The Inauguration of the 44th President: Historical in What Sense? A Modest Proposal
Okay; we've been busy wrapping up the latest semester of school, but we can't let it go without having a school-wide assembly, Tuesday morning to watch "this historical inauguration" of Mr. Barack Obama.
Sigh.
I'm not going to make waves, at least among large numbers of my fellow faculty, but I can't help but ask myself, "historical in what way?"
For I am afraid the answer would be, for many people, "the inauguration is historical because Mr. Obama is The First Black President of the USA."
And that sounds so... condescending, somehow. And, certainly not (to me, anyways) historic for that reason. Is it always historic every time we elect someone who possesses a new characteristic to the highest office (Catholic, Republican, actor, really old guy, etc.)?
The Modest Proposal? —> For me, the historical election will be the one where we no longer remark upon the president's gender or faith or skin color with hushed tones.
However, I will note that I have already subscribed to one dear hope for our new president, which I set down here as a prediction:
Barack Obama will be the first president, since JFK or possibly even Teddy Roosevelt, to jump up and slap at awnings and low ceilings as he walks underneath them.And that is something every red-blooded American male can get behind!
on another blog you mentioned backpackistan. I thought that you created that one from the communique of Daniel Pearl
The e-mail continued, "Okay, clean slate, but let me say this: I'm going to Pakistan Saturday, and from that point on, anybody who types the word Pakistan, Pakistani, Paki, Pak, Coldpak or Backpak without consulting me stands NO CHANCE AT ALL of getting illicit Cipro."
It was signed, "Danny."(http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/pearl-022102.htm)
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crazy:
I wouldn't comically riff on Daniel Pearl. That e-mail quote from him is funny, so thanks for sharing it with me.
thanks for dropping by, but
isn't "crazy man in nyc" redundant? ;o/
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I don't think it's condescending to state Obama is the first American black President any more than I think stating Jackie Robinson was the first black to play major league basketball.
It's a historical statement and we should not ignore historical "1sts". As for your desire to see a "colorless" world, I applaude your idealism and point you to the windmills ;-)
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Besides that, what do you think of my actual prediction -- the theme of the post? Does Mr. Obama strike you as an awning-slapping kind of guy?
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and may I just day, channing, if that is your real name, I respect your opinion on such matters because you are a colored person:
now, then: sorry... I find it condescending in this sense: because in NORMAL CONVERSATION in everyday life, I have literally had people around me stare at their shoes in embarrassment if I, in trying to point out a person in a crowd, say "the Black guy over there," as if race is something to be ashamed of.
And then -- these same people categorize Obama as a "Black" president, instead of Mr. President. That's how I feel, anyway.
I will still hoist the champaign, though, when a president is elected, who is not the first anything, but just the president. I promise.
Just as the wiseman once said, it wasn't a landmark when Frank Robinson was hired as an MLB manager, so much as when he was fired.
Thank you, sir, for pointing me to the windmills once again. It won't be the first time I have broken my lance on them, and it is almost certain they will be the death of me, but I can't help it -- it's who I am.
Cheers.
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Just because the "shoe people" are silly doesn't mean we must be silly.
And I was disappointed by the lack of civility displayed by those who said "goodbye" to our former president.
And finally, I can see Obama being the "slap the awning" type but I'm not sure I want the President to be "like us".
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Yeah, that "regular guy" stuff wore pretty thin when Clinton was in office... er, I mean Bush... whatever.
Come to think of it, I have no fear of our leaders being "regular" folk -- whatever that means. I think some opponents of Bush just got tired of some proponents of Bush (and others) as being "like us." See Cheney, Palin.
It is no handicap to be a "regular" person. Nor, for someone like Mr. Obama, who is much more like me than regular, is it a handicap to be spectacularly educated, intelligent, and (not so much like me now) incredibly privileged and capable enough of taking advantage of that privilege.
Slapping the awning has nothing to do with being "like us," you nit. It has everything to do with being a guy in the prime of life. Relax; not everything is portentious, esp on this blog! :o)
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On another note, I am only a colored person when I look in the mirror ;-)
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Yeh; me too. Oh -- and when I apply lotion to my arms.
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