It definitely was exciting. I went to see Barack Obama with a group of people from St. Marks. We all had tickets but we want to make sure we got in and got close enough to see and hear it all. We arrived at IUS a bit after 8:00AM, had chairs, and waited on line. A good friend made a mad dash down from Columbus when we called him and told me that we had one extra ticket. He made it just it time for us to go in at 10:00AM.
The place was packed and people were definitely excited. When Senator Obama walked in the room people were incredibly enthusiastic. He spoke for a while then answered some questions.
Some things did strike me.
First, he is amazingly bright and articulate, and maintains his intelligence, and his speaking ability with a sense of humor and surprising warmth. I actually was taken aback by his warmth and approachability. He was at great ease taking questions.
Secondly, I had a different sense of this race. The positions of Obama and Clinton are, when you look at them, remarkably similar. He did make this point quite well; and when you contrast the positions with McCain, wow. This next election can't be about 'who' but 'what.' The 'who's' are important because of 'what' they are about. I have a sense that either the Senator from Illinois or New York will have comparable approaches.
Lastly, I'm realizing more and more that there is a higher level of racism that I could even grasp. The word 'elite' is being used about Barack Obama more and more. This morning they were criticizing how he is dressed. The reason for this is that he is dressed well. He was wearing a crisp white shirt and a dark suit.
Barack Obama dresses well and his is criticized. He uses big words demonstrating that he has received a good education and can read and write and is criticized for this. The word 'elite' is used about him almost more than anyone else.
The word 'elite' has replaced the phrase 'uppity n...."
A friend said that there is a thinly veiled use of racism towards him. I disagree. I don't think the veil is that thin.
The event was interesting. He was a person of intelligence, of great insight, well-spoken, and humble enough to say that he often relies on the wisdom of others to help him learn about things and make decisions.
He would be a definite change in the White House, that is for sure.
3 comments:
He wasn't called "elite" until he made "elitist" comments about citizens in small towns. I don't believe he is an elitist. However, I do not think that those who call him elitist are racists. John Kerry, George Bush, Al Gore, etc. have all be referred to as elitist. It has more to do with Ivy League sensibilities than it has ANYTHING to do with race. So, now no one can criticize Obama without being accused of being a racist? Nothing like cutting off political debate at the knees.
I do believe that he need to be critiqued and, obviously challenging a person and having every challenge being seen as racist truly does cut the political debate off at its knees. But how he's dressed? No. I'd like to see people try to get away from foolish labels and be able to confront some of the real issues. He stated if poorly, obviously, but much of what he was referring to about bitterness began to raise a valid point; a point lost in the elitism debate.
How he is dressed is ridiculously frivolous, but isn't a racist reference. Comments about Hillary Clinton's fashion sense is drivel, but not sexist. Stuff like this is just more of the pop culture nonsense passes as entertainment these days. Unfortunately, just like everything else, politics is just another form of entertainment to too many people. Oops! That might be an elitist remark.
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