Soc. 3251W Race, Class, and Gender

I guess it is just interesting to me how big of a deal his race is actually playing. Probably because I am not black, but white, I naively didn't think about this aspect of the whole issue. The article talks about how the fact that quote:

• Obama trails Clinton by 15-20 points among black voters
• Some blacks doubt that Obama understands their experience
• Obama, a Democrat from Illinois, is the Senate's only black member
• Polls say blacks are less likely to believe America is ready for a black president

Of course at first, my initial reaction was frustration because I am such an avid supporter of him. But as I read it and as I thought about it I was challenged internally to fight my initial reactions. One statement that really helped me understand it all was this quote by Representative Wilson, an African American man who believes in Obama for President, "When white America has embraced a candidate -- as they have with Barack Obama -- there is a certain amount of distrust that goes with this among a number of African Americans," This made me get it all a little bit better. Also I just came to the resolution that it does not matter if I get it it is what it is and it is justified because of the oppression the the black community has faced for far too long. My boyfriend, who is an African American man gave me some good insight into it as well. He said, that it is dangerous in a sense because this ONE black man WILL represent ALL black people if he gets elected because that is how this country works, how ignorance works, and how racism manifests itself in our society. My roommate also said something that made me think about it all when she said, if he does get elected, all of the people who try and say racism does not exist in this country anymore will in their minds be proven right. They will be able to use the argument of "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" becuase "he did it". All of these things are just fascinating for me to think about. The article really challenged me to confront my ideas on the whole situation and helped me see a much deeper issue that surrounds this campaign. I hope that Barak Obama gets a chance to show this country what we are capable of and I hope that the opposition keeps coming from all sides, becasue if he is the great leader and man that I truly believe he is these issues will only give him strength and will help him realize what areas, and who, he needs to concentrate on and work with to gain support.