IF you grow up black in the Caribbean you grow up as a member of the majority and you enjoy all its accompanying rights and priviledges.
In history class kids are taught that their country, the region and by extension most of the North American continents was built on the backs of African slaves and that they are a descendants of these slaves. All black children in the Caribbean grow up knowing that their dreams are not limited by race and that if they truly work hard they can accomplish anything. Be it a doctor, lawyer, fire fighter or even prime minister black children in the Caribbean KNOW that he/she will NEVER be asked, ” Can a black person really become prime minister? ”
In many cases White and East Indian West Indians have retreated from the political arena. Many choose not (Trinidadand Guyanaare the exceptions) to participate in the political life these island states. Since the granting of Independence (which for many of these nations occurred in the 1960s) political power was swapped for economic power.
It has long been obvious to Caribbean populations that the members of the business elite, mainly the descendants of former colonial masters, East Indian and Chinese indentured labourers, that these handful of families and (in many cases it really is just a few families) exert disproportionate economic influence based on their relative small numbers. In many cases these descendants make up less than 1% of the population yet control 80% of the economic resources with two exceptions once again Trinidad and Guyana.
Granted political power has allowed many in the Caribbean to enjoy a relative high standard of living but Caribbean leaders have often expolited and in many cases fail to seriously address lingering racial tensions that have exploded periodically in the last 50 years-the business class are not solely to blame.
However, with the deepening of the global economic crisisand its consequences become clearer and clearer every day for the average citizen those who have controlled the reigns of power for so long have now become targets of popular anger and protest not just in America but across the globe. Americans aren’t the only ones who are mad as hell!
Sadly, the social structure in the Caribbean a product of its colonial legacy has remained almost unchanged and its accompanying inequalities have led to brief but destructive periods of unrest and resistance.
Violent rebellions and revolts once the most powerful weapon in the masses arsenal have long been abandoned for more peaceful protests. But with economic discontent spreading and global resentment rising 2009 may become known as the‘Year of Violent Discontent’.
On the eve of Barack Obama’s inauguration people across the world are celebrating the significant (albeit partial )realization of Martin Luther King’s dream for America.
For years to come millions will speak of that moment tomorrow, when Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Billions more will tell and re-tell his story for generations to come. And as fact becomes myth and his name becomes legend Obama will be the newest member, of that highly exclusive club, of earthly inhabitants to have earned a spot on the walls of human immortality.
So for the next 48 hours regardless of where you are, your race, religion, national origin, gender or sexuality lift your head and raise your voice in celebration of our founding fathers’ wisdom, Lincoln’s bravery, King’s dream and Obama’s promise and all those whose stories and greatness have gone untold.
Realize in ALL of them the embodiment of humanity’s collective hopes and aspirations- for a better tomorrow.
Now, I don’t think this appearance was all about the black vote. I am quite sure Mccain had ulterior motives (trying to enhance his appeal to moderate republicans and democrats) but hey all politicians have motives right but like they say appearances matter and this was a good one for Mccain.
He still needs loads of work on his speech delivery though..he sounds and looks too stiff and very, very uncomfortable this is an area he needs to work on if he doesn’t want to lose all the debates to Obama.
We definitely can’t play that game..one of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn’t belong, can we?
Why oh why are black men still allowing themselves to be photographed and portrayed like this?
Why?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again the fact that they are wealthy, black guys out there, like Lebron James who would allow themselves to be depicted like this without any remorse is sad and disgusting.
And this is another reason why I’m rooting for Obama. Because I’m sick and tired of the portrayal of blacks in the media.
And when I say media I’m including black media in there as well (and if you have any doubts about how we portray ourselves check out BET one of these afternoons)..we’re either over-sexualized nymphomaniacs, dumb baboons or violent, unemployed welfare recipients and if Barack becomes president the image of black men in the media will slowly start to change and at least start to become more reflective of the black men and women I know and see everyday and dare I say the black people most of us interact with instead of these caricatures of a people we’ve become so used to seeing in the media.
And for those of you who will claim that you can’t see any similiarities among the posters…I’m sorry to say this but you’re clearly blind..
For the past few days I’ve been listening to the pundits discuss Obama’s speechand whether or not his speech connected with the average white working man or woman in the United States.
