President Obama is using race as a divider in America, instead of trying to unite the nation, charges the head of a nonprofit think tank that addresses issues of race and poverty through principles of faith, freedom and personal responsibility.
"I think that race relations in America were getting better over time [before Obama's election]," said Star Parker, the founder and president of the Washington-based Center for Urban Renewal and Education, or CURE.
"I think one of the reasons today race relations are so vulnerable is because this president has decided to use the bully pulpit to separate us as a society, as opposed to looking for ways to use his ethnicity and some of his background to bring us together," she said.
Parker was interviewed for WND-TV by Joseph Farah, founder and CEO of WND.com, as well as WND Books and WND Films.
Her organization says it's objective is "to build awareness that the conservative agenda of traditional values, limited government, and private ownership is of greatest marginal benefit to low income peoples."
Parker is a syndicated columnist published in more than 400 newspapers weekly.
Her own testimony lends credibility to her work. She was seven years in and out of welfare dependency when, through Christian faith, her life changed. He went back to school, started a business and began reaching her goals.
She has written about her work in "Uncle Sam's Plantation" and "White Ghetto."
She previously was interviewed on the topic of the free enterprise system in America.
Abusing race
Parker said Obama is the "embodiment of America – anyone from any background can excel."
"Yet," she said, "he has decided to push forth an agenda that is inconsistent with the founding of our country, inconsistent with the Scripture which undergirds our law."
She said the atmosphere of dependency that has been created in the United States by a multitude of social programs is affecting the nation and its youth.
"I'm challenged and saddened when we look at our youth," she said.
She described how her own grandfather was only one generation out of slavery, and she, more than ever before, is being judged by the color of her skin.
"I can just tell … in airports and airplanes … based on the way this president has abused race," she said.
Obama's handling is that of race as a political strategy, she said.
But it goes even further.
"Youth, if they begin to distrust each other … we're going to see ourselves as segregated, not just by ethnicity but our religion," she said.
Obama, Parker said, has done a great deal "to damage the Christian community."
She cited his support for homosexuality in society.
"When you have this type of vileness exalted in society, the wicked go on prowl," she said.
And those in society who are good and decent retreat to private areas, she said.
Obama also has divided by economics, she noted.
"You're not poor because the wealthy are wealthy," Parker insisted.