Another look at Social Psychology: We often times refer to different American "experiences" based on our socioeconomic status. In February, Michelle Obama was criticized and called "anti-American" for a comment she made. Below is the quote she made followed by an article written by Leonard Pitts.
''For the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change.'' -- Michelle Obama, Feb. 18, 2008
I always thought I understood what Michelle Obama was trying to say.
You are familiar, of course, with what she actually did say, which is quoted above. It provided weeks of red meat for her husband's opponents, who took to making ostentatious proclamations of their own unwavering pride in country.
But again, I think I know what the lady meant to say. Namely, that with her husband, this brown-skinned guy with the funny name, making a credible run for the highest office in the land, she could believe, for the first time, that ''we the people'' included her.
It is, for African Americans, an intoxicating thought almost too wonderful for thinking. Yet, there it is. And here we are, waking up this morning to find Barack Obama president-elect of these United States.
In a sense, it is unfair -- to him, to us -- to make Tuesday's election about race. Whatever appeal Obama may have had to African Americans and white liberals eager to vote for a black candidate, is, I believe, dwarfed by his appeal to Americans of all stripes who have simply had enough of the politics of addition by division as practiced by Karl Rove and his disciples, enough of the free floating anger, the holiday from accountability, the nastiness masquerading as righteousness, the sheer intellectual dishonesty, that have characterized the era of American politics that ends here.
But in the end, after all that, there still is race.
And it would be a sin against our history, a sin against John Lewis and Viola Liuzzo, against James Reeb and Lyndon Johnson, against Fannie Lou Hamer and Martin Luther King, against all those everyday heroes who marched, bled and died 40 years ago to secure black people's right to vote, not to pause on this pinnacle and savor what it means. It would be a sin against our generations, against slaves and freedmen, against housemen and washerwomen, against porters and domestics, against charred bodies hanging in southern trees, not to be still and acknowledge that something has happened here and it is sacred and profound.
For most of the years of the American experiment, ''we the people'' did not include African Americans. We were not included in ''we.'' We were not even included in ``people.''
What made it galling was all the flowery words to the contrary, all the perfumed lies about equality and opportunity. This was, people kept saying, a nation where any boy might grow up and become president. Which was only true, we knew, as long as it was indeed a boy and as long as the boy was white.
But as of today, we don't know that anymore. What this election tells us is that the nation has changed in ways that would have been unthinkable, unimaginable, flat out preposterous, just 40 years ago. And that we, black, white and otherwise, better recalibrate our sense of the possible.
There was something bittersweet in watching Michelle Obama lectured on American pride this year, in seeing African Americans asked to prove their Americanness when our ancestors were in this country before this country was. There was something in it that was hard to take, knowing that we have loved America when America did not love us, defended America when it would not defend us, believed in American ideals that were larger than skies, yet never large enough to include us.
We did this. For years unto centuries, we did this. Because our love for this country is deep and profound. And complicated and contradictory. And cynical and hard.
Now it has delivered us to this singular moment.
Barack Obama is president-elect of the United States.
And we the people should be proud.
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16 comments:
I'M TO IS PROUD OF THIS COUNTRY AND HOW WE COULD MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE-POSSIBLE AND WHAT WE HAVE OF SACRIFICED AND FOUGHT TO LIVE UP TO THE NEW MEANING OF EQUALITY AND OPPORTUNITIES.THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR NEW CHANGE,THERE ARE MANY CHALLENGES THAT HAS TO BE OVERCOMED.RACE MAY STILL BE THE ISSUE UNTIL THE END OF TIME; BUT WE NOW CAN APPLY OURSELVES AS THE PEOPLE
I BELIEVE THAT KNOW BARACK OBAMA IS THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT ALOT OF THINGS
WILL BECOME HARDER FOR SOME BLACK AFRICAN AMERICANS..BARACK HAS ALOT OF PRESSURE NOT BECAUSE HE HAS WON THE ELECTION BUT BECAUSE SEGRATION!!!
