The new president of the United States

[cayters]

laura: yeah... i heard that people born after the civil rights movement, don't see what the big deal is. many kids today don't notice race at all. but i still think it's a big accomplishment for our country. but i do agree that by focusing so much on his race, it's almost like reverse racism or something. but hopefully after a while, people will focus less on that and more on what he does.

allie: i think that rhyme was for the civil right times, not really now.

[gogonutz]

I'm a bit of an outsider, but I'm getting a little tired of the Obamadness.. it's such a hype.. it's good that the country wants to be involved, but do we really need to put so many feathers in his cap before he's actually accomplished much. He still needs to prove himself in his current function.

[cayters]

yeah, that's true too koen..

[Deleted]

Adhara, I am smiling inside. I can sniff out a sociologist major's response a mile away!

I'm staying out of the race remarks. I just want everyone to enjoy this moment of inspiration whatever it means to each individual person at this moment.

I am really interested to hear how people from other nation's feel about the change. Is there hope or is it just a "wait and see" feeling out there? Because one of my biggest hopes is that the US can repair it's credibility and relationships with other countries with Obama's leadership and the team he puts together.

[jolene102]

Jan 22, 2009 4:12:52 GMT -5 allie said:

Jan 21, 2009 10:24:23 GMT -5 cayters said:

“We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around. When yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right."

i really liked it up until what he said about white people. i mean i dunno, the other ones rhymed and were inspirational or just silly, but the white one was the only one that i thought was kinda mean. its insinuating that whites ARENT doing the right thing. i dunno... i just kinda thought that was a step backwards.. otherwise i really enjoyed hearing him speak.

i agree allie, i was impressed with that either. as if i've been doing people wrong this whole time.

it does feel like reverse discrimination. hopefully the race hype will die down and people can get to work on fixing our country.

[Kaliko Rosa]

Re: Poem
I actually really liked that poem. The diction was really thought-out and represented the current times creatively. She read it right pace-wise in my opinion, but she also sounded a bit timid and nervous. Maybe just cold lol

Re: race
During the democratic race between Clinton and Obama, I wasn't really looking at him as a black man either. Or even as a full African-American, considering he had a lot of white roots. It was politics. Even against McCain, it was more the campaign that I was interested in.

But admittedly, once we knew Obama was going to be president of the USA, the race factor started to sink in. It might have been the media, but it did hit a personal chord with me as well.

Yes he's only half black, and yes, he's still going to have to prove his presidency no different than any other man (or woman), but fact of the matter it IS monumental to have someone of colour in the Oval Office. It represents exactly the notion most people have about him: change and hope. It's not just "something different", but something meaningful. It's not just about being "black" or "white", it's about succeeding as a visible minority. It's about descending from a line of people that were treated as slaves and lesser human beings only a few decades ago, to now rising to the most powerful position in the entire USA (and perhaps the world). People from every colour can appreciate this. It doesn't matter that he's only "half black". It's no longer about Obama -- it's about the defeat and shattering of racial barriers that anyone who is a visible minority has felt in their life.

Take Clinton for example.

If she had won the presidency, there's no doubt the media would be spinning the "breaking the glass ceiling" card. And you know what, they should. Because as a woman, I would be proud to see her standing as the most powerful world leader. It's not about Clinton anymore, it would be about overcoming huge gender stereotypes. For the men who still think women should stay at home and keep quiet, for the women around the world hidden and uneducated, Hillary would provoke change and inspire hope for these.

So I am glad they celebrated the race factor as much as they have. Fact is, in many places in North America racism is still rampant even if not overt. It needs to be acknowledged that this is a huge movement for anyone of colour.

[Deleted]

Thanks Kaliko! Well said That's what I was getting at earlier but couldn't articulate as well as you just did!

[adhara]

Jan 24, 2009 2:26:51 GMT -5 Kaliko Rosa said:

So I am glad they celebrated the race factor as much as they have. Fact is, in many places in North America racism is still rampant even if not overt. It needs to be acknowledged that this is a huge movement for anyone of colour.

Kaliko, well-stated, and I agree with everything you've said. But your last points are what makes me wary of all the media coverage about race and the significance of Obama as a black man. Because racism/discrimination is still rampant in many places (if not between persons, then institutionalized in the forms of loans, housing, education, health care etc), the media runs the risk of dismissing all the inequality that still exists. A black president is a HUGE leap forward, and the symbolism of it all may inspire progress, but there's still a ways to go... and I think in the midst of all this celebration, it's important that we don't lose sight of that.

[Kaliko Rosa]

Jan 24, 2009 11:57:55 GMT -5 adhara said:

Jan 24, 2009 2:26:51 GMT -5 Kaliko Rosa said:

So I am glad they celebrated the race factor as much as they have. Fact is, in many places in North America racism is still rampant even if not overt. It needs to be acknowledged that this is a huge movement for anyone of colour.

Kaliko, well-stated, and I agree with everything you've said. But your last points are what makes me wary of all the media coverage about race and the significance of Obama as a black man. Because racism/discrimination is still rampant in many places (if not between persons, then institutionalized in the forms of loans, housing, education, health care etc), the media runs the risk of dismissing all the inequality that still exists. A black president is a HUGE leap forward, and the symbolism of it all may inspire progress, but there's still a ways to go... and I think in the midst of all this celebration, it's important that we don't lose sight of that.

You're right. Racism and discrimination doesn't change overnight. His appointment sets hope for equality, but the effects probably won't sink in til the little kids that go around screaming "Obama!!" grow up to be voters, CEOs, parents, journalists, teachers etc. that will live a life accustomed to respecting people of all colours, no matter what they're great-grandparents might have thought.

Also i think it looks like Obama wants to be President, not a black activist. I don't see him visiting troubled communities and advocating against violence amongst black youth or gangs (not anytime soon) or any similar causes. But well, he signed up to be the President, not an activist, so no one should expect him to do that either. You're right, his role will inspire hope for equality, but it's still up to the rest of society to respond to that hope and set the groundwork.

[KarlatheLHFan]

I loved everything except for the poem! That was boring and VERY monotone. However, Obama's speech was AMAZING, and yeah, it made me cry like a baby! haha! He always makes me cry, then again, it's not that hard to do sometimes. Mileah (sp?) and Sasha are absolutely beautiful!! They are beyond cute!! Beyonce made me cry with her interview and singing at last. sigh. the obama's are adorable. end of sentence,

[adhara]

598,000 jobs lost in January alone. The new unemployment rate (7.6%) is truly scary, and is even more worrisome because that number is an understatement. They don't include "discouraged workers" (people who aren't actively looking for work in the month preceding the survey) and those people who have half time jobs out of necessity because they can't find full time jobs.

Where is that stimulus bill? I'm really frustrated at what's happening right now in Washington, frustrated at both Democrats and Republicans. Democrats - why can't they present a unified front? Republicans - they must be deluded to think their versions of a stimulus bill (made only or mostly of tax cuts) is going to create jobs. And this is not the time to do nothing and just scheme about the political future of political parties! I think that part is what's making me really angry - that Democrats and Republicans in Congress are screwing over the American people for the sake of political advantage.

President Obama has a tough fight ahead of him. I'm beginning to think he should lose that "bipartisan" mentality if the people in Congress aren't grown-up enough to understand it anyway.

/end rant