Runnin’ Down a Dream
3 weeks ago
Monday, January 26, 2009
my thought on Obama's "beauty"
I've heard and read a lot of people mention that Obama won the presidency because he is black. Or that's the first thing they say or notice about him. The people who think that or have nothing more to say about Obama [than that he's black] are missing the beauty of Obama's campaign: his intelligence, his innovation and his ability to bring people together and create a vision that includes all Americans, and probably non-Americans as well. (Because the rest of the world is influenced by the U.S. president.) He used innovative campaign methods which, it seems they are trying in his presidency. The "fourth" power of government, the media is being democratized and Obama's government wants to take advantage of this, in his Youtube presidency. That's part of the beauty of him being president. Who cares he's black?
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Ideally, it wouldn't matter at all. But I think its completely reasonable for people to think that part of the beauty is exactly that he is black. Seeing and describing making steps towards equality and positive representation for the black community is understandably a huge and beautiful event in the eyes of many. Yes, it would be an error to not take in all his other great traits and aspects of his campaign too (as I agree, it seems many have and do. They should have tons more to say than that). But I don't really think it makes sense that people shouldn't pay attention to an event in terms that marks progress in other ways as well. Would you say "who care's he's black?" speaking someone who's fought for black rights? Probably not.
People who say that he won because he's black are truly ignorant. They're probably the same people who claim that there's "reverse racism" happening in the United States. (ex. See Borat movie in which one of the drunker frat boys in the motorhome proclaims that.)
I didn't vote for Obama because he's black, but rather for many other reasons. But I totally agree with Lydia that him being black is really significant.
Because of the fact that racism and other prejudices and inequalities still exist in the US (and the world), Obama's rise to power is a huge deal for people who have always felt marginalized and discriminated against because of the color of their skin. And on a personal level, it means a lot to me that now the multi-ethnic first family is a reflection of the US that I am familiar with.
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I guess my comment about "who cares he black?" comes from the fact that he's American (and fulfills the requisites to be president) thus has a right to be president. But yes, you're right, there are people who really do care he's black. It's important to them. I didn't mean to undermine the fight for/importance of racial equality and civil rights in the U.S. But I didn't vote for Obama because he is black. And I wouldn't have voted for Hillary Clinton because she's a woman. And no way would I have voted for Pallin-McCain just to have a female VP.
I just find it annoying that that seems to be the most important thing about him for lots of people who talk about him. Maybe if I were black, his skin color would have more significance for me.
I guess, in a nutshell, what I find annoying is that people don't see beyond his race. Because he's so much more than his race, just like anyone is.
Great post on Obama. I wrote something similar in my "Ugly Girl Invited to Prom" post found here:
http://futalandia.blogspot.com/2009/01/ugly-girl-gets-invited-to-prom.html
Obama being black is significant only in that maybe as a culture, the US is getting beyond race. Not quite, but getting there!
I wrote about that as well. I think it's strange that people keep obsessing onthe fact that he's black, which is admittedely an amzing leap forward, but I just want him to be a good president and do his job which is why I voted for him .
another way to look at it is that most people who did vote for obama probably didn't do it because of race.
but you have to wonder how many of the people who didn't vote for obama did so because of race.
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