Now that Obama has won the election, we see a number of narratives emerging as to what it means in terms of race in America:
- Some folks are just stunned that a "black man" could get elected president. They had always hoped, but hadn't dared to expect it, what with white people being so wicked and all, but all is right with the world. Our long national nightmare is over.
- Others are equally shocked and pleasantly surprised, but caution us not to think that we've put racism behind us, so don't let your guard down, folks.
- Then there are those who say, Of course we elected a black man president; we could have done it sooner given such a well-qualified choice. No one should be a bit surprised, and this proves that racism is something we don't have to wring our hands about any more, so can we talk about something else now?
- Finally, there's me and a couple of other people who say, "What do you mean, 'black man'?" This is a guy whose white American mother married a foreign student -- someone who came to this country to avail himself of its great store of educational opportunity, NOT someone brought here from the OTHER side of the African continent as a slave. Yeah, he decided to self-identify as a black man, but does that make him one? So does this prove anything? Maybe it does since so many people, black and white, seem to have accepted his self-identification, and he was elected because of/in spite of that. But given his anomalous background (and since I share some points of commonality with him in terms of my own peripatetic childhood -- things that make me think that just maybe there are things about him I understand that your average black or white voter does not -- I feel some entitlement to speak on this point), does it REALLY mean what people say it means? This is a very, very talented young politician who, if anything, personally transcends race -- so maybe THAT means something. But I don't know.
Those are the strains I've identified so far. Y'all see any others?
Answer this Brad. If a person is half black and half white but does not look like he is mixed and endures racism, does he get to opt out by claiming "hey, I'm not a 'black man'"?
That is ludicrous. Racism and the related negative effects are not the result of "self-identity."
Posted by: Randy E | Wednesday, 05 November 2008 at 08:34 PM
I thought it ironic that the blackest states by percentage wound up almost universally red, but that relationship has existed for the longest time, so I don't know tat it surprised me.
The state-by-state results do imply, though, that white vote elected Obama.
Unfortunately, that really doesn't anything about racism. That axe still cuts both ways.
Posted by: p.m. | Wednesday, 05 November 2008 at 09:17 PM
We kept hearing that, "The Obama campaign is not about race", but all we have heard is, "the first black president" or something racial, especially all day Nov 4 and 5th.
When are the race-obsessed white supporters of Obama going to take their minds off skin color and start looking at his socialist agenda?
Posted by: Lee Muller | Wednesday, 05 November 2008 at 09:22 PM
Randy, it's from his book. You should read it. Here's a passage from my "Barack Like Me" column (which you should also read if you haven't; this post won't be intelligible without it), including a couple of quotes from the book:
You see, it was Obama who gave me the idea that he was deliberately choosing that identity. Where else would I have gotten it?
I don't think he would disagree with my characterization. Nor would he necessarily disagree with your assertion that he had no choice in the matter. It was sort of a case of his thinking he had no alternative, but still he had to learn to "be black," as a deliberate process. It's a major theme of the book, and the part that spoke to me the most loudly since he and I both lived in Hawaii (where race does not mean the same thing it meant on the mainland) at around the same ages.
Bottom line: I don't think Obama would think what I said was "ludicrous." And I don't know why you would say that. But then, you've been pretty dismissive of a lot of stuff I've said in recent months. Why the attitude? I'm not sure what started this.
Posted by: Brad Warthen | Wednesday, 05 November 2008 at 10:25 PM
I grow weary of hearing the whole "first African-American President" thing. Besides what Brad has mentioned, what viable candidate has the African-American community put up for the office? You've got Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Cynthia McKinney, Carol Moseley Braun, and Alan Keyes (who is probably disowned by many African-Americans simply because he runs with the wrong party). Tell me which of those candidates really had a snowball's chance in hell of becoming president? Then, all of a sudden, we have a nice looking, smooth talking candidate like Barack Obama enter the scene. I contend that an African-American could have been in the Oval Office long ago had someone from the minority stood up that wasn't so easily laughed off the stage. It's got nothing to do with overcoming some inherent racism in our society. It's got everything to do with a viable candidate who happens to be half African (big difference from the African-American label, or maybe he is truly an African-American and those in our society who happen to be black and cling to some African heritage from hundreds of years ago are really just American) who can give a great speech (as long as it's on a teleprompter) and ran a tremendous campaign.
Ultimately I say God bless Obama. Realistically we're going to be just as divided as before (Can anyone really say with a straight face that a 53-46 split is some mandate on unity? In actuality it's only slightly to the left of purely divisive), but I pray that he would have supernatural wisdom in governing our nation. I have my doubts, but I still pray that he does. If I can just have the faith of a mustard seed...
Posted by: Tim | Wednesday, 05 November 2008 at 10:44 PM
So I guess we can put you down as squarely in Category 3 there, Tim. As for what you say about what makes you "weary"...
I noted in my column a couple of weeks back that Obama and I both read The Autobiography of Malcolm X back when we were in high school in Hawaii -- he at Punahou, me at Radford.
