Out of all the things I have posted o this site, this series by far will be the most absurd, lame and downright asinine thing I have ever done here.
Michelle Obama (Senator Obama’s wife) touched on something recently in her interview on 60 minutes that I believe epitomizes the sentiments of many Black folks in this country: No matter how successful you become, racism in all forms will always be there to haunt you. Here is an excerpt of that interview:
“This is a tough question to ask, but a number of years ago Colin Powell was thinking about running for president, and his wife Alma, really did not want him to run. She was worried about some crazy person, with a gun…. Is that something that you think about?” Kroft asks.
“I don’t lose sleep over it because the realities are that, you know, as a black man, you know, Barack can get shot going to the gas station, you know. So, you know, you can’t make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen. We just weren’t raised that way,” she says. (source)
If you listen to some folks, you would think that for the average Black person has to go through some sort of ceremonial ritual that includes a sacred incantation of “We Shall Overcome” before leaving the house lest a James Earl Ray–type is lurking out there waiting to shoot them down. The truth is, while being Black in America can attract folks out there who have biases based on skin color, in today’s world the color of one’s skin rarely serves as a barrier keeping folks away from experiencing success–as seen in the careers of Barack & Michelle Obama.
The main problem that I have with Obama is that while he touts that America is ready for change and he is the man for the job to bring that change, he still manages to play the race card. Here is Obama again subtly suggesting that America has barely changed over the years. This is what he had to say at his recent appearance in South Carolina:
Hitting one of the early primary states in the first week since announcing his candidacy for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, Obama told supporters he doesn’t believe those who say a black man can’t be elected.
“Twenty years ago, nobody would have believed this crowd in South Carolina,” he said of the racially mixed group. (source)
Hmmmm, let’s think about that for a moment as we step back into time…
“After early respectable losses in Iowa and New Hampshire, he won five southern states on Super Tuesday, March 8, 1988. On March 12 he won the caucus in his birth state of South Carolina and three days later finished second in his home state of Illinois. On March 26, 1988 Jackson stunned Dukakis and the rest of the nation in the Michigan caucus: Having won that northern industrial state with 55 percent of the vote, Jackson became the Democratic front-runner.” (source)
In case you are wondering, the Jackson mentioned here is no other that Jesse Jackson.
Moving on…
In most cases when you hear someone whining about racism, as you peel their complaint it usually falls within one of two categories (or both)
A) Something that happened to them in the not too recent past.
B) Something that did not happen to them directly, yet they feel the need to personalize it as if it happened to them.
B. is very interesting because in many cases if a Black person was to become very successful, the comradeship we easily share in times of great offense becomes scrutinized and filtered based on class (look to people like Oprah or Cosby as two examples of how ANY criticisms they have for some Black folks is seen as condescending towards ALL Black folks).
In these series of posts, I will briefly cover many of the interactions I have with Whites on a daily basis. May I remind you here that you are hearing from a person who started his career in the IT industry, got laid off, worked for a non-profit, had to go on welfare for a while, worked as an overnight security guard in quite a few places including a dairy farm and a hotel, helped my wife clean offices and bathrooms and now work at home in our own family business. I mention this because no matter how much money I had or didn’t have in my pocket, most of my interactions with White folks have been uneventful, to say the least. So while writing about this is pretty lame IMO, I feel the need to do so in an effort to combat the noise out there that Black folks are a sneeze away from returning to the cotton and tobacco fields of the South. I have already started a list of interactions here if you care to revisit that post. In the meantime, here are a few observations from our recent trip to Hawai’i. For those that have a keen interest in hearing about positive Black experiences, here are a few of mine in this land this is supposedly dripping with racism:
(Unless otherwise mentioned, all of these folks mentioned below are White)
#Our plane was delayed for about 3 hours, so the man at the gate gave ALL OF US $10 food vouchers.
#While on the plane, we were served our drinks and snacks just like everybody else.
#Once we arrived at our room on the cruise ship, we quickly discovered that they gave us the wrong room ( a downgraded room from what we paid for). We went to the front desk and spoke with the manager about it. He got back to us the following day and gave us an upgraded room free of charge.
