Obama's race is mostly irrelevant, which makes his race a BFD.

Great Debates
1

Maybe this will end up in the pit, but that’s not my hope. I’ve erupted into sobbing many times in the past several weeks. The paradox is that the greatest symbol of the success of the civil rights movement is manifest by a man who did not think race was the biggest issue in his life, and by a population that didn’t think race was a big deal, either.

I really, really didn’t think I’d see this, and it’s not like I’m a social activist or anything. But the first memories that I have of being “self-aware” are from late elementary school, and that was in the early 70s, and I took it for granted that we were moving towards a future where no one gave a damn what you looked like or how weird your name sounded. Then things just slowed down, and the world seemed get caught up with other things, and in the last eight years I started fearing that my retro-flower-child ideals were just quaint and charming, and I was living in one of the little corners of the country where I could find people who shared my views.

Seeing Jesse Jackson cry during Obama’s victory speech got me all crying again, and here’s why:
Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and every other very angry black person crusading for civil rights had to be all kinds of angry in order to keep up the fight. They had to spend decades fighting dragons, because that’s what they were up against. And they had to keep their anger close to the surface, just in case some other horror popped up that they’d have to defend against. So, they spent decades fighting tooth and nail for every inch, and fought to the point where they could barely stand up anymore, and then some guy who’s intelligent, thoughtful, charismatic, who never had to fight those particular battles, gets to ride into town and fuck the princess*. He could only become who he was because they’d fought so hard for him and created the conditions in which he could grow up not having to be as angry as they, and looking back, it seems obvious that the first black president was never going to come from their ranks. The first black president would be a product of their efforts, elected at a time when his being black was not that big of a deal.

(* phrase & argument gleefully stolen from an earlier thread)

Obama’s historic election could only happen when the nation was already past the point of considering that race was a big deal. Which is what makes it a big deal. The last fight was not against the dragons, it was to get the townspeople to feel safe enough that they could come out and try to live normal, peaceful lives.

So, Jesse Jackson was weeping because, forgive me for mind-reading, he could finally see that the battle had been won years ago, and this election was the first major manifestation of that success. He had been fighting the good fight, but in recent years had become more and more marginalized because the kind of fighting he’s had to do just hasn’t been needed as much. The reward for him was not to become president, it was to have helped move the country to a place where someone else could become president. Sure, there may be almost half the country who still have various prejudices, but now we know, and everyone else in the world knows, that their days are numbered, because more than half of the voters have no problem seeing Obama as a man who, by the way, is black.

It’s been making me cry like a baby.

2

Can you tell me what a BFD is? Sorry - I’m behind the times I guess.

As for your OP, I liked the points you made very much. I’m not wholly convinced the likes of Rev. Jackson or Al Sharpton being angry were the true pavers of the way for Obama - I’m thinking more along the lines of Medger Evers and Dr. King. Anger made Sharpton and Jackson somewhat of a non-issue for many progressive minded young black folks like Obama. Meaning it wasnt anger that made the history books, it was those who were impeccable with their words like Dr. King and others who truly paved that road. IMHO of course.

3

BFD: a brand of underwear. No, wait; that’s BVD. BFD is a Big F***ing Deal.

I agree; King and Evers and, for me, Rosa Parks, along with many others, inspired more people, and frankly, Jackson pisses me off most of the time, but his way of moving things forward is probably the only way he knows how to move things forward, which makes him sound shrill and reactionary. I was just commenting on the irony that the angry civil rights leaders would ultimately be held back by the fact that they’re angry all the time, and evidence of the overall movement’s success would be that a man who does not seem to be angry about racial issues would be the first black president.

Also, Jackson’s tears were the ones I was watching when I (yet again) burst into sobs.

4

Ok, I gotcha. Yes, I understand and I agree. For their roles in history, Rev.Jackson did do a lot of good for a lot of people, the problem was he didn’t have the gravitas of some of the other black pillars in our history. Obama is sure to go down as an icon, a real historic figure who we can all see and feel. Because of the internet and up to the nano-second information, he will probably grow in popularity once he truly begins his presidency. I am very excited for our future.

5

Let’s not sell Jackson and Sharpton’s contributions short, though. Their methods were different, but these men laid the path by repeatedly putting themselves on the ballots for President. They knew they would, and could, never win, but their constant presence in the race and on the ticket would someday make it possible for a Barack Obama to throw his hat in the ring and have his race be less important than his qualifications.

I’m no fan of theirs (particularly as a Jew, as far as Jackson is concerned), but they kept the fire lit during the generation between Evars and King, and Barack Obama. We do have to give them their due here, I think.

6

You read Jackson’s mind correctly. I heard him speak to exactly that the next day. As we know, he’s no big fan of Obama. He was crying because he was thinking about all the sacrifices people had made to make Obama’s success possible.

7

I’ve found myself tearing up and close to tears several times, too. I guess that makes me a pansy, but I think it’s a watershed (pun intended) moment in American history, and I’m grateful that the defining moment for my lifetime is now something good instead of 9/11.

8

Personally I had a problem with the likes of Jackson and Sharpton. To my mind the point was we should not see color. That when I meet and engage with another person their skin color is of no importance. Judge the person on their own merits/faults.

I found it hard then to reconcile that while I was trying to not see color Jackson and Sharpton (and others like Malcolm X) would not let me forget it. Everything they said to me was shoving color in my face and brow beating me with it.

