How 'bout these Democratic primaries, eh? I'm not sure just how much I want to write here -- this could easily turn into a novel-length entry if I don't keep myself in check -- but I've been wanting to share my thoughts on the race for some time now. And it just so happens that Geraldine Ferraro's recent comments have given me a perfect occasion to do so!

According to Ferraro, "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman, he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is." In another interview, in which she discussed this response, Ferraro affirmed that she responded "in large measure, because he is black" when asked why Obama is where he is today. And now, rightfully so, in my opinion, she is taking a lot of heat for these remarks. But whereas Ferraro seems to think that she's being attacked because of her own skin color, I submit that people's response largely stems from the obvious ignorance of her comments -- whether they fully realize it or not.

Now, I admit that Barack Obama's skin color has played a role in his success this far. In fact, in the beginning, I didn't even like Obama all that much because he was clearly being used as the Democrats' token black. Every time I looked, he was being paraded out to give the same speech about how he came from mixed parentage and how that symbolizes the promise of America and blah-de-blah blah -- it basically amounted to, "My mom was white, my dad was Black, ergo America is wonderful." I wondered if he was capable of talking about anything else. People have accused Obama's more recent speeches on hope and change of lacking substance (I disagree), but these speeches are overflowing with depth and meaning when compared to his old rhetoric.

So certainly Obama's skin color aided his rise within the Democratic party, if only because the Democrats were so eager to use him to better appeal to the people and further their own agenda. And it probably factors into the reasons that people support him, though I would hardly state that it is the only or even primary reason -- or that, if the color of his skin were different, people would not feel so strongly about him. Rather, I think that the primary reasons that people are behind Obama are because he a) is an eloquent and inspiring speaker, b) is running an excellent campaign, c) appears cool and downright presidential in his debate performances, and d) successfully presents himself as being uniquely poised to bring about some much-needed positive change in this country. There are, of course, other important reasons regarding Obama's platform (which albeit is not that different from Hillary Clinton's), but still. Does Ferraro mean to suggest that people would vote for Obama even he were a poor and rambling speaker, seemed thoroughly uninformed, unkempt, and unfit to lead in his public appearances, and had been thoroughly defeated by Clinton in each of their debates -- simply because of his skin color? Please.

(An aside: the not uncommon perception that a person of color largely achieves success in America because of his or her skin color -- and not because of any individual merit, skills, or accomplishments he or she may have demonstrated along the way -- is probably the main reason that I oppose race-based affirmative action, as I think that it encourages people of all racial backgrounds to assume that this is indeed the case. This does not mean, however, that I am opposed to all forms of affirmative action, and it certainly does not mean that I think -- for example -- college admissions should be based strictly on academic test scores and should not take into account the unique experiences and insights that diverse individuals can bring to campuses and thereby enrich the minds and outlooks of their fellow students. And while the color of a person's skin certainly has an effect on that person's experiences due to the treatment that that person may endure, the kinds of situations that may result, and so forth, I do not think that it accurately suggests meaningful diversity by itself.)

The real truth is that if voters saw Obama as a black man -- as opposed to a qualified individual who just happens to be black -- they would not vote for him. Clinton blames the sexist media and lingering concerns among the public about a woman's ability to lead for her losses, but it is telling that when she explicitly says she will be the first woman president she does it to applause. Jesse Jackson and others have rightly pointed out that if Obama made similar statements about being the first black president, the response would be very different. Hillary Clinton openly flouts her gender and her campaign benefits from it; the only reason that Obama's does so well is that he is so adept at downplaying his skin color. After all, if Obama's skin color were such an obvious advantage, why would the Clinton campaign keep going to such lengths to ensure that we recognize it? (With the condescending and insulting comments that Bill has made on the campaign trail and way that Hillary has dismissed her losses in some states as having occurred "because they have a lot of 'proud' black voters," I would seriously be hesitant to vote for her in a general election.)

I admit, though, that I support Barack Obama for the presidency in part because of his skin color. Not because of any commitment to racial solidarity or belief that Obama will prove more sensitive to and cognizant of the particular needs of the black community (though he very well may be), but rather because he would not be winning this contest if people were not proving able to view him as an individual and avoid defining and confining him by the color of his skin. Many times in my life -- particularly during my days at Yale -- I have felt like some sort of talking animal. People have been willing to listen to me and tolerate me, and even compliment me on occasions, but subtle comments and mannerisms frequently betrayed the reality that they thought of me as a representative of a separate if not outright inferior species. I once wrote a short story about a talking parrot that was largely based on my experiences, but I now think that a talking dog is a more direct analogy. A person might listen to a talking dog and even find what it is saying to be clever, but ultimately people are more impressed by the fact that the dog is talking than what it is saying. And even when people are willing to admit that the dog is actually intelligent -- even more intelligent than most people -- they may still have reservations about allowing it to eat at the table or jump up on the furniture. They certainly don't want it dating their daughters.

But people who support the notion of President Obama are not simply saying that he's an effective token black for the Democratic party or that he's a "fine black gentleman" -- they're saying that they trust this individual to lead the United States of America. And I admit that I find that fact -- and the reality that so many people are behind it -- to be incredibly inspiring. Now, I won't venture to speak for Michelle Obama in explaining her comment about being proud of her country for the first time, but I will say that it makes perfect sense to me. I'm not even old enough to have witnessed the Civil Rights Movement or the atrocities that made it necessary, but even in my short life I've seen my fair share of discrimination and injustice. I would have thought it utterly unthinkable that a "person of color" could have a realistic chance of becoming the president -- and it's hard to be proud of a country in which you feel that a significant portion of the population is consistently relegated to the status of second-class citizens (even if some group members may "prosper" in a material and financial sense).

The incredible support for Obama, however, gives me hope not only that perhaps this won't always be the case, but that I may even witness an important shift in how people regard their fellow Americans of different skin colors even in my lifetime. I now think that I may soon see a day when "people of color" are not viewed as racial representatives or not-so-unique extensions of The Inferior Minority Consciousness, but rather as people deserving of respect and true acceptance and having their own individuality affirmed and recognized. And, should he secure the Democratic nomination and go on to win in November, I think that a successful President Barack Obama will be a huge catalyst in that regard.

I admit that I will be upset if he loses, but -- at least for the time being -- Barack Obama's campaign has given me hope. It is admittedly an unfamiliar feeling for me, but it is not entirely unwelcome. 🙂