Senator Obama and Reparations

A few years ago I wrote in a poem
“It's going to take a lot more than Reparations
To revise the remnants of the Nubian nation
Not when 12 year olds lacking father figures
Resort to pulling triggers….”

Senator Obama’s opposition to the call for reparations makes good sense on several levels. First he is correct in that it would be seen as a divisive distraction. Secondly he have to would divert hard earned political capital away from more serious issues like health care, education, the economy, oil, foreign policy and so on. Thirdly, it counters attacks by those who attempt to portray Senator Obama as a standard bearer/front man for those who are labeled fringe or radical elements of the black community. (Although I doubt how reparations while perhaps unrealistic, can be dismissed as radical). Lastly and more importantly it reflects the new mentality in dealing with the often incendiary issue of race in America. Senator Obama by adding his voice to the resonating message of accountability and personal responsibility gives credence to those who like Bill Cosby are challenging old paradigms.

An Obama Administration will have to deal with major domestic issues, issues that are affecting us as Americans. Should he use the White House as a bully pulpit to address discrimination, disparities in housing, education and the like? Yes. Should he make sure the Justice Department cracks down racial profiling, and redlining and predatory lending? Again yes. Should he use the office to preach for reparations? In my opinion - absolutely not.

The heckler who questioned Senator Obama’s desire to confront issues that have historically impacted the “black community” is just as off base as those who questioned Senator Obama’s patriotism. I recall Dr. King’s response to those who questioned his anti war stance in 1967.

“I often understand the source of their concern, I am nevertheless greatly saddened, for such questions mean that the inquirers have not really known me, my commitment, or my calling”.

Forty years later Senator Obama can make the same case to his detractors. African Americans who vote for Senator Obama with the expectations that he is going to ride into the White House and immediately eradicate long standing ills within the black nation will be disappointed. The next President will face a litany of serious issues at a critical time in this country’s long and great history. Putting reparations on the table would seriously undercut Senator Obama’s message, and the core values of racial harmony, which are an essential element of his campaign narrative.

To his credit Kibibi Tyehimba co-chair of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America doesn’t fall into the trap of unrealistic expectations, saying about Senator Obama "Let's not be naive. Sen. Obama is running for President of the United States, and so he is in a constant battle to save his political life….I don't think it's realistic to expect him to do anything other than what he's done.” He apparently understands that as President, Obama will have a broader agenda.

In my view while Black America waits on some form of reparations, we are “sleeping” on the tremendous amount of resources already available. Those resources come in the form of corporate and foundation donations. Corporate support channels billions of dollars each year to underwrite programs in the areas of health, education, arts, family, literacy, and others. In addition, the banking industry through the Community Reinvestment Act provides resources for community development. All that is needed is for concerned citizen groups to organize, get a 5013c non profit designation, a competent board of directors, and begin to address the needs facing their community. The black community simply can not afford to wait for what may be a pipedream of reparations when real work can be done.

I would amend Senator Obama’s response to the young man in Florida, by saying “find a cause and get busy”. It was the work in the community that grounded Barack Obama, not Harvard Law. Television talk show host Tavis Smiley has a website Covenant with Black America which provides opportunities to get involved in a variety of areas. The wait for reparations by the black community while rooted in the horrors of slavery, rape, brutality, and murder, are well founded, yet in 2008 it begs the question, has the issue of reparation become for some, an excuse to do nothing but wait and complain?

Finally, I give mad props to Senator Obama for sending an affirming message that supports accountability and community action, and avoiding the traps of divisiveness, and distraction.

Senator McCain's Gambit

In this election Senator John McCain is representing an unpopular party and vicariously an unpopular president. His talking points are limited; he has yet to find his real voice on the economy, and unable to gain real traction from the success of the surge in Iraq. He hounded Senator Obama into going abroad, and then bristled at both the media coverage, and the roaring crowds, and responded like a petulant teenager. In addition, Senator McCain’s team is frustrated that no one seems to care that Senator Obama switched gears on campaign financing, and many voters seemed to be nonplussed by his vote on FISA or that Senator Obama decided not to engage in town hall meetings. Senator McCain is also upset that Senator Obama doesn’t lose points on his opposition to the surge, but gets points for his stance on Afghanistan and kudos that the words timetable are coming from both Bagdad and the White House. He decried Senator Obama for looking Presidential, while at the same time looking and sounding almost unworthy of the office he seeks.

In short, Senator McCain found himself behind in money, behind in the polls nationally, and behind in key battle ground states. Most disturbing to the McCain camp is the slumber of the right wing base of the party. Thus, Senator McCain faced a choice - despite his earlier statements where he said he would eschew negative campaigning, he realized that if he couldn’t bloody Senator Obama soon, and pierce his armor, this race may be over. The McCain strategy of turning this election into a referendum against Senator Obama is his only real hope. He has to parley real and legitimate concerns about Senator Obama’s lack of experience into a message. That message has one word “Risky”.

To many voters, they will hear the word risky and will deal with it on the face of it, a lack of political experience, etcetera. However, for others, their response may be linked to some deep rooted fears and prejudices. To those voters, risky equates to being black, to having a middle name rooted in Islam. What Senator McCain aims to do is to get inside the heads of many of those voters. He needs those voter’s visceral fears to outweigh Obama’s message of change and at the last minute, remember the word risky, and vote McCain. As ugly and as negative as it seems, and while it may affront our sensibilities - that may be Senator McCain’s only path to victory.

To Senator Obama’s credit, he is taking the “risky” label head on. We are adults here, and in 2008, America doesn’t evolve by hiding behind coded racial messages. Senator Obama realizes that when he says “I know I don’t look like the presidents on American dollars”. Senator Obama understands what is at stake for him and for America. In the end the biggest risk is the one Senator McCain is taking. In pushing coded racial buttons, and running negative ads, Senator McCain runs the risk of losing the independent voters who admired him in 2000, but may feel betrayed by his antics in 2008. Will Senator McCain’s gambit work? Well see in November.