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“World Leadership and Global Diplomacy” Revisited
Chapter Twelve
Is the Race Factor Affecting President Barack Obama?
A reassessment of the decisions of President Obama since the 2008 Presidential election reveals that he is in a compromised position, as he is now being called into question by both his initial supporters and his non-supporters alike. The question that comes to mind now is whether or not the race factor is responsible for the inability of the president to bring his plans to full fruition, thereby hindering him from keeping his promises to the American people. This situation is one that only President Obama himself can rectify, but only after he first acknowledges the existence of the race factor and then proceeds by holding the American people responsible for any violations of our “inalienable rights” that the Constitution spells out from its inception. When this is done, any and all notions that Obama’s ascendance to presidency signals a “post racial era” will vanish, until such time that that notion becomes a reality. The race factor is present in Obama’s candidacy and presidency, a fact whether denied or acknowledged by the American people, including the president.
Renowned scholar, who coined the term “Afrocentricity, Molefi Kete Asante, raises some critical issues in his article entitled “Barack Obama and the Dilemma of Power: An Africological Observation” concerning the position of Obama as president:
What would Obama face, and why would he face it? Clearly, the issues confronting Obama would not be different than those for others who would be president. But there would be some unique contradictions that he would have to deal with as president of the United States that would create enormous pressures on the presidency and the nation. . . . For example, I take it that President Obama would have to craft a strong reply to racist exploitation in a way that would not necessarily challenge White presidents. . . . These and other contradictions will challenge the first Africana American president in ways that a White president would not be challenged (p. 113).
But even before the election was complete, there was the issue of strategies on the part of the media in attempts at manipulating the White population’s dictation of the very outcome of the election itself, which can only be effective if racism is present. Charlton Mcllwain in his article “Perceptions of Leadership and the Challenge of Obama’s Blackness,” unveils his findings, which is that “the use and effectiveness of White racist appeals demonstrate that racial prejudices, resentments, and fears still persist in the minds and feelings of White voters” (Mcllwain,p. 64). Clearly the overriding factor in the nuances of Obama’s presidential candidacy, reflecting also his current regime in his handling of critical issues, makes it apparent that the race factor is an ever present phenomenon and is, therefore, a penultimate issue in our society today as it was yesterday, even if no one is brave and bold enough to admit it.
Another matter that should be “called out” is the disrespect of Michelle. She, like the president, has come under some rather meanattacks because of what many construe as racism. She has been heavily criticized for not only her comments and opinions, but for her physical appearance as well. For example, she has been called unattractive, too outspoken, and she has even been stereotyped and caricatured in the cover picture of the respected New Yorker. She was sketched as the stereotypical angry Black woman, with a back pack and a rifle in her hand, defending her husband—“I got your back, Boo,” in the manner of Malcolm X’s “by any means necessary.” It is difficult not to see the racial overtones here. Subsequent, criticism and censure of outrage nationwide ensued by both Blacks and Whites alike.
Regarding his appointments to his Cabinet, among his nominations was Bill Richardson for Secretary of Commerce, who unexpected resigned within a week of that nomination. He filled that Latino representation in the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor, a Puerto Rican woman, as Supreme Court Justice. This left his Black constituents speechless, as they began to question why a qualified Black woman was not assigned that post. While this concern regarding the president’s action may be considered justifiable, there are other things that appear not to be. For example, Rush Limbaugh, and others in his camp are forever attacking the president and his decisions. Consider the recent outburst of U. S. Congressman, Joe Wilson of South Carolina, in which he rudely interjected “You lie,” indeed, a contemptuous and disrespectful charge during Obama’s presidential address. It was, moreover, out of order, as common language is not permitted in the halls of Congress, when the Senate is in session. Proper protocol commands Robert’s Rules of Order, which was not adhered to in this case, and thus, Wilson should have been heavily reprimanded, a penalty that the President himself should have ordered if no else did. Wilson’s disrespect neatly fits into the standard racial paradigm of the United States, so eloquently articulated in the “Dred Scott Decision,” which states that “Blacks have no rights that Whites are bound to respect.” Despite the fact that Obama is the president of these Unites States of America, a land of laws, justice, liberty and equality, his status is ignored. Reality or rhetoric? If, in fact, it is the former, how then can a Congressman attack the commander in chief, the leader of the free world? No such disrespect was ever forced upon President George Bush in spite of the fact that he perjured himself before Congress and the world when he charged “Weapons of mass destruction,” regarding his declaring of war on Iraq in 2003. Billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands lives were sacrificed due to his decision. With the American people’s simple dismissal of this in a parody, “Weapons of mass deception,” Bush was able to maintain that high level of respect from his constituents, who never ceased to humbly and politely address him as “Mr. President.” Not so with President Obama, whosehealth plan alone has earned him the titlesocialist, as if socialism is a bad word. Remember, the socialist model rescued this country after World War II when President Roosevelt pushed for free medical and education benefits in our country, indeed, a socialist feature. Nonetheless, President Obamais censored ruthlessly by many for wanting to change the health care plan for American citizens, many of whom have not the funds to defray their high medical expenses. Something is wrong with the choice to invest billions of dollars in a war as opposed to investing billions of dollars in the health of a nation, and many are beginning to see that much of this problem stems from racism and the refusal to respect our head of state, giving him the chance, as we have with past presidents, to carry out his plan.
