You’d think with Obama’s election and reelection, as the first black President in American history, would indicate that we’ve successfully moved into a post-racial society. Not so fast, Sparky. Julian Bond, the former chairman of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), claims that racism is far from gone and goes so far as to put much of the blame on Obama.
“Paradoxically, Barack Obama’s victory convinced many that all racial barriers and restrictions had been vanquished and we had entered racial nirvana across the land. The nation is not there yet,” Bond said.
During a speech before a Southern Christian Leadership luncheon, Bond said that Obama was such a dividing force that he was actually forcing a rise in racist sentiments. He cited polls showing a connection in the rise of anti-minority feelings and Obama’s election as president. He said too many people view the President as a threat to heterosexual, Christian, and white values.
Oh snap! Could it be that Obama’s last pillar of support is finally crumbling on him? Consider this: blacks had unwavering support for OJ Simpson after he killed his ex-wife and her boyfriend and for Michael Jackson even though he tried to turn himself into a white guy and molested children. Yet, it would seem black does crack, at least in terms of supporting a man who is more talk than action.
Black leaders have long complained that Obama hasn’t done enough to help the community. Columbia University’s Fredrick Harris wrote, “far from giving black America greater influence in U.S. politics, Obama’s ascent to the White House has signaled the decline of a politics aimed at challenging racial inequality head-on.”
African American economist Bernard Anderson (no relation) took it step further. After watching Obama’s second inaugural address, he was so enraged by the President’s lack of consideration for the black community that he said. “We cannot let the president off the hook in the second term. Black people gave him a pass in the first term …. He is not going to run for anything. He doesn’t deserve a pass anymore.”
But being upset over the fool notion that Obama was elected to only represent blacks isn’t the same as blaming the President for the rise in racism as Bond has done. It’s very refreshing for the head of the NAACP to finally come to the realization that Obama is a divisive and destructive force in America.
I’m going to give Julian Bond the benefit of the doubt and guess that he wasn’t actually trying to call out Obama on the perceived rise in racism. I think he was trying to make a point that he believes there’s more work to be done to make America racially harmonious. The words did come out of his mouth though and they have a resonance of truth in terms of the President causing a massive divide in this country. Then again, he was delivering a speech in front of a Christian group, so maybe his statements about Obama threatening traditional values actually was a jab at the President.