So while I respect what those two were trying to fight for I think it is a person like Obama who truly advances the cause of African-Americans and race relations. He shows us that we should not see color but see the person. Judge them on their merit.

To me Obama epitomizes the direction the country needs to go to get race relations as something only for the history books. I really am not sure how much Jackson paved the way for him as I think Jackson kept the antagonism high (whether intentionally or out of frustration I do not know). That made it harder for Obama to run. A lot of white people were waiting for the angry black guy to take the stage ala Jackson/Sharpton.

9

Aside from his belief that “Barack is talking down to black people” and his belief that Obama didn’t have to fight the fight during the civil rights era, is there another reason he’s not a fan of Obama?
(my ignorance needs a’fightin’…)

10

Color blindness is a white privilege.

11

Barack never bothered to seek out the wisdom and mentorship of black leaders like Jesse Jackson. I think it was particularly the “like Jesse Jackson” part that stuck in his craw. He wanted Obama to pay tribute.

There was also initial reticence by black intellegentsia to accept Obama because he does not have a traditional “black experience.” Since he is a first generation American and grew up in Hawaii, because he is not descended from slaves, and because he was raised by a white family, he basically wasn’t black enough.

12

[quote=“groo, post:1, topic:471811”]

The paradox is that the greatest symbol of the success of the civil rights movement is manifest by a man who did not think race was the biggest issue in his life,

[QUOTE]
Perhaps not his biggest, but it clearly is an important issue to him; he wrote a memoir subtitled “A Story of Race and Inheritance.”

Considering that we’ve had five days of constant TV, print and internet talk about how historic electing a black man was (and rightly so), I’ll venture that some of them also noticed that Obama was black prior to voting.

13

I agree. They had their place in American history, however, I think the Condi Rices and Colin Powells superceded their role in civil rights. But they certainly did keep the candle lit before BHO, and for this I give them their due.

14

Jesse Jackson could very well be perceived by non African Americans rightly or wrongly as an extreme anti White racist .

I.M.O. he has held back A/As from participating in the mainstream political process for years.

Perceived Bigots are usually actual bigots whatever race they’re from,black,white or silver with blue stripes.

I’m only a foreigner but thank god Obama came along.

Left to the likes of J.Jackson only protest candidates like him would ever get elected from the A/As.
How many years has he and people like him held back A/As?

Hes as reactionary as any rightwinger,just with a different perspective.

15

I wonder, though, if Obama’s particular circumstances will allow whites to keep their racism while relegating Obama to the role of “exception.”

He was an exceptional candidate. I hope that doesn’t mean he’ll be considered exceptionally non-black for a black guy.

16

This is what I’ve been saying the past few days. The fact that it’s not a big deal is what’s a big deal.

There’s a political cartoon which I love that encapsulates this idea. Of course, I can’t find it at the moment. It’s caption is something like “The Obama White House” and it’s got a picture of the White House, some flowers and bushes in front and a blue sky with some fluffy clouds. In the foreground, a little girl with nappy pigtails playing with a soccerball. And I’m looking at it, scouring it for the joke, looking for a watermelon, an assassin, a foreign policy disaster. Nothin’. Just the White House, a beautiful day, and a cute kid playing on the front lawn. And that’s exactly it: that’s the punchline. For all our moaning and wailing and pre-election fears about rioting, it’s just not a BFD.

And that’s a huge deal.

17

I do not know. As was noted above we have already seen the likes of Condoleeza Rice and Colin Powell. I look forward to seeing more if their type. I have no desire for more Sharpton types.

18

Doesn’t anyone remember how much Jesse did to build up pride in young blacks in the 1970s and 1980s?

I would like to see with my own eyes what Jesse said was actually on his mind rather than have it interpreted for me. Anyone have a link to his comments after Grant Park?

Why would anyone think that Barack Obama has not lived “the black experience”? He’s over forty and has lived most of that time in the United States. There is no bigotry in Hawaii? No racial problems in Harlem? Everyone is color blind at Harvard? In Chicago? In D.C.?

19

I dunno, Zoe, but that’s what they said. The video of Jackson’s comments is on cnn.com, search for it in their video area. I didn’t “interpret” it so much as “tell you what I saw,” BTW.

20

I echo your questions. Race was an important subject in both of his books. During the campaign, he even gave a "ace speech during the Wright bruhaha. Race has influenced many aspects of his life, just as it has done for many people who look like him.

Nothing about Obama, past or present, tells me that he thinks race is irrelevant.

I don’t see how Rice and Powell belong in the same conversation as Jackson or Sharpton. Rice is neither a politician or activist, but an appointee. She has as much to do with the civil rights movement as DL Hughely. Powell is more of a politician than Rice, but he also hasn’t been voted into anything. So neither have had to develop and appeal to a particular base in order to effect change or retain power. Not surprisingly then, they can afford to treat race as an irrelevant thing. Making waves by bringing up race would cost them their jobs.

Jackson and Sharpton serve completely different roles from Rice and Powell. The only thing they have common is that they are black. I don’t know what “type” Rice and Powell are supposed to represent to you, but the irony is that Jackson and Sharpton–as flawed as they may be–helped make this “type” possible. Rice and Powell can afford to be silent about race because the Jackson’s of the world exist to speak for them.