As I was driving home from work I was listening to NPR as I often do, and This American Life was in Pennsylvania trying to figure out why and how John McCain and Barak Obama both think they can win there.
Most of the piece was getting to know the campaign volunteers as they made calls and went out on foot to try and convince the undecided to vote for either McCain or Obama, or to sway the decided to vote the other way.
The most interesting part of this piece for me was when the Obama volunteers asked the decided McCain voters why they aren't voting for Obama. Some said because of his health care and economic plans, but most just said they simply were not ready to vote for a black man.
Now clearly this is a bit offensive, and quite sad but not what caught my attention. What really has got me thinking is that Barak Obama is not a black man. His mother is White and his father is Kenyan or Black, so he is just as much a white man as he is a black man. So why is he only categorized as a black man? And really what would we call him, or categorize him as; since there are no names or categories for bi-racial people like Senator Obama and myself. And why is that? And why must there be racial categorization? Can't Senator Obama and I just be American?
Just something to think about, from my people to yours.
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8 comments:
This is something that Adam and I have said like a million times. Finally, someone else mentions it!!!
I've often thought about that too... I just think you are a beautiful American girl!!
By effectively 'making' Obama black, it just polarizes the issue more. so you look at white and black, and the red and blue parties, and a young and old man, with a man or woman as candidate. So to the general public who don't want to give it too much thought, the choice is easy.
Great post!
amen, sister.
Oh boy...Obama all the way baby! PS youre freaking beautiful lady!
Meikel's Aunt Melodee here writing to say Brava! to you for articulating what many of us think; Obama is as white as he is black--but it shouldn't matter what the color of his skin is. I heard the same NPR American Life you speak of, Meikel, and it hurt me to hear people, most of whom call themselves Christians, saying that they could not vote for a "black man."
I hope that before my life ends people in the USA see a human being and the content of her or his character before we see anything else, including that person's skin color or religion. I was and am deeply grateful to Colin Powell for saying what he did on Meet the Press: Obama is a Christian but what if he were Muslim? That should make no difference; sadly it still does to so many.
I heard something worth remembering on NPR this afternoon: "Rosa sat so that Martin could walk; Martin walked so that Obama could run; Obama is running so that our children can fly."
May we be celebrating takeoff a week from tonight.
Beautiful photo of you, Meikel.
Good point! I like your aloud wonderings and hope to get more of them here. You're great!
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