There’s a lot of discussion about whether America is ready for a black president. It’s a stupid conversation – or, at least it should be. The American public has long embraced blacks into the culture and even given them great stature. And although athletes and entertainers don’t or shouldn’t equate in significance to our national leaders, acceptance of blacks in those ranks have made it easier for politicians to be accepted as well.

But maybe the better question is “are black Americans ready for a black president?”

What happens when Obama screws up? And he will – they all do. What happens when he has to make a really hard decision that goes against the will of his core supporters? Suppose, for instance, he realizes that U.S. troops can’t just pull out of Iraq over the weekend and he has to keep them there for another few years? Suppose the intel and our foreign partners make it plain to him that talking to Iran doesn’t work and that, yep, we gotta take those nuke sites out. What then?

Is Black America ready for a black president to be criticized, slammed and vilified without stooping to charges of racism?

Or, will Black America do for Obama what they did for O. J. Simpson and support him, believe him, trust him and love him no matter what he does and blame his troubles on whitey? The Spy isn’t equating the Senator to a double murderer by any means, but it’s fair to wonder if blacks will cover for this guy no matter what he does to screw things up. (See also Marion Barry)

To be “ready” for any particular kind of president – black, female, hispanic, gay, whatever – the citizenry must also be prepared to admit it when that president is wrong and not support every dumb thing (s)he does simply because the Commander-in-Chief is one of them.

The O.J. example is a telling preamble to an Obama presidency and the tolerance of voting blocs formed by race. There isn’t a lot of history of black populations throwing out a black leader when egregious behavior is exposed or bad policies imposed.

As O.J. himself said:

The day you take complete responsibility for yourself, the day you stop making any excuses, that’s the day you start to the top.