Have you read it? Do you remember the anecdote from the 1940s or so in which Malcolm says how tired he was of reading "first" stories in the press -- "first negro" to do this or that or whatever? His point, I think, was that such things should not be news, they SHOULD have been so routine as not to be noticed. But every time I see a "first" story, I think about how Malcolm X was tired of reading stories like that 50 or 60 years ago.
Or am I misremembering that? Does anybody else remember that from the book? I don't know what happened to my copy, and it's been a LONG time...
One more thought -- I know Carol Mosely-Braun had an extreme reputation and all. But when she came in for her endorsement interview in 2004, I found her quite charming...
Posted by: Brad Warthen | Wednesday, 05 November 2008 at 10:58 PM
I don't think it's fair, Tim, to put Jesse Jackson in the same category as Sharpton, Braun, and certainly Cynthia McKinney, or even going back further, Shirley Chisholm. My memory may betray me, but as I recall Jackson actually won some primaries, (whereas the others were all single-digit'ers) had reasonably strong showings in others, and was (for a while in the 1980s) a significant factor to be contended with as a party power broker, even if it was always pretty clear he would not attain the nomination. Obama is not president-elect today without the contributions of many who pushed the barriers back along the way, including Jesse. For me, his tears were the most evocative image of last evening.
Posted by: Phillip | Wednesday, 05 November 2008 at 11:16 PM
You know what the election says about "race"? It says that we have made another giant step forward. My students today at RVHS were just delighted with the results.
The concept of "race" needs to be chucked. There is only one race--the human race, and it had its origins in the Great Rift Valley in Africa. We are all Africans by our common evolutionary ancestry. Light pigmentation in humans came long after the first humans stood erect and contemplated all they surveyed.
It's time for us all to "love one another right now." I am of the opinion that this life is all we have, so we might as well make the most of it and establish justice, tranquility, and harmony for the generations that will inevitably follow us.
Three cheers for our new President--Barack Hussein Obama!!!
Posted by: Rich | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 12:40 AM
As he hashed out his racial identity, he made a deliberate choice as described in his book written more than 13 years ago. In the interim, he has a new take, "people choose your race for you" as he explained during the campaign.
Had he "chosen" to be "white" as you suggest, how would any racism have been curtailed? If he had a white wife, would racism have been prevented (or would it antagonize racists)? Consider the ad attacking Harold Ford in which a white woman implores him to call her. This is an example of OTHERS making the identity of a candidate an issue.
It doesn't have to be racism either. Obama certainly will be the most unusual looking POTUS and not because his mother is from Kansas. People are described by features that make them stand out. It is common for African-Americans to be identified by their race in the most innocuous situations, e.g. the tall black lady with glasses.
At the core of the issue is what does it actually mean to be black. I contend that it is simply SKIN COLOR. Obama's skin color is such that in the US most would call him black, albeit light skinned. Are you going to argue that the sky is not blue as well?
Posted by: Randy E | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 12:42 AM
>black lady with glasses
Gilda Cobb-Hunter?
Posted by: James D McCallister | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 07:52 AM
"This is a very, very talented young politician who, if anything, personally transcends race."
This is the part you got right. Barack Obama is black, and he would still be black if he chose to "self identify" as purple. But he was elected because people perceive that black or white is not how he primarily defines himself (unlike other black leaders mentioned here) or how he primarily looks at the world. Because he personally transcends race, I think his presidency will help to reduce the "us and them" mentality that I see so often here in the rural Pee Dee and move us toward the day when race is truly incidental.
That's why Obama's race is important to the nation.
Posted by: KP | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 07:58 AM
There are many black people who are qualified to be president (Colin Powell, Condi Rice) but few want to put themselves under such scrutiny. And if we are talking merely qualifications what made Ronald Reagan qualified? By those standards we could have President Denzel Washington or President Will Smith. Why does a black man have to have more qualifications than any president before him to be considered worthy? But I digress… my original point is would it take and attack from aliens for us to put race aside and realize that we are all in this together? We are one America, with one President.
By the way Tim, there are many black republicans who are loyal to the party and many white democrats so please don’t be so dismissive, it is unbecoming.
Posted by: Alicia | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 08:35 AM
Excuse me, but...
... Barack Obama's entire political career is about identifying himself with race.
His book is about his rejection of his being raised by middle class whites, and his identification with his communist father. His vocabulary is all about Afro-centrism, racial identity politics and reparations. His mediocre work history consists of nothing but political organizing with ACORN, the Nation of Islam, Black Panthers, and other racist groups.
... what scrutiny did Obama get from the media?
They were too lazy or on his side to even read his books and report the commitment to socialist revolution found there.
All the investigations into the team of communist friends and advisors, the team of lobbyists and insiders, and his funding from Muslims, had to be done by individuals on the Internet and the foreign media. The British press was astounded that this fellow could be seriously considered a candidate, and at how the America press was covering for him.
Posted by: Lee Muller | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 09:15 AM
I guess we can put Affirmative Action to bed now.
Posted by: Bill C. | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 09:31 AM
I don't think it was a much about race as it was about competence. Mr. Obama's skill and vision simply and easily transcended what the man looks like. As such, the American people responded admirably.
