US President Obama has been the target of some very stringent criticism recently. In a gathering, which was held few days ago, Rep. Joe Wilson had suddenly shouted “you lie” at Obama while the President’s speech on the much discussed and somewhat controversial healthcare plan was going on. In this context Jimmy Carter who is a former president of US, has said that he thinks much of the criticism as well as opposition that Obama has to face is due to his color, or in other words it emanates from a racist perspective.

Carter has been quoted saying to the NBC news; “I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he is African-American.”

It is not a new theory which is being upheld by former President Carter, as many supporters of Obama have earlier also talked about ‘race’ playing an important role in the opposition which the present President has to face regarding various issues, which according to them is unfair.

On the other hand some Conservatives have spoken openly against Carter’s speech and have said that they do not think that the opposition to Obama originates form racism, rather it is a plain and simple policy issue.
Whatever is the truth, it is for sure that former President Carter’s recent speech has created quite a flutter in the political and journalistic circles of the country.‘Race’ has always been a ‘touchy’ issue in the US and when this serious issue is being discussed openly in the public and that too in context of a serving President, it is surely going to have far reaching repercussions in the coming days, in the socio-political sphere of US.