I was on the elliptical when I saw that Obama was going to speak this morning. I read his speech as it was delivered on CNN.
I must say that this speech was one of the greatest speeches I've ever heard on race by a politician in my lifetime. You don't have to like Obama's policy to like 95% of this speech. Words fall short in describing it. What he said was true and beautiful and pointed. His indictment was not simply for his former pastor, but for his white grandmother who has said racist things as well. His refusal to simply right people off, for political reasons, be it his pastor or his grandmother points toward a new way of thinking about the messiness of race.
I think of my own extended family when over Christmas, one family member says something like, "I've got to stay true to my southern roots. A black man running. not voting for him. can't vote for a black man. next. A woman. not voting for a woman. next. a white man. sounds good.
This is a family member who's comments are racist, sexist and down right insidious, and they are a part of the family. We live with the tension. But I'm not willing to see the world as static.
Listen to the speech. His comments about the church are incredible alone. About the wisdom and ignorance, the good and bad, all present with the church was very observant as well.
Here's a transcript of the speech.
I'm so tired of the race issue. I am so saddenned by the ignorance all around. Your family situation seems like the norms, sadly, for even many "Christians."
ReplyDeleteDid you see his interview on Nightline last night when he talked about that he knew at some point he was going to have to talk about race.
sidebar: I only caught a piece of his speech today about iraq and I really wanted to hear about that too.