"My dad grew up being told a black person couldn't be a pilot, and my son is growing up knowing that a black person can be president," she said. "It's not that racism is gone, it's just that it's not about the idea that all black people are excluded on the basis of their race from any part of society or any particular job. That was the racism my parents grew up with."Being the President of the United States is to be the most powerful gangster of all the gangsters. This isn't something to which little kids should aspire, or that parents should want for their children.
I guess maybe there's some race victory in seeing that a man with an African father can be the supreme leader of an international crime syndicate. In which case the victory is that the power structures that exist, however evil and flawed, at least aren't so racist as to disqualify an otherwise talented criminal from ascending to leadership.
Seems like kind of the same empty victory as gays in the military. Hooray, I'm now allowed to drop bombs on innocent children and suck cock on the weekend!
These are the great victories of our times? We congratulate ourselves on our non-discriminatory selection of death dealers? I guess if this is victory, I'm content to watch from the sidelines.
1 comment:
I like this one.
And still, I'm overcome with emotion and know it. I was sitting down to breakfast in Silver Spring when in the next booth over were 3 people, two of whom were involved in some photographic work that was being featured at the nearby book store. The picture book chronicles Obama's race, campaign, quest...thing.
The man was on the phone with someone and at the end said, "Make sure you tell your son what he can be. He can do anything."
I admit. I teared up. But I know that it wasn't about seeing the US presidency as some high standard. I never liked that line "You could be president!" Never. I cried out of sadness. Just the idea that people weren't allowed to do or be.
In fourth grade we watched a video focusing on Dr. King and other civil rights activists and I cried. I cried and cried and cried. I didn't get it. How could this happen? Why weren't more people enraged? How come the people in charge weren't helping?
So I agree, it feels like kind of an empty victory.
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