#There were quite a few Black folks on this cruise. From what I have seen they were given the same kind of treatment as everyone else (help with their luggage, served their food, etc)
#At one of the beaches, I lost my wedding band. Three individuals helped me to look for it without having to ask them.
#While standing in line at a car rental store, out of the blue a man who was in front of us in line gave us a coupon to receive a free upgrade on our car rental.
#One of the TVs did not work in our cabin so I informed the person cleaning our room. By the time we came back, the TV was fully functional.
#Went through security many times and did not get stopped under suspicious reasons.
XXXXRACISM ALERTXXXXX My wife entered a restaurant to get some tea. Realizing that the restaurant was closing she decided to skip it. The man who my wife asked for the tea appeared to be very impatient with my wife and reluctantly brought her the tea. HOW DARE HE OFFENDED HER! DOESN’T HE KNOW THAT SHE IS A BLACK WOMAN!
#Requested to have our seats changed on the plane ride back home so that we could be near our kids. Fellow passengers had no problem granting our request.
So the next time you hear of a fellow Black person whining about how there is no good news out there regarding race relations in this country, point them to this series and you will see just how quickly boredom will settle in. The truth is: good news as it relates to race relations is BORING!
So is your post about indicting blacks folks claims of racism or Obama use of the race card.
I don’t see how you can say Obama is playing the race card when in the VERY same interview there was this exchange:
“I think if I don’t win this race it will be because of other factors. It’s gonna be because I have not shown to the American people a vision for where the country needs to go that they can embrace,” he tells Kroft.
“There’s one poll that shows Hillary Clinton is leading 53 to 27 among African-Americans,” Kroft says. “Are you surprised by that? Are you disappointed by that?”
“Not at all,” Obama says. “I think that there is a assumption on the part of some commentators that somehow, the black community is so unsophisticated that the minute you put an African-American face up on the screen, that they automatically say, ‘That’s our guy.’ A black candidate has to earn black votes the same way that he’s gotta earn white votes. And that’s exactly how it should be.”
So is your post about indicting blacks folks claims of racism or Obama use of the race card.
Both.
Obama’s subtle depiction of an America that is just coming out of the dark ages as it relates to race relations was used as a jumping board to call out folks who share this same sentiment. Unlike the news depictions (and online/offline chatter) of an America that is still on the brink of 1950’s style racism, the truth is that this country has made great strides when it comes to race relations. In most cases, we are treated just like everyone else–we just choose to emphasize the one or two incidents within the past 10 or so years where we were discriminated against. This is why many Black folks who feel that nothing has changed in this country since the Civil Rights era jumped on the Katrina incident because they needed new “validation” for their invalid and outdated claims.
BH,
So why did his wife have to emphasize that his Blackness makes him a possible target for violence? JFK was shot and killed, Reagan was shot, Ford faced two assassination attempts–all three Presidents were White. He also felt the need to plug in the fact that at times he still faces challenges catching a cab in New York.
To me, he is doing some doublespeak here. MSM is quickly proving to be his worst enemy by spending more time talking about “his Blackness” than the meat and potatoes of his platform.
Duane,
That’s not what his wife said. That is what the interviewer insinuated. When he brought up Colin Powell. What his wife said is that he can get killed doing anything. So it should not stop him from running for President.
MSM is quickly proving to be his worst enemy by spending more time talking about “his Blackness†than the meat and potatoes of his platform.
Maybe so, but this is America. And we LOVE race here in the USA. And you cannot ignore the fact this is a Black man who probably has a better chance of getting the nomination than Jesse EVERY did. Though I would like to hear more about his platform at least before the election noise machines ratcheting up and I start ignoring most election related media altogether.
“That’s not what his wife said. That is what the interviewer insinuated. When he brought up Colin Powell. What his wife said is that he can get killed doing anything.”
Her exact quote was already mentioned in the post. Go to cbsnews.com if you need to hear her say it. She, not the interviewer made the comment.
Point to you. I didn’t read carefully enough. But still that was a response to question by Kroft. You can’t say that is the tone of his campaign. Just answering a racially loaded question doesn’t race card play make.
