I am a lucky person. I live in as a legal alien in the United States of America. That's what they call me, check Wikipedia or the INS website. Not only do I live as a legal alien in the US, I live in its capital. The District of Columbia is unique in some respects. It is not a state, it does not elect voting members to the House of Representatives (the lower house in the bicameral legislature) or the Senate. I don't think it has the ability to raise funds the same way states can and the highest ranking authority here seems to be the Mayor of the District of Columbia. Anyway, guess what's going to happen in 8 days? We are of course going to swear in the most powerful man in the country and some would say, even the world.
Washington DC is abuzz with inauguration type activities. People are excited about it, there isn't a hotel in sight that has available rooms around that time, the roads are full, there is construction all over the place, the police are everywhere and so on. I fully intend to go see the inauguration assuming that the weather doesn't turn out to be wretched. It is historical. It is (hopefully) the end of terribly short sighted foreign policy (where phrases like 'you're either with us or you're against us', evil-doers and various axis of evils are never again repeated), it will hopefully be the start to the improvement of the US and world economies, it will hopefully be a more peaceful time all over the world as a result. It will also be the first time a man of a different skin tone will be inaugurated as president of the world's most powerful country.
Much has been said about his impact on the African-American community in the United States. Lots of people expect him to be a role-model for the young black community. Lots expect miracles, a walk on water, the parting of a sea. But does that make sense? Sure, he's black. Or is he? His father was Kenyan. His mother was from Kansas. And white. That does not make him the typical African-American. He is not a descendant of slaves. He is more a descendant of recent immigrants (well, a student at least) to this land of opportunity. His parents aren't typical either. His father was born a Muslim. He happens to have an economics degree from Harvard University. His mother happens to have a doctorate in Anthropology. Again, I don't know if that maps to the perception a lot of people have of the average African-American. This man comes from a very well educated family with ties in such far flung places as Hawaii and Kenya. And did I mention that his step-father happened to be Indonesian and that the good fellow spent part of his life in Jakarta? This man has a half-sister who is part Indonesian, half-brothers who are Kenyan... his half-sister has a doctorate, his half-brother studied at Stanford and now lives in China... his other half-sister from his father's side has a PhD from Germany...
Clearly, this isn't your average run of the mill person, or African-American! This man happens to have a very unique history. He comes from a very gifted family and he himself is quite talented. He studied at Columbia and Harvard. None of this is meant to say that African-Americans aren't capable of any of that or anything, I just think this guy is one amazing person. Will he be a good role model? Why the heck not? But is it because he's African-American? I don't think so. There have been many black people in America and elsewhere who shine and could be role models just as well for anyone out there looking for a black role model.
It amuses me that people think that just because these kids see an African-American person take the highest office in the land that they will turn around and change their lives. I don't see it that way. There are a great many successful African Americans in this country alone; General Colin Powell, Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby to name a few. And what about people from Africa? What about people like Mandela or Sisulu or Jomo Kenyatta? Are they not black? Does that mean they are somehow role-models for black people only? I don't think so. I think Mandela is a brilliant human being. He's inspired so many people over the years and he lives in a multi-racial South Africa!
Barack Obama can be a great role model. But I think it would be wrong to somehow expect him to be that because of his ethicity or because of anything else like that. This country has a rich culture, a unique heritage and a privilaged place in this world. Any person living here already has enough to succeed. They have an abundance of good (and bad) role models. I hope people don't expect something magical to happen just because the guy running the show now looks slightly different that the previous 43.
Washington DC is abuzz with inauguration type activities. People are excited about it, there isn't a hotel in sight that has available rooms around that time, the roads are full, there is construction all over the place, the police are everywhere and so on. I fully intend to go see the inauguration assuming that the weather doesn't turn out to be wretched. It is historical. It is (hopefully) the end of terribly short sighted foreign policy (where phrases like 'you're either with us or you're against us', evil-doers and various axis of evils are never again repeated), it will hopefully be the start to the improvement of the US and world economies, it will hopefully be a more peaceful time all over the world as a result. It will also be the first time a man of a different skin tone will be inaugurated as president of the world's most powerful country.
Much has been said about his impact on the African-American community in the United States. Lots of people expect him to be a role-model for the young black community. Lots expect miracles, a walk on water, the parting of a sea. But does that make sense? Sure, he's black. Or is he? His father was Kenyan. His mother was from Kansas. And white. That does not make him the typical African-American. He is not a descendant of slaves. He is more a descendant of recent immigrants (well, a student at least) to this land of opportunity. His parents aren't typical either. His father was born a Muslim. He happens to have an economics degree from Harvard University. His mother happens to have a doctorate in Anthropology. Again, I don't know if that maps to the perception a lot of people have of the average African-American. This man comes from a very well educated family with ties in such far flung places as Hawaii and Kenya. And did I mention that his step-father happened to be Indonesian and that the good fellow spent part of his life in Jakarta? This man has a half-sister who is part Indonesian, half-brothers who are Kenyan... his half-sister has a doctorate, his half-brother studied at Stanford and now lives in China... his other half-sister from his father's side has a PhD from Germany...
Clearly, this isn't your average run of the mill person, or African-American! This man happens to have a very unique history. He comes from a very gifted family and he himself is quite talented. He studied at Columbia and Harvard. None of this is meant to say that African-Americans aren't capable of any of that or anything, I just think this guy is one amazing person. Will he be a good role model? Why the heck not? But is it because he's African-American? I don't think so. There have been many black people in America and elsewhere who shine and could be role models just as well for anyone out there looking for a black role model.
It amuses me that people think that just because these kids see an African-American person take the highest office in the land that they will turn around and change their lives. I don't see it that way. There are a great many successful African Americans in this country alone; General Colin Powell, Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby to name a few. And what about people from Africa? What about people like Mandela or Sisulu or Jomo Kenyatta? Are they not black? Does that mean they are somehow role-models for black people only? I don't think so. I think Mandela is a brilliant human being. He's inspired so many people over the years and he lives in a multi-racial South Africa!
Barack Obama can be a great role model. But I think it would be wrong to somehow expect him to be that because of his ethicity or because of anything else like that. This country has a rich culture, a unique heritage and a privilaged place in this world. Any person living here already has enough to succeed. They have an abundance of good (and bad) role models. I hope people don't expect something magical to happen just because the guy running the show now looks slightly different that the previous 43.
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