A good piece in today's
Washington Post discusses a few issues that
Barack Obama has been highlighting on the campaign trail:
Sen. Barack Obama is delivering pointed critiques of the African American community as he campaigns for its votes, lamenting that many of his generation are "disenfranchising" themselves because they don't vote, taking rappers to task for their language, and decrying "anti-intellectualism" in the black community, including black children telling peers who get good grades that they are "acting white."
The achievement gap between races is a major, major issue for our country, and one that isn't being adequately addressed by any other current candidate. Of course, race itself is one reason why. Can you imagine the outcry if
Rudy Giuliani or
Bill Richardson approached this matter as directly as Obama while standing at the pulpit of a black church? Not everybody in the African American community, however, is thrilled to hear Obama's thesis.
The gap is "not because black 7-year-olds are holding back other black 7-year-olds," said Melissa V. Harris-Lacewell, a professor of African American studies at Princeton University. "This black pathology argument is appealing, but I think he's wrong empirically."
But Obama's call for self-examination is, by and large, being very well received as he travels the country. It's no wonder, really, given the disparity of
incarceration and
infant mortality rates between blacks and whites, that people want change and have grown weary of waiting for others to give it to them. In fact, more than a century after slavery, nearly every
economic,
educational, and
physical health indicator puts African Americans at a marked disadvantage. As Obama puts it, "There's an old saying that if America has a cold, we have pneumonia." What I like about Obama is that when he speaks he doesn't seem much like an actor at all.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 7)
1. Watched the April 26, 2007 first democratic debate and only two candidates ever mentioned anything about equality or Race discrimination and neither of them were Barack Obama. I have been calling Barack Obama a racist and invite him to sue if I’m acting in bad faith. I say there is a reason a former civil rights attorney does not run for president with civil rights as a main issue and if you are a Hispanic American from the state of Illinois this concerns you. It can be verified having already been placed on repeated formal notice Barack Obama has taken no action to stop or even call for any investigation into IDHR & EEOC’s discriminatory practices that mistreat, harm , and prevent Illinois Hispanic American complainants from fairly & fully exercising their legal right to assert the exact same claim of discrimination based on RACE that other nonHispanics are allowed to by IDHR & EEOC. There can be no dispute that since 2004 I was and still now am not being allowed to assert & memorialize a claim of discrimination based on RACE on formal official “IDHR & EEOC” charges of discrimination with IDHR & EEOC focusing instead on manipulating the charging process by IDHR & EEOC repeatedly pressuring me to sign (upon threat of dismissing my charges) only IDHR & EEOC prepared “IDHR & EEOC” charges of discrimination in which IDHR & EEOC never memorialized my clear unambiguous claim of discrimination based on RACE that I have always maintained against Hormel Foods Corporation & UFCW since 2004. Even to date IDHR & EEOC have not provided me any state law or state rule and/or federal law or federal rule that excludes and/or prohibits any Illinois Hispanic American citizen from asserting and memorializing a claim of discrimination based on RACE on formal official “IDHR & EEOC” charges of discrimination at the agency IDHR and/or at the agency EEOC. Despite bringing this to Barack Obama’s attention Barack Obama and his office having full knowledge and understanding has continued to ignore the fact that I, one of his Illinois Hispanic American constituents, is unlawfully being treated unequally by IDHR & EEOC. IDHR & EEOC (For instance but not limited to) has attempted to dissuade me, an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, from filing charges, misrepresenting facts in the public record, and IDHR & EEOC is excluding & denying me , an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, a fair & full opportunity to memorialize my assertion of discrimination based on RACE on formal official “IDHR & EEOC” charges during the charge process without IDHR & EEOC ever providing in a clear straightforward honest manner an actual written legal justification that shows under what actual discriminatory Illinois law and/or federal law allows IDHR & EEOC to exclude any Illinois Hispanic American citizen from fairly & fully exercising their legal right to assert the exact same claim of discrimination based on RACE that other nonHispanics are allowed to & enjoy as matter of record at IDHR & EEOC. As a result of Barack Obama’s failure to insure that his Illinois Hispanic American constituents are not being prevented from fairly & fully exercising their legal right to assert discrimination based on RACE at the agencies IDHR & EEOC and Barack Obama’s failure to even call for an investigation to immediately redress this serious matter Barack Obama is effectively aiding and abetting Race discrimination, obstructing justice, and shielding Hormel Foods Corporation & UFCW from ultimately being held accountable for Hormel Foods Corporation and UFCW (for instance but not limited to) violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by subjecting me an Illinois Hispanic American citizen to discrimination based on RACE. The fact and truth of the matter is Barack Obama can not deny that I one of his constituents, an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, brought to his attention that there is substantial evidence about IDHR & EEOC interfering with my right for an investigation into my claim of discrimination based on RACE against Hormel Foods & UFCW from ever being conducted to date. Because I , an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, have the audacity to believe I am equal under the Laws of the United States Of America I refuse to believe IDHR & EEOC, Hormel Foods Corporation & UFCW (Despite Barack Obama’s inaction) are above the law and will not ultimately be held accountable for the above mentioned actions.
