I just finished seeing Barack Obama's speech about racism in America, delivered in Philadelphia. It was the most extraordinary speech I've heard about racism - about its roots and realities in black and white America, about the legitimate grievances and fears of both communities - delivered by anyone, let alone someone running for President.
Obama also talked about Rev. Wright. I don't know if Obama can ever give a satisfactory explanation for why he kept this man as his pastor for so many years. Obama cannot now go back in time and undo that. However much he now condemns what Wright said, however much Obama wants to stand by him as a friend and a human being - none of that can change what Wright said, and Obama's relationship with him for so many years.
Bur Obama's speech this morning was so important, so courageous and perceptive in what it addressed, that Obama's relationship with Wright may no longer matter.
As Obama stressed many times, America can never move forward unless those issues are publicly addressed - reverse discrimination, which whites are, and feel they are, subjected to; and discrimination, which blacks are, and feel they are, subjected to. Both of these realities need to be considered and discussed in our political campaigns. Otherwise, we will indeed never move forward.
Barack Obama has been presenting himself as a new kind of candidate. He demonstrated that eloquently, magnificently, today, and certainly showed why any American who truly wants to move into the 21st century should vote for him.
See also: Further Thoughts on Obama's Speech on Racism, and the Need to Keep Politics and Religion Separate
15 comments:
I'm of a like mind with your first impressions
You know, I can see an upside to this controversy for Obama. It sort of quashes those lies about him being a Muslim (not that there is anything wrong with being such).
Hi Paul you know I don't like the politics so much but My impression of Obama has changed and I'm sure alot of America feels the same way. Do I want a president who for over 20 years looked up to this lunatic as a mentor and spiritual leader. I'm sorry he has lied to the people by not bringing all this up and disclosing it to the public. I haven't really heard a good excuse if there is one from him. I do believe this will significantly hurt his chances
dawn: did you even listen to the speech? geez.
No but it doesn't really matter what he says I'm going by actions. As Paul knows I am a hillary girl and the diversity on this site is what makes the world go round
For what it's worth, I'm with Dawn. All winter I said I could be happy with whoever won the nomination, now I'm terrified of someone who would keep company with this hate monger. I did not hear an adequate explanation or any meaningful realization of why Rev. Wright's comments are so despicable.
I'm no more happy that Obama has been so close to Wright than I was before the speech.
What's changed now, for me, is that Obama's speech reinforces the view, I also already had, that Obama is indeed a new kind of politician, willing to take on issues that divided our nation for centuries, and will no other political candidate for President has so frankly addressed.
That quality, for me, outweighs my concerns about Rev. Wright.
(I also great appreciate the good, civil discussion we're having here. Thanks, Matt and Dawn, Infinite Regress regulars - and welcome Carl, Trudy, and anon.)
Obama clearly dissociated himself from Wright's inflammatory rhetoric without demonizing the man. I have to do the same thing with my brother. More important, Obama yanked the issue of race from the political opportunists and set it gently down into the hearts of the American people--the only place it can be dealt with honestly and effectively.
I'm sorry Robert, I do not believe he is being honest. Honest would have been disclosing this before the primary's. They knew it would be an issue. they chose not to bring it to the public until now because it came out
I just finished watching the video, and think that it was really, pretty amazing. From a media/critical point of view, the jerky, back and forth of his head and his focussed eyes on only two spots (tele-prompters?) kind of detracted from the visual of watching this man deliver this speech. I've read Paul's other comments on Obama's speeches and hadn't really paid any attention - mostly, because for a long time, I was strictly following Ron Paul's campaign. But, this speech has really woken me up to Barack Obama's candidacy.
The big difference between Obama's and Ron Paul's "racial discrepancies" is that Ron Paul shrugged it off as being not him, or allowing his name (unknowingly, apparently) to be placed on hateful, racial and pretty awful words and ideas. Whereas, Obama seems to be accepting that he has heard these things, and been close to a person that said them.
I haven't watched - and don't really have a desire to hear - whatever Reverend Wright, might have said, because honestly, I'm sure that I've heard it before. As he says in the speech; this racial tension, and hidden disregard for it's effects have been with this nation since the beginning. For anyone to say they've never heard or been involved with someone that's made these sorts of comments, I have to think some people are being either untruthful or naive. Maybe some families don't have racial-centric discussions because they truly aren't racist or have never been confronted with a stereotypical or racial situation; or maybe they are just blissfully ignorant on how a large portion of the country is. I don't know anyone on this site - and have mostly stuck with only commenting on the thing that I really come here for (Dr. Levinson's reviews and comments on television shows like LOST, DEXTER and the great show that was JOURNEYMAN) - so I can't make any judgments on anyone here. But, I would have to question the people that have commented with saying that Obama should have disclosed this sort of information a long time ago. Should our electoral process become a sort of Jerry Springer episode where all the candidates talk about are the bad things they've done or the people that they've had an affiliation with? (Some could argue that that's what it is now, I guess.) Because, they would then have to start running a good four years a head of time.
