The Color of Change

President Obama has been firmly entrenched as the President of the United States now for almost eight months. Since his inaguration he has faced criticism on a bevy of different topics and issues. He has seen metaphorical darts thrown at him both from the political far left as well as the political far right. However just as he has faced more warrant-less criticism than most presidents in recent history, he has also faced more warrant-less praise than most other presidents in recent history. He has enjoyed a grace period filled with the type of social and political capital that Gerald Ford would have killed for. He has the social and political latitude to say and do things that Bill Clinton could only wish. Yet through the first eight months of his presidency there has been a pink elephant in the room. The same pink elephant that has been with the United States since its inception: Race.

The problem is much like Attorney General Eric Holder said back in February, the United States is a nation of cowards concerning race. That is not to say the nation has not worked to change the way people of different cultures and ethnicities interact with one another. That is to say there are deeply held convictions that people from different races are not honest with each other about. Because of this the race dialogue is never respectfully or legitimately addressed. The mainstream media also has a level of culpability. Since race is a social buzzword, whenever it is thrown around it is sure to generate interest. Networks find themselves giving a superficial glance at racial issues and playing up the dramatic effect of the buzzword for profit. For his part President Obama has attempted to steer clear of race, race related policy matters, or publicly acknowledging or discussing racism. The one time he did make mention he nearly squandered all of his political capital.


In today's political climate there is a heated debate of health care and health care reform. Masses of people are taking to the street to denounce President Obama, his health care plan and the large amount of government intervention. Many of the same people who are protesting now in the name of libertarian principles and fiscal conservatism were quite quiet and actually in defense of President Bush as he ran up huge deficits on defense spending, as well as spent more money on education than any president before him. President Bush also sent large amounts of money to various foreign nations in the hopes of advancing United States interest. Again these same people protesting were silent if not defensive of Mr. Bush. Some on the left are saying the only reason people could be protesting is a latent racism. An uncomfortability accepting a President who is of African descent.

Interestingly enough, this seems to be a preoccupation among white liberals. Keith Olbermann provided a special commentary on how the venom of comparing President Obama to Hitler and the massive protest are a result of unsettled racism. Former President Carter made news when he told NBC's Brian Williams that the animosity toward President Obama was "because of a belief among many white people not just from the south but around the country that an African-American is not qualified to lead this great country." This type of fodder becomes the news of the day. And again the issue of race becomes a central talking point, but it is approached with no meaningful depth or substance. What's worst is that sadly a good number of African-Americans have been so jaded by how blacks have been treated in this nation, that if President Carter's assesment is true they wouldn't be shocked, surprised or even offended.

All of this has those interested in policy issues thrown off track. Important policy matters are being ignored. President Obama has seemingly turned Afghanistan into the new Iraq and there is a demand for an Iraq-like "surge" to turn the tide in Afghanistan. Meanwhile domestically, President Obama can take solace knowing that most economic indicators suggest that the economy is rebounding.At the same time the unemployment rate is teetering dangerously close to 10%. In communities of color that number is more like 15-20%. Just as President Obama has agreed to a higher tariff to protect tire manufacturers in the U.S.; his administration has also undertaken plans to renew portions of the the much villified PATRIOT Act. This shows us that there is much room to debate the actual policy matters of the administration if we got past the question of race. We shouldn't get past it because it doesn't pervade our society, or it isn't the unremovable sin that this nation can never wash its hands of. We should get past it because otherwise we will never be able to see if as promised "Change has come to America".