In Praise of Obama
“I cannot swallow whole the view of Lincoln as the Great Emancipator.” Barack Obama
Across the pond the map is being redrawn and history is being written. America will have its first Black or Female president by years end. I am watching this contest with the customary enthusiasm of any political hack, if for no other reason than the imagery and dynamic discourse pumping from the pulpits of politics stateside. It transcends the dull nose - to – the – grindstone machine politics of the UK of late. Its not that America doesn’t do sound bites and spin, but that they do it so much better.
What has caught my imagination, however, is the burning flame of Obama, and he is burning bright; encompassing a message for change which positively betrays his conviction for it. A refreshing change from the Bush years, a fresh broom compared to Clinton and polls apart from the change Gordon Brown mutes about in his unique Scots monotone.
He embodies the realisation of the aims of the civil rights movement of the 60’s, and the rationalisation of the liberal hope of the human condition – that no one will be held back by their race, their gender, their sexuality, or their beliefs. He is the first politician in the Anglo-sphere who personifies inspiration in a very long time. He does what no other politician does these days, inspires young people and the disinterested, gets them engaged, and gets out their vote – a concept no politician seems capable of replicating in today’s Britain and something I would love to witness first hand.
It’s something I’m watching intently, and something we need to learn from. We are in the middle of a great race debate in the UK. The debate is about positive discrimination and under representation of Black and Ethnic Minorities, of which I have an obvious vested interest.
Obama represents something more profound than an artificially imposed settlement… that a Black man can make it, and shape the debate so that his colour isn’t the definitive aspect of his leadership bid. He demonstrates the truth in his candidacy more eloquently by his presence that I could put into words: - that we are all human, and the only thing that divides us is our own perception of prejudice, and that prejudice can be overcome. We will find out on Tuesday if it will be.
