Obama's Rise is Eradicating Racial Bias in Iran

When I was growing up in Iran and attending public schools in Tehran, I was constantly bombarded by state-sponsored anti-American propaganda. It's not that American public schools are free of anti-Iran propaganda; but the anti-American enmity that the Iranian regime tries to plant in children is relentless.

I never thought the propaganda had the intended impact that the Iranian regime was hoping for. But what astonishes me now is that that America's "original sin" of slavery was barely ever brought up in efforts to undermine America's moral standing among Iranians. And why didn't I really wonder about this when I lived in Iran?

Having lived in the United States for about nine years now, I think I know the answer. The fact is, although Iran doesn't have the same history of enslaving Africans, there has always been a notable bias against blacks in Iranians' perception of African-Americans. And I think the Iranian government understood very well that if they asked Iranians to name 10 things they hated about America's history, slavery probably wouldn't make the list.

This may be a hard concept for white Americans to believe, because for decades, they have been beating themselves up about slavery and the horrible way in which many of their ancestors treated blacks for most of this country's history. Of course the legacy of slavery is a large black spot on this country's claim on equality and justice.

But I think that this country's tendency to try to do right after doing wrong is a part of what makes this country great. I lived in Iran for almost seventeen years, and in addition to America, I've traveled to a number of Mediterranean and European countries. Throughout these years, the strongest condemnations of American slavery that I have heard in books and public dialogue have been in the United States. And although I've been to many different countries, I learned about the details of brutalities of slavery, lynching, American Civil War and segregation right here in the United States.

Now I have to say that I have only lived and visited the states that were part of the Union coalition during the Civil War, and my observations in America is specific to these states and African American race. Once when I visited Burlington, Iowa, I was personally the victim of terrorist jokes and stereotypes because of my nationality, and by default, I have to show up for my flights at airports half an hour earlier because of the built-in racism in America's security procedures, especially since 9/11. I think some of the ugly words that people have been screaming at McCain and Palin rallies -- with their implicit approval or active encouragement by McCain during the last debate -- are despicable and should have no currency in the twenty-first century America. The United States and many of its leaders have a long way to go in acknowledging and addressing the anti-middle eastern sentiments that they have been enflaming among the American public.

Neither are African-Americans treated equally in all aspects of American life. Unemployment and especially the current American economic downturn are multiple times harder on African-Americans, and the justice system is heavily biased against blacks and they are incarcerated and sentenced to death in disproportionate numbers, as compared to whites and Hispanics for the same crimes. As this piece is published, Troy Davis, who was convicted of murdering a police officer in 1989, has been on death row for 17 years. Davis has always denied his guilt and seven of nine prosecution witnesses have recanted their testimony since the trial, saying that they were pressured to make the case for. The Supreme Court recently denied hearing Davis' appeal. He is scheduled to be put to death next Monday.

Having offered that disclaimer, as a newcomer to this country nine years ago, I saw Americans as a people who did not shy away from their dark past, but acknowledged mistreatment of blacks almost in its entirety, with deep shame and remorse and constant effort to make it right.

Barack Obama's rise as a brilliant biracial candidate who is on the verge of capturing the presidency in the United States a little over forty years after Rev. Jim Lawson organized sit-ins in Nashville to fight segregation and Martin Luther King took Americans to the mountaintop and showed them the promise land is a testament to this country's remarkable ability to chart a new course toward a more perfect union. Many intellectuals and historians also submit that Obama's candidacy has also challenged millions of Americans to look beyond his skin color and judge him based on the content of his character and policies. Current poll numbers seem to confirm that assertion.

But what has not been covered as much in America is the impact that Obama's rise has had in eradicating racism around the world. As far as Iran and Iranian Diaspora is concerned, the changes in attitudes have been extraordinarily positive. After I wrote an article about one year ago, in which I explained why I supported Barack Obama for president, I had to have a lot of conversations with other Iranians about the election.

