Is Obama Changing Racial Attitudes?
Is the Obama Presidency changing our attitudes about race? A recent poll reported in the New York Times may shows that is happening.
According to the newspaper’s article on the NY Times/CBS News Poll: “Barack Obama’s presidency seems to be altering the public perception of race relations in the United States. Two-thirds of Americans now say race relations are generally good, and the percentage of blacks who say so has doubled since last July, according to the latest New York Times/ CBS News poll.
In Salon, Gary Kamiya writes: “We are a country used to talking endlessly about race but not doing anything about it. Obama is doing exactly the opposite. He is not talking about race, but that very fact, combined with his high popularity, has advanced racial harmony more than any utterance could do…But Obama’s silence about race, and the positive consequences of that silence, could also be the harbingers of a subtle but fundamental movement away from America’s dominant approach to race, one based on the idea that ‘we have to take race into account in order to get beyond it.’ “
However, Obama’s Attorney General and the nation’s first African-American to hold that post, Eric Holder, seemed to take the opposite tack when he said in February that we are “essentially a nation of cowards” when it comes to race relations. He, told Justice Department employees that “this nation has still not come to grips with its racial past” and suggested Black History Month could be used to spark more candid discussion of racial issues. “This will be, at first, a process that is both awkward and painful, but the rewards are, I believe, potentially great,” Mr. Holder said. “The alternative is to allow to continue the polite, restrained mixing that now passes as meaningful interaction but that in reality accomplishes very little.”
How has the Obama Presidency impacted race relations? Do his actions speak louder than words, or should we increase dialogue about race?
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My only comment: Obama is a big talker-I marched for equal rights in the sixty/etc. I doubt that his mother/father/grandparents ever did the same. I am white (Engish/Scots). NO ONE will get rid of all race-divide.
Eric Holder is a one-trick pony-waiting for a magic carpet to ride on.
He found it too–Obama ‘king of the World.’
Obama is impacting race all right==the wrong way. Forcing people to donate/bow down will not work==Reasonable people will deside on their own.
Just another media spin… race relations have improved significantly, although slowly, for decades. The media has now decided to make it look good because their “darling” is in the White House. There will always be some bigots, about virtually everything, but in genral terms, in the general public, the gross bigotry of the 50’s, 60’s, etc is gone.
No – race relations have changed significantly over the years. The turning point was actually Colin Powell and Condelisa Rice. Obama is an empty suit and he is, half-white. Obama the black man is a media creation.
I, for one, have not noticed any change, positive or negative, since Obama took office. Perhaps perceptions have improved, but what evidence is there that things have changed in substance?
The change I have noticed, ore than ever, is intolerance on the part of the “enlightened” towards anyone who even asks a question. Having a different viewpoint based on experience doesn;t make a person wrong, or racist, it just make that person different. Odd that difference was extolled by these same people in the past, but now the only point of view that is valid is one exactly like theirs.
Right on, Marge. I’ve noticed it was fine to call George Bush any and every name in the book and no one said peep. You can’t even say that you don’t like the color of Obamas tie without being labeled a racist. If this presidency has any impact on racial relations at all it will be to set them back 500 years.
Why do we continue to see Barack Obama as the first African-American president? I do not think our country will ever get past ‘race relations’ if we do not get past labeling things like this. I have many friends from different cultures and walks of life, but when I look at them, I do not see how they are different from me. I see them as Jane Smith or John Brown, as they should be…their own, unique person. If President Obama is not talking about race, and it is bringing us closer to racial harmony…then perhaps we should learn from his example. Sometimes when you stop discussing things, you don’t notice the differences as often, and eventually there will come a time that they won’t be there.
First, he is our president. I don’t think his race is an issue or should be. What I do believe is that everytime he is criticized heo or his allies cry race and thus they try to silence citizens of this country.
President Obama has never made his race an issue although the media has. The people, and there are many, who dislike him because of his race probably come from less metropolitan areas and are uncomfortable with the new demographics of America. In my large city color is pretty much a non issue.
@Suzanne
Obama never made race an issue? Were you listening when he said that he may not look like the guy on the dollar bill? All during the campaign, he was constantly making little hints that people will not vote for him because of race. I personally do not care what his race is, it is his poor decision making that concerns me.
Obama shows his hatred for America in the way he is steering it radically to the left. Only when he controls everything with his government (government of, by, and for Obama) will he fold it into the one world government which he will eventually be the leader of. IAW, we’re screwed.
It appears to me that people who say race is not an issue any more are not being truthful. They are fearful of offending someone because of Obama’s popularity.
I grew up in a predominately Black neighborhood and still live on the fringes. When Obama appeared on the scene I saw him as just another Preacher that the public would see through. I certainly was wrong. I am not happy that he is our president mainly because of the fact that the media chose him and belittled any opponent. Obama never had to suffer bad publicity because of his poor choices and questionable affiliations. I heard Chis Matthews say (before he was cut off when eulogizing Tim Russert), that Tim Russert said — right out of the box, “Obama is the man.”
Evidently, that sealed the deal.
The old social barriers are disappearing. The young people don’t care about skin color or religion. I predict that people will mate on the basis of IQ, education, and ambition. In another few generations most people will be brownish and we will have self segregated into a grunt class and a leader class.
I have to agree with Beth ” race relations have changed significantly over the years, and Ann “Why do we continue to see Barack Obama as the first African-American president? I do not think our country will ever get past ‘race relations’ if we do not get past labeling things like this.” If any of you lived during the 50’s or 60’s, you’d know that race relations have come a long way. One man and/or one event doesn’t create a drastic change. Race relations, as well as numerous other social issues, are constantly in a state of transition. Is this question really about race relations or about judging the job Obama has been doing in the past 100 days? If it’s the latter, then express why you like or dislike his decisions, but don’t confuse the 2 issues. He didn’t make the decisions he made because of his race; he made his decisions because, right or wrong, it’s what he believed was the best decision. Lloyd C’s comment about “Obama’s hatred for his country” really says more about Lloyd C than about Obama! Grow up Lloyd!
@Suzanne
Sorry to inform you but I live in the country and we always treated people like they treat us=even in the fifties before all the marches.
My grandfather/mother/father worked for the RR and we always interacted with everyone/no matter race/color. Their was always some that did not=you or government will not stop that either. People have to be invited to thinks different and shown too.
There is no instant fix=both sides have to want to change=no matter what the issue.
So …. where is my post?
Did it get poofed?
The race issue in the United States has been an on going problem that has made substantial changes in the past fifty years. Some evidence of the cutural transition has been noted with the election of Obama and other political figures that are in government now.However the extent of Obama’s position now as our President will remain to be seen for the effects it will play on the race relations in the future of our country.We still have existing inequalitiy in our workplace regardless to The Affirmative Action Act and with the on going recession causing diappropriation with employment;which will effect minorities. This will be a factor to contribute to more racial tension if there is not an ongoing dialogue to help the trasitions that are currently effecting our economical stratification.
In the year 2009 I don’t think that skin color is too big an issue. The real problem for skin of any color is the culture it puts forth. Do many of us really want to live with drug dealers, drug addicts, gangster rappers, gang bangers, etc,etc. Name a color. This is what you aspire to ?