Of the insane number of expectations that have been foisted upon President-elect Obama, one of the ones he didn’t self-create is the idea that his presidency will somehow open the eyes of the lost and allow them to believe that they, too, can achieve anything if they would only put their minds to it. Charles Barkley suggested it a while ago, and I thought it was an interesting perspective, but back then…well, suffice it to say that I didn’t know we’d be here now. At any rate, for some reason, it’s actually surprising to me that people wanna hitch their personal wagons to President-elect Obama, as if his win two weeks ago means something specific for their personal lives. Like it’s supposed to give them hope that they did not have before. That’s shaky enough as it is, but shakier still is the idea that it’s actually gonna do something to their decision-making process.
From a Reuters article: “The only way that he (Obama) can make a substantial change is if he addresses things like poverty and joblessness and those deep pervasive factors that affect black boys and men,” said film maker Byron Hurt.
Word? The President is supposed to do something about poverty, joblessness, and the deep pervasive factors…? That sounds to me like some very specific, very individualized actions, not the general result of broad policy decisions. I mean, it was funny on the Richard Pryor show, when everybody was asking the new Black president what he was gonna do about such-and-such, as if the President actually controls any of those situations. Well, Ms. RO-berta DA-vies did ask a legit question about who he’d name as the head of the FBI, but the other cats, talkin about whether there’d be more Black astronauts, or Black quarterbacks in the League, of course the President can’t do anything about that stuff. But like I said, that was on the Richard Pryor show, so it was funny. The not-so-funny thing is that there are people who actually believe something similar; like the fact that the President is Black actually means something in their day-to-day lives.
I’m reminded of that scene in the 10 Commandments when Joshua said to Moses, “Stand at the top of the rock so the people can see you and have hope.” But Moses standin on the rock wasn’t actually gonna move the people. They still had to walk. Unfortunately, I think that there are still folks who think President Obama is gonna magically levitate them somewhere. Hope is wonderful and it can be a sustaining force, but hope without action is pretty much dead. And maybe I’m being pessimistic about this, but my guess is that most of the people who were bojanglin this time last month are still bojanglin. The result from two Tuesdays ago ain’t gon’ change that. What’s more, I’m not sure if hope isn’t like self-confidence in that it’s something that can’t be given, only self-generated. Certainly, there can be incidents that can cause a person to generate more hope, but I’m thinking that hope probably has to come from inside, otherwise it’s just a good speech or inspiring performance.
Honestly, I hope I’m wrong. I hope jokers look at somethin, anything, and decide that they want to get it together. But to act like everything’s supposed to change because of one man is unfair to him and robs the people of agency.
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What a President projects is often just as important as his actions. Offering a vision, a direction where the people are to follow — as abstract as it can be — is a big part of the job. That’s not saying the President can get by on bullsh*t and a smile, but that he must be cogniscent of the position’s symbolism as well as its authority.
I have a small concern that like seemingly everything in our post-industrialized, brand-name addled, anti-intellectual consumer culture, that a healthy cross-section of Americans will take their cues from the hype and create false expectations for judging President Barry rather than act themselves on his lead. I’m already seeing and hearing rumblings about how his election affects Black (insert demographic of choice here), and it’s not yet Inauguration Day.
It’s OK to be excited about Obama’s win. I just say let’s not smother his potential with our dreams.
Our local public radio station did interviews the night of the election, and they managed to catch some kids and parents.
One thing that stood out was a kid saying that maybe she really *could* be anything she wanted, even president.
His election will not make people do anything. It won’t change everything as you said. But just maybe it will allow a couple kids to think that their future isn’t as closed as they thought it was.
Yes, that is self-generated, but sometimes easier to see a future for yourself if you can see that someone else did it. Being first is hard. It sometimes means doing twice as much work just to keep even. But if someone else is first, maybe the work isn’t quite as daunting for those who come after.
But maybe that’s just me.
i agree with both of y’all, and i think that my concern is most centrally located in what mib described as buying into the hype of obama vs. following his lead. it’s great to feel the goodness of the moment, but it’s also important to recognize the astounding amount of work that it took for him to get there. i guess the caveat is that the fact that it can be done doesn’t mean it would be significantly easier for the next person.
kinda tangential, but i don’t know that i could be one of those “first-Blacks.” nahmeen, technically speaking, i have been, but that was kinda by accident. to go into a situation knowing i’ma be the first and/or only black dude there? probably not.
For all the talk about kids everywhere believing they can be anything due to Obama’s win, just remember he is an Ivy League grad, meaning he has some intellectual chops.
I don’t see a need to fret over expectations. In the first place, people started to call Obama things like “the one” or “the messiah” derisively, and calling his supporters things line “mindless Obamatrons.” All of that was done to obscure the fact that he is a skilled politician who went places with his campaign not previously even conceived.
Secondly, in his sleep, he couldn’t be worse than the president whom he will succeed. If whatever happens in the next presidential term can be laid at Obama’s feet, what happened in the past presidential term is squarely on Bush. He was not up to the task of the presidency, yet the punditrazzi is already jumping ahead to 2012.
Finally, it really is up to the people in the streets, neighborhoods, community centers and such to press forward. I consider myself a grassroots brother, and finally feel like one of mine is in the White House. (Obama said he used to live in an apartment near Harold’s Chicken Shack!) So it’s up to me to make his presidency work, not some $200k-a-year cabinet member.
Here’s my thing….
I’ve dealt with, and seen from “the inside,” the morass that is the federal government. It won’t change because the “lifers” just have to hunker down for 4 or 8 years and they have an administration change, and can continue to do what they want to do.
Whatever,dude.Anyway,as a real-life Brad doll with a muscular,beefy build-I’m 5-9,218 lb.-a de-
sire to become a Country singer/songwriter and,because a lot of the local-Windsor,Ont.,Can.-
ladies believe I resemble a handsome black cowboy,aspiring big-and-or small-screen actor
(of course,as a handsome,VERY lusty older black lad-55,56 July 6;said to look between 35 and 40!!!!-I’m into buxom blondes!!!),I have no desire to be a grass-roots brother!!!!(I’ll toss in my 154 IQ along with my other attributes,and you’ll understand why I reject that stereotypical
descripion.)