Just answering a racially loaded question doesn’t race card play make.
What would have been nice here would have been for Obama and wife to turn the tables on Kroft and ask him why was he making this such a big deal. Unfortunately Michelle went along with it with her comment.
Something you said on Darkstar’s site I really agreed with:
Because the press really doesn’t think he’ll get the Democratic nod.
This is a perspective I have not heard and I agree with it 100%. It really makes you wonder why 99% of the coverage on him has to do with his race and very little coverage on his stances. I think that if he does not take a more aggressive approach against the type of coverage he is getting (”the ‘Black” canadate), it is gonna make it harder for folks to take him seriously beyond his “diversity”.
The article comes out just about the time we might have a black president. I am not even going to read the article because I am tired of hearing about race. Why not renite and be one. The past is past let it go. I am white and live is not easy for me. Why don’t they do a article on being disabled with both races. I am in my 40’s and I have been disabled for 5 years. I miss working and tired of struggling.
Sincerely,
Debbie, Newport News, VA
From my point of view, Barack Obama is the most polarizing political figure i have ever known but that is besides the point. Whether we like or not, racism or issues of race will remain in this country no matter who became president or who is president. Part of the problem is that white people of our generation are not about to apologize for what their ancestors have done to ours and us, black people, are so bend on hearing that apology that we turn into racist ourselves without noticing it; and then there is the stereotype issue which alone will never bring true reconciliation but frustration and sour feelings on both sides.
As far as him getting shot, that was a stupid comment from the part of his wife because her and I both know that in the city of Chicago or in Illinois in general, her husband is more likely to get shot by a “brotha” rather than by some white lunatic trying to keep the “White Power” slogan alive.
Obama using the race card? or is Obama talking about race from an objective point of view?
The reality is that Obama is giving a larger perspective on race relations in America. Sure we have made strides as a country in the acceptance of all Americans, but he insists there is more work to be done.
We must have a frank discussion about the problems facing all Americans (black, white, hispanic, asian, ect). That entails stating our experiences, biases, stereotypes, misconceptions, and BEING Real. I think it would be disingenuous to ignore the subtle societal subversive techniques used to negatively effect race relations in this country or to state racism or discrimination has ended.
If you look at politics now and how race has been used to strengthen the conservative base, i.e. illegal immigration, affirmative action, gay marriage, fighting terrorism. The use of wedge issues to systematically divide and conquer the American electorate, you can understand where Obama is coming from. His campaign is a breath of fresh air. There is open discussion of fears, hopes, dreams on both sides. He states we must get past these fears in order to conquer the major problems facing America.
Instead of nitpicking or mis characterizing Obama’s position …i.e. he invented this unity phenomena, why aren’t focusing on those who want America to be segregated and nonequal?
but he insists there is more work to be done.
Who doesn’t?
We must have a frank discussion about the problems facing all Americans (black, white, hispanic, asian, ect). That entails stating our experiences, biases, stereotypes, misconceptions, and BEING Real.
In case you haven’t noticed, we have been doing this in America for decades. All races in this country get their chance at the proverbial mike on a daily basis. And fortunately through those discussions, this country has not moved backwards in the area of race relations (contrary to what some folks would have us to believe).
or to state racism or discrimination has ended.
Tell you what, if you find the person who believes that racism has “ended”, slap them for me. In fact, just slap ‘em twice.
He states we must get past these fears in order to conquer the major problems facing America.
But you don’t “get past” fears or pretend they do not exist– you deal with them head on. That oftentimes means that you have to make decisions that are not always popular or applauded by the media. All the things you mentioned are very real and it requires a proven leader to address them accordingly. IMO, neither of our choices this fall are willing to risk anything to do the right thing.
If you look at politics now and how race has been used to strengthen the conservative base
Democrats get well over 85% of the Black vote all while calling the Republican party the party of racists (or the party of “White boys” according to Donna Brazile). Plus, wasn’t it LIBERAL commentators starting and maintaing the discussion over whether or not Obama was “Black enough”?
he invented this unity phenomena
EVERY politician speak of unity when they want to be elected. Obama invented nothing here.