During a latest section on an ESPN sports show, Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers was being interviewed by one of the present's reporters. Because the hour wound down, the in-studio host requested Mr. Iguodala, "Why did you do the interview outside? It is so chilly, and you're not even wearing a hat." Iguodala replied, "Hey that is how President Obama did it -- within the cold with no hat. I have to step it up."
Iguodala then went on to mention how excited he was about President Obama, and that in his hometown (paradoxically, Springfield, Illinois), the check scores for Black males have gone up since President Obama was appointed to workplace.
The ad hoc interview responses of a Black athlete are far from a testomony of Barack Obama's impact on the Black Neighborhood. They do, nonetheless, point to a frame of mind -- at least in some sections. As an example, I've gotten a major number of emails from individuals recapping their Inauguration Day experiences. All have been upbeat and ranged from how proud they had been to be People, to this occasion being the first time they'd ever seen their father cry. In the same useless, barbershops are reporting a resurgence of the "caesar" reduce that Obama wears, although now it is being called an 'Obama'. There's even a humorous sketch making the rounds that speculates 5 years from now, the first day of school in the Black Group can have scores of children with names like 'Obamalita Jackson' and 'Obama Taylor', to name just a few.
I am clearly stating the apparent by saying the emergence on President Obama has had a positive impression on the temper in the Black Community. A cynic may legitimately say that good emotions can only get you so far, however I feel the cynic could be missing the purpose.
One of many major issues within the Black Neighborhood is the detrimental and stereotypical reporting of the information. I'm not a giant information watcher, however at any time when I pattern it there's a preponderance of my folks being reported as criminals or crime victims. Every now and then there are "feel good"tales, however these stories are far outweighed by the ruinous and painful tales I mentioned. With out concern of contradiction, I can say that Barack Obama's Presidency has changed the feel of the nightly news for the next four (hopefully eight) years. Night time after night, the news will report on a Black man who also occurs to be probably the most influential and highly effective person on the earth. In monitoring the impression this may have, the closest factor I can think of is the affect Muhammad Ali had on younger Black boys like myself within the 1970's. Ali stood tall, and spoke with none equivocation. He was Black, he was proud; but more importantly he was a person of his time.
Now Barack Obama will not be the outspoken, pull no punches man that Ali was, but he does not need to be; he's THE PRESIDENT OF THE USA OF AMERICA. When he speaks, regardless of the amplitude or intensity, people haven't any selection however to listen. Simply as Ali impacted individuals like me to be proud of who I am and to drag no punches, President Obama casts an image of dignity and beauty underneath stress. He too is a person of his time, for in these boisterous days, seeing a Black man exude a quiet energy, day after day, and night time after night time will over time deliver civility and decorum into sharper focus in our communities. Seeing a Black man express his anger with dignity and with out "cursing people out" in probably the most pressurized of situations is a constructive that I look forward to seeing.
Once more, the cynics will see little to no worth in any of this. However the guardian elevating a child within the inner-metropolis or the burbs is aware of this value implicitly. The varsity official that sees young Black kids being heckled at assemblies after being given awards for glorious educational achievement knows the intrinsic value of President and First Lady Obama.
Now this is not to say that the cynics don't have some extent to make. There's a good deal of blind hero-worship of President Obama; and the truth that he's the President of all America by definition means that a few of his selections may not be pleasing to us. When the going gets notably tough and he needs to lift approval factors, he could even resolve to take the "Bill Cosby" stance of blaming low-income Black folks for some of the problems that confront them. When Obama is unsuitable or we disagree with him, now we have to voice it. There is no denying that reality.
Being President of the United States is the toughest job on the planet. However like most jobs, the proof is within the pudding. If President Barack Obama is able to turn the American Economy round and loosen the grip of partisan politics, he will be seen as an excellent president. A Black man demonstrating excellence each day, within the highest office in the land, will bolster our ambitions; and equally essential, it is going to soften the stereotypes of black people that still infect much of American society. If a cynic cannot see that bolstered ambitions and the erosion of stereotypes are a serious influence on the Black Neighborhood, then I solely have one question: What affect would a McCain Presidency have had on our group?
Copyright © 2009 Roland Laird co-author of Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Individuals
Creator Bio
Famous African-American entrepreneur Roland Laird, co-writer of Still I Rise: A Graphic Historical past of African Americans, is co-founder of Posro Media, a Trenton, New Jersey-based company that produced the comic e-book series MC Squared: A Man With a Severe Sport Plan and the syndicated cartoon The Griots. The company has worked and continues to develop numerous animated and documentary projects for film and tv.
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