Of Race and Gender in the White House

I have been holding back on saying anything about the Oba-mania especially in Africa. But also, generally on what it means for the black race, in America especially, and in the rest of the world, for two reasons. First, I think at such moments, everyone has something to say, and so what I say or not say will probably have very little impact. Secondly, I have been looking for the counter-story, the excesses of what Obama's victory means.

Well, I have decided to break my fast. I think if I do not say something now, the time will never come. Anyway, my curiosity begins with the fact that Obama is obviously a black man. Today, I heard on CNN that the Italian Prime Minister, Berlusconi (sorry got this wrong the first time) in his congratulatory speech to Obama, said that he welcomed Obama, who he thinks is a good looking young man, with an even skin tone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, one can throw a chair and jump up in the air in anger, but truth be told, Berlusconi said what a lot of people think is politically incorrect to say, and are therefore keeping mum about.Is his reduction of Obama to a cute guy with a light skin tone just that, or is there more to this statement?

bell hooks writes about racism in an interesting way, that it is not only between races, but also intra-racial. She draws attention to the way in which even among black people who have been cultured to think of themselves as better or worse than the next black person because of the colour of their skin or as mentioned above, skin tone, there is racism.

In reading Berlusconi's comment about Obama, it is clear that the 'even skin tone' refers generally to the fact that at least Obama's colour is closer to the white skin than most black people. But I digress.

I have been interested in the way race is playing itself out presently, and even more interesting, how gender is rudely cast aside, and blamed for the failure of the republican Party. By gender of course I mean Palin. I will return to this presently. In part of my research into the question 'is America ready for a black president' I have uncovered some pretty uncomfortable truths. For the extremists, the answer is more obvious. It is the subtle ones that are a bit uncomfortable. For instance, in a blog about whether Obama had been elected because he was black or inspite of it, one person, arguing that race had nothing to do with it, continues to say something seemingly unrelated to the Obama race question,

"No, there arent any indigenous Australians capable of running for PM.
None have the experience or the desire to do anything but scrounge up more welfare payments for fellow aborigines."

I know, this is about Australians and aborigins, but why does it make its way into the Obama discussion? What is being threatened that other white governments and societies that have their share of native non-whites (not as is the case with polilical refugees, illegal and legal immigrants etc who have no claim to the land)feel they have to come up with a new narrative to comfort themselves that their relevance is dwindling or threatened? What is it about native American Indians that makes another person say they are less likely to ever get into the white house? Wasn't the war against Apartheid a sure sign that race can be pushed aside in search for humanity and freedom?

Ok. Next issue: Why is race a bigger issue than gender in these elections? bell hooks has mentioned previously in her analysis of the OJ simpson craze that the case had been reduced to a race thing, and no one was paying attention to the fact that a woman, albeit white, had been abused and then murdered. Okay, little comparison here but why is it not a factor that history would have been made if we had had a female president (Hillary) or a female Vice President (Palin)? Why is it easy for America and the world to accept these defeats that to accept race? Big question, but in all this I am also following the media's reports about Palin, who is now being shooed away in disgrace, when we all know she had been of mateiral importance for McCain when he needed a woman to be his running mate so he could beat Obama.

I feel let down by this. i feel that we had our moment, and now, because of Palinisque effect, it is gone. we of course here, means women. Now all the men in power will always have an excuse to not get a woman, because all she will think about will be buying new clothes (ala Palin's mad shopping spree of $150 000 in the middle of an economic crisis) or be a pretty face with nothing much to say. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I believe the fall of Palin has more significance than anyone is acknowledging! It will hurt a lot of female aspirants, it will be held as an example to justify why women ain't no good in positions of power.

Palin will continue to be in the media for all the wrong reasons, while Hilary Clinton, will as we have seen already, be tucked into the books of history, as one of the rare cases of women trying for the white house. Maybe there are more examples, I do not know, but so far, that is my take on it all.

But when all is said and done, I think Obama's win has symbolic significance for all of us black people, especially some of us who continue to face racism in our day to day dealings. The world is changing and with it our ideas, and opinions. Let us all keep hoping that it will get better. And let's all pray for Obama. I hope he continues to inspire all of us for many years to come.