And if the pundits are to be believed Obama’s speech failed to or resonated very little with the average middle class woman or man and based on some recent polling Obama isslipping in the polls against Hillary and John McCainamong democrats nationwide.
This fact is not surprising. With all the negative attention and flak Obama has received in regards to his pastor’s comments and his association with the pastor, Obama who was already lacking support in that demographic has sustained even more damage.
However, I believe that Obama can sway more working class white democrats to his side if he changes the way in which he is trying to connect with them.
At the moment Obama is hoping that his message and his delivery of that message will sway these voters and I’m sure his campaign staff, more knowledgeable people than myself, have already microtargeted this group however their strategies clearly aren’t working.
Obama may secure the nomination without significant support from these specific democrats but he cannot win the general election without them!
When discussing the American working class, I’m reminded of a passage from the book One Nation After All by Alan Wolfe in which he states;
“From a middle class point of view, the ideal society would be one in which everyone-immigrants, minorities, the poor-would uphold middle-class values so that someday they might obtain middle-class incomes..that’s another way of saying that their solution to class inequality is to insist on moral equality..”
And I must agree that this is what I have found to be the case as well.
Most white working class Americans want to believe that ultimately life is fair, you might get some bad breaks here and there but in the end if you work hard enough, follow the law, have faith in God and take pride in your country, family and community you will be a success.
They don’t believe most people are deserving of handouts or charity in large part due to their immigrant backgrounds which in many cases has taught them to suck up their problems and issues and just deal with them.
Unfortunately this is where the disconnect between Obama and his message to the white working class is occurring.
Obama’s values are not translating into their world instead what is translating is a perception that he’s receiving undeserving adulation. Many would probably claim that they don’t even know what he stands for and not his stance on the issues but what he stands for as a MAN and this in many ways is contributing to Clintons’ success among them.
Clinton has had the luxury of time to convey who she is and what she represents and her husband’s legacy doesn’t hurt either. Obama unfortunately has neither but I believe that if Obama talked about his life, his struggles, his demons,this would resonate more with working class whites more so than anything else he may have to offer, at this point in time.
If I were an Obama strategist (I’m hoping to get a call anyday now…lol) I would advise him to talk more about himself and and what he has been through when he’s in Pennsylvania and other predominantly white working class states because these voters are crucial to winning in November.
Undeservedly so, this week, millions of America started to question whether or not Obama shares one of their core values-patriotism.
However if voters and in particular white middle class voters perceive, long term that Obama does not share their core values (patriotism, faith in god, freedom just to name the critical three) he will be soundly defeated come November.
He cannot allow this to happen.
So in the end he must rely on who he is as a man to convince those who are skeptical of him of his policies and the direction in which he wants to take the nation.
That is what I believe will ultimately sway these voters to support and follow him.
Once again, Barack Obama has left me struggling for words..
In his intensely personal and moving speech in Philadelphia. I saw glimpses of my own life. With white and black family members and a white husband I too have often been intimately exposed to what one group ‘really thinks’ about the other especially when members of that group thinks the setting is ‘safe’ to discuss race without ridicule or prejudice.
Today in his speech Obama gave voice to almost every grievance whites and blacks have had with each other since the end of slavery. And he talked about these issues without vigorously wagging the finger at either group. He said racism isn’t dead but it shouldn’t and doesn’t have to limit blacks like it once did.
He talked about the ridiculous comments of Rev.Wright in one paragraph yet in another he talked about his loyalty to the man, his work, the service and general goodness of the man Jeremiah Wright.
He talked about welfare and affirmative action and the grievances white America, in particular those in the middle class and low income white community have in regards to those two issues.
He talked about the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow laws and its lasting impact on the black community.
He talked about confronting our past demons in order to face the ones that are upon us today and will undoubtedly arise tomorrow.
He talked about our common hopes and dreams for the future and about working together to achieve a long lasting impact on our community, on our nation and on the world.
He talked with eloquence, grace, humility and strength.
He talked about what has shaped our current and what shouldn’t be allowed to shape our future.
He addressed every issue that has arisen since the Ferraro comment and Wright video and he did it without blame and without anger.
In so doing he has stimulated a productive discussion about race and class, that can now begin around the watercoolers and dinner tables of America. And hopefully from these conversations minds and hearts will change, solutions and productive plans will be advanced to not only confront the lasting legacy of racism but also our common ills including poverty and unaffordable medicine and medical coverage.
