America's racial divide is still not bridged

[Blue_Tires]

America's racial divide is still not bridged

Even with Obama in the White House there is still a large gap between black and white America

By Milo Cernetig, Vancouver Sun December 15, 2009


Some 145 years after the United States made slavery unconstitutional, 59 years after freedom riders took desegregation into America's deep south, 43 years after Thurgood Marshall became the first black man to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, 42 years after the assassination of Martin Luther King and 26 years after Jesse Jackson first ran for president, an African-American has reached the pinnacle of the American establishment.

A black man is running the White House.

Even a few years ago, that sentence would have seemed like a corny line lifted from a Hollywood film. In fact, for generations there have been dozens of movies and TV shows -- often comedies or disaster flicks -- dwelling on the improbable prospect of an African-American president.

Barack Obama has finally turned that idea -- a black man in the Oval Office -- from a fanciful notion into hard fact.

The history books will mark his election as the 44th U.S. president as watershed. If it is not a new era in race relations in the United States, 2009 is at the very least a stereotype-crushing fork in the road.

But what does Obama's presidency mean for African-Americans today? Can one man's ascendancy to the head of the world's only economic and military superpower redefine the lot of 40 million African-Americans, long relegated to being the country's underclass?

On a cultural level, a transformation is certainly underway. Obama's ubiquitous presence on television newscasts and newspaper front pages, though a given for any president, regardless of race, is a powerful symbol for many African-Americans. But he, and more particularly the first family, have also struck an undeniable chord with all of America's popular culture.

Not since JFK and Jackie, or Ronald Reagan and Nancy, has a first family dominated the popular press. People magazine, Vogue and Vanity Fair have been unusually absorbed by Obama. The New York Times has even felt compelled to analyse the first lady's family tree for secrets, revealing Michelle Obama's was a descendant of African slaves but also of a white man who was her great-great-great grandfather.

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/America+racial+divide+still+bridged/2344563/story.html

[Number23]

1. Thanks for posting. This article is ridiculous

"Given that Obama won 96 per cent of the African-American vote in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, it's somewhat predictable that his approval ratings would be much higher with that slice of American popular opinion. But there's a danger for Obama here, too. Expectations among this core constituency are sky-high and probably unrealistic."

So let me get this straight... expectations among BLACK people are too high and unrealistic?? Excuse me, but :wtf: Where is Frenchiecat??? I know she'll have a thing or two to say about this.

Black people have been primarily the main ones willing to give this man time to do his job. Black people -- long, LONG used to being the first ones the Dem party calls on and then discards -- are the main ones with probably the most REALISTIC expectations in terms of seeing significant progress in our communities. And yes, there have been plenty of blacks who have criticized Obama, but even in their criticism there is an acknowledgement of the damn near impossibly dreadful mess that this man inherited and there is also alot of praise for what he has already achieved as well as criticism for what he hasn't. I think this smacks of not only realism, but fairness and wisdom as well.

As anyone who has spent 14 seconds on DU can see, Obama's main critics who want everything yesterday and are blaming him for everything for toe fungus to global warming are not black or any other minority. THESE folks seem to be ones with the unrealistic expectations, not us.

[Brewman_Jax]

2. Black people rarely get the benefit of the doubt

esp. in the workplace, where they're usually vastly underrepresented. Black people often receive excessive scrutiny, sanctions and/or punishment for transgressions while their white counterparts often receive leniency. This is no different.

[angee_is_mad]

3. the so-call Progressives (white) are the ones throwing him

under the bus.

As far as racial divide, just look at DU. A so-call progressive forum, but when someone mentions that there are progressives (black) who wholeheartedly support the President, one is accused of using the race card. Which would leave one to wonder could it be race?

The white progressive blogosphere and the afrosphere this week has been like night and day on HRC.

[firedupdem]

4. Thanks angee!

I just left the one you mentioned...weeseeyou.com

One thing about all thats been going on...I have been spending more time reading, and looking at boards for us. Much more rational discussion.

[Number23]

5. Hey Angee! Long time no see!

Although if you were taking a break from Hysteria, I mean Democratic Underground, girl I COMPLETELY understand.

A so-call progressive forum, but when someone mentions that there are progressives (black) who wholeheartedly support the President, one is accused of using the race card

Girl, don't you know that black people and other people of color aren't allowed to talk about race?? And apparently, whenever a person with melanin supports this President, we're only doing it because "he's black, ya know and they ALLLL stick togetha!!" :eyes:

If you try to remind the people saying this type of flaming idiocy that Rush Limbaugh made that exact same analogy when Colin Powell endorsed Obama over McCain they will sputter and stutter so badly it's pitiful. It's almost laughable, this idea that racism and racial cluelessness within liberals doesn't exist. The liberal and Dem party has shown the world the true answer to that more in the last 13 months than in probably the last 13 decades.