#25819 by Craig Maxim
Tue Mar 18, 2008 11:41 pm
Tue Mar 18, 2008 11:41 pm
A brilliant speech.
Obama, and his association with the now infamous Rev. Wright, had the potential to destroy any hope of his winning in the general election, and who knows? It still may.
But for those that saw his speech on race, and considered it with an open mind, it should have gone a long way in changing their views.
Watching the pundits later on Fox, I am sure that for some, it will not. But Fox, betrays a profound lack of understanding of the deep chasm between the white and black experience in this nation.
It is the same division seen when the verdict was read concerning the O.J. Simpson murder trial. In general, Blacks cheered and whooped and hollered in approval, while Whites, in general, stood speechless, mouths agap in astonished disbelief. That amazing dichotomy was captured on cameras in public venues, where both black and white stood, side by side, yet profoundly divided in their view of the event.
I was one of those whites that stood shocked, and angered. But unlike some whites, my anger was temporary, as the thought immediately came to my mind "How many whites were released by predominately white juries throughout history, simply because a white jury was not going to rule in favor of a white man over justice for a black man?" I thought to myself that it was almost Karmic in nature. Was it right? Of course not. The evidence would have convicted anyone else. But I understood what had happened. The black people's IMMENSE distrust of police, courts and the government in this country, and historically, rightly so, brought serious doubts into the minds of many of those jurors, which would have been easily dismissed as not "reasonable" doubts by most whites.
The point is. That experience alone, should show anyone, that there is a deep divide, still, in our nation, and a profound lack of understanding by most whites, of the historic experience and cultural journey of blacks in this country.
Obama, has an almost impossible task, as candidate for president. To not alienate the black community to which he is related, and also, to not alienate the white community to which he is related.
It would take an ideal representative, to bridge this enormous divide, foster understanding, bring unity to an unprecedented scale, and potentially, bring this nation farther from it's racist roots, than it has EVER been before, ushering in a new age of understanding and advancement in our nation.
Obama "IS" that representative.
That is patently clear to me after watching his speech today.
He could not possibly have done a better job, and been more fair, intelligent, brave and wise, than he was in that speech today.
He admitted that he had known that some of Rev. Wright's positions were inappropriate, offensive and even factually wrong. But I think he did an adequate job of separating the personal relationship from the political. The only valid criticism, is not admitting that he (Obama) was wrong and showed poor judgement in allowing Wright to have a role in his political campaign.
He could not say "I will no longer have anything to do with a man like Rev. Wright" because Obama knows what many white Americans are only now finding out. That this anger and distrust, even irrationally so, is endemic in the black community, and far more common than many whites have previously known.
So, rather than be politically expedient, and leave the greater issue alone, by paying lip service to disowning a certain preacher, and indirectly, a larger community of Americans with him. Instead, he took the opportunity to seize on the underlying problems of such beliefs and comments. He made whites aware, of how differently the world view is for most whites as opposed to most blacks. But he did not simply "blame" white Americans either. He layed the charge of "complicity" squarely at the feet of black activists and radicalists as well, saying in effect that many black politicians play the race card for political expediency. That they act as if things have not really changed in this country, when clearly much has changed. He suggested that living in the past, with all it's anger and fears, does NOTHING productive, in the effort to bring about unity and understanding among the races in this country.
He had a nearly impossible job to fulfill in this speech.
I think he accomplished it brilliantly.
Many whites will not forgive him for his association to Rev. Wright. But it has less to do with Obama's lack of judgement, than their own ignorance of the journey of black Americans, and the culture, whether right or wrong, which has built up around hundreds of years of injustices, and the lingering memories, pain, and second class status, which, albeit to a far lesser extent, STILL exists in this country.
Obama did not just state that it was time, as never before, for the white community to advance forward, but also that it is time for the black community to stop being held back by the past, and move forward as well. That, as a nation, we may unite and reconcile as never before, and move forward - Together.
If it were not for his lack of understanding of the threat of terrorism and wanting to dishonor our commitments to the people of Iraq, I would now SERIOUSLY consider voting for him. Even though he is going to tank our economy, I might vote for him, just for the hope he may bring, in potentially freeing this country from the bonds, that hundreds of years of slavery and separatism, has caused all of us to be enslaved to, as Americans.
