The current brouhaha over Barack Obama's allegedly elitist comments has been on my mind these past few days, but I haven't been in a mood to write about the serious issues of the day and have pretended not to notice them. However, I just read Marc's journal entry for today and found myself in the amen corner as I nodded my head in affirmation at his analysis of the efforts to undermine Senator Obama by calling him that dreaded of all terms, an elitist! Check out his entry; it's good reading, just click here to visit Marc's journal.
In case you aren't clear as to what Obama actually said at a San Francisco fundraiser, here are his remarks, offered in explanation of the difficulties that he faced in reaching people in small town America:
"You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothings replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are going to regenerate and they have not. So it's not surprising, then, that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."
Personally, I think the Senator hit the nail on the head. People who are in pain, who are bitter and angry, look for someone to blame. Scratch the surface of any bigot, whether that bigotry is based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious belief, or language, and you will find a bitter person who is convinced that his or her own lot in life would be better if not for all the ____________ (fill in the blank).
Small town America as the home of June Cleaver is a myth, carefully constructed and nurtured by what we want to believe rather than what is. This country is crisscrossed with insular communities that cling to their beliefs to the exclusion of allowing for any differences of opinion. Every time you find yourself lumping any people into a group and ascribing some negative behavior to that group, you're indulging in prejudice. When you get all bent out of shape because the sales person speaks with an accent, you're letting your prejudice out. When you profess to love the sinner but not the sin, and therefore feel that you have the right to determine whom another person may love, you're succumbing to prejudice. When you believe that the goal of Islam is to destroy America, you're expressing a prejudiced belief. Every time that you blame the misery and problems in your own life on some other group of people, you're indulging in prejudice.
Senator Obama didn't say it this strongly, but I do, because as long as we live with delusions that we are somehow above bitterness, above indulging in prejudice, then we will do nothing to change things. We will lull ourselves into a false sense of higher morality, convinced that we are not a part of the problem because we are not prejudiced, not bigoted, not biased; we treat everyone fairly and respect everyone equally.
Soul searching is something that each of us must do as individuals. I suggest a simple test, at the next gathering that you attend, whether it be a party, or church on Sunday morning, or just an evening of cards, look around the room and count how much diversity there is in the group--race, ethnicity, English as a second language, gay, Jewish, Islamic, poor, homeless, on public assistance etc. Ask yourself how many people you know, not just know of or speak to in passing, who are different from you? Ask yourself who do you blame for societal ills, how do you feel about our prison system, the death penalty, mandatory drug sentencing? Take a good self-inventory, and for goodness sake, don't leave me comments telling me about your self-inventory. It's not about me or anyone else, it's about each of us, taking stock of ourselves, and asking the ultimate question, have I been my brother's, my sister's, keeper?
A little something from Marvin Gaye...
10 comments:
As usual "Bulleye" your last paragraph is particularly telling, and does beg the question "Whats Going On". I've seen several posts tonight about Obama not just on the AOL blog platform and I'm quite stunned at the underground bigotry displayed although the same people hand on heart would never say it publicly, but quietly chip away. Much food for thought.
hope you are feeling better
Take care
Yasmin
xx
Well said and thought provoking :o)
http://journals.aol.com/buckoclown/Bucko
It may more than we can expect from human nature to ask most people to be either so good or so self-aware. I think we need to set the bar low and slowly jack it up. Meaning, what we can ask of everyone is to first do no harm. Do not do unto others what you would not have done to you. Ergo, no name calling, hitting, discriminating, bullying, torture. That alone would be enormous progress--imagine if had been applied to the Jim Crow south? You wouldn't have had to love black people in order not to participate in a lynching--but that commitment would have saved a lot of lives and untold misery.
As a gay man, for example, I don't need Irma and Stanley Widebottom across the street to invite me and my lover over for dinner--just don't vote for an amendment to ban gay marriage. I don't think anyone should vote for Barack because he's black--just don't vote against him for that reason. One we refuse to be our brother's enemy, then we can unblock the way to friendship. And then, if we can progress to being our sister's keeper--ah, utopia.
What a brilliant piece of writing. I agree with everything you have said. And I can't see what all the hooha is about Barack's comments. I think I see smear tactics abounding now. Just hope that clear minded people see through it all.
Love Sybil xx
I'm Elitist Too
Just discovered I am elitist
I hobnob with working stiffs
used to drink with the boys
but never got but a few gifts.
I went to a public college
one easy on the tuition
apparently my elitist thoughts
came right out to fruition.
I knew the names
of every money bags in town
went to their functions
watched them act like a clown.
I am elitist as they define me
just like Obama I have no doubt
I can be a better president
as the one about to go out.
Call me elitist if you dare
like Clinton calling the kettle black.
Some nerve she has to point a finger
no better than a political hack.
Please, I shall not mention McCain
with his bumbling ways and air.
Totally out of touch with anyone
if I even attempt to be fair.
Go ahead, call me elitist too
I got the balls to stand real tall.
For the shallowness you speak
I smile at the whole group of yawl.
How in any form of truth
can you form your mouth to say
Obama is elitist like the others
not even in the slightest way.
Is it because he thinks he's good
and can be the president for us
or is he another egalitarian who no longer
has to ride the back of the bus.
Del Cano 2008 April
Spencer
Thoughtful and well written post as always Sheria. My wheels are turning.
love,
Marie
http://ayearatoakcottage.blogspot.com/
I say amen to your suggestion about how to check your life for outbreaks of prejudice gone unprotested and applaud you for asking us if we are our brother's or sister's keeper. J-land is stronger for having someone to articulate such thoughts about what is going on in our country. Gerry
Marvin gaye was pure cool!
http://journals.aol.co.uk/acoward15/andy-the-bastard/
i think you are right on by suggesting we all do self-inventory....the sad fact is, often we are so blind to ourselves, what is so obvious to others is over our heads. i remember a diversity meeting we had at work and it covered so many areas. it was very good and fit many situations in our work place, but the two that would have benefited most from it just didn't get it! did that make sense?? anyway....well written piece (as always). :)
gina
I think if we want a perfect president(judging from the stuff folks on both sides say) we should just elect ME. I mean we each know EXACTLY the right thing to say, the right way to treat people & the perfect way to do everything. I constantly hear others say: This guy is like that because of THIS or That woman is so(insert whatever negative) because she doesn't realize(insert own persons wisdom).
Attack the person you aren't going to vote for at the slightest provocation, since you do that to others you come in contact with all the time, it becomes the norm.
I don't always look for faults in the enemy camp, because I don't think everyone I disagree with is an enemy. My own worst enemy is always my own faulty notions. I'll work on those first, since no matter who is in the White House, Mary lives with Mary in her house every day. ~Mary
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