- Share This Post
- submit
- 13
-
Sparkle (0)
As much as I have been obsessed with the race for the Democratic race, I’m glad it’s over.
It was difficult to witness the underhanded tactics used primarily from the Clinton camp that used present racial divisions in American society to sway voters to support Hillary. It was disappointing that these race-tinged tactics came from a family of politicians that almost two decades earlier, relied on their African-American friends for political and personal support. It is also difficult, but like the Clinton situation not entirely surprising to see the media and notable political pundits use every conceivable racial stereotype about blacks to try to discredit Barak Obama’s candidacy. But now that fight is over, and another one- which might be worse - has just started.
Many people are getting ready for an attack from Republicans that some say will pale in comparison to what came from Democrats and other self-proclaimed ‘liberals.’ But I wonder, as some celebrate Obama’s nomination and some freak out over Hillary Clinton’s loss, how people will heal from the past sixteen months of infighting within the Democratic Party. Will African-Americans give the side-eye to their non-black friends and colleagues who believed the Muslim, ‘elitist’ and secretly Black Nationalist tendencies and that because of the color of his skin, that he is inherently inexperienced and naïve? Are we, as women supposed to forget about the sexist remarks and insinuations? Are black woman going to ignore the glaring lack of support from our white sisters when racist and sexist remarks were made about Michelle Obama? Some would like for everyone, especially black folks, to forgive and forget. Well, they couldn’t care about the forgiving part, just forgetting.
While in previous posts I have made very clear about how I hate when people group black people into one monolithic group, when it comes to the effect of racism, I’ll willingly eat my words. When people went after the Obamas, it hurt, and it angered me because the same things have been said about people based on the color of their skin. Not because they were successful or failures; not because they were educated or not, but simply because of the color of their skin. Here we have the first African-American man to capture the first legitimate presidential nomination and for some (an uncomfortable amount, BTW) they can only see him through the negative racial stereotypes. He will always be a Ni%^er. Someone who captured the nomination because of Affirmative Action or some other bullshit excuse. He will never deserve it because some feel that a white woman should always trump the rights of black men. God help that they think about black women!
I can comfortably say that millions of black folks have encountered the same racism that was faced by Obama, and we understand the unfairness of not being regarded because of our character but because of things that we cannot and do not want to change. So when we see it happening to an intelligent, successful man and his equally successful wife who did what needed to be done to capture the American Dream we get mad. After all, if it can happen to a Stanford, Yale –educated lawyer, what the hell is gonna happen to us?
Baratunde from Jack and Jill Politics who volunteered for the Obama campaign, writes an incredibly moving and optimistic post about the future:
I'll always call out wrong where I see it, and I'm not saying a simple kiss and make-up will undo the damage that has been wrought. As CPL mentioned in a recent post, I think both the Clintons need to make a Herculean effort to begin the healing process. Whether by attacking MoveOn.org or dismissing the votes of entire caucus states or (update) her remarks about RFK's assassination (/update), the damage resulting from many of their tactics will not simply disappear without effort. As Ricky Ricardo would say, "they got some 'splainin to do," and I know I'll never look at them the same.
However, I think Obama and all of his
