Opinion: The Price of a Black President

[Gerald]

Young men joined the march from the Selma to Montgomery, Ala., organized by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in March 1965.

WHEN African-Americans go to the polls next week, they are likely to support Barack Obama at a level approaching the 95 percent share of the black vote he received in 2008. As well they should, given the symbolic exceptionalism of his presidency and the modern Republican Party’s utter disregard for economic justice, civil rights and the social safety net.

But for those who had seen in President Obama’s election the culmination of four centuries of black hopes and aspirations and the realization of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a “beloved community,” the last four years must be reckoned a disappointment. Whether it ends in 2013 or 2017, the Obama presidency has already marked the decline, rather than the pinnacle, of a political vision centered on challenging racial inequality. The tragedy is that black elites — from intellectuals and civil rights leaders to politicians and clergy members — have acquiesced to this decline, seeing it as the necessary price for the pride and satisfaction of having a black family in the White House.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/op...me&ref=general


Note: October 27, 2012

[Buddahaid]

OK so he's not Dr. King reincarnated and he's not the Messiah. I think there was a bit of overreach about what he could do and become which doesn't automatically mean a failure.

People always expect too much out of their leaders as if they need to have been born from divine intervention to qualify, and then look surprised to find out they have human failings just like regular people do. Of course they are our leaders and as such the standard should be high, but not impossibly so.

[the_tyrant]

Obama IS on the right path. the author talks about de-emphasising race as if it is a bad thing.

Race shouldn't matter, it doesn't matter. The article just seems to be mad that affirmative action laws are being repelled.

[nikimcbee]

Several trillion.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

Several trillion.

A "decent" amount

[yubba]

This last month 4 american lives were lost,,,then he lied about what happened....and he will be in Orlando for the next couple days living it up and soakin up some rays while his city floods sound familiar,, as Rome burns.....

[yubba]

Originally Posted by yubba

This last month 4 american lives were lost,,,then he lied about what happened....and he will be in Orlando for the next couple days living it up and soakin up some rays while his city floods sound familiar,, as Rome burns.....

I forgot some thing

[Takeda Shingen]

Acutally, he's going to be in Orlando for a matter of hours, not days.

http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/10/28...-sunday-night/

Also, the track of the storm does not take it over DC:

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/201...olding-strong/

Stop trying to politicize this storm, yubba.