Last Chance Cafe

Although I'd prefer to treat it as such, one cannot be glib addressing race issues, in the context specifically between white Americans and black Americans. On the surface and out of context, I've certainly been guilty in my life of using racial epithets; for many races, colors and creeds, but I've never harbored the thought that because someone is a certain color or breed (how's that for an inciting word?) they are any more or less better, intelligent or deserving. From a very early age such a concept never made any sense to me. This is the reason for my preference toward glibness: Hey! Grow up and get over it! That's what I got from Dr. King, and I agree with him in that race simply should not be an important issue in everyday life. It's a big world: we're different.

I think white racists are stupid. Period. My 'uncomfortableness' grows however, when I feel the urge to apply that attitude to black racists. It opens up a can of worms and starts to delve deeply into culture, not race. This is where the 'race peddlers' thrive, including a large bulk of white liberals, especially politicians and the news media. Let's start with the cowardly media:

Acknowledging that his presidential campaign has opened a racial debate, Sen. Barack Obama, who has a white mother and an African father, says if you look African-American, you are treated like one.

First off, Obama's presidential campaign has 'not' opened a racial debate; the media and other race baiters have opened the debate in 'response' to the 'campaign.' Read-

"When asked by Kroft"

-in the following paragraph. I don't remember Obama or his campaign bringing up the race issue (which campaign, technically still does not even exist as of this writing. According to the very article above, he has only so far declared his 'intention' to run. Today February 10, 2007 he is expected to 'declare' his candidacy officially, which is when the 'campaign' starts. So much for bringing us the 'news').

When asked by Kroft if growing up in a white household had caused him to make a decision to be black…

What an idiotic question. For one, Obama may have grown up in a 'white' household, but he did so in Indonesia. This one fact, if addressed specifically, could open up a whole new dimension for many people to the 'race' debate. But this is where angels fear to tread, and where the deceptiveness of the whole 'interview event' is exposed. For you 'white' people out there, this interview is not for you. This interview is for black and/or liberal consumption.

Kroft asked a 'black' question. Obama answered an African American question. That's the first trick. What is at issue in this 'opened racial debate,' is not that he's black enough for white people, it is the question of whether he is black enough for black people. Let's translate that into the white experience, which being a combination of Swedish, Irish and Italian growing up in New Jersey, I am qualified to address. I cannot 'decide' to be white, or Italian, or Irish or Swedish. Except on St. Paddy's Day when everyone is Irish, or on the feast of San Gennaro when everyone wants to sample the dishes, or Swedish…well. Again, my desire to be glib rears its ugly head.

Having cracked open the door on the disingenuous media question, let's peek inside at the politician's answer. At first glance Obama's answer seems to be very reasonable, but it is political in the extreme. What caused you to decide to be black?

"I'm not sure I decided it."

OK.

"…if you look African American in this society, you're treated as an African-American."

Let's decipher: To his credit, I personally read that 'race' isn't that important an issue for Obama. The political race is another issue. Who treats Obama as if he's black (or as he puts it, "African-American")? Inherent in his answer, as is the underlying script for the Obama race issue: white folk. Republican Christofascists anyway. Extreme? Follow this from later on in the interview, this time the comment coming from his 'officially black' wife:

"… the realities are that... as a black man... Barack can get shot going to the gas station,"

The first ellipsis is mine. Considering the following two, we can't be sure of what she actually said, which may be open to interpretation, but we know exactly where the 'media' wants us to go. In reality, you or I or anyone 'could' ("can") get "shot" going to the 'gas station.' This statement, this appeal, this whole contrived interview, is addressed to black racists who need to decide for political purposes whether or not Obama is black enough. How can they be moved?

"…if you look African American in this society, you're treated as an African-American," and "as a black man... Barack can get shot going to the gas station."

It is a little less than two years to the next general election. In that time the Democrats need to decide which 'minority' they want in the stew: a woman, or a black man. Obama's mixed race heritage, in the political context, is seen as an advantage to sooth the racial fears of 'white' folk, but that same advantage is seen as a problem for the 'race' crowd, black and white, that makes up so much of the Democratic Party. If he's not seen as 'one of them,' he's got no chance.

Let's go back to the 'leading' question and 'ellipsed' answer to and from Mrs. Obama.

Obama's wife also addresses the race issue when asked by Kroft whether she fears for her husband's life as a black candidate. "I don't lose sleep over it because the realities are that... as a black man... Barack can get shot going to the gas station."

This can be read as a very brave statement and a profound insight into the everyday life of the typical American black person. This stereotype of America is sold day in and day out to the world. Living out of the country and watching the local news as well as talking with people from many countries has been instructive in this. The belief is that when a typical black person walks out the door in the morning he is taking his life in his hands in racist America. Implicit in that attitude is this danger doesn't exist for the White-American. But is this the real, typical American experience?

Therefore, according to above report, Obama is in no more danger running for President than the average black, but that is because the average black is in so much danger simply going to get gas that it doesn't make a difference.

We're already running up against 1500 words here, which in the blog world is already long-winded. But I've only scratched the surface of this one initial interview. And at that, it's only a partial report of the 'interview,' which hasn't been seen yet. Therein lies the rub. The 'race' issue in America has been so twisted and manipulated so as to make addressing it seem almost nonsensical. The news media, the politicians and the average American cannot even agree on a terminology for discussion, as Obama's 'impending' candidacy for the Democratic nominee makes clear. Is he a black man? Is he an African-American? Is he neither? This is ridiculous.

What is the lesson that we are to take away from this experience? This one 'Drudge Flash Report' opens the door to so many questions it's mind-boggling. One could ask, "Is Obama being manipulated?" Well certainly. But by whom, and how deeply complicit is he, and does he have any idea of where he wants to go or where this could lead him? The question to his wife about her worries for his life is a serious one, and has nothing to do with her 'glib' answer about going to get gas.