By Angela Hughes
November 4, 2008 was one of the most monumental days within black political history along with the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. President Barack Obama is the epitome of hope and an outstanding example of African American intellectual prowess. However, President Obama’s journey to becoming the 44th President of the United States was not only a difficult one, but there were more obstacles thrown in his path to deter him from continuing his run than things to assist him in winning. What’s mind-boggling is that his experience during the 2008 election season was not surprising. In a country where racism is a common element within the history of Asian, Latino and African American citizens alike, it was not surprising. In a country where financial success and wealth stands firmly on the exploitation, inhumane labor and mistreatment of our people, it was not surprising. In a country where African Americans are at the bottom of the cultural totem pole, his treatment couldn’t help but be expected. Time and time again, people of color have had to overcome adversity and toil to reach a point of success in politics or academia.
As of late, various news sources have conducted polls and surveys regarding President Obama’s approval rating of his first 200 days in office. The results have indicated that his supporters are unsatisfied and his efforts are reminiscent of his predecessor, George Bush. To that, I can’t help but ask, “Who are they polling and surveying?” These constant attempts to discredit President Obama’s judgment boils down to one thing and one thing only: he’s an intelligent, black man. The biggest threat to this European influenced society is a person of color altering the image of leadership. President Obama’s cultural identity has caused critics, self-proclaimed pundits and political commentators alike to question his judgment. The ghastly combination of racism and the capitalism used to uphold it are the sole reasons his judgment is questioned. As the president has resurrected and brought forth the issue of race relations in this country, many racially charged incidents have received national news coverage. With the recent Professor Gates and Officer James Crowley incident, President Obama used common sense (something our former president failed to exercise), and had the men simply talk it out. Objectively looking at the situation, there was a problem between two individuals who both represented two larger groups of people, law enforcement and the black community. The leader of both individuals brought the two together, talked about it and they reached common ground. While that was the most rational and effective means of resolving the problem, the same critics, pundits and political analysts focused on the beer drinking aspect of the meeting more than anything. Another important example of this extreme distrust of black leadership is happening right now with President Obama’s plan for healthcare reform. Yesterday, in a town hall style forum, conservative, right-wing suburbia expressed tremendous opposition to his plan. While it is easy to say that these activists do not trust President Obama because he is black, we need to delve deeper -to the root of this grave distrust.
America’s wealth was built on the backs of African slaves, indigenous exploitation and immigrant labor. These very people could not receive an education simply because their acquisition of knowledge would disrupt the power structure. So there was (and still is) a conscious effort to keep them ignorant and uneducated. As the U.S. Constitution was designed to benefit the “explorers” that settled here completely excluding the aforementioned. Decades later, immigration continues to increase and cultural diversity has flourished. While educational and political opportunities have been extended to people of color, the fear of loosing control of the power structure has grown in white America*. Conservative, right-wing suburbia has used their political affiliations to cover-up their “deep-seeded hatred” (courtesy of Glen Beck) for African Americans, with President Obama as a menace to the society they tried so cunningly to maintain. On one hand, the number of African American politicians, doctors, entertainers, lawyers, and business owners are steadily increasing, and on the other hand “Republicans” continue to boil with anger (read: fear) of our country becoming socialized (read: people of color in power).
Ultimately, President Obama is getting graded every 100 days not because he’s black, but because conservative, right-wing, suburban America is afraid of loosing the sovereignty they once had. A good friend of mine mentioned that former president George Bush received praise for starting a war that has resulted in the murder of millions of people, but President Obama gets called a Nazi and socialist for wanting to save millions of people. As an African American community, it is imperative not only to our future, but to the future of all people of color, that we continue to support our president and shun the opinions of those who oppose his well-intended decisions. People of all ethnic backgrounds, ages, and political affiliations have created an organized effort to gracefully change America into the very thing that President Obama’s critics loathe. Election night was his successful crossing into the treacherous political territory of presidency. But no grade, report card, poll or survey can taint the reputation he continues to build for himself in his quest to better America for all its people.
