Obviously I'm pretty happy about the country's choice of President, but what the fuck was Michelle Obama wearing?
I would also love to discuss this issue with you in person, but I'll offer the topic here. Sorry to be a downer, but can we talk about the race issue? People on TV are acting like racism is "so last season" now that Obama is the President, but does anyone actually believe that because the majority of America made an informed decision to elect a "black" (more on the quotes in a second) President that it means the end of racism in America? I hope as much, but I'm skeptical.
Also, the cynic in me wants to stand up and ask, "would America have voted the same way if President Obama had two black parents instead of one?" During this whole thing, people have labeled President Obama as "black" seemingly to bolster an argument either for or against him. It's so irrelevant, yet not historically irrelevant. I see the history here, I do. It's a pretty big deal -- obviously I don't have the personal context to see it as a huge deal, you know? I get it. I see the crying, happy faces and feel something for them, but not for the country, necessarily. I'm very happy for the people that feel warm and comfortable in the historical context of the election. It's a very cool thing.
But I am a cynic. He's not black. I want President Obama to be a historical President for reasons other than half of his genes.
I'm hopeful that America will get the race thing out its system because of President Obama and see him as a great man and a great leader for this country. I'm tired of the race thing from both sides.
I'm still struck by something Colin Powell said a week ago or so. He said what amounted to an indictment of people claiming that it would be some grand horror if Barack Obama was a Muslim. He basically gave a "so what" to the idea of having a Muslim President in America. Everyone on the news tonight, tomorrow, and five years from now needs to get a little perspective here. A "black," Christian candidate wins the Presidency and everyone thinks "anyone can do fucking anything they want to in America!!!!!!" We wouldn't give a Muslim candidate the time of day in this country. Nor a Buddhist, nor a Hindu, nor an atheist. We barely give Jewish candidates as much.
Let's pump the breaks. We finally elect someone who is half black. Way to fucking go. Now let's work on electing people who choose to be something other than the status quo in America.
This was a bit scatterbrained, I know. I don't for one second want to suggest I'm not elated about the result of this election. I believe John McCain is a good man and would've been a good leader, something that I know many of my peers don't believe, but I think President Obama is the kind heart and the big brain this country needs -- whether you see it now or not.
Though, if I'm right, I think most of my readers do see that. I don't want to assume as much, though. As far as I can tell, the rest of the world seems pretty happy about our decision.
And, I'm sorry if you don't like that I sometimes talk about politics. It can really be obnoxious, I know. I really want to not be obnoxious about it, though. I like talking about issues without getting all huffy and irritated.
Also, I can't believe I'm saying this, but hurrah for Carrie Underwood. If I see Oprah half taking credit for Obama's success one more time, I'm going to blow my brains out.
But yes, good job.
"Perfect Crime #2"
The Decemberists
Hashtag Blessed, Basically
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I blog less when I'm happy. A lot less. I think that's true of everyone,
really. You're too busy experiencing the moment and spend a lot less time
moaning ...
10 years ago
9 comments:
1. I KNOW. Michelle Obama is beautiful. So why did she wear that zeppelin dress?!
2. Yeah, I wish we could leave race out of it. But I think you and I are (thankfully) coming from a place that's so privileged we could never actually imagine a person honestly denying someone else the opportunity to be president if he were truly more qualified than the other candidate. There are lots of places in the world where that is definitely the case, however. Last year, when Kyle and I drove through Oregon, a diner full of white people stared at us when we walked in holding hands. They stared at us as we ate, and stared as we paid our bill at the register. A child near us watched Kyle wrap his arm around my waist and asked, "is that allowed?"
3. It's the historical case that if a person has "one drop of 'Negro' blood" in them, that person is qualified as Black. So Barack could have two white parents, but if one of his grand-parents were Black, or one of his great-grandparents...he'd still be Black. Being Black (or any race) has a lot to do with culture, almost as much as the colour of a person's skin does. My skin being brown doesn't make me Indian, really. What makes me Indian is my parent's adherence to Indian culture, even though we live thousands of miles away from The Motherland (hah).
4. I don't think Obama's speech tonight was supposed to tell us that we could do whatever we wanted, because America is truly the home of the most free. But this is an undeniably huge step in the direction to definitive freedom.
