Shame on me. Yesterday, if anything should have been posted, it should have been this.
I watched as a (either) a black man (or a mixed-race man depending upon how you look at it) accepted the nomination of one of the major parties in the United States to become the nation's President.
It was awesome, it was moving, it left me without words. It was a day which all Americans should be very proud of. I do not know of any European industrial power which has ever done the same (nominated a mixed race, minority citizen to be it's leader).
Then I watched as Barack Obama delivered one of the finest acceptance/victory speeches of our time - further validating the wisdom of people who see many fine things in this man, and confirming that we, as a people, have nothing wrong with us, that what is right with us, cannot overcome.
I'm proud to be an American - and choked back some tears at the basic pride and joy we all are justified feeling at what we accomplished yesterday as a people, and as a nation. Whether you want Barack Obama to be President or not, be proud of your country today - it nominated a Black man for President. 40 years ago, that would have been inconceivable.
"I do not know of any European industrial power which has ever done the same."
ReplyDeleteThat, my friend, is because there has never been one that has done the same (at least not to this extent), either in the Old World or the New World.
My wife, for instance, rather ruefully cannot conceive of her British parties elevating someone so clearly a part of a minority group to such a high status any time soon. And forget about the French, Germans, etc., doing it any time soon, either.
I'm a huge fan of Euro-sophistication (as you know); we miss out on a lot insofar as world knowledge and complexity is concerned by not engaging in it, and in missing out on it we harm ourselves internationally...and, indirectly, at home.
But in this area, at least, we in the United States are (truly) the more sophisticated country, and they are the followers. It's really something to be proud of; it's really a monumental moment. And it has a lot of my non-American friends in awe.
By the way, when I say Old World or New World regarding "European industrial powers," by "New World" I mean the countries of Euro-extraction (such as Canada, U.S., New Zealand, Australia, etc.).
ReplyDeleteHass,
ReplyDeleteI don't know if Brazil has, presumably they've at least elevated someone of mixed race - while Mexico tends to socially stratify based on ethnic Spanish 'purity', but it has had many multi-racial candidates, even if virtually none has ever had much chance.
P--
ReplyDeleteWhile I think we agree, if you don't mind, I think you're parsing a bit much here. I doubt sincerely if Brazil or Mexico would elevate someone who is quite obviously, say, Caucasian to be one of their most powerful leaders.
That's the point here. Senator Obama is obviously a member of a minority group whose skin tone is FAR different from that of the majority group (though his background is, of course, mixed-race).
You should have seen the editorials in London on Wednesday; they're enthralled with this scenario. It's a first-of-its-kind situation, particularly given that we are talking about the office of the most powerful person in the world, and the world knows it. (My British in-laws called me in a state of congratulatory excitement over it.)
Like you say, it's a great moment, to be sure. And he's got a shot at winning it all in November, though this forthcoming election will most likely be another nail-biter....