Obama's decades-long support for the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, combined with his refusal to completely disavow this man, suggest that beneath his calm exterior, Obama may be seething with racial resentment. So far he has managed to conceal it, while his wife Michelle Obama lets out the occasional petulant outburst. But inner rage is the only explanation for why the Obama family is so close to Wright. He articulates their deepest feelings about race in America, feelings that they know are imprudent to air politically.
Yet what do the Obamas have to feel resentful about? They are one of the truly privileged families in America. They both got an Ivy League education. They had the benefit of top graduate schools. They have held enviable jobs such as Michelle Obama's hospital post that pays more than $300,000 a year. They live in an upscale neighborhood very far removed from the drug and crime-infested ghettos of Chicago. So what do these two have to whine about? Would they trade places even for a week with a working-class white family?
Well, the standard answer goes, it's still painful despite one's advantages to live in a racist country. But how can America be a racist country if Obama has a serious shot at the presidency? How would it even be possible for Obama to win predominantly white states as he has been doing in the primaries? Would a racist country be likely to have allowed affirmative action and preferential programs to blacks in university admissions, job hiring and government contracts for nearly 40 years?
The Obamas seem to be experiencing what Ellis Cose years ago termed "the rage of the privileged class." Cose accurately identified the rage, although he could not diagnose its source. For many black leaders, there is one obvious source: white racism. Several years ago I debated Jesse Jackson at Stanford University and challenged him to show me a racism today that prevents his family or mine from achieving the American dream. Jackson admitted he couldn't, but then he said this merely showed that racism had gone underground, it was covert rather than overt, racism had now become institutionalized. To italicize his point Jackson went into some impressive rhyme schemes: "I may be well dressed, but I'm still oppressed," and so on.
The racism may have largely disappeared from view, but the rage of the privileged class is real. I think I know where this African American rage comes from. Imagine if you were Michael Jordan and someone said to you, "Every time you reach to dunk the ball into the basket, let's lower the net by six inches." This is basically what affirmative action does: it gives historically disadvantaged groups a break to compensate for the effects of past and present racism. Whatever the justification, however, the effect of such policies is to completely discredit the achievement even of competent beneficiaries. Michael Jordan's claim to be the greatest basketball player ever would be utterly destroyed if he played by a different set of rules as everyone else. And I wouldn't be surprised if Geraldine Ferraro were on hand to say, "Jordan only got where he got because of the color of his skin."
Consequently those who stand to benefit from racial preferences, as the Obamas may have done in gaining admission to university and graduate school, typically accept the subsidy while at the same time resenting the implication that they have gotten an unfair leg up. Their seething anger, however, is not directed toward affirmative action or toward the liberal paternalists who have implemented it. Rather, they ascribe generic blame to societal racism. In this weird framework, more affirmative action is then demanded to fight this unseen bigotry. Needless to say, the rage shows no signs of abating and only intensifies.
Want to learn more about all this? Read my book The End of Racism, a national bestseller which offers a vision for how we can truly transcend this destructive racialization of our society. Don't buy it to pay me reparations for the colonial subjugation of my ancestors over many centuries. Buy it because it's really good stuff.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 29)
16. "A short time ago you said that you knew nothing about this man and now in about 6 days now you can tell me the inner workings of the kid from Chicago. I am sure you'll call yourself being thoughtfully analytical of them as a culture, and a people but it's always the worst things you can come up with or something you can makeup." --Logan
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And yet, this is PRECISELY what Barack Obama did in his "A More Perfect Union" speech where he assigned racial prejudice to a white campaign worker from South Carolina (Ashley) without really knowing anything about her. She never expressed any racial bias so Obama simply concocted her based on his own stereotypes of "typical" white people.
A vote for Barack Obama is a vote for black racism in America.
Paul at 7:40AM on Mar 26th 2008
17. *concocted her bigotry
Paul at 7:41AM on Mar 26th 2008
18. Wow. Just wow. Of all the dumb thing's you've written, this has to be the worst and most poorly justified argument. SusanM is just right, steer clear of the psychoanalysis, the leap from Obama failing to sufficiently denounce Wright in your eyes to him secretly sharing his views and his impotent rage against the white man is too big even for you. I'm no McCain evangelist, but I wouldn't claim that his cheerful acceptance of Hagee's endorsement means that he secretly believes the Pope is the antichrist. Black America is really angry at the liberal establishment for affirmative action and not for centuries of racism and ghettoisation? Give me a God damn break Dinesh. Sure, sometimes people see racism where there is none or take advantage of their victim status but there's no denying the real problems black Americans face every day; crime, poverty, and yes, racism, and that is from where their anger stems. You just patronisingly psychoanalysed not only a more sophisticated, nuanced man than yourself but the entire black community.