Throughout those conversations, I heard a lot of generic and racially-biased comments against Obama. Many Iranians - especially those still living in Iran -- worried that a President Obama would look out for black people a lot more than white people. Of course, they had never worried about the possibility that a white president may ignore black people, even in light of Bush's shameful response to Hurricane Katrina, most of the victims of which were blacks. Another comment was that blacks were "lazy" or even intellectually inferior and a black person could not make a competent president. And even a number of educated people brought up poverty, genocide and disease in Africa as a case study to make the case that blacks are biologically inferior. I responded by recommending that they read Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel, in which he explains how Eurasia's endowment of crops and domesticaple animals, east west axis that provided a huge area with similar latitude and climates and natural barriers that divided up Europe into competing nation states -- and not the color of inhabitants skins -- were the reason for why certain peoples dominated others in science and war.

But over the past few years, the person who seems to have made the strongest case for changing the perception among Iranians toward blacks has been Obama. As Iranians have learned about Obama and his message, eloquence and success, they have begun to see in him the embodiment of their own dreams. These days, every Iranian I talk to who currently lives in Iran or elsewhere is ecstatic about Obama's message of change. Young Iranians in Diaspora have in fact come up with a slogan that rhymes with Obama -- "Ou ba mast" -- which means "he's with us!"

People who live in oppressive states like Iran have seen the United States' faults over the past eight years and want to see the country that they have always seen as the symbol of freedom and opportunity to become both strong and humble. In Obama's message and personal story, they see that prospect. And as I talk to Iranians about American politics on a daily basis, I have found new reasons to be proud of millions of Iranians who seem to have challenged themselves and fundamentally expanded the limits that they had previously set in their minds for blacks. This is an extraordinary development, the impact of which is positively affecting every conversation about blacks in Iran.

Iranians have a long way in fighting bias against their own minorities, such as Azaris, Kurds and Arabs. And Obama presidency will not be an end to global racial bias against blacks. But it will be a start because, when combined with internationalism and friendly policies, it will fundamentally change America's image from arrogant and unabashed to humble and rehabilitated. And when these changes are made with the help of an intelligent and articulate American president who happens to be black, their impact to further eradicate misconceptions about races and ethnicities can be magnificent.

Follow Sam Sedaei on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SamSedaei

Comments

[BOin08]

We don't have to worry about a war with Iran under an Obama adminsitartion as Jesse and Joe hinted last week. Israel will have to look for another big brother to protect them from the neighborhood bullies.

[ohioan73]

Maybe a person would have to be black to really understand this but it seems like many foreigners regardless of nationality come to this country with negative views of us and they treat us accordingly. It makes me a little leery of a lot of foreigners because it seems like they "rub me the wrong way" or something or there's a level of rudeness towards me that seems unwarranted. Even African immigrants who are actually our mother country brethren come over here and treat us like crap and call us "cotton pickers" Its disgusting.

It seems to me that racial prejudice towards diaspora blacks is the entitlement of every other oppressed nationality in the world. They may be nobodies but they feel better thinking they are at least better than us. Its baffling to me because I think black is beautiful. We rock. Literally. :D

[edwcorey]

Funny, the reason these Africans (and Caribbeans) come to the U.S. is because native blacks prepared a table they can sit at. They see how black American entertainers and sports figures thrive. And they get treated like animals in their own countries (which is another reason they come to the U.S.). Just chalk it up to jealousy, since these people couldn't make their own countries better and are just coming here to take advantage of others' efforts.

[kylennblack]

Wandering off on a mild tangent...

"Young Iranians in Diaspora have in fact come up with a slogan that rhymes with Obama -- 'Ou ba mast' -- which means 'he's with us!'"

Rumor hazzit that a pair of moderates are planning to challenge Ahmadinejad for the presidency next year. If we get Obama into office and one of the challengers wins in Iran, it is my hope cooler heads on both sides can sit down and hammer out some sensible agreements. It won't be perfect, it'll probably be messy, but at least we won't have to deal with people like Bush/McCai­n/Ahmedine­jad who treat foreign relations like a drunken game of Whac-A-Mole.

