What a Night – Barack Obama is President-Elect

I planned to stay in. I had wine, cheese and fruit. I had my TV and my couch. My best friend came by with dinner and we settled in for what we assumed would be an all-nighter-nail-biter. I expected to go to bed with the winner of the presidential election still being up in the air.

Then it happened. CNN came back from a commercial break and announced that Barack Obama was projected to win the presidential election after securing California. It was surreal. Obama won. And he won by such a large margin that it couldn’t be stolen from him. I cheered; I called friends and family. It was only after I hung up with my grandmother that it hit me.

All at once, I experienced a wave of recognition and awe that took my breath away. My parents and grandparents hail from the deep-south. Their histories, the times and places they come from, are filled with so many stories of discrimination, hurt, exclusion and hate. It was sometimes painful, but alas, it was life as they knew it. Black Americans have made so many sacrifices and valuable contributions to this great nation, but for some, they would always be heralded as “less than.”

My grandmother was able to see this day. My grandfather was able to see this day. My mother and father, who have always taught me that I could become anything I wanted, were able to see a day where their words rang even truer. America has spoken and declared that we can embrace positive change, no matter what package it comes in.

I don’t declare racism in America dead; I believe it took extremely dire situations for some of us to put our prejudices aside and really consider the issues at hand. But I do celebrate the fact that we’ve taken a step in the right direction. The enormity of what we have just done as a collective voice in this country resounds within me.

I have shed so many tears before, wondering, “Why do they hate us so much?” My only transgression was having been born with brown skin. Last night, I shed tears of elation, and, damn it, a feeling of worthiness. I am not Barack Obama, but he has reached a place of accomplishment that has never before been reached by a black man in this country. And when his family took the stage with him last night, I felt like I was up there with them.
 

Beyond Obama and McCain – Pride and the 2008 Presidential Election

My nephew asked his mom last week, “Are you voting for ‘Oh-rock Obama’?” He’s six years old. It was a cutesy kid question, but it brought home the impact of this election. Another nephew, this one in high school, asked me who I would be casting my vote for. Having a better understanding of current events, he also asked me why I made my particular choice. I was so proud at that moment. I was proud of his interest, but I was also proud of the fact that he didn’t assume race would be enough to get my vote.   

 

For me, it’s not yet about who wins. It’s about the fact that a black man actually has a chance at all of becoming the President of the United States. It’s also about women being given a real shot at running. And at least one of the women in this race was qualified for the position before her.

 

This Election IS about race, whether you like it or not

If we’re going to talk about race, we should be clear that it’s a factor on both sides. There are those who will not vote for Obama simply because he is black. There are also those who will vote for him because – you guessed it – he’s black. I don’t think either decision is wise, but I do believe motivations matter. The difference seems to be support versus bigotry.

 

Blacks who are voting based on race aren’t doing it to suppress whites. They’re doing it to support a black man. On the flip side, whites who are voting based on race are doing it because they don’t want to see a black man in the White House. They make wild and baseless claims to support their positions, but it all boils down to oppression.

 

What bothers me most about the racial tensions injected into this historic moment is that so many are trying to cloak racism with the word “fear.” It’s a thin veneer covering the ugly truth. Some try to give it a Christian base, but it’s so transparent. Instead of these ideas being categorically rejected, they’ve actually taken hold.

 

I am saddened to see it at all, but extremely disappointed that this painfully obvious tactic is also used in McCain’s campaign.  It’s more socially acceptable to be afraid than to be racist. I guess that’s why Sarah Palin talks so often about how “fearful” she is. I am not calling her racist, but I think her campaign knew what they were playing with when they chose those words.

 

Women won – and lost – at the same time

The other reason that makes this race so enthralling is gender. Women have also changed the landscape of politics in our country. They have been given a chance to enter what has for so long been a men’s arena. But the day that gender was touted above credentials is the day women lost. Period.

 

Whatever her level of intelligence, Palin’s grasp of domestic and foreign politics is severely lacking. Anything could happen to either presidential candidate after being sworn in office. I’d prefer the second-in-command to be able to lead the country from jump, not just be a “quick study.” I find it laughable that her being a woman, coupled with a “you betcha” here and there are supposed to overshadow her shortcomings. Still, she sure can draw a crowd.

 

Personal politics aside

Whether you are Republican or Democrat, black or white, man or woman, you have something to be proud of in this election. For so many of us, it’s been proven that we are all intelligent, able, worthy, and capable of leading this country to greatness. The world is watching us. How we act on November 5^th will speak just as loudly as how we vote on November 4^th.

 

Just Jokes: Walking the Line between Humor and Racism

Today I visited the blog, Stuff White People Like. It offers a list of random things that, well, white people supposedly like. The tone is humorously informational, and the list includes things like sushi, dogs and recycling. It is completely general and even stereotypical, but this is readily understood (unlike the website, www.blackpeopleloveus.com, which appears to be satire, but lacks necessary humor).  

I was cautious as I wasn’t immediately sure if SWPL would be amusing or offensive. After perusing the postings, I deemed it light and funny. I didn’t read every comment for every post, but I was able to gather that the visitors’ consensus mirrored my evaluation, regardless of race. 

