This morning on NPR, a black woman called into Talk of the Nation to share an anecdote. Last night watching the election results with her 12yo daughter, her daughter turned to her and said "Mom, now we really are equal." She cried when she realized that it did not matter how many times she as a mother passed that message to her daughter, when the world outside her home did not reflect her words as a reality.
I've been trying and failing to articulate why the 95% support from the black population for Obama does not constitute racism, even though it is clearly because they share a skin color. It is not racism because it is not about racial superiority, but comes from a legitimate point of view that achieving racial equality is a priority. As legitimate a priority, if not moreso, than any number of domestic issues from stabilizing the economy to reproductive rights. The symbolism alone of Obama's presidency accomplishes more for racial equality in the form of the dreams, aspirations, and expectations for children of color than any single event since Loving v. Virginia and stands in stark contrast to the world of yesterday where words about equality conflicted with a reality where success for black youths looked like MTV or the NBA.
I've been trying and failing to articulate why the 95% support from the black population for Obama does not constitute racism, even though it is clearly because they share a skin color. It is not racism because it is not about racial superiority, but comes from a legitimate point of view that achieving racial equality is a priority. As legitimate a priority, if not moreso, than any number of domestic issues from stabilizing the economy to reproductive rights. The symbolism alone of Obama's presidency accomplishes more for racial equality in the form of the dreams, aspirations, and expectations for children of color than any single event since Loving v. Virginia and stands in stark contrast to the world of yesterday where words about equality conflicted with a reality where success for black youths looked like MTV or the NBA.