While being interviewed by Chris Matthews, former news anchor Dan Rather compared President Obama selling his health plan to the American people to that of selling watermelons by the side of the road. He explains himself by saying;

“I was talking about Obama and health care and I used the analogy of selling watermelons by the side of the road. It’s an expression that stretches to my boyhood roots in Southeast Texas, when country highways were lined with stands manned by sellers of all races. Now of course watermelons have become a stereotype for African Americans and so my analogy entered a charged environment. I’m sorry people took offense.”

Unfortunate choice of words? Racism? Yes to both. Do I think Mr. Rather purposely intended that statement to have racist connotations? No. I believe him when he says that his statement was from a different time and that times have changed and the statement has a totally different meaning today. However, I would challenge Mr. Rather in his thinking because back in the day when that statement was commonly used, racism was even more obvious and acceptable. That reference to watermelons was no less racist back in the day, it just wasn’t challenged as it is today. This is another example of the dynamics of intent vs impact. His intent may not have been racist but the impact or end product was.