There's no easy way to talk about a political figure's possible assasination but I think this is a topic that really needs to be discussed because its implications are profound. I'm sure we are all aware that there is alot of chatter going on about the possibility that Obama, if elected, would be assasinated. I think that had this not been a serious threat before, it is now that it has been hyped up by the media and the public. There is no denying that being a black man in the most powerful position in the United States government is dangerous. Without being morbid, I personally, and many people I have spoken with, believe that there are individuals out there who would committ the crime. It doesn't mean that it will necessarily happen but it certainly is a possibility. The point at issue here however, isn't Obama or impending assasination. It is what this says about our country in general.
First off, it is Obama's race that has caused this topic to be discussed at such great length. The idea is out there that should he be killed, it would be by someone who was so inherently racist that they literally could not stand to be governed by a black man (lets not forget that there are those less extremist who would simply never vote for a black man and have outwardly admitted this). I think this clearly proves the fact that although we have come far since the fight for civil rights, we remain a country that has deep racist tendencies. And should an attempt be made on Obama's life we will be a country divided; it will become black vs. white in a matter of seconds. The fact that it is possible that we could return to the situation we faced in the 60's is indicative of the lack of change we have made. It is undeniable that Obama's nomination and his campaign are signs that we are improving but it seems as though that has overshadowed the fact that to truly be a free, democratic nation, all citizens need to be unquestionably equal. This is not so. McCain need not worry about a serious assasination attempt from pro-choice advocates (at least not as far as I know) and this is a policy position that he has chosen, not an inherent part of his identity. Obama, on the other hand, must face a greater threat because of his race. How can we ever claim true equality when this disparity exists.
This particular race issue also does not speak to the fact that the people we are talking about (those that would consider assassination) are technically fundamentalists even though they may not be tied to a specific religion. In essence, fundamentalism is the most extreme conservativism there is (and I mean that not as a political characterization but as a resistance to change) and that would be the force in action here were there to be an assassination. Alot of people would acknowledge that this threat does exist yet would make it clear that this does not provide an accurate or fair description of America as a nation. Now, if we can make this distinction within our own country, how can we not make it for the Middle East? We have equated Arabs and Muslims with terrorism perhaps irretrievably. And we make very little effort to differentiate in regards to those nations and people (as is evidenced by the lack of media coverage actual Middle Eastern people recieve and the ongoing social injustices Muslims and Arabs face in the US). Again, what does this double standard say about this country and its values?
I want to make it clear that I'm not predicting an assasination and that most of my information has come from dozens of conversations with others as well as from media. But I do think the fact that so many people are aware of this and are talking about it indicates that it is a distinct possibility. There are even Obama supporters out there who have been so moved by this threat that in a naive notion have decided not to vote for him in order to "save his life". Clearly this is not the issue I'm getting at here. What I'm trying to provoke is a discussion on whether or not this national obsession with assasination means that our country has failed in its attempts at racial equality. I think that it does. I would really appreciate any comments about this or any disagreements because I think it is one of the major issues in the political community right now. Below is a link to a site that discusses the issue:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-513512/They-kill-Obama-US-president-Outcry-Nobel-Prize-winners-assassination-warning.html
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I think that your post is very accurate. I have been discussing the same thing with my friends. It's a horrible idea that someone will kill another person over the simple color of their skin. We would like to think that our country has come a long way in the issue of racism, and while we have made huge steps, we still, the world still, has a long way to go. My mother was recently flying back from California sitting next to a woman who admitted that she did not want to vote for a black man. She clung on to the smear campaign by McCain about Obama's ties to terrorists. A lot of people will believe this fact in order to deny their own racism. Few people will admit to being a racist, and McCain's negative campaigns allow them to not vote for Obama without experiencing psychological dissonance.
For those who hate America the election of Barack Obama has proved a little bit troublesome. They argued throughout the election campaign that he could not possibly be elected because the United States is peopled, by and large, by racist red necks.
----------------
Tanyaa
Advisor
Post a Comment