Various things crossed my mind as I read the speech, but I have two particular observations that I feel I need to share. Aren't you lucky? I have two major misgivings about what he said.
First, related to this statement:
But race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now. We would be making the same mistake that Reverend Wright made in his offending sermons about America - to simplify and stereotype and amplify the negative to the point that it distorts reality.I agree. I'm thankful that this issue has come up, and that, as a result, Americans may more openly expose our ideas on race to the light. That being said, I regret that Rev. Wright (Obama's "former pastor") has not heard this message until today. And I regret that Sen. Obama voted with his feet all those years--more than two decades.
The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we've never really worked through - a part of our union that we have yet to perfect. And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American.
Second, related to this statement:
In the white community, the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination - and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past - are real and must be addressed. Not just with words, but with deeds - by investing in our schools and our communities; by enforcing our civil rights laws and ensuring fairness in our criminal justice system; by providing this generation with ladders of opportunity that were unavailable for previous generations. It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health, welfare, and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all of America prosper.Sen. Obama mustn't conflate Liberalism with "seeking a more perfect union." While such rhetoric will likely rouse Democratic superdelegates and, for example, hardcore, white Education unionists, it is offensive to Americans who may need to hear a difficult word about race but are sensitive to the Democratic Party's race-exploiting rhetoric.
1 comments:
I think it will serve its intended purpose well--people will stop spazzing about Rev. Wright as easily.
I thought the speech wasn't nearly as good as it could be, though. It was all read from TelePrompTer--bad move for a speech that was supposed to be convincing in its sincerity.
This passage really seemed to be the one part that was inflammatory and unnecessary:
"Like the anger within the black community, these resentments aren’t always expressed in polite company. But they have helped shape the political landscape for at least a generation. Anger over welfare and affirmative action helped forge the Reagan Coalition. Politicians routinely exploited fears of crime for their own electoral ends. Talk show hosts and conservative commentators built entire careers unmasking bogus claims of racism while dismissing legitimate discussions of racial injustice and inequality as mere political correctness or reverse racism."
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