My wife thinks I should be more excited about the historical significance of today's election results-- that I should reflect on the fact that African Americans began their American journey in chains and now a black man is going to reside in the White House-- but I guess I don't really see Barack Obama as a black guy . . . it's not like we elected Richard Pryor.
Although, he is more "African" than most blacks in America today, having decended directly from Kenyan ancestry. I alluded to your point in the AP article I was quoted in, "who's going to be influencing him? Is it going to be Reverend Wright, (Jeremiah Wright, Obama's controversial former pastor), is it going to be Jesse Jackson, or is it going to be Colin Powell?"
ReplyDeleteRichard Pryor would have been a much funnier reference.
I don't know what it was like in Jersey, but in Portland, there were people cheering on the streets--not a ton, but some, and this guy at a bar was so optimisitic about the future that I found him annoying(not that I don't like Obama, I just don't like optimists). On a lighter note there was a sign for the Portland Optimists club, and Clint said he was going to start a pessimists club, but soon abandoned the idea because he said it would never get off the ground, and no one would show up anyway.
ReplyDeleteal, you were quoted? how did that happen?
ReplyDeleteportland eric, when will you be jersey eric again? tell clint i would love to join his pessimists club, but i'm an INTP so . . .
Google my name and you'll see multiple links to the article. I hooked up with Jesse Washington, the AP national race and ethnicity writer, through a co-worker last month. Here's one link: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/28/america/Fear-of-a-Black-President.php?page=1
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