Many Americans are keeping track of the contining race for the Democratic nomination for the president of the United States; however, the concept in many of American 's minds remains, "Is America ready for a black president?" Assuming the fact that Barack Obama would win the Democratic nomination for all creative purposes of this point, is it really a matter of racial capability that would qualify this man as a possible commander-in-chief of the United States?
As a member of the African-American community, from the barber shops, to the church houses, many African Americans don't agree that America is ready for a black president. It is as if black America is taking a stance, as the great W.E.B. DuBois once took-- our time will come, but it is not here yet. There is a more astonishing observement that I have recognized as well dealing with his qualification for a candidate, more African-Americans are beginning to believe more and more, that the United States is ready for a Black president as he continues to show among Caucasians, and the African-American minority, that he has a support system within the country.
I have heard it said, that Obama is not "black" enough, to gain the support of black people. His lineage doesn't reflect one, unlike most of the African-American community, he has no real record of having ancestors who endured the eras of slavery and discrimination. He also, doesn't seem to fit the standard African-American religion, being (raised as*) a Muslim.
These several factors continously seem to be having much more weight in some communites than the actual issues. It seems as if people are more concerned with Barack Obama being a Muslim, than they are on his position of how to better the economy, regulate oil spending, and plans to establish lasting efective healthcare. Some people are more concerned with making racial slurs at one of the first successful African-American presidential hopefuls, than his ideas on how to shorten the war against every country in the Middle East (separately and as a whole, as it changes quite often).
Although America has come far from the days where the color of your skin, and even your religion had a major impact on your perception as a capable businessman, leader, worker or anything of the sort; history still remains somewhat in effect as the nuances of the older times seem to still in trace amounts leak to impact our opinions today. The question in our minds shouldn't be, "Is America ready for a black president", the question is our minds should be, "Is America ready for change?"
*http://www.danielpipes.org/article/5286
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Why is it still about the color of the skin? You said that america has mad improvements yet we are still judging him by his skin color. What is to say that most black people just don't believe in what he is preaching? It does not look like we are ready for a black president because we still have to ask the question.
For starters, Obama is not a Muslim, not that it matters. He is a member of the United Church of Christ. Second, I agree that we shouldn't have to ask if America is ready for a black president, but we do. In my opinion, if he becomes our president, chances are that he will end up being assasinated, because, like you said, America may not be ready for a black president.
I don't believe I can answer the question of whether or not America is ready for a black president. I think we are, given the droves of supporters going out and voting for Obama, but I know people - including women - who believe that we are, in fact, ready for a black president, but it is a woman president that we aren't ready for. I think the mere fact that so many people have questions about whether or not we are ready for a black president or a woman president may signify that we are, perhaps, not. But honestly I just don't know the answer to that question.
What I know is that I am ready for a black president and a woman president; my views have absolutely nothing to do with race or gender, but rather with their policies. I am vehemently opposed to both Obama and Clinton because of their positions on the issues, which I stand firmly against, but if there were a black man or a woman running for president with whom I agreed, I would most certainly be able to support that individual. I'm ready for a black or a woman president; I just don't know if the rest of America is or not. (What I'm not ready for, however, is the #1 most liberal Senator of 2007 as President of the United States.)
"Government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem. - Ronald Reagan
I'm totally ready for a black President... just not Obama.
I don't believe in socialized health care and increasing funds for other social welfare programs.
But I totally think it's bullshit to use, "He's not black enough," as an argument against him... if you think about it it's actually pretty facetious when you consider the audience... America is so obsessed with "diversity" but when it gets its chance, we totally blow it by fucking up the political correctness.
I'll say it is a very well written article and I'm glad that the youth of the United States is taking such an interest in politics.
The United States is not ready for change. There are so many events indicating this such as the Jena 6, and I'm sure you went through your local newspaper you would find more and more displays of racial agression. I remember just last month or so at a local highschool (HHS) a noose was thrown at an African American student
If the US is really to change and be ready for a president that is ANY race other than caucasian it would first have to change the media and with the medias mudslinging and 1st amendment to back it up that will never change.
... not the Jena 6 again.
http://www.progressiveu.org/103818-i-do-not-support-the-jena-6
That entire incident was a bunch of overblown bullshit. The black population in this country deserves better representation than Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.
I have to assert that the answer depends on you, You being any one reading this. Are You ready for a black president?
I, for one am grateful to be asked the question.
Until this campaign I have felt alienated and insignificant.
For me this has nothing to do with race. I am a blonde haired, blue eyed all American girl.
Skin color has little to no correlation with a person's ability or qualification to lead as a president in my book.
We live in a diverse world, in a complex time.
America has no interest, nothing to gain, by isolating herself from the rest of the world. Unless she has some secret provision, that if left alone, all by herself, America could provide for her own basic needs for a sustained period of time, she has no business isolating anyone.
I was only using it for a recent example of racial tension not for the persons who represented it.
For the record, the media does blow up things. It's kinda there job.
Please use the reply button.
It conserves the flow of conversation. Thanks. : )