Obama, In Black and White

As the world exults over America's election of a black president, something seems to be missing.

What is missing is Obama's white American mother, Ann Dunham, who loved and married a black man from Kenya and gave birth to his son.

In the preface to his book, "Dreams from My Father", Obama says, "I know that she was the kindest, most generous spirit I have ever known, and that what is the best in me I owe to her." And yet, everyone forgets this side of his heritage.

Like so many black American children, Obama grew up without his father, and his maternal grandparents (especially his grandmother, Toot) were his stern and loving caregivers. But unlike most black American children, Obama had the good fortune to live in a comforable home in Hawaii, not in a squalid inner city tenement. He was given as good an education as any white child, and was always encouraged to achieve and excel.

The color of his skin, perhaps not "black enough", was still dark enough to set him apart, and expose him to prejudice and discrimination. He overcame this through hard work, determination, and humility. And always paramount, was the Dunhams' belief in the importance of a good education and equal opportunity.

So in many ways, this is not simply the victory of one black man in America; it is the victory of American tolerance and integration, where black can marry white, where barriers are broken, where assimilation eventually makes "mutts" of us all. (And we know that hybrids are stronger than purebreds!)

I remember visiting South Africa during apartheid, and seeing out-lawed "mixed" couples running off to Sun City -- a glamorous interracial resort in the province of Bophuthatswana -- to spend a weekend together. (They nicknamed the place "Sin City".) I remember the wrath of our neighbors when my father rented our summer cottage to a black advertising executive.

Saddest of all, I remember my black schoolmates in New York City -- all of us in a "high IQ" class, but they never stood a chance of going to college, and simply ended up in trade schools. That was then, and this is now. We are on the brink of a new, enlightened era. Yes, there are still ugly pockets of intolerance and hatred, but the world is seeing America in a different light, and perhaps we will see ourselves in a different light, too.

Obama's victory is a victory for us all -- black, white and everyone in between.

Comments

[lavndrblue]

moonseeker says: "Obama's victory was historic for several reasons. But perhaps the greatest of those reasons is because never again after this day will race and the color of a person's skin be the most important factor in determining who most Americans vote for. "

You are right, but even more scrutiny will now be given to a person's sexuality.............

[moonseeker]

Obama's victory was historic for several reasons. But perhaps the greatest of those reasons is because never again after this day will race and the color of a person's skin be the most important factor in determining who most Americans vote for.

Before Obama, a lot of white Americans felt they'd never ever vote for a black man (and wouldn't have done so this time if the economy had been better), plus there were many whites who long held unfounded fears about what may happen if a black man were elected. But now that those whites have taken a chance and finally gone ahead and voted for a black man for the first time, they've discovered it to be an eye-opening experience, they'd even come to realize the world won't come to an end as they had assumed, and thus voting for a black man again in the future will be no big deal. Getting those whites over that barrier is Obama's greatest achievement.

Finally, and something most people probably haven't yet considered, is that given the growth of interracial marriages in America, and how black, whites, and other races are mixing, if you look ahead for a few generations, it's not hard to realize there will come a time when all races will be mixed, a time when everyone will be multi-racial, and finding a pure black person or a pure white person will become a rarity. That is indeed the future we are heading for.

[JohnBilt]

Enough of the color references; and qualifying statements! He is our President. When does it finally become redundant? I could probably guarantee that Washington was never referenced in history as our first 'white' President. Thankfully, our younger generation is growing up color blind. This must end, and can, as portraied in the 1971 movie - 'Brian Song' When Brian Piccolo is sitting on the bench during a game, and the camera pans down the bench showing all of their hands. Brian, noticed at that instance his hands were juxtaposed by their 'white' color, as being different from all of his team mates - Color Blind; what a wonderful society it would be!

[M1]

Thanks....for minute I forgot he was white too. A fabulous mutt....I really hope he gets his dog from the shelter....viva la mutts.

[Einstein44]

The GOP need to wake up and see the beautiful spectrum of COLORS in America !

[apoyo]

Fortunately, it appears those ugly pockets are shrinking. The young people are growing up color blind and that is a good thing.