You probably think I'm going to start moaning about the $150,000,000 cost of the inauguration. That's certainly distressing, but I have a more philosophical concern. The excitement about the Obama inauguration was certainly out of control. Days before the inauguration the major networks were already devoting hours of prime airtime to puff pieces on Obama and his family. My satellite system has a 24/7 Obama channel. The size of the crowd and the level of emotion was beyond any reasonable level. The boiled down message which all of this seems to be pushing is the same, perhaps enhanced a bit by the conjunction of the inauguration with Martin Luther King Day. The media seems convinced that as a nation we've accomplished something wonderful by electing someone with a dark skin to the presidency and it's time to give ourselves a pat on the back and celebrate just how special we are.
I find myself wondering why this is so exciting. We're supposed to be a nation where everyone is equal and no one has special rights or privileges. If everyone is supposed to be treated the same, why is it any kind of special achievement to elect someone of a particular skin color or background? Shouldn't that be irrelevant to his chances of getting elected and equally irrelevant in how significant his election is?
To me all of the hype sends the wrong message. It suggests that something out of the ordinary has happened here. But if America is the nation of equals which it is supposed to be, then there should be no difference between electing a white president, a black president or a latino president. Your skin color doesn't make you any better or any worse than anyone else. We're all just Americans, right?
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Cindy D
Dave,
I'm not sure I get this. we're supposed to pretend that since the U.S. says it believes in equality, it was actually practicing it?
2 - Brunelleschi
Whitey will never get it!
3 - Dr Dreadful
Dave, you're looking at this from the back side of the mirror...
"Our society judges people by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin â€" or so a wise man once told me."
Except that that's not exactly what he said, is it, Dave?
The positive thing to be taken away from this inauguration is that it demonstrated to the world that America is finally practicing what its founding documents preach. Since it's been demonstrated that a black person can attain the highest office in the land*, it's to be hoped that never again - although institutionalized racism does still exist - can oppression be laid at the door of 'the Man' in this country.
* And I think anyone assessing it honestly can say that Obama attained it through his own efforts and talents, not thanks to any sort of 'affirmative action'.
4 - Douglas Mays
Dave, I have to use this article to lay it out straight. Media, USA citizens, etc, are pretty much a bunch of bozos on this one. Get this:
Barack Obama IS NOT a Black American!!!!
He is a first genereation pure bred Afrian American!!! His father is a free African who married a white USA American woman.
Culturally, he is not a classic black American. He has no lineage to slavery America, several generations ago. He is direct descendant free African.
So all the media and long detached USA African are sucking up to this gravy train with some delusion that he is a black American.
Catagorically he is not. What is the percentage of USA population where one parent is native to one of the 50 nations over on the African continent and the other USA white bred? Very small percentage. He is very far from the coattails of what the media, whites and blacks are trying to perceive him as.
The USA population we are dealing with does not realize that Zimbabwe and Kenya are as different to each other as Sweden and Japan are. Most people's view of Africa has about as much foriegn knowledge as Sarah Palin.
He is just a dude where one of his parents are foriegn.
Obama could be a great President in the knick of time. HE IS NOT A BLACK AMERICAN!!!! Get it thru your heads people. Or be guilty of being racists of the worst kind...
DM
5 - Hope and Change?
"classic black American"....I think they auctioned one off last week at the Barrett-Jackson Auto auction......there was alot of excitment....it went for a really high bid...when the owner got it home he was dissapointed when he found out that it was nothing more than an old democrat "rust bucket of ideas" with a new paint job....
6 - Douglas Mays
WOW! You know, the country is showing what a bunch of racists we actually are. Figure it out.
Barack, a good man. I can only imagine what it has been like in his head growing up as a pure bred, true, first generation 'African American'. Yet getting hit with all the 'black american' b.s.. Barack has ZERO lineage to slavery in this country.
Skin has nothing to do with it. Lineage to slavery is the only hook to qualify for 'being black' in this country.
Everyhing else is just weirdly contrived crap being passed off as racism. Go to Africa and look around. See any niggers? Talk to the old timers, they say about the USA blacks "we sold you off years ago". True, learn reality.
That is real, get a grip all you thinking you are so anti-racist. You are actually a powerful link in the racism chain.
It ain't what you think,
DM
7 - Hope and Change?
People who spend their lives complaining about racism are real racists.....
8 - Jet
Afrian American?
9 - Hope and Change?
Did anyone hear or read the benediction Benediction at Obama 's inauguration, by Rev. Joseph Lowery:
'Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen. Say Amen'...
"when white will embrace what is right"....say what???? This is a racist and offensive remark...in prayer no less...insinuating that white people are not "embracing whats right"....I find this offensive considering a majority of "white folks" are the ones who voted for Obama...
10 - Hope and Change?
Can you imagine if the right reverend said...
"when gays will embrace what is right"....
"when women will embrace what is right"....
"when impotent feeble blogers will embrace what is right"....
Hey the days is almost over wheres the hope and change?
11 - Dave Nalle
I had a rough time with this article, so I kept it short. But the point for those who didn't get it, now that I've had time to think about it, is that this inauguration is NOT remarkable, but inevitable and that whatever specialness there is to Obama should be looked for in what he does not in what he looks like.
