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Now that Barack Obama is the (not just presumptive) nominee, we move into the home stretch of election 2008.
Today all the buzz is about history being made, about how incredible it is how far we’ve come to have a man of color as a presidential nominee. If you thought race was a major issue in the primaries, you have no idea what’s coming. We now have, for the first time, the choice to pick a black man to be President of the United States of America. Not to make light of Obama’s accomplishment, but I don’t see it as anything all that amazing. This is long, long, long, long overdue, and if you’re really all that surprised then you’ve had your head in the sand for the last 40 years.
It would not shock me to see a black President. I grew up after the civil rights movement, in a very integrated urban environment, and some of my closest friends are African Americans.
But.
But. But. But.
As much as I hate to admit it, I have felt a sliver of racism creeping into my subconscious as Obama has drawn closer to the presidency, and I’ve been trying to figure out why.
I’m currently reading the book Emotionomics- a marketing guide that puts forth the idea that customer emotions are by far the most important factor in effective advertising. One of the key principles in the book is that people have two reasons for any single decision: the rational reason, and the REAL reason.
My rational reasons for not voting for Obama are plentiful: he’s part of a stagnant, corrupt 2 party system. He only has a few years of experience in the Senate, he supports free trade, which hurts the middle class as much as anything, and he makes no promise to scale back our imperial forces.
But what are the real reasons? I have claimed that I have gone negative on Obama because the media is so enamored that the only voices of dissent you hear are from the far right wing. But is that just an excuse? Why am I really opposed to voting for Obama?
Is it because somewhere deep down I am afraid of the prospect of a black President? I would be lying if I told you that race never has entered my mind when considering who and who not to vote for.
America has some soul searching to do from now until November, and I am no exception. I sincerely hope that my reasons for not supporting Barack Obama aren’t rooted in some ass-backwards, cleverly hidden, cross-burning prejudices, but I have to consider the possibility that I’m full of shit and I really just won’t support an African American, and if it’s true I’ll have to rise above it.
I am going to take an intense look inward. We all need to. If you’re white, are you voting for McCain because of Obama’s race? Are you voting for Obama because you feel guilty? If you’re black, are you voting for him primarily because he’s black? We need to ask ourselves these questions, and if we do, no matter what happens in the Election, our country will be making steps forward in racial relations.
We are far more primitive than we pretend to be. But I promise that I’m going to try my best to rise above our country’s shameful legacy of racism and make a decision based on the content of my candidate’s character, and nothing else.
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Comments
06.05.08
WOW, took the words right out of my mouth. this election had transitioned from what is best for the country to "we need change." the unfortunte thing is change can go in both directions. I think the young voters (myself included @23)feel the need to be representietd by a younger leader, however as most seem to forget, in life and career experiance is priceless.
Now the question that I cannot answer is "If Obama wasn’t black, would we still consider him for president?"
06.05.08
Very interesting post Tim- you bring up important points. The same question could be asked about whether women voted for Clinton just because she was a woman.
The media always has a darling- John McCain the Maverick, Obama the African-American and Hillary the Woman. All of them have been the center of attention, and the media has let things slide about all of them. I heartily agree with the idea that if you don't like the candidate of the party of your choice (Democrat or Republican), then vote third party. Don't just vote for one of two choices- there are others, and until we start seriously considering them, they won't have a chance.
06.05.08
While I commend your honesty in this piece, I think that the country, as a majority, has moved on past racism (wait, i'm a conservative, so that automatically makes me a racist right??). Anyway, you are going to run into a high number of people who are either
a.) Voting for Obama because he is black
b.) Voting for Obama to prove to themselves and others that they are not racist
c.) Not voting for him because he is black
Or my favorite and more likely if you read anything about who the real Obama really is...
d.) Not voting for Obama because you have looked at his policies, ideals, morals, companions and affiliations
There comes a time when we need to step out of the box and say to ourselves, yes, I can see a woman or a minority in the White House as President BUT were these two candidates really the answer OR are they just the only ones to step forward. Just because they are there, does not mean that they would be a good female or minority president.