One visitor mentioned that if there was a similar site for black people, it would almost surely be considered racist. I have to agree. Even if the list for black people included stereotypes that weren’t necessarily offensive (chicken, gold fronts, pit bulls), black people are extremely sensitive when it comes to this brand of humor, especially if the author is not black. 

Background information about SWPL’s author(s) is not provided. The ‘Contact Info’ blurb on the front page of the blog asks ”Do you know of stuff that white people like that we don’t?” so it is assumed he/she/they are not white. This anonymity comes across as an intriguing necessity for the blogger, but leads me to a certain conundrum: I don’t particularly mind not knowing the identity of the author(s) if  don’t find the content offensive, but that changes when it is malicious or racist. 

Writing a blog of this type obviously opens the doors for odious and racist comments. An anonymous blogger gave an offensive list of things blacks and other minorities are fond of (welfare, shooting heroin, gang warfare). The person ends the list with “don’t you dare call me racist!!!” If you have an opinion, however unpopular, why hide behind anonymity?  

Too often in the online world, racists spew garbage but never have the gall to stand behind their views. And that works my nerves. But what appears to be cowardice for some is inexplicably acceptable to me in the instance of this blogger’s identity. Go figure.

It is my belief that jokes containing truisms about different cultures are okay, and that sometimes the black community can be a little too sensitive, albeit understandably. But there should always be an underlying thread of respect. There is chatter in the blogosphere about this very idea (see Understanding and Correcting Online Bigotry), and I think its well worth more exploration.

Super Tuesday Looms: Voting Race, Gender or (Duh!) Issues?

CNN has taken flak over the last couple of weeks regarding an article that posed a seemingly simple question about the South Carolina Primary: Will black women vote based on their race or their gender? Ironically, it’s the simplicity of this question that complicates everything. But with Super Tuesday upon us, it is well worth discussion. 

Many black women took offense to the article because of its superficial nature. It effectively reduced black female voters’ choices to race and gender only. This implied that instead of voting on the things that matter (national security, experience, government spending, etc), black women are torn between supporting – or selling out – their race or their gender. 

The comments posted after the article ranged from mild to hot. Most shook their fingers at the presumption that black women would vote using such meaningless qualifications. One reader cleverly pointed out that black women aren’t the only set that might think about race vs. gender, assuming that’s all that mattered to them. White men could be presented with the same “dilemma;” Clinton is white and Obama is a man. But that avenue is ignored.  

Others readers flat-out cried racism, which I believe takes the debate a step too far. I too was slightly offended. The idea that black women would focus on important issues instead of race or gender was mentioned as an afterthought as opposed to a decision-making priority. But I don’t think the question was racist. When CNN aired a piece about the article and subsequent backlash, one commentator compared the race vs. gender question to asking a Mormon voter if she will support Romney or not. Or asking a southerner if she’s more inclined to vote for a southern candidate.

Asking about race and gender in this election is valid, but it should not be left to stand alone when exploring black female voters. Let’s face it, we do vote on the issues, but we consider other more superficial factors as well. I am excited that Obama is black, that Clinton is a woman, and both of them have a viable chance at becoming our nation’s next president. For me, it isn’t about race or gender at all. It is okay for either to matter, but neither should be a determinant in choosing our next leader.

When We’re Ready For Truth…

Talking about ‘Dog’ Chapman Sorry for Using N-Word

I have had enough. And it’s not what you think. I’m not angry about all these prominent people getting caught using the word “n*gger.” That is simply putting on display what I’ve always know to be true behind closed doors. I am tired of these lame attempts at damage control. They insult my intelligence. The excuses, the half-hearted attempts to make amends, the sloppy clarifications and the meetings with black religious “leaders” are all thinly veiled attempts to hold onto a career. They aren’t quests for self-discovery, sociological enlightenment or atonement. It seems like everyone is using the same formula, and no one has sent the memo that it’s ridiculous. Um, MEMO!

Duane “Dog” Chapman was caught on tape using the word “n*gger” like water running from a tap. Yes, I was offended. Especially since he seemed to understand that the word is hurtful and wrong. But instead of making a decision not to use it, he tells his own son that he can’t date a black woman because he doesn’t want her to hear them using the word and get the wrong idea. Right… Chapman puts more foot in his mouth when he later says his stance on his son’s relationship was not about her race or the possibility of her happening upon a racial slur, but her character. Funny, he never mentioned ONE WORD about her character during his recorded tirade. The whole clip was about his freedom to use the word n*gger without the threat of losing his career.

We will never resolve the issues of racism, bigotry, hatred and prejudice if we can’t even have an honest dialogue about it. That man isn’t sorry he said those things; he’s sorry he was caught. The story is the same every time, and it isn’t just the black/white issue. I’m strong enough to handle the idea that people like this exist, so I’m strong enough to explain to them why it hurts. Likewise, I’m strong enough to hear why they think it’s okay to believe or act the way they do. I only wish we all had the strength to deal with this in a real way, not just putting a bow on an empty box.