From MSNBC on Saturday:

President checks black, not black and white, on census form
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36157764/ns/politics-white_house/

It was also published by the AP, Washington Post, and numerous other newspapers, which begs the question: who cares?

Why is it that the mainstream media thinks this is newsworthy? In an era of when America has supposedly broken the color barrier given the election of President Obama and when the media and bloggers are playing the race card as an origin to the anger among Tea Partiers, why then would the media choose to fan the alleged flames?

My own personal view on this, as someone who grew up in the middle of nowhere in an area of Wisconsin that had zero blacks, a small number of Native Americans or American Indians as they prefered to be called and an overwhelming majority of white folks, is that it doesn't make any difference what color or heritage you are or claim to belong to.

As I learned early, the measure of a person's worth doesn't originate from the color of one's skin, it comes from a culmination of a person's character, personality, work ethic, closely held values and genuine concern and motivations to provide a better future for one's family. How is it that race plays into this?

In my travels I have met many fine and upstanding folks that are in the minority of race: blacks, Asians, Indians, American Indians, Hispanics, etc., who rely on their own talents and motivations to propel them forward and achieve success, not on government programs that promise to level the playing field. Most of them would be insulted to have their achievements based on this.

But what do I know? I'm just the dumb white kid on the block.