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24-06-09, 11:23 PM
This is an extremely interesting issue isn't it? And to be fair I don't think there is any one reason as to why these guys are hatin' on Obama in this way. I think that the answer will lie in a number of the factors that were mentioned.
My view on this issue of necessity comes from a U.K perspective but I travel a lot and am in the U.S. all of the time. I have noticed the depth of feeling against Obama from certain quarters., here and abroad. When questioned there is rarely a sensible rationale for their vitriol. The "allegation" I always find most amusing is the "he's nothing but a figurehead" argument. Let's get real. The position of President of the United States has not changed. In reality U.S presidents have always, at least to an extent, been figureheads, frontmen for the various (truly powerful) interests that they represent. That has always been the case. Bush, Reagan, Clinton were all equally powerless. So Obama is no differemt to all the others. That said, a lot depends upon how we are defining power. There are clearly different types of "power" and influence. For me the "power" of that office lies in all that it symobolises. It represents the U.S and all it stands for. And let's face it what it stands for by and large has never included African people. So the fact that an African is occupying that post is a HUGE deal.
It's such a huge deal that I didn't follow the Obama campaign very much at all as I was convinced that I would never see an African American president of the U.s. in my lifetime. . My more insightful mother followed almost every step of his campaign , right from the beginning, and can legititmately say that she thought he would win. i was under no such illusion. Almoot up the moment he was giving his acceptance speech I was convinced he would lose. Intelligent, articulate bother with a beautiful (clearly African) wife and family. I mean let's face it he had no hope. It sill amazes me , and will for a long time, that he was allowed to win.
So irrespective of his political rhectoric (again standard amongst politicans) I don't expect Obama to radically change the polictial landscape. It's not really within his behest. But he has made an enormous difference to a large body of people (including me) who believed that it would never happen in our lifetime. Regretabbly (and we could frankly go on forever about why this is endemic in our race) certain sectors of our society cannot bear to see others suceed. That's just the way it is. So I know where Kunjufu is coming from. I saw it time and time again when I was running my own succesful business and even more so now that I am a partner in a bigger firm and am seen to have made it (their definition of success not mine). More often than not when I meet brothers and sisters in the course of my work they are not happy for me . To be fair who is?? It can be lonely at their "top". But that's life. I'm sanguine about that now.
Reality for me? Was reading "The Times" the other day before work and seeing an enormously lengthy sycophantic article in the most reverential tones from that startingly conservative rag ,about how stunningly wonderful Michelle Obama is. I almost whooped with joy. Because you can bet that even a year ago this is not something that the times would have have imagined they woudl have to do. Paying homage to a wonderful African woman. It lifted my spirit and I am personally delighted that they are where they are.
T
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