What does nationalism have to do with Dwayne's initial point: he's not persuaded by your claim that Obama's election will contribute to the
self-assurance of black people around the globe, any more than he was convinced by the black bible a salesmen told him was good for his self-esteem.
..................
Yes, this is precisely it.
Julio, you're presenting two ideas and linking them like the components of a multistage rocket.
You're saying that:
1.) Obama's campaign has made, and will continue to make Black people (around the world, you say) generally feel better about themselves
and therefore
* This confidence boost will contribute to progressive politics and racial solidarity because people who feel a greater sense of self-assurance are more likely to believe that things can be accomplished and, it follows, more likely to participate in collective progressive action.
The first part is irrefutable; everyday examples can be found everywhere.
For example: this morning, I shared a cup of chai with a contractor I hired to do some work on my house. He told me about his gentle frustration with his elderly father's unquestioning enthusiasm for Obama. Why is he frustrated? Because his father's enthusiasm is wholly based upon Obama's Blackness and not a consideration of his platform. "I understand why" he told me. "My father grew up in the Jim Crow South...he's excited to see Black people doing well. But I have no idea what the guy [Obama] is about so I'm wary."
I'm sure this kind of discussion is going on in Black households across the country. It's certainly happening in my family.
As BHO's campaign took on greater momentum, as we received reports of millions of dollars of donations pouring in via the web, and, after victory in NH, many Black folk in my circle (should I say co-Blacks? Or, fellow Blacks? I dunno) who were initially skeptical - rationally supposing BHO's chances to be equal to a Sharpton's or a J. Jackson's, that is: less than zero - allowed themselves to get charged.
So yes, the growing excitement is undeniable and completely understandable.
But will this lead to greater participation in collective action for a real progressive movement?
The future's not written; the unexpected always happens and no battle plan survives contact with the enemy.
Maybe you're right.
But I see the BHO candidacy - indeed, the deep narrative of the BHO approach - as a nullification of genuine progressive politics.
Why nullification?
BHO states that the "promise of America" has essentially been fulfilled - Blacks are pretty much at parity with Whites. Racism only exists in backward pockets of resistance. His success is largely based upon pretending the patient isn't diseased, the house isn't on fire. Indeed, as BHO describes things, the patient is the model of beauty and health and what looks like a raging fire is only the lovely golden light of a rising sun.
Now, you might reply that this, while true, is unimportant; clever people, once energized by their boosted self-worth into political participation, will eventually break away from BHO's spell and trek out on their own. No doubt, this will happen in some cases. I'm sure some disillusioned BHO supporters will look for explanations and find the right sources (perhaps even outlets such as LBO).
But will there be enough such people? And really, is this what we should pin our hopes on?
As far as I'm concerned, I'm at war. No, not with every random White person on the street or in the office or my fun loving neighbors and friends.
I'm not insane.
I'm at war with White supremacism, which is alive and well.
Of course, it's not only me, but other Blacks and Latinos and Asians and Native Americans and Whites who're tired of the bullshit are also involved in a daily struggle against a deeply entrenched set of ideas which make a regular appearance in hiring practices and recurrent discussions about comparative IQ scores and Bono's sun glassed pity party for sub-Saharan Africa and people being surprised S. Korea is modern and asking if my wife is a "freak" because they've seen Asian themed pr0n and U.S. housing location choices and a trillion other things which make me look longingly at the sky, waiting for that Earth killing asteroid to finally arrive.
How do we confront these ideas?
Do we follow BHO's lead and say: "there's no problem. Smile."? I'm sure you'd say no. So why hope that what is false will lead to something true?
.d.