The White Man Won

>Hey, Obama is half white, after all. We call him black, but the fact is, he’s just as white as he is black, genetically speaking. Which is perfect.

Some people think Abraham Lincoln had some African blood in him. Whether or not he did, two skinny tall guys from Illinois, both lawyers and state legislators, both coming from humble beginnings, went on to reach the presidency of the United States of America. The first one freed the black slaves, the second became the first black president.

Though he is half white, we call him black. And yet we elected him, overwhelmingly. And, while that is certainly a victory for the black man in America, it is also a victory for the white man in America. For the simple reason that he has overcome his sordid history of racism. In that sense, it is a victory for us all. Even the racists that are presently seething in their hatred as they witness a history they never saw coming may eventually be changed.

Why? Because, familiarity brings understanding. Although Mr. & Ms. Bigot may not see it today, eventually, they will have to admit that, hey, this guy is doing a pretty good job. (Because we know he’ll do a great job.) And they’ll see him everyday in the news, conducting their nation’s business. The country will not turn communist. Obama will not invite Al Qaeda for dinner. They sky will not fall. They will, eventually, see that they were lied to, by their own party… this man is no terrorist, he is a true, red, white and blue American.

And like the prejudiced person living in a formerly all-white neighborhood, when the black family moves in next door, after some time passes and they get to know them a bit, the prejudice subsides. So will the inbred racism of a whole generation begin to subside, as even people who remain isolated from other races where they live begin to become familiar with this new black president. They will see good things happening, their own lot improving, as we move from an economics geared toward the rich to one geared toward the people. Then they may begin to see.

The blacks and the whites won. In the words of Martin Luther King, “Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we’re free at last!” Hallelujah.

James Israel
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