I woke up this morning with a feeling that has only intensified as I have watched the news tonight. Although I don't know exactly how to describe the feeling, I can try to explain why I'm feeling this way. I am deeply concerned that Obama received an enormous amount of votes simply because of the color of his skin and not because of his stance on issues. I truly hope that is not the case, but I fear it is. It seems everyone I have seen interviewed today has mentioned his race and how exciting it is that we have our first black president, but has not said one word about how excited they are to see his views be a part of the White House. I fear that thousands upon thousands of Americans were simply wanting to see a black man elected, despite his political beliefs. My fear is that the "change" they were looking for was more based on race-relations than on our country's needs.
When I saw the percentage of black voters that Obama captured (95%) I was shocked, but not surprised. Are you telling me that 95% of all black voters firmly believed that he was the better candidate for President based on his political beliefs?? It just seems highly unlikely to me.
Might I also add that many young voters seemed to be wooed by his "hipness" and eloquent ways.
I do feel his winning is a positive sign (in terms of race relations) of how far our country has come in 40 or so years, though.
5 comments:
Hey Jessica,
Jesse, James' sister, posted this note on her facebook account. I thought it brought more depth to the picture of a black man being elected president. I would like to say that I voted for McCain and I do feel like as the election went on...that many people stopped listening to the candidates plans and instead were swept up in the excitement of a Black president. I also think that with the economy the way it is...that McCain didn't have much of a chance...because he is Republican...aka...Bush's party...which has gotten a bad rap in the media and such. However, I thought Jesse's comments gave a deeper insight into what it meant to many people to have a Black President elected.
"Last night was emotional for me and for my family. Four years ago I watched Barack Obama's convention speech and felt a deep connection to what his words said. I felt hopeful about America during a time when I was deeply depressed and actually very angry. It was one reason I voted for Kerry in 2004, when I had been a registered Republican. Before 2001 and before Bush, I imagined that I would always be a Republican so long as they were for my Christian morals. By 2003 I felt betrayed. I felt that I had been duped into thinking that one party had moral authority. As I watched how time after time, lie after lie, injustice after injustice mounted during the Bush presidency, I became very hardened to politics. I wasn't a big fan of democrats or republicans. But that speech by Obama hit a deep chord in me. I felt like he spoke to my feelings and desire of a united country instead of the Clinton and Bush partisan years. That's when I voted for him for Senate and had a very small hope that maybe one day he would run for President. I watched and waited. The day he announced his run for the presidency I cried at the speech. I knew I wanted to be a part of it, but really didn't think he was going to have much of a chance against Clinton. As the last two years have unfolded I have never been so astonished as time after time I started hearing more people voicing my same hopes and dreams. Young and older people, conservative and Republican, christians of all stripes, friends of all ethnicities started telling me they were for Obama too. Now I live in his "hometown" so there is definitely a preference and pride, but I know people all over the country that were not just excited at the prospect of an African American, but at the prospect of an idea that we can unite and make our country better and change the bitter script that has gone before us. Obama is a good example of a family man, a hard worker, he belives in the power of education, he has an understanding of different ethnicities and worldviews because he physically embodies them coming together in one family. He has a beautiful strong wife and two beautiful and confident girls. You can tell that he absolutely adores them and values family deeply.
I also started to see the effect on my friends and family that are African American. There was a scepticism at first...no way he could beat Hillary...no way he could get the whole country behind him. Then there was the reality of him as the presidential nominee, and I think that in itself shattered a deep sense that it could not be done...whether he won or lost. Last night, watching with my mother in law as they announced that Barack Obama would be president, I just lost it. Here is a biracial woman who has endured hardship after hardship after discrimination, after struggle. She was the only non-white child in her family in a deeply racist area of Chicago. She grew up being called all sorts of names, told she couldn't swim in pools or play with white kids, told she was a monkey and non-human, was abused in foster homes where her white brothers were treated better than her. She has worked hard every day of her life to make a better life for her kids. She has never wanted to take charity but at times had to be humiliated by others for getting government help when her minimum wage job just could not put a roof over their heads or food on their table. The trickle down economic theory did not trickle down to her or people like her, though she has worked hard every day of her life and has the scars to prove it. In fact, it put her behind an eight ball that she still struggles to get around.
And yet, last night, she saw the country vote for the first African American president. She cried and could not speak for what seemed like an hour. She said, finally, somebody in power knows who I am and what my struggles are. She said she was so proud of her African American sons and daughter and grandson.
Personally, I do not know what it is like to have been kept from the American Dream for generation after generation until there is an apathy and a hopelessness that it will never happen. While Obama becoming president does not mean there will automatically be no more racism..it means that people of color will never see themselves the same way again. My son will grow up knowing that he is not excluded from becoming president. His first memory of a president will be someone who looks like him and his family. That's why I am so proud today. I am so proud of the many who came before to make this possible.
And I hope those that do not see it this way can still try to put yourself in the shoes of those who have struggled so hard for this day."
I definitely agree that it is a huge step forward for our country and can understand (to a certain extent...okay, maybe not so much) how much of a weight was taken off the shoulders of black americans all across the country (and probably other minorities for that matter). However, my fear is that he was only elected because of the color of his skin. I truly hope not...I hope that people are so strongly for him because of his political views and nothing else. It would mean I'm in the minority with my political views, but at least I'd feel more comfortable with the choice of president knowing that the majority of the country supports him & his stance on issues.
Thanks for your input!
Yeah...I definitely was not impressed with the media. They turned more to the "story" during the election instead of the facts of both parties.
Sorry...don't mean to be writing too many comments...and I know you wrote your blog centered around the issue of color being the reason he may have been elected...but I keep thinking of things I want to share/add.
I voted for McCain because...for me...he had the "better/safer" plan...but now that Obama won...I am left standing back...interested in what this will mean. I'm not scarred or concerned...but interested to see what will change and if it will be for the better or not.
Sorry...haha....I probably should have put this in my own blog.
yeah, i'm not scared either. i just really hope that he was elected because the country is truly behind his politics. i am definitely interested in sitting back and watching how things might change (better? worse?). i'm actually just looking forward to a break from politic-driven media for a while :-)
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