In my opinion I feel as though we are still not apart of "We the people." However Michelle Obama's statement makes perfect since she's entitled to her own feelings as well as opinions. She simply feels that there is no previous president of her adult hood that made her feel included or involved in "we the people" of America. I believe she feels this way because she knows the changes Barack wants to make an even sees the change hes going to make. And those changes lets her know she is apart of "we the people."
in history as that ever happen for black people to become president in U.S.A .And now it happens.so at that point I can quicly remind myself about Martin Luther'dream, even he died but his dream 's continued to pursue. so me as a black person I don't really find myself capable to explain how joyful and proud I am for what was happened on november 4th and it becomes one of my memories day
Michelle Obama was not wrong in saying what she said. She was entitled to her own opinions and she showed her pride in the country, as well as her husband. She is encouraged and hopeful that change will take place. I agree with what LaToya said. A little over a decade ago no one thought we would have a black president ("And though it seems heaven sent/We ain't ready to have a black president" -Tupac). Now the game has changedd.
It makes no sense whatsoever to call Michelle Obama an Anti-American for that comment. Exactly what Ms. Valdez said, she can finally include herself in " We the people". And looking even deeper into to it. When her children go to school learn of the preamble and Constitution they actually apply it to their lives. Through the ages of American history, African-Americans weren't considered people at one point. Then followed the name of a fundamental. Now that we can finally consider ourselves people, we're publicly labeled Anti-American. Mrs. Obama was accurate in saying what she said. I'm not if she meant it generally or just herself, but I agree with what she said.
First things first: Michelle Obama is HOT. Second thing, this is definitely just one of other steps in trying to have our people REALLY seen as equal. No doubt that there is still race issues in this country, but Obama has shaken up things for the better of not just African-Americans/Blacks, but for all. It's just going to take a little more to finally get it through some "knuckleheads" that still don't believe that we have rights too. And there has to be some consideration on the past civil rights leaders and how they have helped to get us where we are today.
There it goes again the media trying to twist someone elses words when they clearly know what she means. She is trying to say that America has changed 100 years ago if you told anyone white or black that on November 4, 2008 we would have our first black president they would have laughed at you or even killed you. So we have comed a long way since then where it is possible to have a african american president.
I feel Obama winning the has made different expectations for african americans, we will probably stopped being seen as gangsters and thugs by certian idiots, will be expected to do things for our comunities and country. Michelle Obama did nothing wrong expressing the pride that grew in her towards her country aqnd the joy she has that the country will actually except a black president in the white house.
Even though she said that I don't think she's right because we still aren't being treated fairly. No matter what even her and Barack now especially that he's president he will still be getting a lot of negative treatment. We were never part of the people according to white people, and I don't know what can be done to change that. They don't know how it felt with all of those years of slavery. Even if they give us reparation, they still can't sympathize, it's just like psychology. If you don't know what it feels like you'll keep doing it.
I think the only solution is to put the white people through what our ancestors went through.
IM DEAD A@# SERIOUS!!!
I believe that Michelle Obama has all the right to say what she said. She felt like she wasn't quite included into America but worKed for America. To see the change that has taken place, Michelle now feels this sence of place within the very place she lives in. I agree with Michelle and the statement she made, I now feel like "YES WE ARE HERE AND WE CAN BE THAT CHANGE U.S.A NEEDS." we, as Black Americans, are that change that America craves for. And to be black and in damand, I think change has truely come.
Now that Barack Obama is President things will change for the better and for the worse. More job opportuunities will arrive, more job opportunities and gas prices will decrease. These type of things make the people of America happy and they are pleased with the fact that Barack Obama is in office. However, things will become harder for African Americans. More hostility and hate will be put towards the African Americans. There are still those who are unsatisfied with the turnout. The fact that Barack Obama is President eats away at the heart and souls of the people who are unhappy. They will take out their anger on African Americans.
Wow! I can't believe that Michelle Obama's comment drew so much attention when in fact all it was saying was the honest truth. The article then broke down her words even further, giving greater clarity and more understanding than before. It caused me to think back to all the stories I've heard of our people being lynched for no apparent reason, being beaten in the streets and sprayed by water hoses for protesting for what they believed was right. I too, for the first time in my life, feel proud of my country for actually standing together on something where race is no longer considered a boundary when it comes to unity. I hope that this time around,"We the People" actually means "We the People" because whether you want to believe it or not, our survival as a nation depends entirely on us standing together for the greater good of us all!
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