Post What? The Rant

The very idea that some people are trying to assert that we live in a post-racial nation is absurd. Just because we have a bi-racial POTUS means nothing, as they say, on the ground. Was it a triumphant moment when Barack Hussein Obama became the 44th leader of the United States? Yes, it was. Did my wife and I cry? Yes, we did. Did I let my (at the time) 8-month-old watch? Yep. History was made that night. But the entire event was historical spectacle— that moment did not trickle down to where you and I live.

Racism is getting worse. You have too many black folks thinking (and acting) like some sort of mission was accomplished and that it is now time to take a break from fighting for true equality. White folks were way too happy in their perceived liberalness: “I voted for the black guy! Aren’t I progressive?” I make mention of only black and white folks because, even though the racial argument is much more vast and colorful, this is the racial issue paradigm that one must start with in this country. On another note…did anyone really think that Obama was going to lose? What would you rather have, a working car or a bicycle with a rusted frame and no tires? Just the thought that it is a big deal that a bi-racial man is the President illustrates just how far we have to go as a society.

It shouldn’t matter if our president is black, Fijian, Chinese, a woman, gay, Tongan, African—as long as they want the job, have the interests of ALL people in mind, are competent and can engender trust internationally; these should be the only things that matter. But people make it out to be such an enormous thing that I’m kind of scared. The fight doesn’t stop with the election of Obama. In fact, people should be fighting twice as hard towards true equality.

We should all take notice and emulate Obama’s narrative trajectory. He inherited a country in the verge of severe disarray. The economy sucks, schools are closing—and if they aren’t closing, teachers and staff are being laid off. Tuition is being raised in colleges across the country—turning one of the only equalizers we have, education, into an elitist enterprise. Obama is tackling this all, head on. We need to do the same about race relations.

Racially motivated hate crimes are on the rise. We may have, what some folks may call, a “black president” but where is the black presence in our daily media? The only times that you even see black folks is if they’re in trouble, entertaining, or grimacing and grunting during an athletic contest. How many of you know who Dr. Mae C. Jemison is? What about Charles Bolden?

The Obama election throws a spanner in the works of parents of multi-racial (with one parent having immediate “black” ancestry) children. It is great that Obama is the 44th. He is arguably the most popular black man in the world (even more popular than Will Smith) but what do I tell my caramel skinned daughter when she starts to ask me questions about black women in the public sphere. Will I have to dip into the Oprah and Michelle Obama well over and over just to prove to her that black women can be successful without having to disrobe in music videos and movies? Do I tell her that she shouldn’t be concerned about this because we live in a post-racial society and we are all one people?

It is hard as hell trying to raise my multi-racial daughter. My wife and I try our best to expose her to as many things that portray women of color in a positive light as we can, but it is slim pickings out there. If it doesn’t have some Disney or Nickelodeon character plastered on it, it is a white character. This wouldn’t be so bad if there were other options. But there isn’t any. It is like “whiteness” is our cultural default setting and a post-racial society means that everything, but whiteness, is erased and/or subsumed.

Some (ignorant and reactionary) folks will try to scream that I’m a racist. Racism means that I have the power to oppress people of other races and the systems in place to back up my power. Nope. I’m not a racist, nor am I a bigot. What I am is an enemy of white supremacy and black complacency and acquiescence. Do I want a post-racial society? If a definition of this can be presented that in application doesn’t cause my stomach to turn—then, yes. But until then, I’ll be reading my daughter Octavia E. Butler at night, praying that the next president is a woman, and getting her ready to fight the good fight.