06.05.08
Just a little FYI: don't say "I have Black friends." It's offensive to Black people. If someone is really your friend, their race is unimportant. It is incidental that they are Black, and adds nothing to your personal image.
I am voting for Obama because he is an alum, and I met him and I really like him. But, if he wasn't in the race, I would be voting for Hillary because I really like her. And I met her husband, and he is really cool. However, Hillary isn't an alum of my law school. And didn't give a speech for a group I was affiliated with so we could raise money (he came for FREE!). So, all factors weighed equally, Obama wins my vote. Sorry Hillary.
But I am Black, and people have literally told me that I am voting for Obama because he is Black. But if I told someone that they voted for Clinton because he was white, they would be so offended. Would that make me racist?
By the way, Obama has an almost identical policy platform with Hillary. And he has a very long voting record because he was in the Illinois senate. He has been a politican for a very long time, just on a more local scale. And as states are the laboratories for the federal government (this is my poli-sci persona talking) it is probably as or more informative than a Senate voting record. And it is public information, as all such records are.
But if you vote for McCain, there is nothing wrong with that. He is an interesting guy, and if not for the MLK day debacle, I would be seriously considering him as well.
06.05.08
I'm actually more of an ageist --- I liked the fact that Obama wasn't tainted with 20+ years of experience being pounded by special interests and the media. . . seems like he'd actually use objective markers like scientific data and actual facts to make decisions.
Race never was an issue for me. I would suspect that for younger voters, it's not an issue. . .the older you go, race might be more of a consideration.
06.05.08
@Tim: I applaud your courage in writing this post. There's so many different directions I could go in my response (seeing as how Obama's mother is white), but I'll try and keep it as basic as possible.
I absolutely think that race does factor into some of the reasons I'm voting for him. And seriously, I'm okay with it!
Call it whatever you want (except racism), but it definitely means on an something on an emotional level to have someone that finally looks like me in a leadership position...And before anyone asks, it would be like explaining why people get married to morph that sentence into a "rational" explanation. It is what it is.
PS--I wasn't offended by your "some of my closest friends are african american friends" statement. I took it in context with the rest of the sentence, and the key word for me was "closest". From my experience outside of the wonderful blogosphere, I haven't met a lot of white males who can honestly say that so, for me, it did add to your personal image as a writer.
06.05.08
I'll vote for Obama. He's a smart guy. And he doesn't seem to be an ass like most politicians. Race doesn't play into those two things for me.
06.05.08
@beth: One of the things that irks me about black people is when a black person walks into a room as a sample of one and claims "_______ is offensive to black people." No one person can claim the opinion of an entire group of people, all of whom have a wide spectrum of life experience.
However, I will concede that there seems to be a mythical group of black people who travel the globe befriending every white guy that wants to make a point about race (that part is -mostly- a joke:)
But seriously, I completely agree with Tim's sentiment. I think that this country was in the habit of over compensating on race issues and became too "color bling" and PC. I think being able to have forthright and sincere discourse on the topic of race will be what strengthens this country.
I think it is of no coincidence that the first "black" presidential nominee is mixed (black & white). I think there is something that can be said about the ability to relate to a common struggle that brings people together. I myself, am mixed and it's an interesting life experience to walk the lines of both races (and most importantly, both cultures).
06.05.08
maybe i am voting w/ my emotions... when I hear Obama speak I am inspired. i've never felt that way before about a presidential candidate. we need change. he understands things a white man doesn't and he will bring that sensitivity to his role as president.
06.10.08
Saying I have _(enter race here)_____ friends should be offensive to everyone. Because if they are really your friend, that isn't what makes them important. But obviously it is not universally offensive because I hear it all the time. I have yet to hear it go the other way... but maybe that is just me. And as I am Black, I will limit my statement of offense to "Black" people. And if you happen to be Black, and not offended, well then good for you! I learned in law school that there is always an exception, and at times the exception swallows the rule.
