Race to the White House
Obama victory could be milestone for black community; supporters know it wouldn't be a cure-all
“When I leave, it has the ‘hope’ on it — I see it and it reminds me of more important things,” social relations and policy sophomore Bryce Colquitt says about seeing the Barack Obama poster on his door every morning. Colquitt attended the Democratic National Convention in August.
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Editor’s note: This is the final story in a five-part series.
Bryce Colquitt stands over his North Case Hall dorm room futon, ironing a white T-shirt. The home to residential James Madison College, Case Hall houses many politically active students. As the political theory and constitutional democracy sophomore meticulously runs the iron over his T-shirt, he talks about the campaign he volunteers for. Then he flips the T-shirt over to work on the front side, revealing a logo for Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. Colquitt, like many black voters, has been captivated by Obama’s run for president.
He said he knows having a black president represents change, but that doesn’t mean change will be produced.
“I do think that he would be a little more sympathetic to black people on issues than John McCain would,” he said. “But it’s not like he can take care of every problem black people or any people have.”
Symbolic presidency
Black voters aren’t disillusioned by the possibility of Obama, or any black man, in office. Civil rights infractions and discrimination won’t end if Obama places his left hand over the Bible with his right hand raised on Jan. 20 in front of the White House. Crime in urban neighborhoods won’t come to a halt just because a black man sits in the Oval Office. Poverty and homelessness won’t magically remedy itself either.
But simply having a black president is enough to show how far black people and the United States have come, said Curtis Stokes, a professor in MSU’s James Madison College.
“I think at the end of the day the black community in this country will be pleased to have someone who is black in the White House, even if he doesn’t paint the White House black,” said Stokes, who teaches a course on African-American politics. “But at the same time, I think people are realistic enough to know that having a black face in high office, even the presidency, will not in and of itself transform the lives — material lives — of black people in many of the inner cities of this country.”
Stokes said he isn’t sold on Obama. He questions the candidate’s health care and war policies as well as his voting record.
Still, Stokes is excited for a black candidate, just like many other members of the black community.
“I’m very pleased to be here and alive today because this is something that I’m not sure I expected to be happening right now,” he said. “This is the most important, one of the most important moments, in the political life of this country and in my own life to have a black person at this position.”
Rep. Bert Johnson, D-Detroit, said having a black president would give black and other minority youth something to aspire to and would help put a positive minority role model at the center of the American and world stage.
“For me, as a black man, I’m very hopeful Barack Obama wins because it will shine importance on the black family, on the father and on the mother that showers her joy on her children,” Johnson said.
Johnson said “it’s about time” for a minority presidential candidate to be in serious contention for the White House.
Desiree Tucker, political affairs director with the Black Student Alliance, or BSA, said to have a black candidate so close to the White House is an “almost breathtaking moment.”
Tucker said voters have to understand that, if Obama is elected, his staff won’t be completely comprised of black colleagues, to be mindful of red tape attached to donations the Illinois senator has received during his campaign and that they have to be able to wait for change that might not come at all in a four-year presidency.
But that doesn’t stop her from getting excited.
“Especially in putting together the black power rally, we have to see images of lynchings, we have to see images of police brutality, we have to see images of segregation in this country,” she said, referring to the BSA-sponsored rally that occurred Oct. 23. “And then to then turn on CNN and see a black man who may take office, seeing that change, it’s a proud moment.”
Black doesn’t mean Obama
Linda Tarver is looking past skin color.
The vice chairwoman of the Ingham County Republican Party, Tarver is a black woman supporting McCain. She said she’s proud to see a black man so close to the presidency, but she won’t be helping him set up residency in the White House.
“For a majority of these new voters, they’re coming out for novelty,” Tarver said. “People waited in lines for the new iPhone, for the Wii, for everything. So go get excited, it doesn’t take much to get excited in America. But after a while the thrill is gone.”
Tarver said Obama is “an eloquent speaker who is running for president” and said she was wary of his inexperience and “socialist” policy proposals.
Stokes said he is “wrestling” with what he will do Tuesday. He said he might vote for a third-party candidate.
