you found a veteran with such idiotic opinions, doesn't mean he is typical. He is not typical of the military or of Nevada.

However, since this is a free country, they have the right to display their idiotic opinions. I do not personally know anyone in my hometown that spews the venom that you describe.

You need to find a better class of friends, and then you would be able to greet others by saying "Welcome to Nevada".

Don't be a professional "fault finder", and look instead for something good in Nevada.

All this talk about racism and we do have it here in Nevada if we like it or not. My daughter was raped by a man when she was twelve, and what was done about that? They slapped him on the wrist so he could do it again. The "prosecutor" told the judge she consented, she was 12, and said that she was 14. I remember the law says your not a consenting adult until 18. I sat in that court room, with a court avociate and my daughters counselor crying and thinking why us, but then I realized that the "prosecutor" had no intention of doing he job. We were not able to speak, or so I thought because he was lying to the judge and he new I would make him look like the fool he is. Maybe if all of us common people stood together instead of fighting against one another we could get something accomplished. My daughter is still having a rough time. We need to stand together and really do what is best for everyone, get along. We are coming on some hard times and if we don't stick together we will lose more than we know. I so agree with the person who said we have our own problem here the Meth and drinking, sex offenders etc. We can start by fixing us first. Yeah Nevada is a closed minded community, but there is a lot of good in that too. We have problems, but we need to realize so does everyone else. Why would a prosecutor let someone who held a knife at a twelve year old and rape her go? Just because she looks older? Just because he thought she had sex before? I'm a mother of four, so your telling me if I was raped tomm. that it's ok because I have had it before? Come on people open up and realize that we are a little bit like the racial towns around us, everyone is looking out for themselves instead of when I was little and you looked out for others.