The Obama Effect

Quite obviously Barack Obama had swept the nation. He made democrats excited when he spoke at the 2004 DNC. He made women all over the world swoon. He overwhelmed the GOP candidates and garnered two more states where Republicans had dominated for years. He was a political rock star.

He may not be the first American President who had a black origin, but he may well be the first President who obviously cannot pass for a white man. The fact that makes the whole world looked and waited, with much anticipation, at the outcome of the previous presidential election.

Now Obama made it to the White House. And the world is enthused.

The wars that America had waged under the Bush Administration had put world alliances on shaky ground. Bush’s go-at-it-alone and you-are either-with-me-or-against-me foreign policy is shaken off as too arrogant for the entire world to see.

Obama’s stand on the Iraq occupation is quite obviously, refreshingly different.

France for one is very excited. Not only because here is Bush’s foreign policy struck a nerve. Remember that “freedom fries” issue? It is also home to the largest community of African immigrants. And seeing one of their own leading America gives them a sense of hope that the West is finally achieving racial harmony. It certainly makes it easier for them to assimilate.

Obama’s victory provides hope for the disenfranchised minorities all over the globe. For them, the Obama presidency wouldn’t just be as historic; it will also be the most fruitful.

But here at home, Obama’s victory may not be as huge as it was projected to be. Winning just 52% of the popular vote, the country is still very much divided. While African Americans are rejoicing, one majority stakeholder of the progressive movement, the gays and lesbians suffered a tremendous defeat when voters rejected same sex marriage in California.

With 48% of the population pretty much disappointed, major issues will still be hotly debated over the streets, over Congress and way up to the Supreme Court. And we are not talking of just regular voting public here. Most of them are right-wingers.

I do hope that the Obama effect on the world at large would create the same effect on most Americans, including those who didn’t vote for him. Otherwise, all policies that he and the Democrats would try put in place will just be a waste of time and effort.

Most importantly, a waste of our money.

Slavery is Over, Get Over It

I always argue with an African American friend everytime he would remind me of the old times. Back when his people suffered as slaves and he would continuously lash at the white people for doing it to them.

As always, I try to keep him back to his senses and remind him to come back to face reality. Such reality is that we are now on the 21st century. Slavery is the thing of the past. And as one commenter said, not only African Americans had been slaved. There are many more around the world who have fallen victim to this spiteful and vicious global trade.

Yes slavery is such a cruel thing. But that is part of the old world. It was a time when not only Africans, but also captured minorities, were branded as mere properties, traded only on the basis of its values. However vicious it may seem now, back then, it was simply an economic fact. We, the captured uneducated minorities are just numbers.

That includes my own people who have been enslaved by the Spanish conquistadores who have ruled my country for 300 years. That was 300 years of rape, of torture, of oppression. Not to mention the American occupation that had killed a lot of my brethrens. But at this day and age, do I still feel remorse? Duh, I am now paying my tax dollars to Uncle Sam.

We, in fact, were luckier than the Indians, the Native Americans who were almost decimated by the same country we were in. But do they still hold grudge? How can you get angry at those cruel bastards who lived and died generations ago? Them who never realized that we are also people, not just mere herds of goats to be sold and bought at an auction.

That was indeed, a thing of the past. I cannot hold the person responsible for his great great granddaddy's actions that had brought a member of my ancient family to be bargained off in Spain.

One could argue that there still is discrimination. Yes it’s true. That one thing cannot be eradicated. Not because we are racist. It is simply because we are humans.

We all came from a very varied background. And since we are all naturally different, we always try to associate things. It is our natural tendency to look for the common ground. And in doing so, we don’t just see what we share, we see the difference. And for some reason, when we look at the difference in every man, we somehow magnify it, and this magnification creates stereotypes.

There is good and bad in every race, every color of your skin, every culture. We should not left out a certain group of people because they are different. In fact we should embrace it. That is diversity in action. There is harmony in diversity. That is the essence of democracy.

Slavery is a thing of the past. We need not forget it, lest we forget the lessons that should have been learned. But we should get over it.

Not for our sake, but for our children who had felt the hate and buried it.

Who Gives A Shit?

The world of politics is a very messed-up place. That’s why I don’t really give a shit on who wins this coming election. It was just fun to watch at least.

