As we did last week, we must ask once again: what explains the ecstatic support for Senator Barack Obama across America and among whites, as we know whites? How can whites suddenly no longer care if their president is a Black, given their 200-year history?
Emory Wheel, the newspaper of Emory University in the United States noted two weeks ago that, "[Opinion pollster] Frank Luntz asked college students at a recent focus group to name the candidate they were going to vote for.
All of them said Obama, but when Luntz followed up by asking them to name a single accomplishment of the senator, they couldn't name one." (Emory Wheel, February 18, 2008)
Where is this unquestioning, outpouring enthusiasm among whites coming from?
As a rule, when one sees a leading Black figure or head of state become a darling of the West and whites (Mandela, Museveni, Kagame, and now Obama) we must ask the suspicious question: why? Black leaders who clearly stand up for Black interests or frighten Whites (Robert Mugabe, Idi Amin, Louis Farrakhan) are always, without exception, portrayed as monsters by the western media.
A glimpse into the world Obama must live in and hope to one day lead can be seen in how he deals with the questions of his identity.
Obama's late father was a Muslim and he was raised in Indonesia by a Muslim stepfather. News profiles of Senator Obama are careful to emphasise that he is a Christian and that his Indonesian stepfather was a non-practising Muslim.
Two weeks ago, when a photograph of Obama dressed in traditional Somali wear was sent to the Drudge Report website, the Obama campaign officials were furious, describing the distribution of the photograph as a smear effort by the Clinton campaign team.
The question is: Why should a photo of Obama dressed up as a Somali (or as a Muslim) be viewed as negative for his election chances, unless we must admit that the United States is still deeply prejudiced toward Muslims and Arabs - and Africans? How can the White Americans love Obama this much, but not his father's faith, African heritage, and traditional dress?
While meeting Jewish groups, Obama, well aware that although the Jews are only two percent of the American population, they dominate and control a quarter of the media, finance, entertainment, and the sciences, sought to identify with Jews, pointing out that his name Barack in Hebrew means peace.
It shows us the other dishonest side to Obama that most of us Africans and Black Americans don't see in our current enthusiasm, a man who would rather graft himself onto the Jewish world via his name than visit a mosque and celebrate his Islamic roots. The world of Obama is summed up by a Caribbean-born Black British commentator, wearily familiar with the price that a Black public figure must pay to rise to the top in the white Western world, and he is not overly excited by the prospect of Obama becoming US president.
Writing in the March 2008 edition of the magazine Prospect, Trevor Phillips observes: "Obama is a kind of Greek tragedy in the making. The very thing that makes him the first person of his kind has 'bound' him to failure: if he fulfils the hopes of whites, he must disappoint blacks--and vice versa...
For the black underclass and beyond, Obama may be the latest messiah, but there is anecdotal evidence that where blacks have prospered to the extent that they are grimly competing for jobs and property with whites, they don't buy 'Obamania.'...This] is because the people who actually experience just how far America remains from post-racial harmony are those blacks who work with whites..." Perhaps because of having read too many books on the activities and history of the CIA, I remain suspicious even of the recent string of Obama primary victories.
How does Obama win 12 consecutive states, mainly populated by rural whites who are typically lukewarm toward Blacks, then suddenly he is unable to sustain the momentum when it comes to Texas and Ohio, two states whose racial composition is identical to the 12 he easily won weeks before?
How come Obama won 12 consecutive states but they were all states with a small delegate count, while Hilary Clinton won all the heavy population, industrial states except for Obama's state of Illinois: California, New York, Florida, Texas, Ohio?
Might there be a conspiracy to quietly tamper with the primary results and give Obama the appearance of victory, well knowing this is in small states, in order to demonstrate that America is no longer racist?
As understandable is the great hope Black Americans and we Africans have vested in Obama, real hope will only come when we have a Black world leader who acts on our terms, not the White world's.
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It is very disconcerting to me to see this quote from the article, "Might there be a conspiracy to quietly tamper with the primary results and give Obama the appearance of victory, well knowing this is in small states, in order to demonstrate that America is no longer racist?" When things don't work out the way someone thinks they should, the default position for most Ugandans is to jump into conspiracy thinking. I AM from one of those small states and the enthusiam for Obama is incredible. I also would like someone to explain to me what this means? "As understandable is the great hope Black Americans and we Africans have vested in Obama, real hope will only come when we have a Black world leader who acts on our terms, not the White world's." What are the actions of a Black world leader who acts on OUR terms? And who is OUR? There is a consciousness here in the USA that I think is not understood in Uganda. And that is that for many of us, race is a non-issue. It's the man, or woman, and what they stand for that makes the difference. Obama is about change, inclusion, integrity, and intelligence.
