Racism?

Today we had elections for the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Family Physicians.  There were 3 slots and 5 candidates.  I'm very happy to say that the 2 women who were running won.  Both were extremely well qualified and I'm glad they won.  Of the men that were left, 2 were Caucasian and 1 was Filipino.  The Filipino has a slight accent.  He is very passionate and has some great ideas.  The other 2 were fine candidates as well and we would have been well served by any of them.  But when I talked with people about who they were thinking about voting for, I kept hearing over and over, "but if only he did't have the accent".  And when they vote for a candidate, they picture him on TV and radio and also is the person qualified to run for president, because that is where the pool of presidential candidates comes from.  I got the idea talking with people that they liked his ideas and his passion, but his accent and race were being held against him.

He did not get elected.  I truly truly hope it's because people preferred the ideas and plans of the other candidate.  But I worry that it wasn't and I think that says something about us.