We really should be post racial. Nearly 10 years ago they determined that the genetic differences are so small that they make up less than 2/10th of a percentage point of someone's genetic make up. Why, again, does "race" matter? What people really are doing is categorizing by experience, and they assume that if someone has a certain amount of pigment, they have had a certain set of experiences. Thankfully, Obama puts this belief in the myth pile. And for that, this contra-cultural girl is eternally grateful.
Obama is imspiring. He is really cool. But then again, all of the candidates have their charm. Otherwise, they wouldn't be where they are.
06.10.08
Beth - I don't think anyone would argue the genetic difference between black and white is immaterial, I think that is now common knowledge for a few decades. The differences are cultural and you can't deny there are several and vast differences between the general cultures. Due to the different cultures it is often a safe bet that experiences are different. I don't think these observations are wrong or racists, but merely a result of socio-economic situations and environment.
06.10.08
This is all so discouraging, I hear of all these people voting for Obama because he "inspires" and "he's cool"and it "hits me on an emotional level"... I think I am completely losing faith in this country, would someone PLEASE relate all of this to his experience, specific pieces of legislation that he introduced in the senate, who IS Obama? Change comes in many ways, but don't forget things could get worse and that would be change too, analyze all of the candidates and stop going with the flow. The average american is a smart-educated person, as a whole we are dumb as a brick! separate yourself from the wall!
06.10.08
@Chris: Its your responsibility to be an informed voter. Go to http://www.barackobama.com/issues and actually READ his stance on the issues and what policies he would enact to address these issues. If you disagree with his stance, fine; that's the point of a democracy. But don't just sit there and complain about how we won based on (what you perceive to be) his eloquence.
I can only assume you must be a Clinton backer because if you supported McCain this really wouldn't be a hot button issue for you. The fact of the matter is Clinton wanted to have it both ways on Iraq, that's what deflated her campaign. I will agree that Obama wasn't in the senate to vote on the authorization of the war, but he was a vocal critic from day one and even though he didn't have to vote, he definitely had something to lose by being a critic at that time.
I googled Obamas voting record and came up with this site: http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=9490
I suggest you become informed about his record first, then question his policies. Not the other way around.
06.11.08
@Beth--I understand you have your opinion, but I don't think its fair to say that using a racial descriptor SHOULD be offensive to everybody. It may be offensive to those who acknowledge race as a true social construct (and definitely not genetic). But then again, if it really wasn't "important" then it would be on the same level as describing a friend as a brunette, short, loud, funny, etc in a post about hair color, height, volume, and humor. I agree a friend is a friend, but if you're offended in the way he described in friends in a post (that was clearly about race), then you may be taking his comment out of context.
@Chris Ford: I don't understand what you find to be discouraging. Especially when people are talking about personal reasons why they choose to vote the way they do. At the end of the day, the President's job is the LEAD THE PEOPLE. If leadership is mostly influential then yes, naturally, we will look for some soft skills in ADDITION to the political experience. He's got a slew of people that will impact the legislative/technical piece of his job. It sounds like you're looking for the answer to "What is work history?" as opposed to "Who IS Obama?"