Had Mr. McCain been elected, it would have entrenched what up until two days ago, was a deeply cynical electorate, with a very corrosive effect on our long term prospects as a true democracy.
The colors have changed a little but the principles remain the same.
As for your supposition that you may understand him in way that your average black or white voter does not (your fourth point)
I noticed that still wasn't persuasive enough for you to vote for him, like so many of the other average posters here (including myself).
Posted by: mck | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 09:34 AM
Slight clarification...
I meant to say unlike so many of these other average posters here who DID vote for Obama.
Posted by: mck | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 09:36 AM
Competence?
Obama has never DONE anything of consequence in his 47 years.
Vision?
Warmed over 1930s socialism, laced with racist economic reparations, as outlined in his books?
Posted by: Lee Muller | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 09:45 AM
Lee, that's President elect Obama. ;)
Posted by: Randy E | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 10:00 AM
The election still has not been certified.
Obama still has not produced proof that he is a U.S. citizen, and he is not president until he does.
Posted by: Lee Muller | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 10:09 AM
It's time for Lee's medication again.
Posted by: Rich | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 10:13 AM
It must be frustrating for you Obamanites to be so unable to discuss any of the agenda of your Worshipful Master.
Posted by: Lee Muller | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 10:23 AM
That's the thing -- I felt like I DID understand Obama to a great extent, as I also understood McCain. And I agree with McCain about a great deal.
In fact, I think some of my own youthful attitude toward the issue of race (I thought it was over and done with, a thing we would not have to think about in the future -- rather like our high school teacher above, only 40 years ago) arises to a great extent from the commonalities I had with McCain. While I'm able to speak of how different race was in Hawaii -- and note that Obama had to move to Chicago to complete the process of "learning to be black;" he could not have done it had he stayed home -- and Obama and I have that in common, there is a particular kind of unconsciousness about race that one gains from growing up in the military.
I was born six years after the armed services were integrated, and as I grew up, I was aware of my environment as a meritocracy without knowing the word. One's rank had to do with one's accomplishments, not one's background (beyond the fact that officers tended to be more middle class, but I was in high school before I was mindful of that -- and it was sergeants' kids who had to point out that I was different because I was an "officer's kid;" I'd never have realized it myself).
I had to spend time in the civilian world as an adult to realize how sheltered from considerations of race my youth had been.
Anyway, back to identifying with Obama and/or McCain, and what that means in terms of how I voted. As I mentioned, I agreed with McCain about more issues -- and most of those issues had little to do with our backgrounds, although some did (those bearing on war and peace). But here's the thing -- it's sort of like the thing about which candidate you'd like to have a beer with, or which candidate seems more like you, and whether you'd vote for THAT person, or someone on another plane.
You have to realize that McCain is someone I look UP to, and have for a long time. Whereas Obama is much YOUNGER than I am -- and don't underestimate that as a factor. McCain's seniority, his accomplishments, and yes, his heroism, put him in a different category altogether. I could be deeply impressed by Obama, but still see him as that impressive young man, and see McCain as far better prepared for the job.
The only issue with McCain -- and a lot of you brought this up, and some of you used it as a reason not to vote for him -- was whether he was TOO senior, whether his time was past. I find myself wondering whether that's true, and whether that's why he did such a dismal job in the campaign. But I can remember that he never was the campaigner Obama is -- for instance, I remember his dismal performance in his endorsement interview in 2000, which added to the factors that caused me to lose the endorsement debate that time. AT his best, McCain had good days and bad days as a campaigner. As we've noted, Obama doesn't have bad days.
But I ramble. Did I answer your question at all?
Posted by: Brad Warthen | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 10:25 AM
Yep,
But I looked at Obama as being impressive and the team with which he surrounds himself as being equally impressive. No one man runs a government. It is simply impossible.
McCains team was nowhere nearly as well equipped to run this country as is Obama's.
And therein lies the difference.
One's ability to campaign reflects one's ability to govern. Obama's team was vastly superior to McCains. It's often said that ideologues make poor administrators; one can only look to the last Republican congress to see that.
Similarly, the maverick, no matter how mavericky he may be, isn't up to the adminstrative rigorous of running the US government. When he tried to be bold, he came off as erratic; when he tried to be a fighter, he came off as angry and annoyed.
Unlike Bill Clinton, who dithered about for weeks to pick a Chief of Staff, Mr. Obama looks to have one in place by the end of the week; his staff is already moving into a building provided by the GSA; parachute teams are already at various government agencies figuring out what to focus on because there is simply no time to waste.
I don't think Mr. McCain would have acted nearly that fast.
Posted by: mck | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 10:43 AM
Age was an important factor in this election in that McCain will only get older and become less sharpt. Experience will matter little in the Obama presidency. With Joe Biden on board Obama can count on his council until he masters the art of foreign policy. I doubt this will take long.
Posted by: bud | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 10:51 AM
Brad,
As a military brat, how do you rationalize away Obama's socialist resume, and his writings and statements of his desire to ignore the Constitution and gut our military?
He has had at least six radical communists on his campaign staff, two of them confessed murderers.
Posted by: Lee Muller | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 10:57 AM