Wow Ang! This was DEEP! You were also right! I feel no need for them to grade President Obama AT ALL! He won the election for a reason and for those who fail to see what he is bringing to the table just need to look harder! That’s why you’re my girl! =)
Wow Ang! This was DEEP! You were also right! I feel no need for them to grade President Obama AT ALL! He won the election for a reason and for those who fail to see what he is bringing to the table just need to look harder! That’s why you’re my girl! =)
Miss Hughes I am impressed once again! Would have NEVER known you were an AD major. But you raise many solid points! The odds will ALWAYS be against Obama, even after he restores this country to what it needs to be! Most of the opposition feel that it’s an impossibility to compliment Obama on a job well done, so they only attempt to harp on the negative. No worries though…MORE than the talented 10th know a Legend when they see one…
Miss Hughes I am impressed once again! Would have NEVER known you were an AD major. But you raise many solid points! The odds will ALWAYS be against Obama, even after he restores this country to what it needs to be! Most of the opposition feel that it’s an impossibility to compliment Obama on a job well done, so they only attempt to harp on the negative. No worries though…MORE than the talented 10th know a Legend when they see one…
I agree with Dominique above, this article was DEEP!
Barack Obama walked into office and inherited a host of economic problems, and a war that most people in this country do not want to be affiliated with, and/or have no idea what, exactly we are fighting for.
PRESIDENT OBAMA also rode into office on the campaign promise of affordable healthcare for the nation, and now that he is attempting to deliver that promise, there are great problems. Where’s the disconnect?
I understand that some citizens of this country don’t want it to become “socialized” if free healthcare is implemented for all, but if there is an option for an alternate paid system of healthcare, I, again, do not see the problem.
The Obama update every 100 days provides a platform for criticism for the PRESIDENT, and allows him to be attacked for every little thing he does. I, personally think he is doing a great job, given the severity of the multiple situation he inherited when he came into office.
As Angela said, we, as a minority community need to band together in support of the man that was elected to run this by the majority of this country (not just African Americans). He is a part of our community, and even when the OTHERS turn on him at the drop of a dime, We, collectively should stand behind him.
I agree with Dominique above, this article was DEEP!
Barack Obama walked into office and inherited a host of economic problems, and a war that most people in this country do not want to be affiliated with, and/or have no idea what, exactly we are fighting for.
PRESIDENT OBAMA also rode into office on the campaign promise of affordable healthcare for the nation, and now that he is attempting to deliver that promise, there are great problems. Where’s the disconnect?
I understand that some citizens of this country don’t want it to become “socialized” if free healthcare is implemented for all, but if there is an option for an alternate paid system of healthcare, I, again, do not see the problem.
The Obama update every 100 days provides a platform for criticism for the PRESIDENT, and allows him to be attacked for every little thing he does. I, personally think he is doing a great job, given the severity of the multiple situation he inherited when he came into office.
As Angela said, we, as a minority community need to band together in support of the man that was elected to run this by the majority of this country (not just African Americans). He is a part of our community, and even when the OTHERS turn on him at the drop of a dime, We, collectively should stand behind him.
Very very deep Angela, it continues to disappoint me how i keep reading and hearing these folks say things like, “this isn’t the America i knew and loved” and “communist, and America is changing”.Said discourse drives me nuts! Im like hell yeh we changing, im glad its not your America, now i don’t gotta worry about bein lynched if i wanna open my own business! Personally i wanna see Obeezey just push the agenda through, without republican support, just bully em and do what he pleases because they are clearly crazy.
Very very deep Angela, it continues to disappoint me how i keep reading and hearing these folks say things like, “this isn’t the America i knew and loved” and “communist, and America is changing”.Said discourse drives me nuts! Im like hell yeh we changing, im glad its not your America, now i don’t gotta worry about bein lynched if i wanna open my own business! Personally i wanna see Obeezey just push the agenda through, without republican support, just bully em and do what he pleases because they are clearly crazy.
This needs to be seen by more people.
This needs to be seen by more people.
Extremely thoughtful and well written article. A bit short-sighted, though. The “Joe the Plumber” types at the Townhall meetings on Health Care are recruited, indoctrinated and paid for by the Health Care Industry, Big Pharma, and The Oil Industry, whose petroleum produces most of the substances used to create new “medicines” (read that prescription drugs). Face it, children, with a new, efficient, pre-emptive, preventive health care plan, and system in place and working, Big Pharm and her sisters stand to loose googobs of money. Billions, and billions. If people start looking out for their own health, questioning the poisons in the food, air and water, and trying to mitigate their effects, what will become of big oil, big chemicals, big insurance…starting to see the pattern here, folks. The RACE ISSUE is by-and-large a red herring. It is something to keep people distracted, because we as a culture/society have always been easily distracted when it comes to issues of race, because those issues always include the visceral: sex, miscegenation, inter-marriage, moving into someone’s neighborhood, integration of schools, RACEMIXING. That same red herring has been used to raise and maintain barriers which are then used to keep everybody in the middle DOWN. Does anyone out there know that indentured servitude was for everybody Britain wanted to get rid of and was not based on skin color or race? Race-based slavery was not codified until wholesale chattel slavery became a large and profitable transatlantic business proposition, and the brokers and financiers decided to enact legislation to protect their financial interests.
