Jun
07
2008
Last night as we watched the events unfold that ended the Democratic primary process and gave Barack Obama the nomination, the reactions of my family stick in my mind.
My son (who favors Obama a bit according to his peers) asked “Did he do it?” “Did he get it?” When I replied he did his reaction was YESSSS!!!!! with a fist pump.
Later as I watched the Obama’s speech with me wife she said, “I’m worried for him, do you think he is safe?” My response I don’t know.
As I listened to Tom Brokaw talk about how the younger generation was more color blind than his I wondered how real that statement was and whether I really wanted the younger generation to be color blind.
So what was my reflections? I am still processing the church resignation thing and I watch a movie yesterday called Carbon Copy starring George Segal and a young Denzel Washington. The premise of the movie (which seemed cheesy to me when it first came out) is a white guy discovers he has a son from a relationship (fling) with a black woman he eventually left to marry into the ultimate WASP family. When his son shows up tries to may his father pay for the way his mother was hurt everything goes into the toilet for this well to do white guy. He loses all of the things he came to expect as a white person, job family, clubs etc.
When he finally comes to grips with white privilege he tells his WASP father-in-law that the real issue is not just that blacks come into the game with two strikes its that the game is rigged so blacks can’t even get a third swing. Later on he tells his son “when I saw you all I saw was black”. In other words he didn’t see a person he saw his mental model of a whole race and then attached all he assumptions and preconceived notions about that race to the individual.
I wonder if that is what is happening with Barack Obama right now. I wonder if we are at a true moment in history when we can move beyond race as a defining factor? Or maybe if Obama is successfully it will be despite his race and because he is politically smart enough to beat at system that say to people like him two strikes and you are out!
Popularity: 13% [?]
Technorati Tags: color blind, history, obama, politics
Jun
03
2008
Over the weekend Barack Obama resigned from Trinity Church in the wake of another tirade by the pundits about his being responsible for what a preacher said in his church.
Obama Quits His Church - The Caucus - Politics - New York Times Blog
I am disappointed. I’m disappointed because he said he would speak the truth even when we didn’t want to hear it. I’m disappointed because the decision seems more political than principled. I’m disappointed it seems the accessory price or pound of flesh for a black man to pay to gain credibility. I’m disappointed because I wonder if it is worth it?
While browsing the web I came across this quote. I don’t know if it is accurate or not but It certainly relevant.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy - Martin Luther King Jr.
I’m disappointed!!!!!
Popularity: 12% [?]
Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, faith, politics
May
30
2008
OK so it is clear that i wasn’t very clear in my thoughts in this post damned if you do damned if you don’t. This is not about being politically for Obama or Clinton. It is my observation of how differently we relate to politicians based on their race or gender.
It has been my observation that black men in America are on the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to the social pecking order. Black men are attached to all kinds of assumptions, preconceptions and cultural scripts. If we are articulate, we are the exception. If we aren’t, we prove “the point”. If we succeed we benefited from affirmative action. If we don’t we prove “the point”. If we get frustrated about how we are perceived, we are the “angry black man.” If we seek compromise and consensus we are “sellouts” and not fighters. If we protest, we aren’t patriotic, loyal, or team players. If we treat women poorly we are “dogs”. If we greet each other as friends we are “dogs”. Our friends actions are reflected on all of us.
In the same way that the way we can recognize that some people view Hillary Clinton through the lens of her gender we need to recognize and admit that some maybe many people view Obama through their of his race and gender. In this culture, despite his biracial international roots he is distilled to simply being a black man. With that comes all the historical and social mental models that we (that is all of us black and white) attach to black men.
We can wish that we can move beyond race but it isn’t going to happen right now. I am curious why some Anglos who support Obama sound like they are patting themselves on the back that they are supporting a “black man”. In a truly character not race oriented society that wouldn’t be. But it is.
I’m not upset that it is. I just then we need to admit it and talk about it. We need to talk about it in the church and not demonize each other when we do. We need to talk about it with friends and be gracious to each other when we do. We need to talk about it in general and ask what if there is something shaping my perspective that I’m not conscious of. We will never get beyond race until we deal with race and its place in the cultural conversation. We readily talk about sexism and but hyper when we try to talk about racism. But we unable to have a real conversation about race.
This morning I read an essay written by my biracial son who sees his mixed heritage as an opportunity and a challenge. He wonders if his black friends see him as black or white; if his white friends see him as black or white. He is wrestling at the ripe old age of 14 with the social perception that young men of his skin color simply “black”. The dream is not yet realized that our children’s character would matter more than their (socially constructed) race.
Popularity: 13% [?]
Technorati Tags: black men, gender, obama, politics, race, racism, unintentional intolerance
May
29
2008
First he was criticized for not being a fighter now Obama is being criticized because his was/is a political fighter. Check out his article on CNN.
Obama played hardball in first Chicago campaign - CNN.com
The double standard strains credibility even as the nation’s “first black president” talks about his candidate wife not getting a fair shake as a woman. I don’t get it. Obama is a wimp that can’t win in one breath and a mean nasty (black) man in the next. Is that fair.
Someone (an Obama supporter) asked me if he could win I said I don’t know. I beginning to move back to my original thought that unless the mental models that we have around race and particularly black men in this country changes he can’t win.
Popularity: 9% [?]
Technorati Tags: chicago, obama, politics, race
May
28
2008
Faith In Public Life has a link to an article from the Christian Science Monitor asking if the religion conversation in the presidential campaign-is a good thing?. I don’t-think so! Since it has been just more of the same hyperbole and demonizing of the “other” side that has happened in the past. I’m looking forward preaching on the red/blue nature of God in a couple weeks.
Faith has a role in public life but the way that many followers of Jesus have expressed it is off center in my opinion
Popularity: 6% [?]
Technorati Tags: 08, faith, politics, presidential campaign, religion, spiritual-practice
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