And hopefully by talking frankly and calmly about race we can slowly march towards an America that truly embraces the candidacy of Barack Obama thus making sure that in the future the issue of race will no longer be a cause of trepidation among any significant group of Americans.
Obama has shown that he CAN and WILL lead this movement this coalition of unlikely allies towards a new America where all people and all stories can retain their uniqueness but yet at the same time remain grounded in the commonality of our pursuit and fulfillment of the American dream.
In a few minutes Obama is to make a major address on race in Philadelphia a direct response to the ridiculous and distasteful comments made by his pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
This story as I stated in an earlier blog has the potential of confining and labelling Obama as simply being ‘the black candidate’. Obama, since the story broke has tried to quell the uneasy feelings that have arisen among many Americans in regards to his potential presidency. And rightly so.
Obama in his speech today must try to allay those fears, quash any sentiment that he would simply be a president for black people without pandering to whites or becoming an apologist for blacks!
That’s going to be tough, because many African Americans, unfortunately, believe in the words of Rev.Wright and Obama knows that so how does he distance himself from Wright without distancing himself from the entire community?
Obama, I believe would’ve had to make this speech at some time during his campaign but the events of the last week have only catapulted it earlier into the current ugly racial mosh pit.
If Obama turns the tide with this speech it will be talked about for generations.
If he fails we might have to wait another eight years for his presidency.
**of course i’ll bring you my thoughts about it afterwards**
So based on what i’m seeing..I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the race isn’t over..it will continue Hillary isn’t going to give up an inch after winning Ohio and Rhode Island and Obama isn’t going anywhere either after adding Texas and Vermont to his list..
So it’s on to a caucus in Wyoming on March 8th, a primary in Mississippi on March 11th and a primary in Pennsylvania on April 22!
The Clintons have utilised and continue to use racial and ethnic politics to win the democratic nomination causing white supporters to abandon Obama due to their presumed concerns about electability. And the black guy who once garnered headlines in the Wall Street Journal as the Whites’ Hope is now being spurned and marginalised by white voters.
Tonight the Clintons will lose South Carolina but I’m sure that Hillary will be the clear democratic nominee come February 5th based on this specific strategy as explained by Dick Morris. A blogger friend, Robin, sent me the link and I couldn’t have articulated it any better than Mr.Morris. However, this strategy and by extension Hillary’s nomination will come at a cost.
Here are just a few of the possible consequences I foresee because of all the Clinton induced racial drama…
Lower turnout among Democrats but higher among Republicans because of their ‘hatred’ of Hillary Clinton come November 4th thus leading to a John Mccain presidency, another pro ‘war’ Republican in the White House and another humiliating defeat for the Democrats.
More alienation of blacks and in particular YOUNG blacks from the political process and by extension the Democratic party.
I don’t think young black people will run head first into the Republican party but I would be willing to say this, if they were a fully functioning, viable, powerful third party like the European Green Party, that party would be getting first, second and third looks right about now and their enrollment rolls would be up considerably due to the massive influx of young, liberal-minded, black people like myself as well as all of those people who are just sick and fed up with the establishment in the Democratic party.
Racial politics and marginalisation often come at a high price and I would dare to say that irreparable damage may once again have been done to the democratic party because of this and if I were a Republican election strategists I would be looking on with glee and I would be actively seeking to capitalise on the strained relationship that will now develop between young (those under 40) blacks and the democratic party and the continued friction between Blacks and Hispanics.
Believe me I haven’t lost complete faith in Obama or the prospect of him being the first black president but I’m a realist I can see the writing on the wall based on the polling stats. Yes, I know the polls have been wrong on a couple of occasions this political season but the Clintons haven’t stopped their racial attacks, the attacks have just become more coded and quiet.
Obama is critically wounded and I don’t foresee a recovery between now and February 5th unless he can show that white voters in South Carolina would vote for him in November.
Obama brought hope and it was extinguished by the Clintons maybe, just maybe it wouldn’t be forever..
Barack just highlighted the fact that substantive issues in regards to race must still be addressed i.e the criminal justice system and then Hillary pipes in talking about the gender gap that still exists in terms of wages……Obama played to race..Hillary played to gender..
John Edwards then talked about growing up in the segregated south and how that had a profound and transformative impact on his life and that he wants to work to make things better for all of us…
