Why is Barack Obama reffered to as the first African American presidential aspirant when he’s biracial? Is calling a spade what it is in this case too much of a mouthfull? His mum is white and his dad is from Kenya! Technically he’s 50% white and 50% black. People tend to over emphasize his blackness as if that’s all there is to him. Meanwhile his clinching the party nomination has sent Clinton supporters somersaulting, lol. What a farse!
I happened to catch Hillary’s consession speech on CNN earlier – by that I mean it was on the telly while I was busy seeing to other things. Whenever she endorsed Obama boos and jeers rippled through the crowd. Her idiotic fans would sooner vote in McCain than see the day Obama occupies the throne of presidenship.
Blacks/Africans all over the world have been jubilating over his nomination as if he’s being president guarantees them a million bucks in their account. As far as I’m concerned he’s the president of America. As such he’ll do all that is within his means to further the interest of the country. In other words, he’ll be no different from the non-black presidents that preceeded him. Plus the current administration though headed by a republican government is actually chaired by a majority democrat congress. So really, at the end of the day one wonders what revolutionary wonder the democratic party is going to perform on the long run, Obama or not, that will change America’s foreign policies towards a more favorable perception of them by other nations of the world; especially Muslim nations.
McCain is an old goat, Obama might get what he’s asking for and Clinton has a following that borderlines on a cult.
Lastly, will blacks ever break away from the ‘black mould’? The I-am-black-I-am-forever-persecuted mentality seems to follow them wherever. I chanced upon an article by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in the Washington Post Color of an awkward conversation. In her case the incident that spurred the article happened almost ten years ago! I think it’s safe to say in not only America, but as soon as an African steps out of the continent, he or she will be reminded of their African-ness in much the same way a Chinese who lives in Africa will be remininded of their Chinese-ness. Constantly complaining about being reminded of one’s race is tantamount to ignoring the reality that we’re all different and in our difference there might be a slight discomfort which stems both from trying not to offend and wanting to come off welcoming, if not neutral.
On the other hand, I will confess that blacks/Africans have always been regarded negatively. I just wished our intellectualls were more creative in deconstructing the black/African = inferior myth and not carry us along only to deposit us back at square one.
8 June 2008
