Barack, Barack I loved you then...
This was inspired (as is at least one post bi-weekly since I "virtually" met him) by NYCinephile.
"That's the most poorly written article I've ever read," Steve admonished yesterday while I tried to swallow my last bit of morning tea without choking.
He was referring to this article on Barack Obama.
While I never said it was the best piece of column writing I'd ever been exposed to, I was intrigued by the discussion and interpretation of Barack as the "Ivy League" African-American democrat. I find the discussion of Barack Obama's "black enough versus white enough" readiness for candidacy tiring and well...defeating. Before I knew it, I was practically livid without really knowing why. We leapt into a heated debate about the quality of the article and then, the assessment of Obama as a viable candidate. At just a HINT of hesitancy regarding Obama's character, I was defending him as if he were my brother, almost wildly. (I'm sure you who visit here often are not strangers to my...uh..emotional side) It spawned a debate on race, class, intellect, entitlement, arrogance, liberal versus conservative...I think we exhausted each other - but such is the way of our friendship. Ever at odds over something.
A few weeks back everyone was up at arms about Biden's reference to Barack as articulate and clean (which apparently distinguishes a "good negro" from a "bad negro" and provides two unbiased distinctions within the race). While the remarks were idiotic and ignorant at best, they were nothing new to any African American who has achieved any amount of recognition or achievement in a political, social or athletic capacity - I think articulate might be Kobe Bryant's middle name though he lost the "clean" title back in Colorado circa 2003.
Are we ready for an African American president?
People, let's take a good look at our political track record of the past 8 years. How about we lose the regard for color, culture and sterotype and ask simply,
Are we ready for a strong and capable president?
What's truly at stake here? Make no mistake, Barack Obama's announcement on February 10, 2007 is significant to me...but not because he's brown like me. Hell, that's just a bit of frosting on the cake for someone starving for substance. It is significant to me because it is the first time the presidential race has inspired a sense of passion, excitement and hope for generations nearly put to sleep by the stagnancy that has grown since the days of JFK. It was a seed that was planted when I read his first book; it spiraled out of control when he won the senate race for Illinois in '04. The world would take notice when he addressed the nation during the democratic national convention in the same year.
I thank him for what he's done already. He's helped to re-engage a core element of our society, given them a passion, encouraged them to explore the issues and defy their jaded beliefs about their voice and its power in directing the course of a nation. That is no bullshit. This is not a post about my stance on the core issues of this election. I have my opinions, and they will come as the election debates continue. For right now...I thank him most, for giving me something to believe in again.
The audacity of hope indeed. Whatever the results of 2008...he's already won with me. If you're in Austin on Friday, February 23rd...come visit Barack here. Look for me. I'll be around and I'll have my worn and tattered Obama for Illinois t-shirt in tow.
Comments
As far as Clinton goes, well, she's so cold and calculating.She seems very Queen Elizabeth-ish. She's also a little to far right for my taste. I much prefer Nancy Pelosi's way. Give you a smile and a peck on the cheek then politely tell you off.
Maybe it's my knee jerk cynicism asserting itself, but I don't think America is ready for a black president. I'll be glad to be wrong. I do think with the election cycle starting so early, I'm going to be worn out by the time we actually vote. Time will tell if Obama can go the distance. He's getting a lot of love right now, but it's still early.
I know it's easy for me to say this, but I don't understand why we're still talking about this, as if a man's skin color - or eye color, or whatever - has any bearing on what kind of man he is.
It's just me, but I don't trust Hillary Clinton. And I don't even like John Edwards. Obama has my vote already, just based on the man he is and the things he's already accomplished.
You know, it does go nicely with that blue font... :)