Jasmine Ford, a human resources junior, entertained a short-lived bid at the MSU Board of Trustees this year as a Republican Party candidate. A McCain supporter, she said she is asked by many of her black friends why she wouldn’t vote for Obama.
“When I watch the debates, John McCain is more educated on many of the issues,” she said. “Of course Barack Obama knows his stuff, but he gives the bare minimum. He doesn’t give me the meat.”
Ford said education is one of the main reasons she is voting for McCain. She enjoys his position on vouchers and charter schools, as she graduated from Cass Tech High School, a magnet school in the struggling Detroit Public Schools system.
“Yes, it would be nice to have a black president,” Ford said. “But I’m just not there.”
Obama — the second black candidate
This isn’t the first time Americans have been asked whether they wanted a black president.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson ran on the Democratic Party ticket in 1984 and 1988, winning seven primaries and four caucuses in 1988 — including Michigan.
“The Jackson effort in ’84 and ’88 has to be recognized as historic in the same way that we understand the Barack Obama effort,” said Stokes, whose class focuses on the Jackson campaigns relative to Obama’s. “One because Jackson, as The New York Times said at the time, Jackson was the first serious effort on the part of a black person to make a significant mark in terms of the Democratic Party and presidential politics in general.”
Like Obama, Stokes said Jackson ran a campaign based on change. Ultimately, though, the minor contributions he received from white supporters doomed his candidacy.
Obama had difficulty beating Democratic opponent Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., during the primary season in states with a large white working class, but Stokes said Obama has rallied a sizable band of white supporters, especially since he received the Democratic Party nomination.
What is also significant, Stokes said, is the level of student activism relative to Jackson’s campaign.
“Jackson had generated some white supporters and activity on campuses, but not anywhere near the level we’re now witnessing with regard to Barack Obama,” he said.
The beginning of the end?
If Obama is elected president, the United States will finally be rid of racism. The civil rights era will be at its end. Equality will radiate from the very ground Americans walk on.
This is what some members of the black community fear people will think if Obama is elected Nov. 4.
“I do have a concern that his election would lead to the belief that somehow we’re now officially in a post-racial society, when in fact it would mean nothing of the kind,” Stokes said.
“At most he’ll be there for eight years. The problems that black folks and brown folks and poor whites face in this country will not be resolved in any meaningful way by changing the face of the person who is in the White House.”
Tucker brings up the point that Obama hasn’t run away with the election. With the economy, wars and overall unpopular policies enacted for the past eight years, Obama still has yet to deliver a knockout blow to the McCain camp.
Why?
“It’s because he’s black,” she said.
“Just the other day CNN showed images of people at a McCain rally, and people had stuffed monkeys with Obama written on them, shouting ‘Osama Hussein’ and ‘Obama bin Laden’ and all this other stuff. If that’s what you see when you look at him, then how far have we really come?”
Commentary
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jp
(10/31/08 2:20am)Report
If Obama wins, he is really going to have to heal this country, and try to get the dems and repubs working together for the greater good of the US people, NOT special interest groups. and hopefully they can do this wiht a budget that doesn’t involve tax increases on more people (including the middle class) than they are already alledging.
JR
(10/31/08 4:40am)Report
Eh-Hmmm… forgot to mention that many Americans will vote for Obama primarily because he’s black. With the diversity of political beliefs in Case Hall, how was this perspective bypassed? In chat rooms and online gaming communities like xbox live, I’ve overheard a multitude of characters chanting ‘O-ba-ma’ over and again… and I ask why they are voting for him. Many of the responses are from high-school aged teens who aren’t of age to even vote; their parents have already pushed their political agendas on these kids, with no rhyme or reason. Many of them that I’ve come across are foul-mouthed and couldn’t defend their vote’s position if they could vote. I hope for the future of America that people who vote for either candidate have taken the time to truly understand what each candidate stands for… regardless of their own spin and campaign rhetoric.
