Is the Republican Party a racist political party? I said no; some of our readers said yes. Here are some of your responses, with some extra commentary by me.

Maybe not racist, but do you at least concede that the GOP, at least their top candidates at top positions, are borderline insane?­

”” Michael

No, I do not concede that.

My fellow white citizens demand a public discussion about the forcing of only white countries to turn into brown countries via mass immigration and “assimilation”.

Anyone who says it’s not genocide is either ignorant of genocide law or a liar.

Anti-racist is a code word for anti-white.­

”” GusAppleby

I guess I am ignorant of genocide law.

While I agree with his assessment that Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s unprecedented disrespect toward the President does not, in itself, constitute racism, Petersen’s claim that the Grand Ol’ Party is not racist is laughable. To make such an asinine statement is to ignore the history of the party as well as its current leadership, and especially its current presidential hopefuls.­

”” Nick Giotto (letter to the editor, right)

Mr. Giotto, I urge you to be precise with your language. For the leadership of the Republican Party to be racist, they would have to have­ feelings of hatred and bigotry toward people not of their race solely for that reason. I do not see that out of the GOP.

I don’t think they are racist, but I think elements of their base have hints of racism that they sometimes take advantage of by subtle race baiting… I think they are more greedy jerks than racists, but still do a little race baiting from time to time.­

”” joshua4234

This critique has a bit more substance to it. But I still don’t understand how the Republicans are race baiting. That would mean that there is some secret code that conservative Republicans all understand, and that when Newt Gingrich calls Barack Obama a “food stamp president” they all know he’s actually saying, “He’s black, don’t vote for him.”

That is not so.

The Republicans are not race baiting ”” they are playing politics. When Gingrich calls Obama a “food stamp president,” he is critiquing the president’s handling of the economy. He is saying that Obama’s economic policies have made Americans poorer than they were before he was elected. And rather than making a long, drawn-out explanation of how Gingrich thinks Obama has made the economy worse, Newt thought of a pithy phrase that would encapsulate the Republican base’s feelings about the economy.

Joshua’s last point is more true: Republicans care more about the economy than about race.

And why am I not SURPRISED!!!!? NEO NAZI RACIST TONY PETERSON feels it NECESSARY TO WRITE AN ARTICLE TITLED “THE GOP IS NOT RACIST”. HAHAHA!!! WHAT A DOPE!!!!

AS long As TONY PETERSON AND HIS RACIST NEO NAZI BUDDIES… LIKE NEIL O’BRIEN…. CONTINUE THEIR ANTI-MEXICAN behavior, they will always be LABELED RACIST FILTH!!!!! HELL..MAYBE EVEN AFTER THEY STOP!!!! THEY HAVE ALREADY SHOWN THEIR TRUE COLORS!!!! SUCK ON THAT YOU RACIST COLLEGIAN PIGS!!!­

”” Ren

What more could I add to such sober, intelligent analysis?

Tony Petersen is the opinion editor of The Collegian. Follow him on Twitter @tonypetersen4.