Race and the Race

Listening to NPR last night (no surprise there), I was saddened by some comments made by Virginians regarding Obama--as a Black man--running for president. The moderator was asking a small focus group of individuals what they thought might happen if Obama were to be elected. One woman, a teacher, talked about the profound affect it would have on youth of all races to see a Black man as president and how that visual representation might spark hope, or ideological shifts regarding race, from a young age onwards. Then the moderator asked her sister what she thought.

This woman stated that although she "was not racist," she felt if Obama were to be elected that Black people all over America would seek revenge for past wrongs. She gave the example of how Black people used to have to get out of the way of a White person if they were walking down the street and expressed fears on how--if Obama were elected--the situation would be reversed. How "those people" would want pay back. How Obama would listen to "his people" only. It went on...

When I hear statements like this, I am not surprised. I'm from the South (VA & NC), and believe me, I know how certain groups of people think down there, but it makes me sad nonetheless. For your typical White girl, I feel I know a large amount of Black people of all ethnicities--African American, Caribbean, African--it comes with working in a public school in New York. And let me honestly say that not ONE person of any age or political persuasion, even the most radical and disgruntled and "White people suck!" student or co-worker that I know, has EVER mentioned that Obama = payback time. That is simply ludicrous.

The vilification of Black people of all backgrounds in this country is surprisingly alive and well. Though not a religious person, I fervently pray that Obama will get into office so that perhaps some folks might see that regardless of our skin color and our political parties there is quite simply more to us as people that we can unite beneath.

Clip from "Bowling for Columbine" that parodies the White man's fear of Black people in a historical context.