Also, many of you are still in school and haven’t found your career job yet and haven’t begun paying taxes… but it will be a wake up call once you do start paying taxes and 25-30% or more comes out of your paycheck to help the aforementioned black and white ‘poor.’ Many of these people don’t contribute a dime towards taxes and end up getting tax credits for contributing zero to a mere fraction of what most working people put in. Obama’s tax plan, ‘Steal from the hard working, and give to the non-working’ is a sham and reduces the overall welfare of our economy and society. If you haven’t taken Macro Economics, I highly suggest you do… it might make better sense then.
For a good read on their economic plans
In case you missed it
(10/31/08 4:48am)Report
Isn’t today’s State News front page just another piece of campaign literature for the Obama camp? If you don’t feel they provide balanced coverage after the election, go in and ask for a refund of the money they automatically took out when you pay your tuition bill. You still gave them an interest-free loan for a few months… but at least you’re getting it back if you’re not satisfied.
From the univeristy refund policy: “Student government taxes, FM Radio tax, and The State News assessments are refundable upon presentation of the appropriate receipt at the respective organization’s office.”
drew
(10/31/08 9:16am)Report
Who cares if he is a “Black” man. It is 2008 and this is why we have all the problems with black and white in this county. Would people have different views of Obama if he was White? This country has serious problems caused by Bush! We need to stop saying people are black or white or the “Race” to the white house.
Jason
(10/31/08 9:26am)Report
What you are all missing is the fact that he is not JUST Black…have you seen pictures of his mother…he is also White…yes, he would be the first “serious” contender to be president, but he is Black AND White…I think his personal diversity only serves to help his view of both White and Black America.
SoCal Spartan
(10/31/08 12:31pm)Report
Ebony and Ivory living together in perfect harmony.
That just sounds good, and yes people are not voting for him due to race. It’s simply who he is and what he stands for. The race stuff shows that people back there listen to the Oxycontin ADDICT Rush “fatso” Limbaugh and believe that caniving piece of crap. They should get rid of him, ie ban him from the radio!
Joe
(10/31/08 1:53pm)Report
And how many people are voting for John McCain simply because he’s white (or not black)?
Hey Joe
(10/31/08 2:21pm)Report
And how many people are voting for John McCain simply because he’s white (or not black)?
Joe, that actually isn’t a bad question really as it might reveal if some of the minority groups in this country truly for equality in this country because let’s not forget that racism is a two way street. I would hope that most aren’t voting against McCain just simply because he is white but rather because they don’t agree with him on issues and such.
…the Oxycontin ADDICT Rush “fatso” Limbaugh and believe that caniving piece of crap. They should get rid of him, ie ban him from the radio!
No can do SoCal! As much as I hate that fear-mongering asshole he does have the right to freedom of speech. If we start censoring that idiot and others like him the question is where do we stop.
Tim
(10/31/08 3:41pm)Report
JR- Your evidence that blacks are going to vote for Obama based solely on race is conversations you have head on x-box live with anonymous teenage kids? I hope that was some sort of joke. There are so many assumptions one has to make to get to your conclusion it’s absurd to even call it a conclusion.
The tax system has always been progressive and one of the Earned Income Credit which gives money back to low income taxpayers was implemented by Ronald Reagan. Nothing about Obama’s plan is particularly new, revolutionary or socialist. That you haven’t figured that out, combined with the idiocy of the conclusions you have drawn reflects poorly on your critical thinking skills.
JR
(11/01/08 12:28am)Report
Hey Joe, good point – there are definitely people of all races who pass judgment solely on race. Undoubtedly there will be people voting for Obama because he’s part black, and McCain because he’s not black. It’s a pretty sad state of affairs, but it still goes on. And for people, of any race or color, who vote for someone based on their color is scum to me. I hope most people at least vote for a candidate based on their past history on the issues instead of their political spin on the issues right now. There are websites all over the place knocking every candidate for one thing or another but this was the primary example I could think of so don’t get your panties all in a bunch. http://www.gunbanobama.com/
Timmy, my evidence is exactly what you called it, evidence. Go take a class on propositional logic and logical connectives and then come talk to me pal. The propositions are as follows:
P: Voting for obama because he’s black
Q: One person is P
R: It is true, a person (and perhaps more) are P
Does that make more sense? You must go to UofM. (only kidding, I hope you don’t). Seriously, if you don’t think this occurs than tell me under what rock you’ve been inhabiting so that I may tell others where to go who have blinders on.
