As always, there are critics to anything President Obama does, but I think a key element is underappreciated in examining his speech to the NAACP. There is a monumental difference in a Black President making these remarks. A BLACK PRESIDENT... The simple act of his ascension to this office sweeps away generations of cobwebs around the tired bromides of "being all you can be" and "working hard can take you wherever you desire!" Sure there was some boilerplate tough love pulpit talk, but only THIS President could deliver it and speak it to power.
He was raised by a single mother (and her parents)... how many of our children can resonate with that? He came from modest surroundings...check. Experimented with drugs/petty crime as an escape... check. Stumbled through his early college years... check. Attended an Ivy league school where he got his act together... wait a minute!
You mean after being abandoned by your father, struggling to make ends meet, trying weed and blow, playing basketball, wandering academically AND BEING BLACK you could STILL become POTUS? That's a game-changing story. I'm sorry, it just is.
Yes, it was a bit jarring to hear him slip into sermon mode (the most "Blackity Black" I've heard him since the campaign began); however, the subtext of what he was saying reminded me about Chris Rock's classic joke about folks in the 'hood sweeping their porches.
Some claim that his admonitions regarding "bedtimes" and "Xbox," are overly simplistic; however, he offered similar advice during the gas crisis to almost universal GOP derision... Inflate your tires to get better gas mileage. Was it a master solution to the entire escalation of fuel prices? No. But keeping your tires properly inflated DOES IMPROVE YOUR MILEAGE... and its really easy... and it's free. "Bedtime and Xbox" is shorthand for being a more engaged parent and directing your children to make better use of their time.
It's not a cureall, but it ain't a bad thing.
No President is perfect and I am confounded (almost daily) by some of the tone-deaf moves he makes in the face of other brilliant overtures. Nevertheless, I think his NAACP speech was important and offered some instantly implementable strategies for our most at-risk populations. Going forward, he also stressed the importance of civic engagement, working for our shared goals and other longer term ideals.
I think it was inspiring. I think there's nothing wrong with exhorting our people to struggle against the inequities and overcome them rather than being defined and defeated by them. America's problem with race is far from solved, but changing from within will make US better, regardless of external forces. That's my take away from the President's comments.
Comments