When the governor of New Mexico, Mr Bill Richardson, introduced the presidential candidate, Barack Obama, last week, he called him; " a once in a lifetime leader." He went on to say that, Barack is the only candidate who can unite America at this time. This is no small saying from Mr. Richardson, who is also a former Democratic presidential candidate. He dropped out a few months ago. Obama has been likened to great American leaders like the late John F. Kennedy and the slain Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King. He is respected by both the Republicans and Democrats alike. In fact, his emergence into the presidential race has changed the face of day to day politics in America. Barack has raised the standard of politics, but also the expectations of the American people. He has challenged Washington and changed stereo types. Simply put, Barack Obama has raised hope for the American people.
The man who was born to a Kenyan black man and a white woman from Kansas could not have be more mixed. While America is still struggling to accept the equality of races, Barack has stood right in front of every American and demanded them to think again. This is a nation that still prides itself in racial purity. Anybody with mixed blood is not considered a true American. Quite often the term 'American' refers to white Caucasians. The man, Barack Obama, was raised by his white family after his father and mother divorced early during his childhood. The input of his white family in his life is no doubt what made him what he is. These were his circumstances and nobody could have changed them. This by no means belittles his father, who had come to America for school. Sadly, his father died years later in Kenya, not having been there for his son.
Barack, like most mixed people in America at that time, could have easily mingled with blacks than white people, especially at school and places like that. Most mixed celebrities in this country usually testify of that. Hale Berry is one of them. At home you are white; outside you are black. It's sad to say that even if Barack was comfortable with black people, they did not consider him black enough. This was evident during his race for the senate in Illinois. It is amazing that when the Republicans could not find any strong candidate to stand against Obama, they went as far as employing Allen Keys. Keys is a known African American Civil rights activist, who accused Barack of not being black enough. He went on to mention that Barack could not represent the African American people since none of his forefathers were slaves. However, given all that negative criticism, Barack Obama won that seat by an overwhelming margin.
Barack who is married to Michelle, an African American woman. Michelle is also lawyer by profession. She graduated from Princeton and Harvard universities respectively. This, on its own, would open a new world for the young Barack, who was brought up by a white family. The cultures are different. For example, it's known that African American people got 'the groove' or 'rhythm,' while white people fall short in that area. He once joked that he can dance better than Bill Clinton. When Barack Obama began his campaign for the presidency, the main fear was that America is ready not for a black Commander in Chief. At the same time white people were the first to propel Obama in Iowa. Not only that, but also that his base was white working class people, business intellectuals and college students.
That is why, to this day he is still leading long after people like John Edwards and other formidable white presidential candidates are gone. Obama, having changed the world, is failing to accept himself, as far as race is concerned, by walking on a tight rope .He cannot please both black and white at the same time. He just needs to be himself rather than to appease those extremists, who are trying to bring him down. They are there in both races. What is important is not what people think but what he, himself, thinks. As a man thinks so he is, goes the proverb. It's not a sin to be of mixed race in America.
They must accept or reject him as he is. He must be grateful to his white family, his wife's family, as well as his church family. It takes a village to raise a child. It's time he confronts this issue straight up. Saying that his grandmother was typical ' white person ' is disrespectful.The poor woman did not raise a politician. She raised him to stand on his own. She, like most American people was from another period of time, in the history of America. She might have been a typical white woman, but when she helped raise her mixed grandson, she ceased to be a typical white woman. That is in Obama,s life. He has not only raised the bar for the African American people, but also for all mixed races everywhere. What will it profit a man to win the whole America and lose himself?
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