If this works, I think it will go at least a short way toward each country seeing the other as less of an "other."

[Wakemewhenitsallover]

Aren't we all racists, to some degree or other? We all assess our neighbour according to various apparent criteria - and race, like gender, is pretty hard to ignore. Rather than take the high moral ground in a discussion about racism, it is better to try to understand where different people are coming from - background, culture and experiences have a very strong influence on our understanding, and will mitigate any acquired ideology or political beliefs. If you strive against racism then you need to acknowledge your own inner racist and understand that it is endemic throughout the world - and then try to change things.

I support Obama because I believe his international, as well as biracial, background gives him an intercultural understanding that is essential (but usually sadly lacking) in any leader of a major country nowadays. I voted for Australia's Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, due to his international experience (he speaks Chinese, which must be a rarity amongst non-Asian leaders). Like many other non-Americans, I look forward to an Obama presidency because I believe he would be good for the world, not just America. America is such a strong force in the world, that we can't afford to have a narrow-minded, parochial US president blundering about the world.

[kylennblack]

Thank you. Obama's international background and unique perspective on foreign issues is one of the reasons I voted FOR him. In a 21st century world that is becoming increasingly interdependent, narrow-minded provincialism just won't cut it. It is the way of the past and leaders like Obama and Rudd are the best ones to usher in stable global future.

Aside: Congrats on electing Rudd! Our current president also lived in Beijing when younger but all he had to say about it was that the people were hard to get to know. Sigh. What a doofus.

[stell]

No, we are not all racists speak for yourself. Perhaps you've watched "Crash"one too many times. The system of White Supreme-acy is the only functional form of racism in the known universe; it systematically oppresses those that are non-white, to varying degrees, but the overall power dynamic remains the same, white over non-white. Projecting your own racist leanings onto everyone else here, seeks to bypass the issue at hand, which is Iranian stereotypes and prejudice against African-Americans. You can post elsewhere with all that "feel the world" stuff. Those of us that want justice aren't just interested in cosmetics, and multi-cultural symbolism, "diversity", "tolerance", or just "improving America's standing in the world."

[Wakemewhenitsallover]

Iranians aren't white, yet you accuse them of prejudice, so you are contradicting your assertion that white over non-white is the only form of racism. What about the racism that Iranians experience, or that the followers of the Zoroastrian religion have experienced? This is the point that I am making, in that if we are only allowed to subscribe to a single paradigm of racism (which in your case is from the perspective of an African-American), then how can people who are coming from different paradigms even begin to enter the conversation? If you just want to perpetuate a conversation with yourself and those who hold your point of view, then I can't see you achieving much to improve the situation. I'm not disputing that you have an axe to grind, just that you are not the only one with a valid point of view.

[Harlemnite]

I don't believe the author assumption that Iranians dislike african americans. When they stormed the American Emabssy in 1979 the first people they released were the black people, the black military Marines and women. I also believe regular Iranians do not hate Americans and would like dialogue with America. There are a lot of reason Iranians distrust American and it starts with the CIA overthrowing Mossagdeheh and installing the puppet Shah of Iran. They removed a popular figure who nationlized their oil production to put their guy in power who killed and ruled like a mad man.

[ohioan73]

They thought they had less of a negotiating point with the black Americans. Maybe they assumed the USA wouldn't care about the blacks. There is a running joke in the black community that says foreign terrorists never kidnap us:

Iranian terrorist talking to the POTUS on the phone after kidnapping black Americans:

"HELLO!?! AMERICAN PRESIDENT?!!! We have 17 black .....hello? hello?"

[betabeta]

Good Lord, now you are telling me Iranians h.a.t.e black people too? Geez what in the h3ll have we ever done to them? I find this strange as I have lived in Europe, HK, and visited Dubai for shopping and was treated like an equal and sometimes like royalty, but other than Dubai I have never really done the middle east.... perhaps now I never will. I just assumed since the other countries I visted or lived in were accepting of American blacks, they all were... now I know better.