Dave
12 - Cindy D
Great book you picked Dave. It looks so interesting I decided to buy it.
13 - Jet
Dave wrote:
"But the point for those who didn't get it"
I'll respond with this quote...
"A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."
Douglas Adams
14 - Douglas Mays
Anyway, thank Jah that he is our president. The right PERSON for us all at the right time.
OK, I was pushing for Hillary during the primarys. You know, a woman with experience. But in the long run, she is pretty burned out. We have fresh, smart energy at the top now.
Take the twisted trip of being 'black' off the guy. Just let the man work!!!!!! He has had to live with this false trip all his life, being shoved into a catagory that is not really him. He is a dude that had one foriegn parent, that is it!!!!
He is NOT the 'American Black' media and others want you to think he is. He is the right American for the job to do it for us all. Give the guy a chance as an American, not some false idol that probably got him elected.
irie mon,
DM
15 - Deano
Actually (shockingly!) I find myself agreeing with Dave on this one. The overwhelming gradiose hype and the faux emotional upswelling that the media and the popular cuture are feeding reminds a great deal of the torrid, overtly emotional cryfest that was eviced when Princess Diana died.
It has that same kind of "manufactured" hysteria feel to it, although honestly this is an event for far great historical and social significance the Lady Di...
I feel sorry for Obama beccause there is no way in hell he will ever be able to live up to the hype and the heightened expectations that people have been sold on. The come-down may be an especially painful one.
16 - Douglas Mays
"we are inaugurating a person, not a skin color". You betcha! That is the deal. See it as it is.
don't let the nation's skin color delusons be an anchor to drag around for what Obama is trying to accomplish for our country.
He is a dude with a foriegn parent. Just let him work. See the reality of his race and culture. After all, doesn't his lineage make him a true American? Who else would you want up there right now?
btw, my knowledge is based on being born in the South End of Chicago, international success with music artists from Jamaica, Ivory Coast, South Africa, etc., a parent involved in high level international exchange with many African nations (Boeing stuff). My opinion is NOT opinion that requires no accountability or understanding.
try this one. In my years of artist management in the reggae and African pop world, I have found that, for the most part, such music is 80% white supported in this country. Why? It is too black for the mainstream black American.
What!!??? But true...
It is a new hope...
DM
see straight, get it right...
17 - Dave Nalle
I know I've bought my share of Reggae albums. I never thought the issue of the artists skin color was one I needed to even think about.
Dave
18 - Dr Dreadful
Dave @ #15:
Although I see your point...
The Declaration of Independence was, in hindsight, also inevitable. It is nonetheless remarkable.
19 - Douglas Mays
Dave, #21. Exactly! The skin color may only come into play as a music created and reflecting a culture. Music is one of those things that bypass our 'logical thought process' and goes straight to the sensory part of our minds. Art and comedy do the same thing. Some jokes can make the KKK member and H Rap Brown laugh equally. And both tapping their foot to 'Buffalo Soldiers' or something...
America!!! You all have fooled yourselves!! IT AINT'T ABOUT RACE...
best,
DM
20 - Douglas Mays
Hope and Change, #8....
You talking to me? Or yourself? Everyone made the election about race. I guess everyone is a racsist.
Talking about it is NOT racism. Burying it in your mind locked under your preconceived ideals is what is dangerous.
Debate my points. Or can you? This whole election came off about race, but it really isn't.
People made 'raced based' votes. People did not vote for the race they thought they were. Joke is on you all. The black and white racists of the USA. People of all color found unity in racism.
All I can say is that we picked the right person who is above the nation in racial politics.
Who is the racist? Not me.
best,
DM
21 - Arch Conservative
OK it's been six hours now.........
There's still a hole in the ozone.......
There are still people without jobs.......
There isn't peace in the middle east............
I haven't received a check in the mail to pay off my student loans.........
Still no cure for cancer and AIDS..........
America............you just bought a lemon........
Seriously though Nalle........ This is how the next four years are going to go......
The media is going to continue to toss Obama's salad........
The loonie lefties are going to blame everything bad that happens on Bush
And people like you and I are going to hope through all of it that the GOP can get it's act together and put up someone who is not a complete abomination like spongejohn McCrazypants.
22 - Douglas Mays
Arch, thank Jah I don't live in your twisted reality...
23 - Brunelleschi
You whiney righties have media all wrong.
Media are only competing to sell news people want to see. If more people tune into something else, they will cover something else.
They want to see Obama. They want something different. Obama is a great man and great story. He is keeping storytellers busy, so relax.
Even Faux News, which hates Obama, can't stop covering him because they want the ratings.
This was one of America's greatest moments, and people are still whining. Amazing.
I'm going back to Wal Mart to get another US flag, (Made in China).
24 - Arch Conservative
My reality is exponentially less twisted than the average Obama's cultist's.
25 - Arch Conservative
Obama is not a great man. He is a great story due to the novelty of the color of his skin and the office he now holds.
Other than that there's nothing special about him and he will prove it during the next four years but the people that have bought into this messiah crap will never admit it.