I agree that many in the U.S. continue to move toward acceptance based on character and not color or race. That is not to say Obama's presidency has or will somehow get rid of racism and prejudice int his country, however his message is one that goes beyond race, gender, color and so on and that is one of the reasons for his success. In addition, he is real, authentic, compassionate, honest, hard-working, intelligent, brilliant, firm in his beliefs and unwavering. Most importantly, he doesn't limit himself to any one group and why should he? I have been volunteering for his campaign and it's always amazing to see all sorts of people-young, old, whites, non-whites, male, female, etc-coming together to get him elected. That is his gift and he has utilized very well! Frankly, I'm non-white and I would not be comfortable with a president FOR black people [whatever that means] as much as I would not want a president FOR any special groups. What we have seen in the past are presidents for special interest groups who probably happen to be mostly whites. If presidents are to be FOR special groups, what is to happen with the rest of America? Although, racism is well and alive in this country, at then end of the day, we're all human beings with the same needs. Although, I understand your fear and frustrations, Obama is a human being just like you and me, and like every other candidates, he cannot please everyone. Besides, Hillary won Texas by 3% and Obama will probably come way with more delegates than she does. I think her win was so significant because of the 12 straight losses which seemingly were attributed due to lack of sound judgment in her campaign. Remember, Obama is competing against a famously grounded political machine and I think he has been handling it just fine; primarily because of his gift in bringing people together to work together [even when they disagree.]
Basically I reject the consipiracy theory in the Obama phenomenon! One needs (i)to analyse the identity of Obama beyond the colour of his skin, (ii)look at what has happened in the USA especially among the youth since the days of Martin Luther King, and (iii) probably advise the black youth of the USA to use education to fully liberate themselves instead of passing time playing the victims! Obama does not belong to blacks. He belongs to humans. Obama in terms of socio-politico-economic class structure of USA at this time is any Havard educated successful lawyer /politician/American citizen (black or white) in the USA. I bet that is why the Clintons are getting a little bit scared. They were not prepared for this. Since the days of Martin Luther King things have been changing for blacks albeit slowly and those who have quickly seen how to take advantage of the change have improved themselves and their lots. The beggining is basicly the openening up of education. Despite the freeing of education up to end of High School manay blacks have not taken advantage of it. Those who have taken it seriousily have results to show. Obama happens to be visible because he is running for the highest office. Blacks have accessed many offices they could only dream about some years back. They still have a lot to do in this but the roads are dug and the youth need to take Obama as testimony of what can happen (By the they already had seen other testimonies in Big Officials such as Powel and Condoliza Rice. In the USA the post of Secretary of State is not a tiny post! It is not only in education or white collar jobs. Blacks are in areas which had been normally reserves of high class whites. Look at Tiger Woods in golf. I mean how would this happen! Look at the Williams Sisters in Tennis. I mean how could this be? These are not titles expected of blacks a few years back. And as these role models emerge, they are not only role models for blacks. They are role models for white youths who know how hard one must work to reah such levels.The white youth have for quite some time sat alongside blacks in the same class r00ms played the same games and seen that there is literally no difference beyong the colour of the skin. So as long as Obama says what they wish to hear they will vote for him. Obama is reaching in politics where other blacks had already reached in other areas! I am not really into this thing of consipiracy! It would be discouraging to blacks and denying the opportunities that exist which they can use to reach higher heights. And anyway the presidential race is still too early to take it for granted. But Obama has demonstrated an emerging phenomenon in the USA and it is not going to stop even if his bid for elections is stopped without him being President.
The Americans' heart hurts from orders given by the President of the United States to go to war. Therefore, Senator Barack Obama, commendable audacity, to become the next President of these United States, brings joy and hope to every American. I support the Obama candidacy 100%.
PhD Candidate
Obama is running for the president of the U.S.A. that would mean he has to have the interest of the U.S.A. first as a whole that would be Black, White, Latino, Asian And just in case you over looked it let me remind you that his mother is White American the term white American is no more correct than Black American. So think you for your comments but from one very mixed race American (European and Native American) to all who read this The U.S.A. is a nation ruled mainly by whites that have mixed heritage from different European countries and native blood that dont really care what color some ones skin is but what they do and think about America! Oh yeah and I would care less if he was a Muslim as long as he was not radical like Mike Huckabee seems to be.
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