Thank goodness for Obama, but I now wonder will they think he is the exception and not the rule.

[Brillig]

"r white Americans to believe, because for decades, they have been beating themselves up about slavery and the horrible way in which many of their ancestors treated blacks for most of this country's history"

You must know more white people than I do because I have NEVER met one who beats himself up over slavery.

Whites are more inclined to tell us we should be happy that we were raped and beaten and worked like mules 24-7 because we got to work and breed for the white man.

They ALL believe in their inherent superiority - and frankly, reading this makes me dislike you intensely. I hope you don't mind me sharing that.

How dare you..you little no body in the white man's world even try to be condescending about racism and race? The Arab is the lowest of the low in the view of all races, didn't you know?

[robXdion]

LOL!! Thank you! The author is totally patronizing and doesn't even know it. He has a limited understanding and experience of blacks, but he adopts the condescending white American point of view because he thinks being Arab or Persian is honorary whiteness.

[egal]

This article isn't an effort to be condescending or take the "white man's" side, and it certainly isn't adopting a condescending white American position. Just because a person isn't white or black in America doesn't mean they can't take heart in the signs of a man in our nation demonstrating conclusively that the opinion of blacks' innate inferiority is bollocks not only in scientific studies but also in practical application.

Here in America, there are still ridiculous degrees of bigotry in many manners, but to presume that the entire white population feels the way you think they do is to ignore most of the white population. It's not one monolithic caucasian overmind we're discussing, but people from all backgrounds and histories.

Yes, there are a lot of white American bullies who explicitly revel in a mistaken sense of superiority, but while ALL people, regardless of race, are inclined to internally believe themselves better than people who are different, there are nowhere near as many haters as you think there are.

Your last paragraph's hateful derisiveness suggests that part of the reason you see such hatred in EVERY WHITE PERSON is likely that you're projecting your own bigotry and resentment and rationalizing the hatred, spite, and vengefulness you feel by telling yourself they ALL deserve it.

[flamom4obama]

I actually think I agree with the author. I can't see the harm in trying to follow Obama's example of a higher standard of behavior towards each other as Americans and in our behavior to those abroad.

Kindness, charity, tolerance, friendship, and humility have been sorely missed these last few weeks....

[gooddirt]

I was touched by this article. People get so focused in on minutia and old axes that they forget about the bigger picture; we've arrived at a great historical moment. Whether or not Obama is elected (& I believe he will be), this world has received a healing balm for wounds of long standing. I predict a new era of finding our way to common ground and hope, self acceptance, other acceptance, and the end of us/them. Crazy, eh? But that's how stuff happens. I'm ready!

[stell]

What are you ready for? Are you ready for justice, which is guaranteeing that no one is mistreated and making sure that the people that need help the most get it? Or are you ready for the system of White Supreme-acy to be refined, with a black President? I could care less about that kind of fruitless exercise that would "improve America's standing", and make white people feel good about themselves and their country, with no real improvement in the lives of non-white people worldwide.

[stell]

If one listens to the Iranian President's fairly recent interview with Charlie Rose: http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2008/08/22/1/an-hour-with-mahmoud-ahmadinejad

Ahmadinejad rightly compares South African apartheid to the Arab/Israeli conflict in terms of the commonality being White Supreme-acy. Anyone can say that these conflicts are about land, but land is about people. And people are either white, or non-white.

[stell]

continued

People on the right and left make racial showcases out of model-minorities by saying that blacks were born here (even though they were uprooted to get here) and are at the bottom, while immigrants are thriving. Many of those immigrants not only came here with money, but are subsidized by the government, allowing them to buy convenient stores, etc., and send their children to school.

The White Supreme-acists are to blame. What you see from black people, Native American people with no hope for the future, is a result of what the system produces.