Obama, and his association with the now infamous Rev. Wright, had the potential to destroy any hope of his winning in the general election, and who knows? It still may.
But for those that saw his speech on race, and considered it with an open mind, it should have gone a long way in changing their views.
Watching the pundits later on Fox, I am sure that for some, it will not. But Fox, betrays a profound lack of understanding of the deep chasm between the white and black experience in this nation.
It is the same division seen when the verdict was read concerning the O.J. Simpson murder trial. In general, Blacks cheered and whooped and hollered in approval, while Whites, in general, stood speechless, mouths agap in astonished disbelief. That amazing dichotomy was captured on cameras in public venues, where both black and white stood, side by side, yet profoundly divided in their view of the event.
I was one of those whites that stood shocked, and angered. But unlike some whites, my anger was temporary, as the thought immediately came to my mind "How many whites were released by predominately white juries throughout history, simply because a white jury was not going to rule in favor of a white man over justice for a black man?" I thought to myself that it was almost Karmic in nature. Was it right? Of course not. The evidence would have convicted anyone else. But I understood what had happened. The black people's IMMENSE distrust of police, courts and the government in this country, and historically, rightly so, brought serious doubts into the minds of many of those jurors, which would have been easily dismissed as not "reasonable" doubts by most whites.
The point is. That experience alone, should show anyone, that there is a deep divide, still, in our nation, and a profound lack of understanding by most whites, of the historic experience and cultural journey of blacks in this country.
Obama, has an almost impossible task, as candidate for president. To not alienate the black community to which he is related, and also, to not alienate the white community to which he is related.
It would take an ideal representative, to bridge this enormous divide, foster understanding, bring unity to an unprecedented scale, and potentially, bring this nation farther from it's racist roots, than it has EVER been before, ushering in a new age of understanding and advancement in our nation.
Obama "IS" that representative.
That is patently clear to me after watching his speech today.
He could not possibly have done a better job, and been more fair, intelligent, brave and wise, than he was in that speech today.
He admitted that he had known that some of Rev. Wright's positions were inappropriate, offensive and even factually wrong. But I think he did an adequate job of separating the personal relationship from the political. The only valid criticism, is not admitting that he (Obama) was wrong and showed poor judgement in allowing Wright to have a role in his political campaign.
He could not say "I will no longer have anything to do with a man like Rev. Wright" because Obama knows what many white Americans are only now finding out. That this anger and distrust, even irrationally so, is endemic in the black community, and far more common than many whites have previously known.
So, rather than be politically expedient, and leave the greater issue alone, by paying lip service to disowning a certain preacher, and indirectly, a larger community of Americans with him. Instead, he took the opportunity to seize on the underlying problems of such beliefs and comments. He made whites aware, of how differently the world view is for most whites as opposed to most blacks. But he did not simply "blame" white Americans either. He layed the charge of "complicity" squarely at the feet of black activists and radicalists as well, saying in effect that many black politicians play the race card for political expediency. That they act as if things have not really changed in this country, when clearly much has changed. He suggested that living in the past, with all it's anger and fears, does NOTHING productive, in the effort to bring about unity and understanding among the races in this country.
He had a nearly impossible job to fulfill in this speech.
I think he accomplished it brilliantly.
Many whites will not forgive him for his association to Rev. Wright. But it has less to do with Obama's lack of judgement, than their own ignorance of the journey of black Americans, and the culture, whether right or wrong, which has built up around hundreds of years of injustices, and the lingering memories, pain, and second class status, which, albeit to a far lesser extent, STILL exists in this country.
Obama did not just state that it was time, as never before, for the white community to advance forward, but also that it is time for the black community to stop being held back by the past, and move forward as well. That, as a nation, we may unite and reconcile as never before, and move forward - Together.
If it were not for his lack of understanding of the threat of terrorism and wanting to dishonor our commitments to the people of Iraq, I would now SERIOUSLY consider voting for him. Even though he is going to tank our economy, I might vote for him, just for the hope he may bring, in potentially freeing this country from the bonds, that hundreds of years of slavery and separatism, has caused all of us to be enslaved to, as Americans.
Last edited by Craig Maxim on Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
I'm writing celticpiping in for President.
