The message of President Obama (I know, its a day early, but this is the Inauguration thread!), is one of hope and belief, belief not only in ourselves, but in each other. I will be watching the event with several family members and friends. I feel like we are about to embark on a journey frought with joy and pain, hope and struggle, and if we can just weather this storm, not struggling simply to save ourselves, but save each other in the process, will will emerge as a nation, stronger and more unified.
YES WE CAN!
Si se puede!
I’m getting the impression from all the race based celebrating that the last thing people care about is Obama’s ability to lead the country. Oh he’ll be able to lead alright, as it appears that most people would follow him to the end of the earth. Luckily race has nothing to do with it, right? After all race isn’t suppose to be a consideration in this day and time in any decision making process otherwise one would consider the process racist. Apparently that’s all been thrown aside and we’re celebrating the man’s race rather than his capabilities, which to me sounds extremely racist given the definition of racism. I’m sure Obama would rather think that people voted for him based on his ability, and not solely on his race, but then the coverage would make it seem otherwise unfortunately.
Second Alamo,
This is the reality, not ONLY is Barak Obama, through his campaign, through his transition into the presidency shown incredible strength, calmness, and apptitude to lead, he is ALSO the first African American President. Why you have difficulty celebrating in this first ever historical event, is something I cannot understand. I am celebrating new hope for tomorrow AND the enormity that this country has truly shown itself capable of moving beyond judging someone’s qualification simply based on the color of their skin. Barak Obama was voted, overwhelmingly, for president, because people believed in his ability to put into action his vision for this country.
SecondAlamo, are you really saying that it is not historic that a black man is about to become president of the United States? In our entire history, there has only been one president, one!, who departed from the standard of white male Protestant or with Protestant roots. The presidency has been a very homogenous club. It is history making given the long, violent history of race relations in this country, just as it was historic when the Protestant exclusivity broke for a brief moment for Kennedy.
The notion that the majority of Obama voters chose him for his race is just ludicrous. Obama won via the white vote. He won a higher percentage of women, of college educated people, of Latinos, of youth, of all kinds of groups than McCain. He won primaries in states with almost no black population. He won substantial numbers of people who had voted for Hillary originally. If all the Democrats just wanted to vote for a black man, the close primary contest would not have existed. I know I didn’t vote for the man for his race, but I have no problem celebrating the fact that a barrier has been broken, one that I never thought I would see broken in my lifetime. That is what I have heard all around me from other Obama voters of all races. Can’t you find it possible to be gracious for one brief moment?
Leila,
That was beautiful, truly beautiful.
Geez, VIRGINIA, for G-ds sake, not only voted democrat for the first time, in almost fifty years, but also voted for an African American! Talk about finally getting over the civil war and desegregation, NOW THAT, shows change!
Leila, I agree that was a strong argument.
I think that what Second Alamo is saying is that holding on to the 20th century was and still is important to a lot of people, and one of the relics from that era was racial segregation and inequality. Also … to paraphrase Obama himself … during the 20th century, the idea of race and ethnicity could be used as a weapon in politics to divide people and distract them from the core issues that should have united us.
Unfortunately, armchair political strategists in the Republican party bet the farm on the theory that race could still be exploited in this way. Hispanics became the new target, and a new kind of divisive political opportunism was crafted … thus the name “Second Alamo,” to recall a war between the U.S. and Mexico.
This cynical but proven strategy may have worked if not for the fact that Republicans of conscience chose John McCain, and, Obama is Black. In this sense, race really did become a factor as much as Obama himself would have preferred it not be.
In October, when it came time for Sarah Palin to ignite a culture war with “us” on one side and “them” on the other, it just didn’t look or sound right, not with Obama being Black and a homogeneous crowd indulging in a cathartic, last-gasp of hate and frenzy. Moderates and Independents looked at that and said to ourselves, “I’d rather live in an America where a mixed race African American man could become President, than live in the America Sarah Palin would usher in.” But if the person the electorate was being asked to hate was a white Catholic war hero, I don’t think the same reaction would have set in.
So, Second Alamo has a point that race was an issue, and an asset for Obama in the election.
And, he, like many other Americans, is in mourning today for another age, one that began its sunset many years ago, but says its final farewell today at noon. So give him some space, he has a lot of adjusting to do.
The fact that the day before inauguration happens to be Martin Luther King’s holiday might make it seem like the fact that Obama is black is the important thing which, of course, it isn’t.
I hope some of you watched at least some of the two hour program on Ch. 26 Monday afternoon. For those of us who lived through the unbelievable things that happened in the south during the 50s it brought back memories of the terrible treatment of the Negroes (“blacks” was not in use at that time), but it also brought back memories of the incredible courage and tenacity shown by the blacks.
It is indeed an historical moment and the world, at least the Western world, is in awe. Much is expected of Pres. Obama. – too much perhaps. Let’s help him however we can!
Folks,
I’m not in morning at the least. I agree that Obama is a breath of fresh air in a stale climate, but what I do find irritating is that all the interviews and publicity centers on the fact that he is the first Black (only half true) president. If people elected him for his ability to lead, then they must have gotten that impression from his speeches alone, as he hasn’t been around long enough to prove leadership. Most people never even heard of him before the campaigning took place. Elegant speeches do not a leader make. I’ve heard very little discussion supporting the belief that he will be a great leader other than he makes people feel good, and gives them hope. That’s great, but reality will soon set in, and then leadership skills will be the important element of the day, not his ethnic background.
