SORRY EVERYONE, but I cannot fall in line, not yet. I must know that my expectations are mostly met before I, like so many others, will be a fawning supporter.
When Barack Hussein Obama moves into the White House the most powerful person in the world, at least for now, will not be all white. He will be half white, although the hangover from the colour bar of old would have him represented as African-American or Black as if attempting to wipe out his white ancestry and upbringing. He is not of the minorities. Rather, he chose to be by marrying into the Black community and thus appropriate to himself the mantle of a people long persecuted despite their contribution towards the building of America. For, the slaves from Africa were one of the earliest settlers in America. Forcibly brought there, but there nonetheless and it is on their sweat that the WASP civilisation was built. Obama's father was not one of them.
But does that disqualify him from assuming the label of "America's first Black President"? No, of course not. As far as labels go he is Black.
The question is, "Is Obama skin-deep-Black?"
That he is "Blue" there can be no doubt. He was the Democratic Party's candidate. He is now their president-elect. That he appears to be embracing Clintonites to man his administration is proof of how "Blue" he is. He is even planning to make Clinton's wife his Secretary of State. Here is a man winning the elections on a wave of change reportedly planning to stay the same -- no policy change! And, it must be added that that same is not short of bombing adventures. Of course, not as horrific as what Bush-the-son did, but all the same Clinton's adventures, too, saw civilians sacrificed by the thousands, also on a false claim: that Serbs were attempting a genocide in Kosovo. In Iraq the disregard for, again, civilian lives lost as a result of the pre-war sanctions does not differentiate Clinton much from the horrific Bush-the-son. It is a matter of degree, nothing less. And, Barack Obama is no less committed to the war solution.
The question is, "To what degree?"
Is he Black? I think he didn't think so. Didn't he admit that he became Reverend Wright's flock because he needed Black roots; words to the effect? At best, Obama could see that he was not all white. Everyday the mirror of American socialisation told him that, a fact not made obvious to him by his early environment of Indonesia and Hawaii combined. Mainland USA must have been somewhat of a culture shock for him, where Black is distinct from White and he can be either but never both. He chose Black because he fitted, physically. Mentally, too, he was not white "white". He cringed whenever he heard his white grandmother talking of her fear of Black men she passed on the streets.
The question is, "Will he be kidded into believing that 'America the Mighty' is not imperialism?"
So why is it that everything is pointing to "business as usual" policies? Is he, like all politicians, getting his priorities all wrong now that he is president-elect? Past the ballot box the imperative is to hold on to power, no matter what. If the Democratic Party says "red" he will say and see "red". He wants the presidency for its glory and not to make the world a safer, better place for our children. He just wants to be President.
I HOPE TO GOD I'M WRONG AND THAT THE MAN WHO HELD OUT HOPE TO ME WILL TRIUMPH OVER HIS AMBITION!!! Good luck Mr. President.
