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Here comes the Obaminator!

Wednesday 4 June 2008 | 22:39 AEDT
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Barack Obama - he's our man.  If he can't do it - the Democrats are stuffed.

That's right.  The good senator has just clinched the Democrat nomination for President of the United States of America.  At last, after months and months of brutally slugging it out with Billary, the charisma, the charm, and the soaring rhetoric has clearly paid off.

Clearly, a lot of people think this is fantastic.  And I'd have to say it's hard for me to disagree - especially when Obama is clearly a Muslim.  Don't believe me?  Think about it.  Millions of far right loonies can't be wrong.  Besides, 10 per cent of American voters are apparently wise to the truth.

Of course, the greatest buzz surrounds the prospect that we might just have the first black President in American history on our hands, here.  Indeed, there's a fair chance Obama will win.  George W Bush has been such a disaster that that Republican brand has been seriously diminished.  And the latest polling puts Obama in front of McCain at this stage (though the gap isn't huge).

And obviously, the idea of a black American President is a pretty exciting one in a country where the second-longest serving Senator in history - a man named Strom Thurmond who held office until as recently as 2003 - held (and never renounced) pro-segregation views because it would be too difficult to "admit the nigger race into our theaters, into our swimming pools, into our homes, and into our churches."

Indeed, it is the fact that this sort of Senator can co-exist with a potential black president that makes the US such an astonishing country.  Perhaps that is why the whole black president thing (and the woman president thing) has been so dominant in discussion of the US election.  So far, I've found it difficult to find someone who has really strong pro-Obama or pro-Hillary feelings who knows anything really about their policies.  Interesting that.  Like a pure form of identity politics.  The black guy v the woman.  Take your choice.

But - and not wanting to put too fine a point on it - is Obama black?  I ask the question because of a really interesting interview I heard earlier this year with the black American author, Debra Dickerson, who wrote a provocative book called The End of Blackness.  The book doesn't discuss Obama, but she does discuss what the concept of "blackness" means in America.  For her, it is tied intimately to slavery.  That is, to be "black" in America is to be descended ultimately from those who were enslaved.  In fact, this matters more than skin colour - as evidenced by the "one drop" rule which said that even if you only had "one drop" of slave's blood in you, that was sufficient to make you racially categorised as black - no matter how light your skin.  That, she says, is the meaning of "blackness" in the American social context.

In the interview, she said that according to this conception of blackness, Obama wouldn't qualify as black.  His mother is white, and his father - while obviously African - is really an immigrant.  That is, Obama's story has nothing to do with slavery.  It is not a story of being black in America, and accordingly for her, the US isn't on the verge of having its first "black" president.  Moreover, if his story was one of slavery - rather than colonialism and migration - Dickerson suggests there's no way he'd be in the position he's now enjoying.

I actually find this theory interesting and persuasive, which is why I've used it before in my writing.  But how do you feel about it?  Can Obama supporters start celebrating the prospect of an inaugural black president?  Or is that a litle premature and self-congratulatory?

Interested in your thoughts!

 

Comments

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Added 03 Jul 2008 2:26 AEST

Murad20007 from Perth


Mr Barak Obama is the only American citizen who is an educated mulatto presidential candidate with a mixed-cutural, mixed-religious and mixed-economic heritage...now this is a guy who has all his ducks lined in a row.

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Added 11 Jun 2008 18:11 AEST

Aussie from Christian


Mr

"far right loonies". Typical biased article. You yourself with little accomplishments owe your (and your wife's) media profile to the fact that you are a muslim. Of course you would defend your fellow muslim barack obama. You, Your wife and obama would be nobodies without identity politics. John Mccain is a bona fide war hero who understands the threat of islamofascism. Delete away - we all know muslims cant handle the truth and hate free speech.

 

WA says: And John McCain has disowened the loonies that insinuated Obama was a Muslm.  Perhaps McCain's a closet Muslim, too!  Eeek.  Watch out!  The Muslims are coming to get us...