In a nutshell, we speaking of racism, that is toxin of the mind, which must be eliminated now. In the closing chapter of a recent publication, entitled “Environmental Racism: Black Landowners, Katrina, and the Making of a New Hilton Head—An Emmett Till Continuum,” which I delivered as Keynote address at an international ecology conference at WellesleyCollege, racism was the subject. That address became the closing chapter of a recent publication, entitled Environmental Justice in the New Millennium: Global Perspectives on Race, Ethnicity, and Human Rights, focusing on the problem of both toxin of the mind and land:
. . . Toxicity in the mind is manifested in various ways in our everyday physical environment. It is the very fabric of our thinking. It demonstrates that our crisis is more than global warning. Granted, global warming is extremely critical today. But massive toxins or pollutants in our minds are certainly a big problem as well. We must clean up our selfish acts. We must change our self-serving attitudes. We must clean up and change our hearts if we truly hope to survive on this planet. How urgent is this mission? It is as urgent as life and death itself. The symbolism of the noose has returned. Remember the Jena Six in Louisiana—Mychal Bell, Robert Baily, Jr., Theo Shaw, Carwin Jones, Bryant Purvis, and Jesse Beard? (Hudson-Weems, 2009, p. 257)
This focus points directly at the circumstance of our president during his address, as he was, indeed, a victim of mind toxin perpetrated by Joe Wilson.
Leadership and diplomacy were, indeed, the cornerstones for the Presidential Plan of the current regime. With the support of his female counterpart, Michelle, who herself has been the target of much disrespect and undue scrutiny, President Obama’s plan could have conceivably come into fruition. The penultimate question remains eminent. Is the race factor prohibiting the president’s plans to bring about true world leadership, global diplomacy, and total parity among all? Apparently something is happening, as many former supporters, who were themselves responsible for Obama’s victory, are now beginning to question their initial opinion of Obama, a disturbing reality, let alone the skepticism coming from former opponents who continue their attempts to sabotage his plan and image as expected. For example, they openly malign and insult the president for all the world to see; no end to this high level of disrespect seems to be in sight. Therefore, the question as to whether or not President Obama will be more than a one term president is currently unknown. I will say, however, that the president will have to initiate a “change” in the opinion of the people via making some immediate changes in his decisions. Clearly he is not making all the right ones, such as his futile attempts at bi-partisanship. As President Jimmy Carter stated recently, Obama should depend upon the Democrats in passing his plans through the Senate, not the Republicans. Such an idealistic bi-partisan vision is not the answer. Moreover, President Obama will have to acknowledge that he is aware of the racist attacks on his personhood; for improvements in this area alone will greatly enhance his success and image. To be sure, taking the bold steps to change the direction of this presidency will make a real difference in where we go from here, but we must be ever mindful of the raging race factor, which is alive and well. It is a real life-threatening phenomenon, and therefore, must be acknowledged and then dealt with first, thereby precluding an idealistic notion of a “post racial era,” before we can hope to proceed successfully and expeditiously. Simply ignoring it and refusing to confront it head on is no panacea; it only feeds upon this assumed peaceful solution as it grows by the minute in the process.
Unquestionably, as envisioned by Dr. King over four decades ago, it is the responsibility of all to participate in the improvement of the world for global peace and justice, but this is a difficult task with the current assault on and disregards for the president, our chief executive officer, whose ultimate mission is to oversee the affairs of our country. Granted, there are some legitimate concerns surrounding President Obama’s choices, thereby making the execution of his plans, his public persona and image questionable, but the humongous race problem remains the biggest culprit, as it systematically informs our society on a daily basis. Even those who are not totally cognizant of its awesome pervasiveness, they, like everyone else, are sill nonetheless indelibly affected by it.
References
Asante, M (2007). Barack Obama and the Dilemma of Power: An Africological
Observation. Journal of Black Studies, 38, 104-115.
Hudson-Weems, C. (2009). Africana Womanism & Race & Gender in the Presidential
Candidacy of Barack Obama. Bloomington, IN and Milton Keynes, UK: AuthorHouse.
Hudson-Weems, C. (1994). Emmett Till: The Sacrificial Lamb of the Civil Rights
Movement. Bloomington, IN and Milton, Keynes, UK: AuthorHouse and Troy, MI: Bedford Publishers.
Hudson-Weems, C. (2009). Environmental Racism: Black Landowners, Katrina, and the
Making of a New Hilton Head—An Emmett Till Continuum. Environmental Justice in the New Millennium: Global Perspectives on Race, Ethnicity, and Human Rights edited by Filomina Chioma Steady. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006, 253-265.
Hudson-Weems, C. (2006) The Definitive Emmett Till: Passion and Battle of a Woman
for Truth and Intellectual Justice. Bloomington, IN and Milton, Keynes, UK:
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Mazama, A. (2009). Barack Obama, A New Star in the African World. Africana
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Mcllwain, C. D. (2007). Perceptions of Leadership and the Challenge of Obama’s
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Reed, P. D. (2009). It Is High Time for a Black Woman on the High Court. Diverse
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Weems, Jr., R. E. (2009). Business in Black and White: American Presidents and
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