Whoever sits in the white house in the coming days would probably do more of the same. Does it matter that I am an immigrant? Should a democrat be naturally predisposed to ease immigration guidelines? Will a republican be merciful to me whose taxes are used to fund wars that not only am I not in favor, but also one we cannot afford?

I don’t think so.

So do I give a shit with who succeeds dubya? No. Do I care about the issues? But of course. I may look like a cynic to some people. But in fact I am still an idealist as a college freshman could ever be. Just a little roughed up with the realities that were far from ideal.

But like most of you, I wanted good government. I wanted to be secure in my own home. I wanted fair treatment. I wanted to be treated equal. I wanted to have a choice.

But between an old fart who couldn’t quite figure out what he really stood for and a neophyte who is nothing but a rock star, do I really have a choice?

With the religious right who tries to control everything I do lest I end up burning in the eternal fire pits of hell and the left who tries to put everything on the tabs until I run out of money to pay for taxes, do I really have a choice?

Sometimes, I really wish I could be Brewster. Challenge these big political parties who despite their candidate’s speech throwing off lobbyists from big companies, continue to receive huge sums of money from the very same people they pretended to abhor.

Bunch of hypocrites.

If I could have millions of spare cash to spend like Brewster, Richard Prior’s character in the 80’s movie Brewster’s Millions, I will definitely do the same just to make a point.

Spend it on a ridiculous but massive political campaign so the people can chose to ignore these clowns who have dominated our government and vote “none of the above” instead.

Maybe then we could tell these pundits and mavericks to go to hell.

Is this Race Really About Race?

I asked a lot of my black friends on who they would vote for. All of them said Obama. When asked why, they all said it’s because he was black.

I asked a few white friends I know and asked them the same questions. Some would go for Obama, some for McCain. When asked why, most of them answered according to what they stood on issues that are in concert with the candidate they preferred. While some white folks who chose McCain confided that they did so because McCain was white, they wouldn’t dare say it in public for fear of being branded as a racist.

Why the hell was that?

At the start of the democratic primaries, race and gender had played a vital role in the political demographics. Yes, it was about leadership and who is most qualified to play the role. But there is no escaping the fact that certain stereotypes have played a major part.

It’s as simple as the voters looking for something or someone to associate themselves with. If you are a doctor, wouldn’t you be more inclined to vote for a person who is also a doctor?

So if I am black and I prefer Obama because he’s black, or if I’m white and I prefer McCain because he’s white, would that make me a racist?

Why is it so often that we call white people racist when they say they choose a candidate because he had the same color of his skin, but when it comes to the black people choosing a black candidate because he’s black, nobody calls it racism. Wasn’t it just the same thing?

C’mon dude. Don’t call me a racist yet. Can’t you see I’m brown? I’m Asian and I am for civil liberties. I would probably vote for Obama too. Not because he’s black or a minority like me. Or because he’s a more qualified candidate. We all have our reasons. Mine is because of the two candidates, I find him the lesser evil.

Doesn’t it always just come to that?

Obama: America's First Black President

I was hoping I would post no entry regarding the upcoming election. To be honest, I don’t see that much of a difference of who’s winning or who wasn’t. Yes there certainly will have some policy changes in Washington, but not that significant.

America will still be the world police, to the detriment of our military who are always being stretched too thin. And continuing with our self-imposed responsibility on safeguarding this world order, we could see no end to our soldiers coming home wrapped in body bags.

Generally speaking, the rich will always become richer and the middle class will always have two options; to stay as middle class, or become poor. The gap will always grow bigger. And this economy would certainly push the gap even further.

And whoever sits in the White House will probably just do more of the same. It is, as always, only a matter of choosing the lesser evil. And of course I will choose Obama.

But given my pessimism, I can’t help but note the historical significant of this coming election. Because it would one of our nation’s first.

It is no doubt that Barack Obama had the edge on winning the presidency. Speaking at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, still fresh from his win from his State of Illinois as a U.S. senator, it was Barack Obama’s coming out party. And he rocked the house and made himself a political rock star.

In a few weeks, he will make history as the nation’s first black president.

Hopefully, when he gets elected, we can finally say that we had forgotten the unfortunate times of our historical past. And racism could finally be put to where it belongs, a few feet underground.

I could feel it in the air. The times they are a-changin’.

Who says I’m a pessimist?