Obama and Race

As I type this in 2012, ANY discussion of "race" is dangerous -- especially for someone "white" like me -- and ESPECIALLY any discussion linking the subject of "race" with President Obama.  However, it seems likely that ANY discussion of President Obama, now or in the future, will include the subject of "race".  President Obama will always be viewed as "America's first black President", and will always be mentioned that way in the history books, no matter what else transpires during his Presidency.

The title of "America's first black President" was destined to be complicated and troubling, regardless of who held it.  On the one hand, I had always thought that part of the entire IDEA of having a black President would be to prove that their race did not matter -- but then of course it DOES matter if you are excited about them being "the first black President".

A week or two after President Obama was elected, I heard a discussion on National Public Radio that illustrates the problem.  Several people, including pollsters from both the Obama and McCain campaigns, were discussing the election results, and especially focusing on the information gained from "exit polls".  They were also taking phone calls from listeners.  One of the callers brought up the issue of people who voted based primarily on race.  The pollsters agreed that some voters had based their votes primarily on this issue.  Then the pollster for the Obama campaign made an interesting statement.  He said that everyone feared that people would vote AGAINST Barack Obama due to his race -- and some people DID vote against Barack Obama due to his race -- but their data indicated that even MORE people had voted FOR Barack Obama due to his race, and in fact, he would not have won the election WITHOUT the people who voted for him mostly BECAUSE of his race.  So, while they had feared that his race might prevent him from being elected, in fact it had CAUSED him to be elected.  His final comment was the most curious of all, as he stated, "And isn't that a wonderful thing!"

As I listened to the discussion on the radio, I was struck that it was NOT necessarily a wonderful thing for someone to be elected BECAUSE of their race.  Clearly, most people would have felt that if John McCain had been elected BECAUSE of his (white) race, it would have been a BAD thing.  I continue to be troubled by the roll that race played in the election.  By the way, I am simply repeating what I heard on National Public Radio.  I personally do not have the expertise or data to say what roll race played in Obama's election.  Still, I question whether it is truly any better to SUPPORT someone because of their race than it is to OPPOSE them because of their race.

I must confess that from the moment Barack Obama became a candidate for President, I was troubled by the idea that anyone who opposed him, or disagreed with him on ANY issue, risked being branded a "racist".  This has turned out to be even more true than I had feared.  Even today, almost four years into his Presidency, there are those who insist that the ONLY reason anyone EVER opposes President Obama is due to his race.  I suppose this was predictable, but it is still troubling, and it tends to interfere with honest debate over the true issues.  Years ago, I heard someone on television -- and I wish I could recall who it was -- who stated, "I disagree with President Obama on almost every issue, and am troubled by all of his positions EXCEPT his race.  I do not care about his race one way of the other."  I believe many people fall into this camp, yet all are routinely labeled "racist".

For me, labeling all of those who oppose President Obama as "racist" shows disrespect not only for them, but also for President Obama.  It is as if he has no ideas, and no positions, and has done nothing as President -- all that matters is his race.  If, as I believe, he HAS ideas and positions, and has taken actions as President, then clearly there are going to be people who disagree, just as there are people who agree with him.  It sells him short to label all opposition "racist".

I cannot completely ignore the fact that in many ways America NEEDED to have a black President, and the fact that we HAVE a black President is, in many ways, a good thing.  At the same time, I consider Barack Obama to have been a bad President, and bad for the country, and bad for the entire world -- but NOT because he is black ... in my opinion, his "blackness" is perhaps the only good thing about his Presidency.  (But of course, since I believe Barack Obama has been a bad President, many will simply label me a racist, and ignore my opinions beyond that.)

Barack Obama had a unique opportunity to unite America, and serve as President for ALL Americans.  He has squandered that opportunity, choosing* to be one of the most partisan Presidents -- ignoring, demonizing, or ridiculing all with differing ideas, rather than attempting to build consensus, and tossing aside his 2008 campaign promises of a transparent administration ("the most transparent administration in history!"). One of Barack Obama's biggest failings as a President has been his failure to ever rise out of "campaign mode", and represent not only those who voted for him, but the entire country.  Instead, he can never resist an opportunity to praise his supporters, and attack his opponents.  As America's first black President, this is especially tragic.

Truth is complicated.

*Despite what President Obama or his supporters might claim, dominating rather than uniting IS a choice, and cannot be blamed solely on one's opponents.