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Added 10 Jun 2008 17:08 AEST

shah from Rockdale


The Iraq blood bath is small beer compared to S Sudan. If you didn't know Sudan is where the Arab muslim world used to do its slave hunting. Europeans conquered the world because of free market capitalism and innovation. The Arabs and Turks got left behind

 

WA says: Indeed.  Colonisation was merely an economic process that didn't involve any forms of violence at all.


I AGREE (1 people agree) I DISAGREE (0 people disagree)
Added 10 Jun 2008 14:57 AEST

Nomad from Melbourne


Obama It doesn't matter that Obama's great great great grand parents werent slaves. He is still black and looks different, and its good to see a black person reach what he has in the white world. Its true his mum was white, but that doesnt matter b.c he is not white. Apparently his not a Muslim, dont know how Hussein is part of his name tho...:)

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Added 10 Jun 2008 14:34 AEST

Chris from my desk


Hi

I keep getting errors when I try to post. Let's test it first...

 

WA says: Working for me!


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Added 08 Jun 2008 11:47 AEST

Rod from Redlands


examinator In the words of an OLD radio super hero series (The Shadow)"Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of man" for pejudice goes BOTH ways. Obama's story isn't one of privedge, read his book. "Prejudice will continue untill you can meet a man,in the street for the first time, walk away and ten minutes later not remember his colour" Martin Luther King Jr.

I AGREE (4 people agree) I DISAGREE (1 people disagree)
Added 07 Jun 2008 16:10 AEST

Tanya Sk from St Kilda, Melbourne


Awesome Ep That was the best episode i've seen yet! Well done guys. you go from strength to strength. i like the idea of having nazeem as the host also. he really brings more energy to the panel. ....and he's really attractive ahmed makes a good barista. and the t-shirt looked funky

I AGREE (7 people agree) I DISAGREE (1 people disagree)
Added 07 Jun 2008 13:21 AEST

TH from GC


Shah from Rocksdale The only reason that Europeans could conquer the world as they did is because they had an inherent disregard for people of colour, and weren't too fussed about their welfare after bleeding their countries dry. That's 'racism' buddy. Funny how you mentioned Singapore, while there are scores of other countries (including Somalia!) still trying to pick themselves up from the ruin that was created by European colonisation.

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Added 07 Jun 2008 9:27 AEST

shah from rockdale


'Racism' is just a word that has traction in the successful white ruled western world and nowhere else. The stone cold facts are that blacks are incapable of creating Singapore's. Blacks are only capable of creating Somalia's.

 

WA says: Yeah...and whites are capable of creating...Iraqs?  Is that your point?


I AGREE (2 people agree) I DISAGREE (10 people disagree)
Added 06 Jun 2008 22:34 AEST

Hany from Sydney


I have a persisting question, how and when the narrow minded human beings started to categorize people according to skin colour, and what kind of privelege that might be given for a person based on nothing but his skin colour this is crazy and foolish

I AGREE (4 people agree) I DISAGREE (0 people disagree)
Added 06 Jun 2008 22:28 AEST

Huseyin from Western Sydney


Who gives a rats who they pick to run for president, I think we have enough issues here is Australia to worry about rather than the yanks. Also the comment from Srinivas from Canberra, how right you are reform is needed.

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Added 06 Jun 2008 21:34 AEST

Omar from Canberra


I have to admit I am concerned about whether Obama will win the election or not. Especially if he runs with Hillary americans will have a choice between a (perceived) black man and a woman, or a white conservative man. Considering American history, that doesn't sound too promising if you are barracking for Barack. I think he should try to choose a white southerner as a running mate and not hillary. Otherwise it is stunning that some think Obama is muslim, especially after his pastor problems.

 

WA says: Enter John Edwards.  But he has ruled himself out as a Vice-Presidential candidate.


