In his latest column, Eric Margolis provided an excellent social analysis of Barrack Obama’s victory and its social significance.
On Obama’s “black” background:
In the West Indies, where I used to live, Obama properly would be called a mulatto. There and in Africa and Latin America, mulattos are considered only one rung below whites, and of much higher social status than various mixtures of white and blacks known as quadroons, octaroons, high yellows, or “blacks” of pure African descent. In the West Indies and Americas, mulattos usually were part of the white power structure and often resented by darker-skinned people.
In fact, Obama, who sips tea and listens to Mozart, is part of white, liberal, upper middle class society.
On racism, both during the Democratic nomination and that which is still forthcoming:
Though Obama is not really a black man in the North American sense of the term, his candidacy has revealed the racist underbelly of the United States, particularly among southern rednecks, blue-collar workers, and evangelical Christians.
Hillary Clinton helped open this Pandora’s box, and Republicans will be certain to keep the lid open during the campaign. Many Jewish Americans, no strangers to racism, also are spreading anti-Obama prejudice. An intense, below-the-radar campaign is going on among Jewish groups warning that Obama is “soft on Israel” or even a closet Muslim. “I don’t trust that schwartze in a suit,” as one New Yorker put it.
… and on the selection of a VP
The next big question: Who will Obama choose for vice-president? Angry feminists and menopausal militants are demanding Obama name Hillary Clinton. But given her 40% negative national ratings, and the prospect of Obama being stuck in a menage a trois with Hillary and Bill Clinton, he should look elsewhere.
…
By refusing graciously to concede defeat weeks ago, and raising the race issue, Mrs. Clinton put her political career before the party.
A few more points to contemplate:
- Obama’s biggest challenge for the US election will not be outfoxing McCain or the widespread racism already being propagated on right-wing radio/blogs. Rather, his wife Michelle is most likely to cost him the victory. Her anti-America outbursts and trademark “mad black” sneering may play well at Rev. Wright’s church or among armchair activists, but mainstream America does not want to be constantly beaten over the head with the slavery stick. In politics, it’s not about the candidate’s feelings – it’s about the feelings of the people voting. If Michelle hasn’t figured that out now then she probably never will, and Barrack can’t just dump her the way he did with Rev. Wright.
- The Democrat party was never a unified party – it is a party of special interests that tolerate one another via the fact that they all fear being collectively crushed by the Republican right. If Hilary had won the election then a good % of younger Democrats, much of the black lobby and general anti-Hilary folks would be screaming about robbery and elite appointments. The Republican party is no more unified at its core but its supporters seem better able to put differences aside and fight the common enemy.
- Sure Obama can accept Hillary as VP … if he wants to be the shortest-lived president of all time.
Barrack Obama may have made history but, now that there’s a real chance he may become president, his problems have just begun.
Obama sounds kind of like my nephews. By North American standards they would be considered “Black” because their father is, but they identify more as White because they’ve had much exposure to the White (my sister’s) side of the family.
The other thing is that Obama’s father is not African-American but Black African, and from East rather than West Africa (from where most African Americans originated). Obama also grew up mainly in Indonesia and in Hawaii, a place with few if any Blacks. So I think that Obama’s connection to the American Black community is somewhat tenuous.
This is not meant in any way to disparage Obama; it is similar to how even though she is of (as far as we know) 100% European descent, my mother really has no ties to Europe, as I wrote in another essay.
Hey guys,
Obama has a tough road ahead. That party is horribly fractured thanks to Hillary hanging on so damn long after she lost just to take parting shots. He still has an up hill battle due to his race since people can talk a good game but few actually play. Black folx love to divide and be conquered…some insist on attacking him for not being exactly like them….yet they have spent their lives voting for presidents that are nothing like them. And of course the old foolishness of colourism, what “really” is black, whether or not a child of an immigrant black is real, and all that BS, doesn’t help anything.
The man is smart. The man wants to be prez. The man represents both parts of his race and therefore within that represents black people…and all minorities since none of us have been in oval office. (Side note: no one can stand from the outside and decide what someone else should define them self as. Also, if someone denies half of what they are, how can they be a full person and fully respect them self.) He speaks of unity and understands he has to be the prez of everyone and not just one or two groups. I wish him all the best……but its true that he can be better than perfect and there will always be someone ready to trash him like he is a screw up even though he has made it further through the minefield than anyone would have thought.
Its the old story of putting out more effort for less recognition. As for his wife…people hate an outspoken black woman….Michelle should do Michelle. Obama should do Obama. If the people like they like….if not they don’t. Its a situation where no matter how close to perfection you come someone will bitch at you or hate on you….so why bother? They need to just stay the course, choose a direction and be true to what ever that is.
The overall theme of this article is that now Obama cleared a major problem, he has WAY more lined up…..totally true. I agree with that. Lets see how he handles them.
Ah the silly politics of personality!
12 months ago, everyone was saying that the Democratic Party, led by Hillary Clinton, would win the US Presidency elections in November 2008.
6 months ago, everyone was saying that this Obama guy would make a great running mate for Hillary Clinton.
Today, everyone has doubts that the Democrats will win because of the “politics of personality” associated with the Obama campaign.
6 months from now, everyone will be talking about why Senator John McCain failed to win the White House, how hew was never the hero he pretends to be; how he was not tortured, how he freely gave his captors information, how he was complicit in the USS Forrestal Fire and how he was one of the principals involved in the Keating Scandal.
12 months from now, everybody will be blaming President Obama for the large fiscal deficit; about his failure to begin moving troops out of Iraq; about the large trade deficit; about the continued free-fall of the American dollar; about rising gas prices; about another crisis in financial markets; about jobs going overseas; about his failure to get jobs for blue collar workers and black folks..etc. etc.
Interesting discussion. I must confess that U.S. politics is a subject not often in my radar, but I do notice that Michelle Obama’s efforts seem to be a bit much at times.
I hope that whoever ends up in the White House tries to promote a strong relationship with Canada.