Quotations and Literature Forum

Well folks, here we are. A mere day before the inauguration of Barack Obama as America's 44th president. Everyone you hear on the news, on the streets, pretty much everywhere is talking about how much of a huge step forward this is for the civil rights movement as it exists in modern America. We talk about how much we are so proud of our country, and of the new generation for looking past race and seeing a man for what he is.

But in our minds, who is Barack Obama really? Is he a young, slightly idealistic senator from Illinois who won the election based on his ideas and merits? Or is he America's first BLACK president-elect? How is it that we can sit and look at Obama, and be so proud of the color-blindness of our families and friends, when in our minds the first thing that comes to mind in connection to the name 'Obama' is the color of his skin?

As a nation, we will not be truly color blind until race truly means nothing. Until we can look at the Hispanic, black, or Asian American standing beside us at the bus stop, busing our tables at a restaurant, or fixing our computer, and see not their nationality, but their contributions to our society, we will not be truly color blind.



(These comments also submitted to the Burlington Free Press Letters to the Editor Page by me.)

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Sanctuary: a small safe place in a troubling world

You have an interesting point - but segregation ended 50 years ago. It's quite the accomplishment to be black and to be a president after 200 years of white dudes and black-people-having-less-rights 50 years ago.

Obama's black? Damn, there was me thinking we'd made real progress and the American's go and put someone who is biologically proven to have a lower intelligence than civilised man in power.

I'm inclined to think if he wasn't black he wouldn't be president.

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السلام عليكم

So someone told me they are taking the statue of liberty down and replacing it with a statue of Aunt Jemima....

Just something that is no suprise coming from some narrow minds. Skin color makes no difference...but when will that change?

Skin colour makes no difference? Do you seriously think that? In an ideal world it would be so, but this is not ideal. If you truly think skin colour makes no difference try a stroll around your local equivalent to Redfern or Girrawheen.

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السلام عليكم

It shouldnt make a difference is exactly right. And everyday it does, it changes the way people make choices. This is all true. But what must happen before this changes? This is a question that will forever plauge mankind.

In simple terms, people, being what they are, will always find an excuse to make themselves different from others. Colour, politics, religion, culture. Jesus, have a look at Rwanda!!

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السلام عليكم

If he wasn't black he wouldn't be who he is. YES, this is a huge event in (black) history, and NO, I don't think the would ever will be, or even should be, "Color Blind", but it's not like we would have elected Al Sharpton. Obama isn't just "the black President", he's The President of the United States of America. All of it.




On the other hand, I'm glad I don't live in California. The LAPD are going to start shooting white people now that the government's run by a black guy.

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"I learned to stick up to myself today, you're not angry are you?"