I could go on ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Children, it has always been about money – who’s got it, and who’s going to keep it and control it.
But keep observing, keep thinking, but don’t forget your past, and if you don’t know it, study it. THERE’S your power and the tool to change the future.
Read history, even obscure, boring history – because everything you need to know is there. The one thing the white man (read that Europeans) will always do is write it down. They have done, and will continue to write down a record of everything they have done to you, and everything they are getting ready to do to you.
That is why they are so afraid of education. They assume that if you are educated, you will read and figure out the game plan.
Study the past. Did you know that A. Lincoln set up and financed a trial re-colonization of African slaves on a tiny isle in the Caribbean? Some 400+ souls, plantation slaves, many of them domestics who had never done field labor, nearly all of whom perished in the harsh swampy, mosquito-infested surroundings? The plan was not to free the slaves, but to get rid of them as free labor among Central American fruit plantations? Not in your textbooks?
Why is old stuff important? Because just at the end of the 19th century, Encyclopedias routinely supplied in this nation’s public libraries proudly told the stories and named the names of those American “entrepreneurs” who exploited and abused the aboriginals of Central America, undercutting governments and replacing them with their own -hand-picked regimes.
If old Abe had had his way, there, but for the Grace of God, would go many current African Americans.
Watch, children. Keep alert.
Extremely thoughtful and well written article. A bit short-sighted, though. The “Joe the Plumber” types at the Townhall meetings on Health Care are recruited, indoctrinated and paid for by the Health Care Industry, Big Pharma, and The Oil Industry, whose petroleum produces most of the substances used to create new “medicines” (read that prescription drugs). Face it, children, with a new, efficient, pre-emptive, preventive health care plan, and system in place and working, Big Pharm and her sisters stand to loose googobs of money. Billions, and billions. If people start looking out for their own health, questioning the poisons in the food, air and water, and trying to mitigate their effects, what will become of big oil, big chemicals, big insurance…starting to see the pattern here, folks. The RACE ISSUE is by-and-large a red herring. It is something to keep people distracted, because we as a culture/society have always been easily distracted when it comes to issues of race, because those issues always include the visceral: sex, miscegenation, inter-marriage, moving into someone’s neighborhood, integration of schools, RACEMIXING. That same red herring has been used to raise and maintain barriers which are then used to keep everybody in the middle DOWN. Does anyone out there know that indentured servitude was for everybody Britain wanted to get rid of and was not based on skin color or race? Race-based slavery was not codified until wholesale chattel slavery became a large and profitable transatlantic business proposition, and the brokers and financiers decided to enact legislation to protect their financial interests.
I could go on ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Children, it has always been about money – who’s got it, and who’s going to keep it and control it.
But keep observing, keep thinking, but don’t forget your past, and if you don’t know it, study it. THERE’S your power and the tool to change the future.
Read history, even obscure, boring history – because everything you need to know is there. The one thing the white man (read that Europeans) will always do is write it down. They have done, and will continue to write down a record of everything they have done to you, and everything they are getting ready to do to you.
That is why they are so afraid of education. They assume that if you are educated, you will read and figure out the game plan.
Study the past. Did you know that A. Lincoln set up and financed a trial re-colonization of African slaves on a tiny isle in the Caribbean? Some 400+ souls, plantation slaves, many of them domestics who had never done field labor, nearly all of whom perished in the harsh swampy, mosquito-infested surroundings? The plan was not to free the slaves, but to get rid of them as free labor among Central American fruit plantations? Not in your textbooks?
Why is old stuff important? Because just at the end of the 19th century, Encyclopedias routinely supplied in this nation’s public libraries proudly told the stories and named the names of those American “entrepreneurs” who exploited and abused the aboriginals of Central America, undercutting governments and replacing them with their own -hand-picked regimes.
If old Abe had had his way, there, but for the Grace of God, would go many current African Americans.
Watch, children. Keep alert.