The tax system has always been progressive? As in making progress… by who’s definition, yours Mr. Webster? I don’t blame you for the misinformation, I had to look it up… EIC was implemented in 1975, and Reagan expanded it a decade later. Now it has nothing to do with earned income… it has to do with dependencies which has nothing to do with earning income. Regardless, to most sensible and hard working individuals who pay a third of their paychecks to taxes every month, the tax system is a sham. Unless of course if you’re a proponent of the Obama plan ‘there’s nothing wrong with redistribution of wealth’ or McCain’s stupid Earned Income Credit expansion and don’t pay into taxes, then it’s a great system. Hell, you don’t even have to work and you can live practically for free. “What’s that… if I have more babies then I get even more tax credits from the government? Well what if I can’t take care of them? It doesn’t matter? oh ok… “ It’s a load of crap. If you can only answer one question for me, answer this one: why should I and many other Americans contribute (or have taken from us, whichever way you want to look at it) our hard earned wages to pay for a free ride for people who are either lazier, less educated, baby-factories, or just have never had instilled in them the concept of hard work. I’ve worked minimum wage jobs, and I didn’t complain about what I made or expect people who made more than me to give me extra money. It’s called an entitlement-mentality and it’s disgusting. I never claimed either of their economic plans to be new, revolutionary, or socialist… now you’re making assumptions about me. But they are both ridiculous. Well, I’m done here. I don’t know that this will be understood or appreciated anyway. Next time you want to assume things about me, attack or insult me, Tim, you should do it in person like an honorable gentlemen, instead of an internet tough guy. ;)
Julius Holmes
(11/01/08 12:56am)Report
The bottom line is this. Why is it such a big issue if people are voting for obama because he is black. Everyday black men are stopped, wrongfully imprisoned and racially profiled. I am a black man who is a hard working citizen and ive been stopped by police since i was nine years old. Yet and still most of society won’t even come out to condemn these practices that have occurred to me because I am black. Most say the police are just doing their job. Im all for informed voting, but lets see the fairness in the issue. When black people vote for someone because they are black, they are the worst people in the world. Four years ago when george bush won, people largely voted for him because he was a “christian” When bush won all you could hear from the conservative right was how this was a great day for america. It didn’t matter to them that bush based off religon. But now all they want to do is criticize blacks for doing the same thing. Im all for informed voting, but don’t dog black people for stuff white people have been doing since the conception of this country. People make think im making a race issue out of this but its common sense. It all has to do with social norms on how people construe what is right and wrong. Often time this beliefs are fueled by color. Another example of this was this week. When black people cheered the aquittal of oj simpson back in 95 they were heavily criticized for this. However when convicted alaskan senator ted stevens came home he had a party waiting for him in his air craft hanger. Yet you didn’t hear O’reily or hannity condemning this. Botton line is this. If you don’t like the fact that people are voting for obama cause hes black you should be equally offended when someone suffers injustice because of skin color. If you are not..then shut up, because you really show how full of it you are.
SpartyBen
(11/01/08 1:51am)Report
Julius Holmes, voting for someone because of their religious beliefs is different than race, because religion is something that an adult can choose to believe. It is a lifestyle, a culture, and a state of mind. People that vote based on religion are making a statement, and they hope that the candidate would do the same things and make the same decisions for this country as they would.
That’s the reason for voting, you want the candidate to do what is best for you and your family, so you choose someone with similar THINKING, not similar skin.
Voting strictly on race is wrong, because the voter and the candidate did not CHOOSE to be the same race, and being the same race, as wrong as you may think this statement is, DOES NOT tie you to that person in ANY WAY. You are not part of Obama’s family, your family likely did not descend from the same area, or even the same country as his. You have nothing in common at all, other than the fact that the sun’s rays were stronger and more direct in the areas that your ancestors were from. If you and your family continued to live in Michigan for hundreds and hundreds of years, they would eventually be white.
