Americans Are Not Racists

As Americans celebrated Obama's victory in Chicago's Grant Park, Arabs, Israelis, and Iranians were sipping their morning coffee, watching live coverage of Barack Obama's victory speech. Some of them were even reading newspapers that carried the headlines, "Obama Victorious." Several newspapers took the gamble and predicted the outcome.

Barack Obama has become the first African-American president of the United States after a decisive victory saw him take the key battleground states of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

To tens of thousands of supporters carrying slogans of "Change in America," the President-Elect declared:

"If there's anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, tonight is your answer."

For almost two years, people living in the Middle East have followed the U.S. presidential elections from afar, yet ever so close, thanks to more than 400 satellite television networks operating in the region. Coverage of the U.S. presidential elections on major Arab networks rivaled American cable networks with Al Jazeera leading the pack. Beginning with the primaries and ending with wall- to- wall coverage on Election Day, Arab analysts and commentators struggled to explain the complexity of the U.S. presidential elections to their audiences. They even resorted to familiar graphics and gimmicks, such as the electronic map made famous by John King of CNN, in an attempt to give their viewers a crash course on American civics.

In today's papers, most editorials hailed Barack Obama's election victory. Several commentators on television said that his victory ushers in a new beginning for change in American attitudes toward the Middle East. But several others remain skeptical; many analysts believe that Obama will certainly be a breath of fresh air, but they doubt that there will be a significant change in U.S. policies towards the region. What I found most interesting was which topics most networks in the Middle East decided to cover on Election Day: discussions about the U.S. election's outcome and its effects on the Middle East economy, the fascination with Michelle Obama, Iranians simultaneously celebrating the 29th Anniversary of the storming of the U.S. Embassy and praising Obama, and Israelis questioning whether Obama is good for Israel.

The topic of race was also prominent throughout the elections.

"Will America elect a president whose father is black and Muslim?" asked many commentators throughout the campaign.

On an Egyptian morning show, a presenter beamed when he declared Obama victorious," This proves that Americans are not racists," he boasted.

Jamal Dajani produces the Mosaic Intelligence Report on Link TV

Read more reaction from HuffPost bloggers to Barack Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election

Comments

[pons1595]

NO WAY!

The majority of Americans may have set aside there racism when faced with economic sepaku, but within the hearts of most of us is a pool of racism bequesthed to us by parents who were taught it in the days of lynching and "white only" water fountains.

Death, the great equalizer, will eventually, through death's attrition, make us less racist. But not racist because we elected O, no way! And I am a white man who voted for O. And if you want to know exactly where these hearts beat and hate, just look at the electoral map by counties.

[Willow712]

While I wish racism were gone in our country, I think we'll still have some problems with it. With the economy so bad right now, even the racists were smart enough to know that the better person is needed to start fixing things. Even a racist will like someone different than them if they think that person will fix things for them. It became a more personal race. And sadly, it became a "who can do for me?" But as long as it gets the desired result, I guess its fine for now. Obama was seen so much by so many people that he became a familiar person, like a next door neighbor. Which means he lost some of his "otherness". However, I am proud to live in Iowa, where we saw the content of his character long ago and have supported him ever since.

[justice2008]

I hate to sound like an old cliche...but ONLY in AMERICA! Obama's message says it all as highlighted by the blogger:

"If there's anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, tonight is your answer."

[WilliamProc]

Mr Dajani, there are racists here in America, unfortunately. They made slurs, printed absurd flyers, like the "Obama Bucks" thing. But they didn't prevail against a new generation who expect more from their country and its citizens that the same poison that consumed this land not very long ago. Someday, I hope it won't be as Colin Powell phrased it:
"The question isn't, 'Is he a muslim'? The real question should be 'Why should that matter'?'

[newsjunkie5]

You are right WilliamProc there are still racists in America, and I don't forsee racism ever being completely eradicated in this country, but the fact that people did go out and vote (in LARGE numbers) yesterday was their way of standing in the face of this racism. It's a time of hope and change, not skepticism!

[Skua]

Racism - and other forms of prejudice - are not binary variables. We all have our prejudices and antipathies, to one degree or another.

But for years there has been a certain kind of political science that says that white Americans are so heavily racist, and so reliably racist, that all you need to do to win an election is to speak a few magic words or show a few magic images (see the Wright ads from the last week), and the white American voters will react like programmed lab rats with electrodes in their brains. No matter what the issues, no matter how serious the questions of self-interest, white voters could be counted on to cut their own throats or jump off a cliff under the spell of racism.

It is an advance - a very important and, dare I say, hope-giving advance - that these magic words and images did not work this time. They were blasted at us over and over, and millions of white Americans looked back and said, "Give it a rest! We've heard it before!" and tuned it out. Yeah, we needed the worst economic crisis in generations to get to that point, on top of generations of struggle and a lot of generational replacement, but the point is, it happened!!!. And that means the evil magic will never work as well again. Honestly, I'm tearing up thinking about it.

[leonardox1]

Unfortunately racists in this country must have a scapegoat: first the blacks and the natives, then the catholics, the jews, the Irish, etc.. Now it's the Muslims. One day it will end.

[newsjunkie5]

It's a new day in America! You can feel a mood change in the air. I can't wait to see what Obama and his team have in store for our country and the world.

Go OBAMA!

YES (Now) WE CAN!

[leonardox1]

I'm so happy that Obama is going to change America's image abroad! Our policy towards the Middle East will not change dramaticaly, however it will improve and he will end the occupation of Iraq which will be a major improvement.

[jad114]

Everyone is expecting too many things of Obama. People in the Middle East think that he is going to move his magic wand and fix everything there. We, in the US, want him to fix the economy that Bush destroyed in 8 years and heal our country that got polarized by the neocons. He has a lot of work ahead of him...give him some time.