5. It is also undeniable that both McCain and Obama are more than capable. McCain just didn't take me - as a woman - seriously, a fact he made more than evident when he put my health in derisive air quotes, called his wife a "cunt", made jokes about rape, and chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. I think that last one alienated a lot of people. It wasn't so much McCain's ideas that lost the race for him as it was Palin's...unabashed hatred of intelligence or humility. In my opinion. But I am not a political science major, for good reason.
6. You have the right to publish whatever you want to here, John, just as much as you have the right to moderate what other people say here in the comments section. This is your website. People coming here know that this is where you are allowed to talk about whatever is on your mind that you deem worthy of publishing. If some segment of your readership doesn't like your politics, they are more than welcome to exercise their right to start their own blog and give equal time and coverage to their own point of view. That anyone would complain about what you write in your own time, in your own space, always strikes me as ridiculous.
As I live in another country, I don’t have a grasp of what have and have not been the hot topics for the American people/media in this election. All I know is what I see on British TV and in British newspapers (all VERY Pro-Obama, by the way), which I compare to the articles on cnn.com. From these comparisons, it had seemed to me that the race issue was not as big for Americans as it had been in the primaries. I could be totally wrong here, but my view from the media coverage was that the States had pretty much gotten over the “black” thing and that it was only the British media that was still harping on about it. (Case and point, the front page of the metro yesterday had a SERIOUSLY disturbing picture in which Obama had been made white and McCain had been made black. I’ve had nightmares.)
I was sort of disappointed this morning to hear on the morning BBC news how amazing it was that America has elected a Black president. Now, I don’t disagree with this. I see the historical significance of this and I do think it’s a pretty amazing step forward for our country. But the fact that they kept harping on and on about it made it sound like the ONLY reason Obama was elected was because he was Black.
Here’s the thing – and this may shock you – I could care less that he’s black. Honestly, I barely even notice it. The photo of a Black McCain was FAR more bizarre and disturbing than the one of White Obama. The point is, for me it’s got nothing to do with who his parents are and everything to do with the fact that he is an intelligent, inspirational, understanding and accessible person who will – I hope – be the strong leader our country needs.
I was kind of hoping that a lot of this emphasis was only coming from the British media, but it sounds like it’s pouring out of the American media as well.
I am sure the 101 year old black woman who voted Obama will disagree with me, but I think it’s disappointing that we are focusing on his race so much. It’s not about what a black man can do; it’s about what a smart and inspired person can do. And yeah, I think there is a lot of truth to what you said, John – a smart and inspired Muslim man wouldn’t be able to do a whole lot in the States right now. But it’s all about baby steps. I mean, hell, think about how Ca-razy it was to elect an Irish Catholic. Whoa-ho! We never thought we’d get any wilder than that.
Just read the below quote on cnn.com. It's shit like this that just infuriates me. Is it really that big of a deal??
"Many were amazed and jubilant that the United States could beat racial divisions and send an African-American -- and one with Hussein as a middle name -- to the White House. "
I guess it is. You've both said that we are privledged enough to not have first hand knowledge of this sort of thing. But the hussein comment - is that really necessary??
Rant over.
I only voted for Obama because he was black. Couldn't give two shits about his stances on healthcare, the economy, net neutrality, energy, government spending, or anything else. I simply wanted someone who was black. The American media seems to indicate that a good majority of this country acted in a similar fashion. Black black black.
Black.
Shell: I don't know if you were around for the primaries, but when people "found out" that his middle name was Hussein, it was a big deal. Why? They thought that made him Muslim, or at least a Muslim-sympathizer. I don't have a problem really with either of those scenarios, but the people who balked at those ideas are the ones who are still terrified that another 9/11 could happen, and is going to happen, only in a matter of time. When you think of it through that filter, someone who seems in any way associated with Islam or Arabs could be deemed a very real threat to our national security, in an "inside job" kind of way. Which is just a long way of saying that people who care what his middle name is are ignorant.
..."if he were truly more qualified"...
OR SHE, PRIYA! what a terrible feminist you are.
HURR HURR HEY GUYS DON'T FORGET THAT OBAMA IS THE *SECOND* BLACK PRESIDENT LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLZ
You think I'm a bad feminist, Lauren? Ask your mom about last night and she'll tell you differently.
THAT IS HORRIBLE OF ME TO SAY AND I APOLOGIZE
Also, are you referring to Bill Clinton as being our first Black president? HURR HURR etc indeed.
HE APPEALED TO BLACK PEOPLE HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
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