Yes, the fact that the American electorate were unprejudiced enough to ensure the best candidate won is marvellous, it is an enormous step in the direction of eradicating prejudice and it should be heralded.
But...
Obama has not played the race card and he continues to make intelligent comment about race. Yet everyone who is celebrating his victory is celebrating his colour, the fact that an African American [sic] is to be the next President. He did not win because of his colour. He won because he is intelligent and a sublime orator, and because his policies are sound . That is what is important.
It is impossible to keep count of the number of times it has been said today: "when is Britain going to follow suit and have a black PM?" or words to that effect. (Jeremy Vine said it again and again until I threw my radio into the Forth in disgust).
What? Excuse me? Does that not COMPLETELY miss the point?
In order to be without prejudice, the colour of someone's skin, along with their gender, sexual orientation, age, disability and religious (or other) beliefs should not be relevant. People should be judged solely on their suitability for whatever in question and none of those things affect suitability unless an individual is genuinely unable to meet the requirements because of it.
Seeking to appoint someone for a position purely because of something that is entirely irrelevant to whether they are appropriate is still prejudiced. It is wrong to make it an issue, positive discrimination is still discrimination. There are many racists still about and it would be wrong to deny that, or to deny the appalling attitudes that still exist or the terrifying treatment of some people, but the way the media are carrying on today is simply continuing to make a song and dance and provide fodder for the bigots. Continuing to make an issue, continuing to highlight an imaginary difference. We have to learn that there is no difference. We all have to learn that and if we can't, we will never be without racism.
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A personal note: I am aware that I am incredibly bad at expressing myself and I am also aware that all of what I just wrote is likely to be taken as naive or worse.
I am writing this here so as not to embarrass myself on someone else's space, and because I can't see that look people get in their eyes whenever I try to talk about something that matters.
Wednesday 5 November 2008
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2 comments:
A few minutes ago I received a racist e-mail featuring Obama. I think we have a very long way to go.
Very valid and well written, nothing to be embarrassed about at all.
You say: "but the way the media are carrying on today is simply continuing to make a song and dance and provide fodder for the bigots. Continuing to make an issue, continuing to highlight an imaginary difference. We have to learn that there is no difference. We all have to learn that and if we can't, we will never be without racism."
True, BUT...
What we are going through over here is a step toward exactly that world. The celebration of the historic nature of this election is a part of that. That Obama won with more of the white vote than any Democrat since Carter (in 76, not 80) is a part of that. That African Americans feel a sense of pride is part of that.
Obama got where he is because he is a talented, inspiring politician. Even the people who don't like him or didn't vote for him acknowledge that. It is a given that Obama was elected in spite of his color, not because of it.
But to deny the historic nature of this, to not celebrate it, is asking the impossible of the human species. It will be talked about, because, to millions of people, it *means* something. And to apparently more people than even the pundits predicted, it means we are closer to the time when race won't matter than even we ourselves realized.
NC
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