The Work Ahead of "U.S."
There are a host of ideas that come to mind the day after our nation elected Barack Obama to become the forty-fourth president of the United States.
The conversation has centered on the historical nature of the vote and pride the runs deep, not only within the Black American community, but also within immigrate communities.
Without a doubt, this is a seminal moment in our nation’s history; the son of a Kenyan man and a white woman rises to the presidency through hard work, determination, and modest means.
One thing that strikes me is this notion that our nation has somehow risen beyond its racialized past and that we are truly one nation.
This simply is not so.
As the results are still being tabulated, President-Elect Obama has received only fifty-three percent of the vote. Far from a mandate, in terms of politics, this means that forty-seven percent of Americans voted against him. Though I am not well-schooled in statistics, this shows me that American is still highly partisan. The only difference between 2004 and today is that the Democrats won.
The celebration that occurred on our nation’s streets was a collective sigh of relief. It was a cross-section of America that witnessed history. It was a collection of Americans reveling in the fact that a man who inspired them achieved the ultimate goal. It was a gathering of citizens realizing that the theorized notion of America, often taught in elementary school as a “melting pot”, was being realized.
Most importantly, it was a New Orleans-style “second line” celebrating the end of the W years.
Our nation is still as politically polarized today as it was two weeks ago, as it was two years ago, as it was in 1992.
The Obama election is symbolic in that he held on to the Democratic Party’s key constituents while able to incorporate the white working class during hard economic times. What is significant is now our nation has two distinct parties. As evidenced by the Grant Park celebration, the Democrats embody a 21st Century America where everyone believes they can play a role. Meanwhile, the Republicans appear to be a relic of an old guard. And yes, they are certainly not equal.
But before we can start the conversation about healing our racial wounds, we have to realize that Obama will be challenged and tormented by Republicans the same way we Democrats have demonized W over the past eight years. The GOP will not “give (Obama) a chance” by virtue of his place in history. In fact, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mike Francessa, and Michael Kay (oops, the last ones are “sports” talk hosts) now have four more years to rail against progressive politics. Not because of race, but because of Obama’s ideology.
The challenge to those newly inspired to vote and participate in the political process, as it is to all Democrats, is to realize that the next four years will be tough in selling what we believe to the American people. In the process, we must also make the American Dream available to everyone. That is where the GOP failed for the past eight years.
I, like my friends are all celebrating Obama’s election. But there is still so much work which needs to be done. With his election, we now have no US Senators of color. There is only one Black governor. And this does not mention the dearth of Latinos in national politics. For our nation to truly move forward, we must strive for elective office in all branches of government.
So the “dream” is no longer just a dream but more akin to an extended thought.
But don’t believe that our nation has atoned for its past sins. There is plenty of work for ALL of us to do.
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