chaos45i at 1:51PM on May 3rd 2007
2. Obama is awesome if the media was not so racist no one would thik of harming obama. I really think we have the most racist newscasters. They really are dangerous I ;m scared for the world they are drenched in institutuonal racism. God help that to change.If only they would be so biase.
patricia yerger at 4:59PM on May 3rd 2007
3. Wow, sounds like paranoia to me.
plander at 5:04PM on May 3rd 2007
4. Regarding Washington Post's article and Obama's critiques....perhaps Obama should ditch the presidential race, and concentrate on carrying his message to African-Americans....no one else seems to be able to get it across.
helen at 5:09PM on May 3rd 2007
5. There is a false belief that one man can solve all problems including your issues which I did not read because it is too complicated and convuluted. Moses could not do it, Jesus did not do it and Obama is not going to fix every problem, including your issue whatever that is. Now every person who does not do what you want them to do is not a racist. Obama is as much a racist as the pope is a budhist. So for everybody's sake, get a life. To david Knowles, that was a beautiful piece. I could not agree with you more
Mike Mugo at 5:21PM on May 3rd 2007
6. First of all, I am a female black american. Second, Obama is running for President of the United States, not President of black people. Let's not get it twisted. He will never please everyone, the same as any other candidate won't. According to the Consitution, he has the right to run for president, and should in no way step out of this race to address "our" issues. He should address all issues that affect everyone, not just us. I wish him all the blessings in the world in this endeavor. Elections are called before election night is over with. Electoral votes count. Not individual ones. Think back to the last two elections. Makes you want to go hmmmmm. Obama, best of luck to you brotha. You are going to need it.
Andrea at 5:26PM on May 3rd 2007
7. Obama needs to step away from the trap that those at the bottom get caught up in. If he wants to be the President he needs to run as an American not as a black man. No other race puts its color, race, or ethnicity forward as to who they are. He needs to get away from drawing lines between the colors and start coloring between the lines. I will vote for the best candidate, not the one who makes sure I know what color he/she is. Following in the foots steps of Martin Luther King is honorable and right. Remember, King spoke for equallity for all the oppressed not just blacks. If he fashions himself after Jesse Jackson or Sharpton, then he is just playing the "black card" and aligning himself with the biggest Biggots in the world today. Mr Obama, I'm listening.....impress me!
Ric Hopkins at 5:30PM on May 3rd 2007
8. Obama will be the first to tell America he can't solve all the problems by himself. He is asking Americans to help in making the changes we need to build a better country. I am all for the willingness to be a part of the transformation by supporting him for President in 2008!
Ketriana at 5:42PM on May 3rd 2007
9. I agree Obama should withdraw his attempt at the oval officer. Lets be realistic. This country is not ready for a African-American or black or whatever president at this time. This country is not ready for a woman president either. Label this comment however you wish but lets it they are just there to split the vote.
TA at 5:48PM on May 3rd 2007
10. i do not think he will be pres.get real.
billy bullock at 5:50PM on May 3rd 2007
11. Obama is the man that I am going to vote for, for the president of the United States. The only way I will change my mind is if it is proven to me, that he will be a worse president than we have now.
C Campbell at 6:11PM on May 3rd 2007
12. j.morris, bill cosby said it and the african american community didn't want to hear it.
brat at 6:23PM on May 3rd 2007
13. Obama speaks the truth. He is running for president of the United States,and that includes everyone, not just Black people.
Marilyn D. White at 6:30PM on May 3rd 2007
14. I am completely astounded at why this man's race is such an issue instead of his political views. The man is qualified to run for president, he is far more educated and intelligent then those who are questioning this. He could be purple, what does that have to do with his vision on where this country should go. If you share a Candidate's vision, what difference is it what race, religion or sex he/she is? If people spent as much energy on solving this countries problems as they do on this man's ethnicity, we would all be in a far better place. I feel so depressed that something so superficial is the focus on his campaign when there is so much at stake in this next election (by the way, I am not a democrat)
lhamilton1229 at 6:38PM on May 3rd 2007
15. To TA: Don't be too quick to judge the American electorate. In 1960 a fair number of experts also pronounced Kennedy's campaign DOA because the American people weren't ready to elect a Catholic.
ROS at 6:53PM on May 3rd 2007