From far away, this is how it looks: There is a country out there where tens of millions of white Christians, voting freely, select as their leader a black man of modest origin, the son of a Muslim. There is a place on Earth — call it America — where such a thing happens... --New York Times, Nov. 5, 2008
For the purpose of clarity and reigned-in expectations -- and to curtail sudden outbursts of tears -- I've tried not to think about this much until now. But the outside-the-issues symbolism and significance of Obama's victory are of an earth-shaking nature whose possibility I dismissed just four -- even two -- years ago. The irony that it took Bushian debauchery to open the door tempers my shock and satisfaction only slightly. If Bush wasted our precious time in climate and energy advances, the least he could do was inadvertently accelerate the healing of an awful scar from our history.
As a young kid I naively assumed racism and homophobia would be obsolete like Xerox by the time I was an adult. "All these people will soon be old, and the evidence in front of their face will change them," I thought. Alas, adulthood arrived with bad news. Silly kid. Hadn't realized as a child how views are passed on. Hadn't understood how limited exposure --> limited understanding --> unlimited fear.
"Rosa sat, so Martin could walk Martin walked, so Obama could run Obama ran, so our children could fly"
--Heard all around us
Racism will still fester, hate will still find fuel. But new recruits will require even greater cognitive dissonance to sign on when every day an object of their superficial hate shows competence and compassion in the White House. Ignorance always "ain't never seen that before" -- until it has.
So waking up today to see a big chunk chopped off this Original Sin gave me a feeling of unburdened weightlessness. OMG, indeed! To see the looks in people's eyes at the polls yesterday -- black people in particular -- as they tasted that the unimaginable could happen. To see others participating for the first time, after years of resignation to the notion that there is no place for them in this fixed process. (On that note: the margin between McCain and Obama in Missouri at this moment is about a third of the number of Missouri votes given to Nader. Who says their vote doesn't matter?)
"...The world’s view of an Obama presidency presents a paradox. His election embodies what many consider unique about the United States — yet America’s sense of its own specialness, of its destiny and mission, has driven it astray, they say. They want Mr. Obama, the beneficiary and exemplar of American exceptionalism, to act like everyone else, only better, to shift American policy and somehow to project both humility and leadership..."
To see reactions around the world and know that the U.S. will once again hold both sides of its mythical role as inspirational example and empire of unreachable expectations.
But back to the symbolism: Obama's heritage and path is the logical landing point of the "American dream."
Not a dream of WASPs, connected bankers, and "keep the pot with the privileged" set, but of a globalized gene pool stirred by whoever dreams of making it here.
Not a dream that any old "Joe Sixpack" can become President by sweatin' and shootin' and talkin' football under a POW flag, but the dream that any old smart, thoughtful-yet-engaging human can reason his way to the role of inspirational President and policy mover, regardless of what he or she (still working on "she") looks like, regardless of what category and stereotypes we assign to that look.
On the relevance of ill-defined, touchy-feely "inspiration:" There is something to it, oh yes there is. Humans are often stupid, we know this. Yet we love them (Us!) still. So there are two possible responses to our "condition": Resignation to its inevitable futility is one. Trying to nudge the needle for good is the other. So when an Obama comes along and inspires people who had given up, it matters. When it's someone like that making a gesture so small (yet so big) as telling parents it's up to you to be there for your kids, to take them away from the TV -- to give the seed a bit of water so that the education system that later receives them has a fighting chance to help them grow ... THAT is nudging the needle.
If parenting, poverty, education and greed are at the root of what ails us, simply letting these rot will do no one service. Small gestures in transformational packages will matter.
"... There is another paradox about the world’s view of the election of Mr. Obama: many who are quick to condemn the United States for its racist past and now congratulate it for a milestone fail to acknowledge the same problem in their own societies, and so do not see how this election could offer them any lessons about themselves..."
Foreigners so often expect more from the U.S. than they do from their own insular societies precisely because the U.S. is supposed to be the land of openness and equal opportunity. It's a shame that other nations too often don't expect the same from their own cultures, but there's no harm in expecting the U.S. to strive to be better. It's better for us and, ultimately, better for them. Expectation comes with being the state in the captain's chair. Now, we are life forms after all, so conflict and weakness will happen. But study of history, collection of data, and the practice of thought and earnestness can reduce the frequency of our follies. All our issues will not be resolved in my lifetime, but somehow a lifetime feels better spent when we're inching toward the goal.