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Added 06 Jun 2008 19:16 AEST

Srinivas from Canberra


Reform islam All I can say to muslims on this forum is, reform Islam. try to throw political islam out of the window. Keep spiritual islam and then the world would change for the good.

I AGREE (9 people agree) I DISAGREE (12 people disagree)
Added 06 Jun 2008 16:33 AEST

Tamanna from Sydney


I would love to write something clever and important but I'm going to have to save that for another day. Just have to say who cares if Obama is "black" or not. I just think it's hilarious that the Democrat nomination is a man called Barack HUSSEIN OBAMA. And I think we should give a big Teemz shout out to our man Dubbya for his extremist policies and poor economic management, which have no doubt helped to push the conservative American public so very close to electing a man of colour.

I AGREE (2 people agree) I DISAGREE (0 people disagree)
Added 06 Jun 2008 15:18 AEST

Farhan from McMahons Point


Intellect is not skin deep

The recently concluded race to the Democratic Presidential nomination was a sign of the times,some thought it was the heralding of a new era of equality in the US.I would only wish so, but I hate to break that Utopian dream.Quite rightly,"Billary" was not just any woman but just "the wife of Bill" and that has made her try to win the nomination.So much for the feminist dream of women achieving goals by themselves.Obama might be Half-black but he still speaks the language of fear and domination.

 

WA says: Really?  I would have thought that one of the reasons Obama has appealed to so many people is precisely because he doesn't speak a language of fear and domination, but talks a lot more about hope.


I AGREE (1 people agree) I DISAGREE (2 people disagree)
Added 06 Jun 2008 12:01 AEST

Hany from Sydney


I think Obama is very lucky that he is now facing a weak republican opponent,as well as an eagerness for change that is spreading all over the US thanks to the disadtrous foreign policy of G.Bush. Obama for the Americans , I belive , is a new unprecedented fashion, they got bored and frustrated and having that Obama has achieved the unexpected win over Clinton things should go smoothly for him to win the presidency

I AGREE (2 people agree) I DISAGREE (0 people disagree)
Added 06 Jun 2008 10:33 AEST

shah from rockdale


There aren't too many success stories on the African continent. Black leadership, whether political or military, is never capable. Obama is a gift to John McCain and the Republican party who otherwise would have no chance.

 

WA says: Hmm...black people are incapable.  Hard to think of a purer expression of racism, really.


I AGREE (2 people agree) I DISAGREE (6 people disagree)
Added 06 Jun 2008 2:03 AEST

Salihah from Melbourne


If he were to win it will be described as a racial victory though, even though I don't think he's what an american 'black' really is. But I dont think he'll win the presidency. It took America a decade or more to get this far, it might take the same amount or longer time to see a black president. Like it or not, America's not ready for it, racist sentiments still exist.. Pat Buchanan is a testament to that.

 

WA says: I don't know about that, actually.  There is certainly some strong racism in the US, but to be honest, it's in areas that never would have voted Democrat anyway.  People who might consider voting Democrat are likely to feel great about voting for a "black" candidate.


I AGREE (1 people agree) I DISAGREE (1 people disagree)
Added 05 Jun 2008 22:09 AEST

hashis shandy from Melbourne


It depends on how you look at it I have to disagree. Race is America is a very complex issue. It is as much about history, as Dickerson is arguing, as it is about visibility. As far as the question of equality is central to question of race I think it effects blackness at the level of visibility more so than it does at the historical level. Applying for a job and not getting it because you are black means just that. I hardly think anyone cares whether you are half white, half Kenyan. But by all means lets discuss his policy.

I AGREE (4 people agree) I DISAGREE (0 people disagree)
Added 05 Jun 2008 21:52 AEST

Omar  from Canberra


Definitely agree with you Walid. Obama isn't black american "black". Sure, his skin colour may be darker than a white american - but he is half white american, and half kenyan. He comes from a completely different culture, upbringing, education system. The only real qualification he can ever really get that would put him in the same boat as black americans is that he may have experienced the same racism as black americans. ...

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