As opposed to talking about their positions on what really matters: Running the country and the issues afflicting the citizen's lives.
I don't care, personally, who Barack Obama shares his time with. As long as he's his own man, and makes the decisions that he knows and feels to be right, then that's what I support. He shouldn't feel the need to apologize for what someone that he has no control over says or does. And I think that it's a bit unfair, and immature, to think that he should.
What makes this speech special, and possibly historical, is the fact that the man that gave it stood there and wasn't trying to be political. He wasn't pushing "OBAMA for PRESIDENT" - although, obviously, that is a great possible benefit for people that listen to the speech - he was talking about America needing to work for change. (Is that his slogan?? I think so...and if it is, I didn't intentionally use it.) Whether I eventually feel like he's the candidate that I want to vote for or not, I believe that he really hit the nail on the head with this speech. I think that this is the sort of "calling out" that America and Americans have needed for a long time!
These are just my first impressions too. :)
It's sad how easily people are misled. Obama lies. His speech was a cheap, half-hearted attempt to gloss over and justify the hatred and contempt blacks feel for America and for White people.
That the voters in America have been fooled and have been sold this squeaky clean image is troubling. If you believe Obama has your or America's best interests at heart then you are mistaken.
John: I agree with your contrast of Ron Paul's vs. Obama's response to these situations.
fromwembley - don't be too sad ... it's not at all clear that Americans who support Obama are mistaken, or are being misled ... (but welcome to Infinite Regress) ...
just a few points...
1) I thought the speech was an honest assessment of Barack's true feelings on the subject. I give him a lot of credit for tackling it head-on. I can't think of another politician in my lifetime who has taken on a personal issue in such an open and forthright manner. Off the top of my head I'm thinking Richard Nixon and Watergate, Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. These guys stonewalled and hid from us.
2) I think in order to comment on the speech, there should be a minimum requirement that you do the work and at least listen or read the man's words beforehand. I'm talking a 25 minute investment of time.
3) I'm Catholic and I don't believe half of what comes out of the weekly pulpit or official Vatican press. But i wouldn't throw my parish priest under the bus because I disagree. I know this is different (or is it?) -- Obama's running for high office and his pastor's venom is unacceptable. If Obama accepted any of Rev. Wright's outlandish positions I think that he would have developed into a totally different man over the years, one not able to make a run for the highest office in the land.
4) Why is Obama the only politician under fire for being connected to a crazed religious figure. Is McCain getting a free pass with his acceptance of his religious backers? for example, Rev. Hagey is on record spewing similar rhetoric against Catholics and gays. Why is the media not skewering McCain on this front?
5) the question in the November election boils down to a simple one. do you want a NEW direction or do you want to maintain the OLD conventions? if you want new - Obama is your man. case closed. if you want old - take your pick Clinton or McCain. case closed. it doesn't get any simpler than that.
Paul -- thanks for giving us the opportunity to share ... take care.
First of all, i believe the quality of the posts here are of very high quality. I've been on others, and sometimes it's too sad for words.
To return to the topic, i believe the speech undoubtedly demonstrated Obama's eloquence. However, i don't believe there's anything "new" in it. He brings up change as being the true genius of the USA, and manages to pass the suggestion again that the choice for him will spur that change. But change is, has been and will always be there, with or without him. Change in racial thinking and the actions that follow it are all around. Mixed-race marriages and unions, race diversity in politics, religion and more is up on the rise and will remain so independent of who is president.
I also missed one major cause of racial divisions in his speech: entertainment. I have so often seen so-called comedians exploit this by re-enforcing prejudiced remarks about their race and never receive as much as a critical remark simply because they're talking about their own race. It sounds funny, he can't mean it cause he's black or latino too, so haha. But those re-enforcements stick, believe it or not.
I am yet to be convinced by Obama, and this speech doesn't change a thing. I believe there are four steps to getting things done, and these are to recognice the current situation, formulate the endpoint, create the plan to get there and measure progress. Obama spends a lot of time and a lot of his high eloquence on the first two. But the last two steps are still not receiving the proper attention they deserve from someone with his aspirations, and that to me is worrisome.
What I really appreciate about this speech was the HONESTY of it. America has a race problem, on both sides of the issue. Obama didn't villanize either side, including that of Wright, he just said it how it was.
Are there many black people in America who out of frustration, out of years of opression, out od desperation have made anti-white remarks? Sadly, I am sure there are many. However, that does not mean there is no value in that. There is value in that view simply in the respect that our country MUST look at the environment that creates that attitude. THAT is part of what I got from Obama's speech. And I do believe he was honest, or at least as honest as any politician every is.
I think this speech will be considered an important one in the modern civil rights movement, whether or not Obama wins the Democratic ticket or the overall election. Like him or hate him, what he said was obvious but important; we can't sweep this issue under the rug anymore.
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