Exploring the microcosm
Well, it's done. He ran a good campaign and his charisma -- which I think at this point is all we really know about him -- paid off in the end. I've never cared much about race -- never have, never will -- so I'm not one to meditate on whether it helped him or not. I don't care. It's about the man and his policies, not how he looks. However, he is the first black President and that's an accomplishment. I would feel more celebratory about that if I wasn't, the day before the election, trying to convince a small business owner I know not to be nervous because no matter what happened she was going to be okay. She's scared about some of the tax initiatives that were casually tossed around during the campaign and the intrusion by government into her business, which is remarkably succeeding in a difficult market. I know she's even more frightened this morning. And, admittedly, I was pretty pissed last night watching the election returns -- superficiality always does that to me -- but then a liberal friend of mine, in an attempt to be snarky (you know who you are Mandias), unknowingly reminded me of something...
He said, in response to some of my kvetching, that if anything goes wrong now (because Bush can no longer be blamed. Ha Ha.), because of my bad attitude, the only person to be blamed now ... is me. Zing!
Ah yes. Toe that party line or you will be blamed for the problems. I don't know if he was joking (he likely was) but it stung because that recently happened to me -- I was marginalized, pretty seriously to the degree that I was almost unemployed, for no documentable reason except that I disagreed with someone's way of doing things while in a position where I didn't get to have an opinion. The only reason I survived (and I mean just barely) was because, again, I hadn't done anything that was a firable offense. But they did everything else they could -- stripped me of responsibilities, my office, my equipment (I sat in essentially a storage closet for two weeks without a computer and was then asked why I wasn't completing certain tasks. Fuck.), humiliated me by treating me like I was only useful enough to fetch coffee and very nearly destroyed my opportunity to finish my master's degree that I was more than halfway through at the time. Gestapo tactics to be sure.
And then my Pops saved me because he said "I would only leave on my terms and I would have a big smile on my face every day like I was completely unaffected by their bullshit."
And that is what I did. I changed my attitude -- without changing my opinions -- because I figured I did work for the company, not the man, and so I had to get behind the man and celebrate his successes and, indeed, help him achieve those successes, because my loyalty was to the company who paid me.
And my loyalty is to the country who produced me. So Obama, even though we've hired you without a resume (which is just kind of crazy but whatever) like McCain, I'm ready to help. I just want you to know, however, that I'm more effective as a colleague when I have a voice. You never know what you might learn from a dissenting opinion. (With regards Mandias).
It's a brave new world. I go forward unafraid.
UPDATE: and it's an important one...a work friend, a black man (which actually is relevant to what I'm about to say which is generally not really the case...) just stopped in my office, as he usually does because we're colleagues and friends, and told me he feels good about Obama's win because his father called him last night and said, "When you were young and I told you if you studied hard you could be anything you wanted to be, I said it, but I knew it wasn't true."
My friend looked at me hard in the eye and said, "Now, when I say that to my boys [he has two]..."
"You have something to point to," I finished. He nodded.
It was a moment I won't forget. And I'm happy for my friend that he shares that victory with Obama. I just wish the party of Pelosian subterfuge hadn't gotten their hooks in him. But, ya know, maybe he's got the sack (that's what we say down here in the South) to be the man my work friend -- who is a very good man himself -- believes him to be. I'll try to have a little faith and I'll pull for him work friend. For you.
posted by Lola @ 9:10 AM
14 Comments:
I personally am not offended to have a president that is of a different race, however, he should at least be truly American and people should at least get the race correct. He is 40ish % white, (mom), and 53% Arab and 7% black or african(dad, whose birth certificate lists him as arab). So, for me, to hear everyone touting about our new black president just disheartens me. Sure, his skin is darker than white, but he is way far from actually being black. He is a dark skinned arab, to me.
I thought Bill Clinton was our first black president -- wouldn't that make Obama our first female president?
Okay, just kidding.
I will say I am refreshed and relieved that it is over.
But -- and I've always stood by this -- the moment someone injects race into an argument, to me, they've lost the argument.
refreshed and relieved as well. yeah, I really think it's a tacky and useless arguing point as well and best left off the table in every regard. but i'm being reminded of the racial pride (see UPDATE) some folks are feeling and I honestly can't say that's a bad thing -- it's very confusing. Here's hoping he knows how to lead -- and he can look douchebags in the eye and tell them to get bent because I'm pretty sure that's what the job requires sometimes...
Re: Update -- I totally agree.
Hate to sound all Deepak, but it reminds me of a fable:
http://inspirationformothers.blogspot.com/2008/10/is-your-child-eagle-or-chicken_19.html
We all can be eagles, but only if we want to be.
The blinders most people wear are of their own choosing.
Twas ever thus.
Race may be uncomfortable to address, but I do not believe in avoiding facts that pertain to things comfortable or not. Race and Gender are both facts that, in my opnion, do matter and do need to be addressed and/ or talked about openly. Ignoring the huge purple elephant in the room does not make it go away. If a certain race is celebrating today, how is that better or OK as opposed to discussing the huge purple elephant on the forefront? I just don't get it. The sensitivity level surrounding discussions of race are a result of too much talk of race and equality anyway. People are people and all have their challenges in life, that is my stand. But, if certain races want to use race as their ground for change then they should be able to accept other races who wish to do the same and not inflame situations with the hipocracy.
you hit the nail on the head -- too much talk of race. it's the lazy man's (or woman's) argument and it bores me.
I much prefer Lord Somber's link adressing whether or not we can all be eagles..or chickens...
I do not disagree with that eagle talk, either. I am just saying that a fact is a fact and to me, race is a fact of our life and our world that affects it and so maybe adressing it head on is sometimes just necessary.
anon,
yes, of course it's a fact; the point here is that 99.9999% of the time it's irrelevant, kinda like the fact that my skin colour blah blah hair colour blah...
Does one have to quote MLK to get a simple point across?
You know, the "content of one's character" and all that?
Seems pretty basic to me.
me too. LS, did I tell you today you're a genius?
Yes, only if the majority of our country operated this way...it's a mad, mad, mad, mad world, I tell ya. Believe it or not I am on your side.
mad world indeed. and yes, it would be nice if people actually examined their tendency to judge books by covers as it were. and i really don't have a side -- i just call the plays as they happen. thanks for your comments and please come again!
Exactly what we've been saying. I thought Obama was all about "change". Now they're advising everyone to temper their high expectations. What a rip off to the American public.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/us/politics/06expect.html
my grandpa used to say that politics is a dishonorable profession. don't expect anything but flip-flops, broken promises and hyperbole from any politician. Cynical and sad but likely true. Dammit...
the thoughts from your work friend gave me happy chills. i'm very happy for him and for our country.
hope all is well for you, sweetie!
bets
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