Barack Obama Speaks True
By Robert Griffard (03/25/08)
Before I jump into my review of Mr. Obama's March 18, 2008 speech, I must first tell you something about me. I am a middle-aged white guy who has voted predominately republican for my adult life. (There was that one indiscretion when I was very young and voted for Jimmy Carter, but I have repented every four years since.)
But enough about me.
I was unable to listen to Mr. Obama’s speech so I read the transcript. While Mr. Obama’s speech delivery is excellent, the written words are also quite exceptional on their own.
I have wondered for quite some time why African-American religious leaders seem to be so fanatical. I have observed change and improvements in race relations over the last four decades in this country. Thankfully explicit and injurious displays of racial discrimination are no longer common occurrences in daily life in America. However, I am not so naïve as to believe that no racial discrimination exists today. I have heard the inappropriate jokes and I have seen inappropriate actions. Luckily I have not witnessed violence, but I do believe the news reports of such atrocities. Our country is not perfect, but it is tremendously better than it was in the past.
In his speech, Mr. Obama provided some insight into how we got where we are today. People of Pastor Wright’s generation lived the formative portion of their lives in a time when racial discrimination was rampant. Such experiences are impossible to forget and often find their way into today’s dialogue and, as such, the natural anger that is the result of those experiences is voiced.
Even if a person has not personally been the object of racial hatred, having a friend, a parent, a grandparent, a religious leader, or another leader who has been the object of such hatred will also infuse anger in a person. White people need to acknowledge the reality of this anger and understand the roots of this anger.
At the same time, black people need to acknowledge the reality of the fear and anger that is brought up when someone like Pastor Wright makes the sort of statements that he has made.
I agree with many of the points Mr. Obama made. “Black anger” and “white resentment” are “counterproductive.” Not recognizing “legitimate concerns… widens the racial divide and blocks the path to understanding.” The result will be a continuation of the “racial stalemate.”
If we will follow the words Barack Obama spoke, I believe vast improvements in race relations in this country will be the result.
Barack Obama is in a unique position to bring about changes in the race environment in this country. He is multiracial. He has both black and white heritage. He said, “I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins of every race and every hue scattered across three continents. And for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on earth is my story even possible.” He can speak authoritatively as well as eloquently on the issue. However, his words are not as effective as they could be.
Hatred, whether screamed on the street or shouted from the pulpit is hate speech. I don’t recall Martin Luther King, Jr. ever saying “God D--- America.” How can we turn over the education of our children to someone who recognizes what is “divisive” but continues to expose his own children to it.
Mr. Obama has made choices which are contradictory to what he says. I want to hear what he says, but what he does is ringing too loudly in my ears.
I truly believe that Barack Obama could be extremely influential in improving race relations, but he needs to be seen more reaching out to all people. If Mr. Obama will devote his life to doing as he speaks, he will have a far greater impact on the people in this country than he would ever have as president.
Robert Griffard
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