Next what will happen is that Barack Obama will be blamed for all the world's atrocities, and put a black face on global White Supreme-acy.

[robXdion]

Excellent points. I think the author also forgot to add how immigrant Iranians treat African Americans like it's still 1953 when they come over here. It's also interesting how the author doesn't see the "he's with us" comment isn't seen as insultingly patronizing given his fellow countrymens' acknowledged racism towards blacks.

[stell]

Interesting article Mr. Sedaei. The rise and eventual election of Obama, amounts to Racial Showcasing. I say that not intending to take anything away from Mr. Obama, ( I will vote for him) but there have been untold amounts of blacks that were equally capable.
Barack Obama is not the problem. The people who first enslaved Africans and other non-white people, and continue to systematically oppress in education, economics, labor, law, politics, religion, sex and war, could have make all black people geniuses.

Instead they chose to have buffers. Many Asian people are used as buffers. Colin Powell for example had been used as a buffer, until just recently, when he officially lost his Honorary White status.

Many Iranians are functionally "white". Meaning that they have the factors associated with being white, like skin and hair color, and therefore pass as white and are able to function in such a manner. Iranians, not unlike other non-white persons, are considered model-minorities. This is predicated on the fact that they are non-black. Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese, Koreans, and even Mexicans, etc., derive their sense of identity from being non-black. Without blacks there is no measuring stick.

[Brillig]

Except that Colin Powell is not Asian, he is a black and white mixture of Jamaican ancestry - that is an island in the Caribbean sea full of black, brown and white people.

[stell]

I know. I was just using a recent example of a non-white person, who was being used as a buffer. Obviously,Colin Powell is considered a Negroid. It takes only 1/16th of black blood (one drop) to be considered black. One of the larger points about this is that Iranians, like other non-whites that are in some cases used as buffers/mo­del-minori­ties, get most of their perceptions colored, (no pun intended) by the White Supremacist controlled media. Black males in particular are portrayed as females, like Eddie Murphy in movies, or buffoons, or in Africa, swatting away flies, or holding an AK-47, while lacking shoes on their feet. The point is: Replace White Supreme-acy with justice.

[Brillig]

It is only among RACISTS, born and Bred, that Mr Obama seems superior.

All over the world there are men and women just like Obama- except that if they behave according to their class values, RACISTS try to say they are behaving like WHITES.

Well I have met a few WHITES who are not fit to feed my dog because of their behavior - and to just claim every virtue as WHITE is out of order indeed.

Barack behaves as any properly brought up middle class man in any part of the world would behave -with courtesy, with restraint, with morals, with open mindedness, with courage and with patience.

THOSE Are the values, not of a RACE, but of a CLASS.

And every country has its fair share of lower (immoral poor) middle ( taxed till they drop moralists) and upper ( same as the lower, but with money) classes.

And we all behave according to our class.

So mr white man, don't do us any favors - we have always been great- YOU HAVE KEPT US DOWN and told us different.

[Michaelmf]

I enjoyed reading your article and although you are certainly a greater expert on this issue than me I have a few queries and minor points to raise with your blog.

You mention the ‘built-in racism’ of the US security services. I would argue that this racism is fair as the main terrorist threat to their country seems to come from the Muslim countries like Iran. Consequently, they will be more suspicious of terrorist links from Iranians than Canadians. Although I agree it is regrettable that you have to suffer because of your countries government policy, even though you are only linked to that by birth, the security services cannot afford to make a mistake. For the same reason Colombian citizens’ will have to go through more drugs checks than Iranians.

There are still violent anti-American popular protests that are held in Iran but do you think that Obama’s attractive personality and race could in fact harm the Iranian regime as the American image becomes increasingly positive? Do you think that Obama’s positive vibe could even overthrow or significantly weaken the Iranian regime?

[jsarets]

No, the main terrorist threat to the United States is white Americans, mostly evangelicals and skinheads. When have Iranians ever been linked to a terrorist attack on American soil?