To sum it up, we have been taught to be completely race neutral in our day to day lives. You can even lose your job for telling a simple ethnic joke. That is what is enforced in every social law in this country. Yet, now we are focusing on nothing but race in the discussions of the new presidency. Seems out of step to me, and so after the inauguration how are we suppose to approach the new president in a race neutral atmosphere? The race issue will be presented even more, not less, as everyone would hope. So yes, racism is alive in this country, only instead of a person being sent to jail because of their race, they’re being sent to the White House.
Couple of points,
First, it is historically significant and refreshing that Obama is the first African-American to be president…..nobody I know would question the significance of this moment for our nation. Will this have ANY impact on the use of the term racist to describe anything and everything that isn’t radical left-wing? I’m afraid not. Racism exists for two reasons, because people do judge based on skin color, sadly, and also because people LOVE to play their race cards.
Obama has shown ability to lead? I think what’s been shown is the people’s willingness to follow.
Obama was overwhelmingly elected? It’s sure easy to forget 50+million people who didn’t vote for him.
I still marvel at people’s willingness to believe that they are just automatically smarter than those who came before. Any serious student of history and humanity can see that the fact that the dramatic increase in the amount of available and accessible data in no way equals a smarter nation. But hey, keep thinking you’re wiser than those who came before you.
And I’m sure I’m going to get “you don’t make any sense”. Again, do I not make sense, or do you lack the capacity to understand?
Blahhhh, I had a grammatical breakdown towards the end…..and picked a good place to do it, too!
Second Alamo has a point. I remember before the first OJ trial I sat in a black man’s living room and explained to him that OJ wasn’t black anymore. OJ was OJ, the guy running through airports, the celebrated football hero. How wrong was I.
While many of us see Obama as an intelligent man with good leadership qualities who loves his wife and is adored by his children, there are still some people out there who see him as a black guy.
I saw Gwendolyn Ifill on the Today Show yesterday, and someone asked her if Barack Obama had indeed transcended the race issue. She said emphatically, “No.” She stated that Obama never made people forget he was black, but did something more important. Instead, for the first time, he made people see it as a positive thing in a presidential candidate, rather than a liability.
So many people are spending so much time damning others for having eyes and seeing that Barack Obama is a man of color. Of course Obama wants to be appreciated for his own capabilities and qualities he brings to this office. Here’s a news flash for everyone, we can celebrate Obama’s charisma and talents, celebrate his victory for the Democratic party, celebrate a change from an administration that much in this country are critical of, AND celebrate the fact that for the first time in history, a person of color will take the highest office in the land…all at the same time! All these things occurring at once makes this an amazing day, so expect people to get very excited!
It is a shame that some people want to rain on the parade, and cannot see things positively. Barack Obama will indeed make mistakes in the future. The man said so himself in his acceptance speech. If you want to go into this thinking that people just voted him in for simplistic reasons, go right ahead. I’m sure I am not going to change your mind now.
I also think that just because Barack Obama has been elected, it is ridiculous to think some sort of switch has been flicked, and that discussion of race and racism should be put to bed. I don’t agree that the two causes of racism are as they are listed above. Rather, racism, as a form of prejudice, exists out of fear and ignorance. These are things that don’t go away, so we must constantly combat them within ourselves.
BVBL JUMPS THE SHARK —
D Gal, that was an awsome post, thanks so much for expressing what I wanted to say. We are a nation of many people, many perspectives, and many blood lines. And it is a positive not a negative that our President represents this. Not only in who he is but how he thinks.
Grumbling people, cheer up! This is a day to celebrate America.
Reports: BVBL makes normal people laugh. Not angry in the least. Actually it doesn’t even fully serve that purpose, because a lot of us just find Greg pathetic and his followers more so.
On the morning of Nov. 5, 2008 the Black Velvet crowd woke up and realized that they were a minority in this country(and county for that matter). They just haven’t come to terms with this fact. Sour grapes just doesn’t do justice to some of their remarks. I wonder how long it will take for them to realize that as of today, they are totally irrelevent and insignificant as far as political discussion is concerned. What a glorious day!
It is an amazing thing to watch this peaceful transition of power, and I cannot get enough of the beautiful views of D.C. and the crowds–from the fireside warmth of my family room, of course.
I didn’t vote for Obama, and I take serious issue with much of what he stands for. But I am the first to say that the Republicans can only blame themselves for alienating their base, muddling their message and putting forth a candidate who was afraid to challenge Obama in any substantive way.
Anyway, the “history” for me today is the age-old and peaceful transition process that shows the world the true greatness of our country. I would hope even the most rabid conservative could celebrate that today. Cheers.
Well said, Emma. I had a feeling there was a heart of gold under there.
I cannot believe the black velvets are beating the tired old drum about citizenship. That is really last grasp.
Actually the entire discussion there is horrible taste.
Greg writes on BVBL
“In Honor Of The Inauguration Of Barack Obama
By Greg L | 19 January 2009 | National Politics | 75 Comments
That flushing sound you heard was our Constitution. We are now governed by the law of the jungle. ”
Can anyone explain to me what he meant by this statement?
Marie, I think you have to have the mind of of a black velvet to be able to shed any light on that entire thread. I salute those regulars who didn’t by into that kind crap on that thread also.
They refer to themselves as “real American” and “patriots”. On this day when our democracy, the greatest democracy in the history of our world, is shown at its best, I can only pity those people over there. They would rather see this country go down in flames than have Obama and American succeed. You can have their brand of Patriotism. Black Velvet has nothing left but their own shame.
Well put, Ivan. I don’t know where I have read such rancorous remarks. The patriotism is simply non-existent with some of them–just self-serving hate and ill-will.
Moon-howler, Guess you are right.
Ivan, I pity them as well. At a time when we all need to pull together for the good of our country and its people, there are some who are just hell bent on seeing everyone fail.
It has been a long time since I have seen such ignorance.
Oh, and I should add arrogance.