Today I came across an article from the Washington Post, "Fewer see Obama advancing racial ties." Basically the article gives the results of a poll that was taken by phone from January 12 to January 15. The poll shows that only 41% of respondents say that Obama's presidency has helped race relations compared to the 58% of people who thought it would when he was inaugurated last year. "The decline was the sharpest among African Americans," the article declares. Fifty-one percent say he's helping even though 75% thought he would. Here's the best part: The respondents were 1083 random adults and 153 of them were black.
Let's hold off on criticizing this ridiculous poll for a sec… Personally, I don't think Obama has done anything to help race relations. His presence in the White House makes people think "the struggle" is over. It makes white people feel like black people have nothing to complain about. It makes ignorant black people think they have more of a license to be ignorant. In terms of de facto race relations on an individual basis, Obama's presidency may have set us back (the monumental achievement of being the first black President and thereby achieving a piece of the dream of so many Civil Rights movers and shakers aside…).
That said, I never expected his presidency to do anything for race relations in this country. It's not his job. It wasn't one of his campaign promises. It's not why I voted for him. Do people realize that? Do people understand what the POTUS is supposed to do? Do they realize that there's nothing he can do without Congress? And Congress sure as hell isn't worried about race relations.
People forget that black people are only about 13% of the American population which means white folks elected him. Did they vote for him so they could say, "See! I'm not racist! I voted for the negro!" Did they vote for him because they wanted to end racism? If so, why start now? Why expect Obama to take that on? Why not demand the same thing from your white elected officials? Why didn't MSNBC have a special a year after Bush's inauguration asking if his presidency was helping race relations?
"Improvement" or "progress" in race relations is a slow road. No amount of legislation is going to make people like each other or ignore their prejudices and biases. Race relations can't be helped until everybody can speak honestly and intelligently about race in MIXED COMPANY. Until a racist white person looks at me, sees a beautiful black woman, and says, "I can't stand niggers, but that is a beautiful black woman," progress in race relations won't be made. And Obama can't make that happen.
Let's hold off on criticizing this ridiculous poll for a sec… Personally, I don't think Obama has done anything to help race relations. His presence in the White House makes people think "the struggle" is over. It makes white people feel like black people have nothing to complain about. It makes ignorant black people think they have more of a license to be ignorant. In terms of de facto race relations on an individual basis, Obama's presidency may have set us back (the monumental achievement of being the first black President and thereby achieving a piece of the dream of so many Civil Rights movers and shakers aside…).
That said, I never expected his presidency to do anything for race relations in this country. It's not his job. It wasn't one of his campaign promises. It's not why I voted for him. Do people realize that? Do people understand what the POTUS is supposed to do? Do they realize that there's nothing he can do without Congress? And Congress sure as hell isn't worried about race relations.
People forget that black people are only about 13% of the American population which means white folks elected him. Did they vote for him so they could say, "See! I'm not racist! I voted for the negro!" Did they vote for him because they wanted to end racism? If so, why start now? Why expect Obama to take that on? Why not demand the same thing from your white elected officials? Why didn't MSNBC have a special a year after Bush's inauguration asking if his presidency was helping race relations?
"Improvement" or "progress" in race relations is a slow road. No amount of legislation is going to make people like each other or ignore their prejudices and biases. Race relations can't be helped until everybody can speak honestly and intelligently about race in MIXED COMPANY. Until a racist white person looks at me, sees a beautiful black woman, and says, "I can't stand niggers, but that is a beautiful black woman," progress in race relations won't be made. And Obama can't make that happen.
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