This apparent 'revolutionary' is also related by blood to Bush and Dick Cheney. Who knows what that really means, but it wouldn't suprise me if there were bigger plans being played out.
Come now, none of that D
Cosign the ImTech quote though. And I agree: the euphoria is out of hand. We'll see how he does.
Rob & D are two people I consider friends & even brothers. I respect you both as my peers so this is not coming from left field or with any hidden agenda.
As white guys you may not fully appreciate how a (half) black man being elected as president of the USA resonates with black people the world over. Correct me if I'm wrong but neither of you has ever experienced directly the prejudices attached with being black. Ever walked into a random Service station and been followed by the security guard like you were gonna rob the place just coz of the way u look? Or had to tell your daughter/ son/ niece/ nephew/ cousin they could be whatever they wanted to be yet had no role models to point to that looked like you?
Remember this is the same constitution that held a black man (even if he was only 1/16th black) legally as only 3/5ths of a man. Now this man who's father, like he said in his speech, "would not have been served in a restaurant" just a generation ago is the President here.
Coming to the US I personally always felt there was a gla** ceiling placed on us. Those ceilings may still exist but this is certainly at least a crack.
Even if the man never does a thing for us directly as Africans or is part of some huge conspiracy or whatever the fact that he identifies himself as black and is recognized as such is a leap in the right direction for race relations the world over.
So NO the euphoria is NOT out of hand.
Respectfully Yours.
I hear you Tate - and I do appreciate the huge symbolic statement his presidency is making for black people the world over - but that doesn't change the fact that he been lionised beyond what any mere mortal could possibly ever live up to.
The iconography of his campaign is that of a revolutionary or a rock star (depending on what appeals to you more) - people are in such a state of euphoria you'd think this was the second coming. Beyond his skin colour, he's just a mainstream American politician who faces ma**ive challenges.
It should also be pointed out that the euphoria is not just coming from African Americans (or black people from other parts of the world) - the whole world has been overcome by Obamania.
As a person, he is a way more accomplished that Bush, so he's a definite improvement, but that doesn't change the fact that there are incredibly powerful interests at stake who may not share his vision of the way forward.
So, in short, I'm happy Obama won, but let's see what happens...