It's pretty certain that whenever President Barack Obama speaks, he's going to receive some sort of criticism. When he speaks on the economic crisis, some feel he's pandering to the wealthy under the guise of caring about the poor. When he speaks on jobs, many feel he's saying what needs to be said while playing politics with his opponents. And while opinions when it comes to the political aspect of these topics and others like it can be argued either way, sometimes politics doesn't play a part. Or, at least, it shouldn't.
Obama's comments on Trayvon Martin last week was a candid look into a man who wasn't just addressing the nation not as the first Black President of these United States of America. He was speaking as a Black man who grew up during a time when racial tension in this country was at a peak. As the son of a Black man from Nigeria and white woman from the U.S., the challenges Obama faced growing up can be compared to many who grew up during that time. In some cases, as a person of mixed heritage, Obama more than likely faced criticism from not only white Americans but from Blacks as well. So in addressing the topic of race in this country and by saying "Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago", he broached the topic from an interesting angle. Not only has he experienced the "door lock" and "purse clutching" scenarios, he grew up with people (his grandparents, both white) who may have at one time or another felt threatened by Black people, particularly Black males. As the nation's first Black President, I'm sure he's encountered episodes of racial discrimination, either directly or indirectly. When dealing with our nations politicians, mostly old white men who may have at one time supported racial discrimination, the specter of racism looms heavily in the background. So, in my opinion, there was no better person to speak directly to the nation on this particular subject than President Obama.
Not surprisingly, his detractors would disagree. Directly after his comments were aired live from the briefing room inside the White House, the news shows were on fire. One guest said that Obama's comments were inappropriate, given the fact that protests over the George Zimmerman's 'Not Guilty' verdict were due to take place the very next day. He went as far as to say that his comment were giving those protesters the green light to be violent. Others agreed, saying that Obama was intentionally trying to further divide the country along racial lines. It was even said that Obama made those comments not as the President for all Americans, but as the President for Black people. The criticism seemed to be politically and racially charged, with the racial aspect probably weighing heavily on the political opinions of some of those who felt like Obama had crossed the line.
Presidents have often made comments regarding issues not directly related to the White House or to the day to day running of the country. It's always been a sensitive area because many people feel that the opinions of politicians regarding the day to day lives of Americans are usually out of touch with the reality we all face. While this can be said to be true in some cases, this is a unique situation where President Obama knew the reality in which he was speaking of. In fact, he knew it well. He faces it everyday. But it was more than Obama just making comments in defense of Black America. This was the leader of what is considered to be the greatest nation in the world by many, trying to give some insight into why many Black Americans were saddened and angered over the Trayvon Martin case. This was a Black president trying to explain to a nation of many races the feelings that most Black Americans have regarding race in this country. When the slaves were brought to America, they were viewed as savages, mainly because of the way they were presented on the slave trading blocks. They spoke a language unfamiliar to white Americans of the time. They were stripped of their dignity and their clothing, reduced to an almost animal like demeanor purposely to keep the distinction of the superiority of the white man, similar to what was done to the Native Americans earlier in history. Through the generations, as Black people came up through society, that imagery hasn't really changed much. Sure, we have a Black President, but young Black men are still viewed as "savages". This opinion is evident in the comments that have been made in criticism of the protests that have taken place. Comments such as "Black people kill Black people everyday," and "You have Black men killing Black children in Chicago" show how some white Americans still view Black people, especially males, in that inferior cast. The fear of rioting was pronounced. Even if you just look at the way Zimmerman's defense attorneys aggressively painted Trayvon Martin as this "wannabe gangster" or thug looking for a fight, it shows that there are still many Americans that accept this view of Black men in America as the norm and see Black men like President Obama as an anomaly. Even Black Americans are guilty of a similar perception, surprised that a presidential candidate like, then candidate, Obama even existed. Some Black (and white) comedians used that notion as punchline fodder (Katt Williams said: "You mean to tell me he don't have no baby mama drama, don't owe nobody $5!", etc.). So when Obama took it upon himself to address what can be seen as the incident that may cause another American racial divide, it was more than appropriate. It was necessary.
Obama also questioned the Stand Your Ground law, which was also met with ire. As a lawyer, Obama knows the law and should be able to speak on it freely. But politicians and citizens alike felt it was out of line for a President to question a law of the land, much like Lincoln drew the ire of many during that time when he questioned slavery. But if the President, with and extensive knowledge of law, can't question questionable laws in this country, then who can? In Florida, the Stand Your Ground law, is vague at best. It leaves too much room for interpretation on when it can and cannot be used. So much so that the defense team that represented George Zimmerman didn't use the law as a defense, but they alluded to it in their claim that Zimmerman felt like he had to use deadly force to defend himself against Trayvon Martin. The jurors, at least by the account of juror B29, could not convict Zimmerman based on the law, even though some of them felt that he was guilty of murder. The law, which states in part, "...a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.." seems to cover a broad variety of possibilities, without necessarily leaving any burden of responsibility on the person defending themselves. In Zimmerman's case, the fact that Trayvon Martin was killed gave the defense too much liberty to craft the perfect story, based on the law. B29 even went as far as to say, according to the law, the case should have never gone to trail. Many Americans, Black and white have questioned the law and it's application to this case. But by it being questioned by the President, who happens to be Black and who seems to sympathize with those who disagree with the verdict, his questioning was inappropriate to some.
By questioning the law, and all Obama said was that it needs to be looked into (along with, surprisingly, John McCain), the President presented a national opportunity for people to understand how Black people in this country view the judicial system as a whole. Historically, the system hasn't worked too favorably for Black Americans when compared to white Americans. While this case involved two minorities, with Zimmerman being Hispanic, many have tried to deflect the racial aspect away from the case. Obama's comments were intended to draw attention to perceptions and feelings not just of Black America, but of white America, too. While many Black Americans would most certainly agree with his comments, some white Americans would disagree. While I am not going to claim to know exactly why some white Americans disagree, I honestly think it's less about disagreeing and more about wanting to believe that race is no longer a problem in America. Sure, you don't have Black people being hung from trees and there are no longer "white only" designations. You see more interracial couples now more than ever. And, as previously mentioned, we do have a Black President. While these represent some sort of progress, it is far from a sign that racism has been exterminated. While many Americans of many nationalities may or may not approve of the job that Obama is doing as President, those who do not approve have often taken to comments with intense racial overtones. There have been slogans such as "Let's Take America back!" which may mean one thing to a white person but mean something entirely different to a Black person. In fact, many things that can either be said or done can mean one thing to white America and mean something else to someone who is not white or in, some cases, not American. There was a time in this country when the "American Dream" did not apply to non-white Americans. To see a slogan such as "Let's Reclaim the American Dream!" in opposition to the current administration, it's hard for me as a Black American to not feel a way about that.
Looking forward it's safe to say, as unfortunate as it may seem, that we will probably not see another Black President for some time. While there are no current Black candidates that seem poised for a successful run at the White House, the stigma that has been placed on Barack Obama's current administration may leave future Black candidates wondering if they want to go through what Obama has and will go through for the rest of his 2nd term. There has been a lot of political wrangling in Washington during Obama's time in office, with many politicians vowing to say no to everything he proposes and to repeal as many laws as they can. This may translate to some voters that having a Black president is too polarizing and causes more trouble than what it's worth. In any case, having a Black president now, one that can speak to the issues of race, perceptions of Black and white Americans and the need for all Americans to work together to form a better Union, is uniquely important for our time. Whether it works or not is a different story.
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