"The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we've never really worked through - a part of our union that we have yet to perfect. And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American."
I really liked Obama's speech. No surprise, it is exceptionally well-written and well-argued (the man has hired some very, very talented speech writers), and although I didn't see it, I'm quite sure he was as inspiring as he always is. I particularly like the excerpt above. Here is my question though: can he live up to his own call to action? Can he keep the issue of race a part of the discourse? Can he keep the discourse productive? I have to confess that I'm starting to be swayed by his rhetoric, the very same rhetoric that I've occasionally critiqued. What I like most about this particular speech is that he isn't posturing, he isn't politicizing, he isn't going tit for tat. For me, he comes fairly close to not being a politician in this speech, something he often claims not to be. He is, however, a politician, and this speech is one very, very smart political move. I'm immensely impressed that he took this opportunity to remind the country that while Jeremiah Wright's comments may have been divisive and inflammatory the content of the comments have to be taken seriously. Racism does exist in this country, and we can't hope to find a sense of unity if we simply continue to willfully ignore the racial disparities in America.
Well done, Senator Obama.
5 comments:
I just finished watching the speech. I read it earlier in the day but I could not watch it until after 9pm.
I have read your post a few times and , after watching it, I think that the title of the post conflicts a bit with the tone of the speech and with the last line of the post. I would argue that that this purpose of the speech is not for Senator Obama to keep the issue of race as part of the discourse but it is a call for the citizens of the US to have this discussion of race.
I agree with you, Solon--I also think that is Obama's explicit message. But I also think it is the responsibility of our national leaders to keep this issue (and that of gender and economic discrimination) in the forefront, something that most of our leaders have not been very good at. I think it is too easy to let such issues fall to the wayside. I, therefore, think my title is fitting and that it doesn't conflict with the last line of the post. He did an excellent job of addressing these issues in this particular speech, but I wonder if he will continue to do so if he is elected President.
while I thought it was good overall, I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed.
then again, i should add that I didn't find wright offensive in the least. :)
We already agree on that one, Anastasia.
Post a Comment