Barak Obama: Race in America Revisited

Barack Obama’s speech on race in America was illuminating however; are we all not products of our environment? What influence does this environment have on our cultural and social identity? Is Senator Obama a unifying or divisive force to be reckoned with? How does a voter juxtapose the separatist militancy of black liberation theology with our hopes for a color blind society? One now has to wonder if his speeches are empty rhetoric designed to appease just enough of the electorate to ensure his nomination. So, who is this man? How has black liberation theology and his spiritual advisor, Dr. Wright influenced his thought patterns? Does he believe that we are a nation attempting to realize the ideals of the founders or; does he see himself as the surgeon designate, solely responsible for cutting out the malignancy that he sees as our historical past? As with all nations, our nation’s history has plenty of skeletons in its’ closet. The ideal demanded of each generation is that we openly identify our social mistakes, learn from them and, never cease in our attempts to improve our society. Social perfection is realized in our active pursuit of cultural harmony. Human nature will however, preclude our capacity to ever completely realize this goal thus; it is paramount that each individual always strive to practice the Golden Rule when dealing with his fellow man.

I have been studying black liberation theology for the past couple of weeks. Previously, I have written that Americans were mistaken to condemn this theology and I now must readjust my viewpoints. My further reading of Dr. James H. Cone, a preeminent theologian of this belief system has led me to the realization that this theology is bigoted and separatist. As Barak Obama has publicly stated, words do count. Dr. Cone is currently the Charles A. Briggs Professor of Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary, New York City, His many written works include, A Black Theology of Liberation, My Soul Looks Back, For My People, Martin & Malcolm & America: A Dream or a Nightmare and, Black Theology: A Documentary History. Americans should not be expected to meekly accept bigotry or separatist philosophies regardless of the skin color of the speaker or author who prescribes to these ideals. The institution of slavery is a scar on our nation’s past however; does this event obligate our black citizenry to maintain a permanent sense of oppression and racial injustice while our white citizens are required to hang their heads in shame due to the activities of their white ancestors? My readings of Dr. Cone have led me to believe that this is the goal of black liberation theology. The ensuing paragraph will prove my point. I ask that you take notice of the use of tense within the paragraph. It is the last paragraph of Chapter 4 in, The Spirituals and the Blues, James H. Cone (1972), Orbis Books, Maryknoll, NY 10545.

If the spirituals had addressed the ethical behavior of the whites, the slaves
would have been assuming that white people were human and thus had the moral
capability of listening to their protest. Protest assumes community-that
the victim of injustice is a brother, sister, or a friend. There was
nothing in the experience of black slaves in their relation to white people that
could have supported that assumption. Black slaves expected nothing.
White people are, after all, Satan’s representatives on earth and you don’t make
deals with devils. The responsibility of Christians is to strive against
evil.

The reader should have noticed the switch from past to present tense within this paragraph. This grammatical syntax illustrates a theme throughout the written works of Dr. Cone. Reverend Wright, Barak Obama’s spiritual advisor, maintains the same belief system. I would like to believe that Senator Obama does not hold these views however; a spiritual advisor guides you to understanding the very essence of who you are as an individual. Is Senator Obama the great unifier or, is he merely a divisive wolf in sheep’s clothing? Blacks after all, do not hold a patent on oppression. Native Americans and Asians have also been oppressed by the white majority.

White Europeans, and later, white Americans murdered, removed and, enslaved Native Americans by the thousands. During the Pequot War of 1637-1638, Puritans murdered 600-700 members of the Pequot nation in the Mystic Massacre on May 26, 1637. In 1838, over 4,000 Cherokees died during their forced removal from Georgia to present day Oklahoma on what came to be known as, The Trail of Tears. On November 29, 1864, a Colorado militia murdered approximately 150-200 elderly men, women and, children of the Cheyenne and Arapaho nations at the Sand Creek Massacre. The Wounded Creek Massacre on December 29th, 1890 led to the murder of over 300 Lakota by the 7th Cavalry. I could go on and on but, my point is that the Indian nations across our land have moved beyond bitter hatred and have attempted to become part of a unified whole while maintaining cultural pride and reflecting on the travails of their ancestors.

Asian Americans also had a difficult road to travel. They provided a cheap source of labor for our rapidly expanding nation during the late 1800s. Horrific working conditions and bigoted treatment by white coworkers was their daily existence as they toiled in the mines and on the railroad in California. The decade long depression after the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad led to a rise in nativist sentiment in California. Article XIX, section 4 of the California state constitution ratified in 1879 forbade corporations from hiring Chinese and gave cities and counties the authority to expel Chinese and limit where they could live. This section of the constitution was not repealed until 1952. Yet, California now has a thriving Asian populace within its midst.

So, where does all of this lead? Does bigotry, racism, economic and social injustice exist within our land? Of course it does however; the true realization of America is how we deal with it. I feel that divisive and socially separatist jargon, whether in written or verbal form does little to advance our pursuit of racial harmony. Must black liberation theology remain ensnared in the horrific past of black Americans or, can it move beyond racial hyperbole and provide its followers with a positive path towards social unification? As for this voter given his history with this theology, Barak Obama has as yet, left many questions unanswered.

De Oppresso Liber