Denominations of a thousand different deities Congregations, endless carnivals of gaiety Why should I fear? Why should I cling on to anything? It's not how long long I live but how beautiful it is
And I saw crying, there was turmoil in the marketplace I saw economies perpetuate the next arms race And I felt helpless: there was nothing I could do or say And then I noticed there's a change that's coming over me: Tapping into the aeon Tapping into the aeon
Myriad experiences of billions of humans Recorded in the memory the compassion of their gods Beauty defined by disfigurement and symmetry Re-evaluate their history, reassess their symbols
And I saw crying, there was turmoil in the marketplace I saw economies perpetuate the next arms race And I felt helpless: there was nothing I could do or say And then I noticed there's a change that's coming over me: Tapping into the aeon Tapping into the aeon
Balance of the ecosystem, self-reliance beckons us Windmills and waterfalls, strawberries and lily ponds When skyscrapers no longer block the Sun's meridian When we awake to the whisper of the voice
Seriously. To me he was just an intelligent, well spoken, family-man, and Democratic senator who was running for president.
It did not register that he was *of color* until his grandma died and I saw a picture of her - and I'm like, "oh, wow. I never really realized the color of his skin before now. She's pale, he's not, but they're kin!"
So you people are racist!
(kidding about the racist part)
I can understand why non-whites and the USA in general want to celebrate this *historic* event - but for me he never had a "race". He still doesn't. But I suppose it would be unpopular not to make a big deal out of his race now - I mean, it's historic. get on the bandwagon man.
Peace out.
By no one you know - 11/6/2008 7:27 AM
Easy for a northerner to say! I live in a very segregated city, where even people I otherwise get along with have this very peculiar hangup. I welcome the relief that comes with every symbolic or tangible step toward changing that. This one qualifies as both.
It means nothing, yet it means everything. If NO ONE saw race, it wouldn't be a big deal. If no one suffered from it, it wouldn't be a big deal. If millions of people's brains weren't rewired by what just happened, it wouldn't be a big deal.
Not that I know first-hand, but I've met, read, studied with, seen m'lady teach enough "people of color" to see how it sucks to grow up being seen as "other" (at best) for your appearance and never see a role model who "looks like you" in a position of respect like this.
To be beaten over the head about opportunity and American dream when every disadvantage associated with your "look" traces to the fact that your ill-defined race was literally OWNED by the purveyors of this dream and was officially segregated until a generation ago. In that setting, a person has every reason to believe he will never have a seat at the table.
So yesterday, the possibility of this happening was "yeah, right." But tomorrow, kids can one day say, "Wait, what's the big deal? It's happened before." Thank god for that. Thank god for the continuing marginalization of lunatic fringe and "silent majority" by the march of progress and cosmopolitanism. People might just realize they have much better reasons to hate each other.
It shouldn't be a big deal. One day it won't be. But today it is.
By Dominik - 11/6/2008 8:53 AM
I hear you loud and clear. And I understand completely.
I used to live there, and I went to a "black" school there, and I used to work at the mall in downtown St. Louis (so close to East St Louis and the like).
Up North here we live with Hmongs and Arabs and Mexicans and Somalians and Natives and Czechs and Norwegians and Canadians ...and Muslims and Jews and even some Christians who speak in toungs (are those Christians?)
Somehow we don't focus on our differences... I think it's because Northerners keep their private life/beliefs to themselves... and they just don't pick on other people.
And also - it's so fricken' cold up here that all we have time for is to help each other stay warm and sheltered and fed... somethin' to be said about nature... bringin' people together and all that.
Who the heck knows, jeese Marge I don't have all the answers, but we're doin' pretty good up here.
Peace to your brothers (and sisters) and good will towards all men (and women)
-Loretta
By no one you know - 11/6/2008 9:37 AM
Where's my weekly dose of Jansky musings?
You and Krugman are conspiring to disrupt my Monday morning routine of Krugman, Kristol (for laughs), XKCD (ditto), and Jansky.
Damn it all.
By Talll - 12/8/2008 6:38 AM
I know, right?!
He's off doing some sort of ice-hockey fan-writing cr*p. I don't think we'll see him until the spring...
too many fans, to little time....
By know one you know - 12/8/2008 10:04 AM
I know, I know. It's coming soon. The Catholic guilt is killing me. So is the Middle East class. (Good news is, I've solved the Palestinian-Israeli problem.)
As you may have noticed, the site has changed. Sampa, the free-site host, did a version 2 of some sort.
Despite an FAQ that made it sound like allowing one's site to go through v.2 surgery would be okay, there were several flexibilities that surprisingly disappeared with the click of a button. (e.g. I cannot believe sidebars like this one are even narrower than before.)
And I'm told -- miraculously! -- that the conversion cannot be undone. Truth be told, I'm actually quite pissed. But free is free. Sampa has otherwise been good to me.
So I need to sort through site "features" to see how I can make do. Except that I don't have the time at the moment, in the middle of graduate classes and Lighthousehockey.com. (btw, I've removed that Lighthouse RSS feed so that you're not clogged with random Islanders hockey gibberish).
But I promise to touch up the accessories when I get a chance, and return to irregularly scheduled blogging.
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February, 2008