06.11.08
Thanks for the tip there Elliot, matter of fact I have already written pretty extensively on the character of Obama and a follow up of his policies and how harmful they are. I can certainly go to his official website and see where he stands on things, this is all fine and dandy if you want to learn what will be achieved an not "how we get there". I would assume that his record of over 90 votes to raise taxes, which by the way would equate to 1 out of every 5 days he has spent in the senate, as a good indicator into "how we reach those goals". Then again, I guess actually taking a stance and voting to raise taxes IS in fact taking some sort of stance at all, unlike let's say, voting 137 times as "present" instead of being able to conclude on legislation. Keep drinking your Kool-Aid though, I hope it's cherry flavored. SO here we stand, as it is perfectly fine for democrats to point out the errors of McCain's ways because, well damnit it's free speech, but when a Conservative prys into a liberal, and i mean that to the fullest extent, well that is just rude and we need to reeeeeeeeeeally "hope" for that "change"!YAY
Kiersten- I will admit to one thing about Obama, he is a damn good speaker, damn good. Leader, check mark there too. Now, (Oh the critics flowin my way after this one..) I do believe that the germans, or at least the nazis, believed Hitler was a great leader, does that make Hitler's policies good? DId that make his "change" good? Obama, not a Hitler, a socialist that would love to see a dictatorship in which all americans are suckling at the breast of government because americans are sick of working for their own rights? I would have to say so. Healthcare, education, food, shelter...tell me where it says that these things are "rights", Who wouldn't like to see people have ALL of those things!? I'm just saying I would rather "earn" those things than be handed them by a government that is too big as it is and has screwed up everything thus far....and if you think Obama can solve or "heal" that government, well simply put..you're an idiot, cause no person from any party can do that. We literally need to clean all the politicians out of the senate and the white house and start all over again with people that will work for ALL of us, not sectors, and certainly not work for their own agenda.
06.11.08
I just reread what i wrote there...Kiersten, I went into a rant and didn't separate it from what I wanted to say to you...the idiot comment was in no way directed to you..haha sorry, we all screw up here and there!
-C
06.11.08
Chris, I see you're a conservative then?
Excellent.
I find it funny how some conservatives (and I guess I'll have to lump you in to this group) think people who have a different world view (in your world, these are considered hippies, bleeding-heart liberals, ad nauseum) as some sort of militant group who blindly decry republican policy just for the sake of it.
Let me make 3 points here.
1) Per Obamas voting record on taxes: I'd rather have someone willing to pay for policy and be honest about that policies actual cost, than have record deficit spending and have someone lower taxes with some fairy tale ideals about how their policies are going to get paid for.
2) The spin behind the "Present" vote was obvious and weak. Those matters have already been discussed and discredited when the ratio is 129 present votes to 4000 casted votes. I would say that a 3.2% ratio isn't much to make a case on. Direct me to some specific legislation where Obama shows weak leadership (or whatever negative attribute you're trying to associate with him) and I'll gladly eat my words.
3) Since you're conservative, I think it's fairly safe to say that you stand on opposite idealogical ground than Obama. Taxes, health care, the economy, maybe the war? That's beautiful and what makes a democracy a democracy. But you haven't sold me on the distinction between ideological differences and "lack of character." And I guess that's where your argument just doesn't stick for me.
Happy voting :)
06.12.08
yes Elliot, proudly Conservative.
As per your original starting paragraph above, I have no problem with democrats or liberals, sometimes hippies (I mean come on, they smell bad AND they are a pain in the ass to talk to, it takes soooooooooo long to listen to a stoner, ya know? (kidding)) I do however see some major stupidity like in the case of the Carnigie Melon protesters that protested the war a couple years ago by sitting in a line across the entrance to the facility that researches and developes the kevlar and armored siding to the vehicles in Iraq. So you're telling me that they want our soldiers home and safe and they protest that by preventing the development of the technology that keeps them safe? Kind of hypocritcal to me...
1. I know, people think we conservatives have a hard-on for Reagan, but his tax cuts worked. We wouldn't use it as an arguing point ALL THE TIME if it could be proven falsely with ease.
2. SOrry, but to me just 1 "present" vote on ANY issue shows a lack of judgement and leadership, does it really matter what the legislation was? If it wasn't important then why wasn't it easy to say "yes" or "no"?
3. Sure I stand against everything that Obama is for, basically. I applaud the liberal way of doing things for the people, but only thinking with your heart will get us into trouble, sometimes you have to add in the brain. Then you realize that with a lot of conservative solutions it trickles down to an effect that REALLY does help people in the end. Read my blog if you really want to analyze Obama's character....As of recent I can add a couple more characters to his association, he can only say "That's not the_______ I knew for _____ years" so many times...
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