Obama and Race

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/19/us/politics/19obama.html?_r=1&scp=6&sq=&st=nyt&oref=slogin

The issue of race in this presidential election has become a major concern for the potential Democratic Presidential candidate, Barack Obama. Being the child of an African American father and a white mother puts Obama in the middle of this seemingly never ending debate. Obama apprehended this topic quickly in the middle of March, just five weeks before the long awaited Pennsylvania primary, where he addressed the people of Philadelphia in a blinding thirty-seven minute speech. During his speech, Obama condemned the words spoken by this former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., and sought to bring about a change to race and racial division in our country. Obama is a presidential candidate for the people, by the people and wants to see this country succeed not only in terms of foreign policy, but in social controversies that have become more obtrusive in the preceding years.

Throughout his campaign, Obama has tried to put the topic of race aside because he does not want to be defined by the color of his skin but rather by his ideas and stances he has for the future of the nation. After Reverend Wright’s controversial words that claimed the government was full of prejudice, Obama was forced to finally tackle this tricky topic. He tried to convey to both African Americans and white citizens the different sides of the spectrum of race. He illustrated for the Caucasian population the spite that his former reverend felt and to the black voters he tried to create an illusion of “the sources of racial fears and resentments of among whites.” Obama, being a mix of both races, sees how both sides of the racial debate suffer with racial issues and prejudices.

Race has been a prominent matter for hundreds of years, and there are still racial divides and prejudice sweeping the nation today. In his speech, Obama articulated, “The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have been 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.” Finally, a candidate worries more for the well being of the American people and wants to see this nation succeed in social terms rather than focus on how intimidating our military prevails. The formula for a strong nation is to make the people educated, healthy, and socially aware and sadly in the United States the majority of citizens are none of the above and Barack Obama is aware of this.

Guns vs. Butter is a term used throughout the studies of political science and sociology. The basis is the fight for which is more important for a nation, the guns for war and national security or the social issues that sweep the nation, such as racial and educational issues. Our current president George W. Bush appears to be more concerned with the military aspect but a country not only needs guns but also needs to have its people healthy, educated, and integrated. Obama related in his speech that, “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 educations, or the need to find good jobs for every American.” Obama realizes that as a leader of this country he will have to solve the topic of race before dealing with other domestic matters.

Barack Obama is a candidate that knows for a country to succeed we need to formulate solutions for the domestic problems before facing issues concerning foreign policy. If a country is full of uneducated, racially divided people but has a strong military, the country will be economically unsuccessful. In this time when the American economy is slowly failing, the military needs to be second to the racial and education issues because the strong the people within the country, the stronger the nation worldwide. Obama sees that change is needed and the time for change is now because America needs change, not only with foreign policy and bring home the troops, but with social issues that hit closer to home. Obama for America, America for Obama.