The right is running scared from Obama. You see his broad mass appeal despite his forthright liberalism, you see his ability to bridge traditional divides, you see his calm, reasoned argument and know you have no way of countering it. Just like Hilary, you're throwing everything you can at him but it's not sticking. You're grasping at straws, Dinesh.
Simon N at 7:48AM on Mar 26th 2008
19. Dinesh, you definitely have a point with this article!
People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an education, and now we've got these knuckleheads walking around! The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal. These people are not parenting!
Michelle and Barack are among the most fortunate of America.
Paul at 7:53AM on Mar 26th 2008
20. My book, America's Most Gangsta, deconstructs race relations as you have never seen it done before!!!
America's Most Gangsta at 8:07AM on Mar 26th 2008
21. "I hate the gooks. I always will."
-John McCain (in 2000)
America's Most Gangsta at 8:12AM on Mar 26th 2008
22. DD, this is well said. well thought out and right on the money. what i do not get is how the bigotry is pointed at people like you and i? we get labeled for pointing out the truth. yes its the truth those who walk in darkness hate so much. the truth is what shines light on the dark thoughts evil tries to impose as light. oh the depth darkness reaches to find another gullible soul out wandering around with no foundation. the black community uses racism to its advantage everyday. while in reality many in the black community are full of anger and hostility and seething for others,namely whites. martin luther king would be agasp at the black community today,specifically the black family which is largely decimated. and to hear many tell it that too is the white mans fault. when will we all just accept the truth? live within that truth and then healing will begin
brian at 8:10AM on Mar 26th 2008
23. 21. DD, this is well said. well thought out and right on the money. what i do not get is how the bigotry is pointed at people like you and i? brian
Who are you calling 'you and I' , white man???
dinesh at 8:13AM on Mar 26th 2008
24. on another note,
this issue of racism is good for america becasue were it not for obama running for prez.bro's we would not be having this discussion
brian at 8:13AM on Mar 26th 2008
25. I must say DD that I admire your consistence. Unfortunately, you're consistence short sighted with little ability to see outside of the confines of your own world.
I am a white man. I would readily admit there were times I might have seen things with your poor insight. However, I have moved on. My wife is a black women who is an executive with a top financial firm. We live well in the suburbs of NJ. On several occasions when she was not with me and there were people who did not know she is black have made very ugly comments. I’ve heard everything from the ‘N’ word to tasteless stereotype and even things ‘we’ can do to keep the black population out of our town. Racism is still here and it still effects people. Imagine being a successful person and still have people eyeball you when you come into their store because you are black. It’s not a good feeling. I’ve seen it and I want to hit someone.
Many years ago I read a book written in the 1950's titled: “Black Like Me” it’s about a white man who colors his skin black and moves to the south. Within a week he had his hands around a white man’s neck ready to kill him because of his comments. That was after a week... endure it everyday. You will be singing a different tune.
That is your lesson for the day. No charge this time.
jparaudajr at 8:18AM on Mar 26th 2008
26. DD, this is stupid stuff.
At least Obama's preacher has a point. What points do Hagee, Falwell and Robertson have? Oh, yes, gays and dead babies are the problem. Uh huh, yeah...riiiiight.
web jones at 8:49AM on Mar 26th 2008
27. simon,
what has obama done? nothing sticks is only because he is a polished guy and is smooth with words. one has to wonder why obama appears to agree with his pastor to sit and listen for 20 years? makes you have questions anyway
brian at 8:17AM on Mar 26th 2008
28. What's a gook?
Paul at 8:18AM on Mar 26th 2008
29. My grandpa also hates gooks. He killed a lot of them and they killed a lot of his friends between 1942 and 1945.
Did I "diss" my grandpa?
Ryan Anderson at 8:24AM on Mar 26th 2008
30. I repeat...what's a gook?
Paul at 8:28AM on Mar 26th 2008