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The Nose: Can Lolo Jones' Story Serve As A Case Study On American Race Relations?

http://cptv.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ypmwebcontent/Commodore%20Skahill/Colin%20McEnroe%20Show%2008-10-2012.mp3

American thinking about race has not caught up with American thinking about race.

How can that be true? Well, we have have a black president and a large protion of the electorate clearly freaked out by having a black president. But wait, there's more. Sometimes it's easier to see these things at the Olympics because the faces are new and the storylines are fresh. This week, there's been a lot of fuss about the hurdler Lolo Jones. Did she get too much coverage? Are her teammates annoyed by that? But wait.  Why did she get too much coverage. Most of te articles I've read don't mention what I think is the unspoken issue here. Jones is of mixed race parentage, but her look is closer to our conventional notion of an attractive white woman than are the looks of some of the more successful runners she has seemingly eclipsed. It's a touchy subject.
 
Leave your comments below, e-mail colin@wnpr.org or Tweet us @wnprcolin.

Colin McEnroe is a radio host, newspaper columnist, magazine writer, author, playwright, lecturer, moderator, college instructor and occasional singer. Colin can be reached at colin@ctpublic.org.

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