I just finished watching Michelle Obama give the headline speech at the Democratic National Convention, and I have to say that it was a wonderful one. Given that she is a political neophyte, she displayed a lot of energy and emotion in her method. She could, however, learn a bit about pacing from Ted Kennedy. That is the only oratorical flaw that I spotted.
As my regular readers know, I am not a supporter of her husband. What I have to say about Michelle Obama has nothing to do with his campaign. It does, however, have to do with the growing belief that it is time to bury racism once and for all. We of all races and ethnicities want the same things, and Michelle Obama demonstrated that tonight.
Setting aside the clear political themes contained within her speech, everything Mrs. Obama had to say should resonate with everyone in this nation who has parents, children, and spouses. We all want things to be better for our children, just as things were mostly better for us compared to our parents. Race has absolutely nothing to do with this desire.
My own Southern California neighborhood is very diverse racially, and when Mrs. R and I would attend parent meetings at our kids' schools, that diversity was reflected in those who showed up. Gender, ethnicity, and race didn't matter, for we all shared the same concern that school be the best experience possible for our kids.
The best indication I have that racism is at last dying was a scene I watched one Halloween night a few years back in Williams, Arizona. As per normal, kids were gathering to go trick-or-treating as the sun went down and the street lights came up. But the racial makeup of the majority of these groups tells the tale. I remember one group in particular made up of white, black, Hispanic, and Asian kids, with their various parents in close attendance shepherding them about as any other group of parents would.
Article comments
1 - Joanne Huspek
I totally agree with you. Good piece.
2 - George
"The best indication I have that racism is at last dying..."
Oh really?
3 - Lisa Solod Warren
Sigh. I wish I could believe that racism is at last dying. I think it is ill but could well recover. I think there are many people who will not vote for Obama simply because he is a black man, whatever the rationale they give themselves OR the pollsters who happen to catch them outside the voting booth. As a Jewish woman who is STILL, yes, in 2008, victim of anti-Semitism, I hold out hope but think it will be years yet before we can say that racism in all its forms is dying. And there will always be people who hate just because they can.