Is Obama Trapped In A Box?
Posted: August 7th, 2011 | Filed under: Culture, Politics, Ruminations | 2 Comments »Before getting on with these observations of President Barack Obama’s Catch-22, a caveat.
I can not think like a black man thinks. Nor see the world as a black man sees the world.
I know this to be true from experience.
A score of years ago, two well-meaning, intellectually inquisitive groups of fellows — one black, one white — decided to meet monthly. To discuss politics. Culture. Sports. Society. And the racial aspects of all those subjects. One month we’d meet at a place one group chose, the next month at a spot chosen by the other. Thus we were all taken out of our comfort zones to areas of Louisville where we might not otherwise travel.
The meetings were always cordial, never acrimonious. The purpose was to foster understanding, bridge gaps. There were certainly differences of opinion, often the perspectives were far apart. We were always respectful, striving for a common understanding.
One night the subject of a local personality came up. Several of the men of color were absolutely positive the person was a racist. They gave reasons. I know this personality, have spent time in his/ her company. I had never considered for a moment that he/ she was racist.
During that discussion, it became obvious to us — at least to me, but I think others too — that our differences of viewpoint were so vast, so ingrained, that our purpose was the equivalent of Don Quixote tilting at windmills. (Actually that’s not totally true. The mere fact of our meetings and the dialog engendered was beneficial in and of itself.)
At any rate, it became patently obvious that, no matter how open we all were to differing opinions, the cultural differences, endemic of the color of our skin and the ramifications of that reality worked against full understanding of the others’ views of life.
Not long after that month’s discussion, our project fell apart. Peacefully. With a greater appreciation of the racial divide that sadly remains all too prevalent. With but the barest modicum of understanding.
* * * * *
President Barack Obama is not a popular man these days.
To say the least.
During and in the aftermath of the Debt Ceiling imbroglio, Obama’s objectors have gotten more virulent, less reverential of the office of the presidency and the man in that office. Obama has been called “that boy” and a “tar baby.” He has been passively referred to with more cunning racial slurs. Name another president referred to as “uppity?” The Speaker of the House huffed out of a meeting in the White House. It’s hard to imagine this happening to either of the Bushs, or Reagan, or Clinton,, no matter how contentious the dialog.
This disgusting phenomenon has become more overt. It is as if, with a presidential election gearing up, the gloves are off.
More disturbing has been the abandonment by Obama’s “supporters,” people taking bumper stickers off their cars, railing that the president showed no backbone in dealing with the Tea Party stalwarts, that he was so inclined to compromise he ended up giving away the ranch.
The latter trend to me, is as disturbing as the former. Though it is far less loathsome than the veiled racial intolerance espoused by many from the bully pulpit.
One guy’s opinion is that Obama is trapped.
I am stuck with the opinion offered by Fox News pundit Brit Hume on the night of Obama’s election. To paraphrase his commentary: “The Republicans tried to portray Obama as some dumb, off the charts, anti-American, unreasonable, incapable, irrational candidate . . . and Obama never did one thing during the campaign to substantiate the legitimacy of any of that.”
It is my belief that, because the President is a man of color, the first to hold the highest office in the land, he must maintain that aura of reticence, a lack of assertiveness. He must stay calm, avoid throwing down the gauntlet. He is not allowed to be “uppity.”
Thus, Barack Obama, to get to the lofty position he attained, has been forced to adopt a thick veneer of calm. When shouted down irresponsibly and disrespectfully during an address to Congress, he is not allowed the option of stern, finger-pointing reprimand used by Bill Clinton.
* * * * *
The sad truth for us who still believe Obama a man worthy of office, intelligent, thoughtful, well-meaning, with the good of the country and all of its citizens paramount in his goals, is that he may have rendered himself ineffectual by the very personality necessary to get elected.
That’s the Catch-22.
It is my sincere hope that Barack Obama is elected to a second term. It’s a long shot. Especially if the economy continues as it is, with people out of work and the markets shaky.
But, one guy’s opinion, if Obama does succeed in 2012, if the Fox News analysts self-destruct before our eyes on election night from apoplectic shock, if we are given the pleasure of that moment, that it will be a different, more confident, more assertive Barack Obama leading the nation.
Then those objectors will really see Uppity.
It is not a long shot that he gets a second term. Extremes dominate primaries because true believers are more passionate and motivated than centrists…sadly. So it is very likely that a whackjob like Bachmann or Perry gets the nomination and thus motivate the centrists in the general election who will vote overwhelmingly for Obama. Sad way to choose leaders but that is where we are. And, I think your column is dead nuts, as in right on target..
Truth whether spoken, or unspoken can hurt; racism whether recognized or unrecognized is always damaging. You’ve written an accurate appraisal. An old adage of Malcom made references to the habits of wolves versus foxes….both carnviores. Little did Malcom or Elijah M know that the foxes would one day have a network and transition to more lupoid behavior