Word of the Week: Race
Posted by walldo on March 25, 2008
Noun [reys] :: an arbitrary classification of modern humans, sometimes, esp. formerly, based on any or a combination of various physical characteristics, as skin color, facial form, or eye shape, and now frequently based on such genetic markers as blood groups
Put the politics aside. Put the polls aside. Stop being a political armchair general. Stop watching MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, and all other media outlets. Close the YouTube videos, the Facebook group, the Donations page. It is time to talk but more importantly, it is time to listen.
The word ‘race’ means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Some might think of their daily grind, rushing from one class to another. Some consider the next NASCAR event. There is one universal definition of ‘race’ for every American that all too often sits in the back of our minds, afraid to step forward. More often than not, an American’s race and heritage is a source of inspiration and pride. For many others, ‘race’ is a symbol of injustice and unfair policies. A consensus on race is unheard of in America.
Race has dominated the current Presidential election cycle for the obvious reason; for the first time in 43 years since the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed, a candidate of African-American descent seems on the verge of winning his party’s nomination. Incidents over the last few weeks have seen the discussion of race turn from just another side-act in the furor of modern politics the a center ring attention that has the potential to to torpedo Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.
Like countless other college-going twenty-somethings I have taken an almost uncanny interest in this election. And like so many others my fascination with the election stems from Barack Obama’s seemingly innate ability to speak and instill within me a sense that yes, we can move forward. We can make a difference. My love affair is not so much with the candidate himself as it is the emotion and patriotism he stirs not just within myself, but so many others.
So it was with morbid curiosity that I watched Obama’s speech on March 19 about race. Pundits pinned this speech as Obama’s make-or-break moment; his chance to decisively shutdown claims of inexperience. But I have been trying to separate myself from the overly-dramatic mainstream media. I looked at the speech not as a practitioner of politics, not as a journalist or pundit, but as an American citizen.
The Senator approached the issue with a keen eye. As Bill Richardson eloquently put it, Tuesday’s speech was not the safest approach. It was delivered as a speech BY adults TO adults. He did not sidestep step the issue; he approached it head-on. He set the stage for a nation-wide discussion … not debate but an open, earnest, discussion … on race. It would be a disservice not only to Barack Obama but to the core founding ideals of the Constitution to pass up this opportunity.
It is not my responsibility to sit here and tell you what race means in America. Neither myself nor any other form of media whether it be television, newspaper, or talk radio, should be the ones to determine the talking points. The nation has been teetering on the cusp of progress. I’m not referring to something as minor as a single presidential election; the entire country and her 300 million citizens are poised to move forward to damage our tarnished global reputation and to lead the planet forward into the new millennium.
Standing in the way of this IS the question of race. Americans young and old, Black, White, Hispanic, must realize that we stand at a crossroads. It is time to come together not as Democrats or Republicans, this race or that race, but as American citizens to clarify the past, the present, and the future of this nation.