Unless of course you believe in the same things that he believes in. I.E. giving money to people that didn’t earn it; take money from people that work hard for it; make the government really big, and make tons of laws that RESTRICT actions;
I don’t look at skin color when judging a person or when voting. I realize that the sun is strong in some areas of the world, and that humans adapt to their conditions. I also realize that it doesn’t make a person different or better. Everyone needs to start voting with their minds and their pocketbooks. If only we were all blind.
Julius Holmes
(11/01/08 3:48am)Report
Ben…voting for someone based race is NO different from religon. If someone is voting for someone because of race..i guarantee you the person assumes that the person of the same race shares beliefs and cultural connection. IF you don’t believe me go ask black people to vote for alan keys or ward connerly because they are black. I guarantee you 90 of blacks would laugh at you in your face. Voting for religon is actually worse, seeing as though being a christian is particulary non specific. They’re are jehovahs witnesses, catholics, mormans, baptists, methodist, and penecostals that all claim to be christian. How did the public know what kind of denominational christian george bush was? They didnt, and you are the exactly the kind of person i was refering to. Using your logic you said
It is a lifestyle, a culture, and a state of mind. People that vote based on religion are making a statement, and they hope that the candidate would do the same things and make the same decisions for this country as they would.
The same thing applies for race. Its a lifestyle, a culture and a state of mind.People like alan keys and ward connerly aren’t even considered black by most african americans even though their skin says otherwise. If black people were just looking for a black face to vote for why didn’t they elect alan keys when he ran for president, or when he ran against obama in the 2004 illinois senator race. Race goes deeper than skin color, so to say voting for religon is different than voting because of race means you are seriously flawed. If obama was a black conservative i guarantee you most black people would be turned off to him, and his skin color wouldn’t matter. When blacks are voting for obama they are doing the same things conservatives did in 04. They want him to remember their struggle and try and better their lives. Just like conservatives wanted bush to push their ideologies. ITS NO DIFFERENCE!! The fact of the matter is alot of blacks like me relate to his struggle and thats just something most presidential candidates in general can not relate to. (no fault of their own)
Im glad YOU DO NOT look at skin color as a prerequisite for voting for someone. I commend you. Just know one thing. For just as many people who are voting for obama because he is black, there are an equal amount (if not more) who aren’t voting for him becuase hes black. I know youve seen the mccain rallies were people are in the crowd calling him “nigger” or come to the rallie with a curious george monkey with a noose around the neck saying “this is my barack obama monkey. If you don’t believe me look on youtube. You will see them all. If people are appalled that people are voting for obama because he is black, people should be equally appaled that people aren’t voting for him because he’s black. ITs a matter of simple fairness (sorry for any typos)
LansingTrucker
(11/02/08 4:40am)Report
No matter who wins We the American people are in a world of hurt, Obama say a tax break. But the AP say there is no way possible for his plans to work. Both are going to hurt this Country, Obama will cause more problems the good. Lets face it he sit in a racist Black Church for 20 plus years, and says he didn’t hear the racist spurs by this racist Black Pastor. That is like attenting k-12 without learning your ABC’s, but the liberal media let him get away with it.
Let’s not look at the dollars he (Obama) took for Fannie May, who named the top two dollar raisers as Dobb and Obama.
Ok Obama said lets share the worth, I say we start with the 600 Million he raised to run for President.
Julius Holmes
(11/02/08 2:15pm)Report
Lansing Trucker….Please name one thing the rev jerimiah wright said that was racist and implied that blacks were superior to whites. If anything what wright was saying was the truth. No one complains when conservatives use the bible to create the image that this is a christian country and that god is just and so in love with the UNITED STATES. No one complains when we sing god bless america. All wright was doing was using the bible to show gods actual stance on any nation that continues in unrighteouness. All wright was saying was that god will judge the u.s. and thats only the exacty opposite of what christians have been saying when they claimed it was gods will for them to remove natives off their land and sieze the country by murder and violence. Was Wrights message controversial?? YES…Racist…far from it. Be fair if god can bless american why can’t he judge it??