The Shout-Out That Never Came.

Meghan O’Rourke, a young writer over at Slate called “Where Hillary Clinton Went Wrong.” According to her, Hillary lost the votes of young feminists because she didn’t capitalize on the fact that she was blazing a historic trail in the same way that Obama has.

Wait. Did I miss something? Last time I checked, Obama has been doing the best he can to completely neglect the fact that he is making history for African-Americans. Watching his speech last night as he became the presumptive nominee of the Democratic party, a friend and I joked that it took him 30 minutes to make a “Black reference” – when he briefly mentioned the voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery a few minutes before his speech was over.

Having just finished my term as president of Georgetown’s NAACP chapter, and now starting my internship with the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, AL, birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement, I have never felt more strongly about the need for us to recognize the martyrs of that movement. Countless people of that era sacrificed everything, and many died, for the right to vote and participate in this country’s democracy. Now, Obama is directly benefitting from the sacrifices of the generations before him: people like Rev. George Lee, Lamar Smith, Herbert Lee, Medgar Evers, Jimmy Lee Jackson, Rev. James Reeb, and Viola Liuzzo, all of whom were murdered because they fought for voting rights. I personally think that those who made his presidential bid possible deserve a thank you.

I know it’s politics. I know that if he were running as the “Black candidate” like Jesse Jackson, he would not have come this far. I know that in order to win, the majority of America, which is White, has to vote for you. But still, can the trail-blazing achievements of Black people in this country at least get a shout-out or something? I’m not trying to add to the “not black enough” debate – obviously Obama cares about his own people, or he wouldn’t have dedicated his life to serving them by becoming a community organizer and a civil rights lawyer. All I’m saying is, ever since he began his campaign, he has completely taken for granted his Black supporters by failing to acknowledge their specific concerns and needs, and the contributions African-Americans have made to this country.

To me, it seems almost as if Obama believes that White America has forgotten he is Black. Trust me, they haven’t. While many Whites are probably comforted that he was raised by a White mother and grandparents because he can relate to them better, at the end of the day they do realize what color he is. So why the hesitation, Obama? An MLK reference or a pledge to combat racism in the justice system here and there is not going to make White America turn their backs on you.

Or maybe it will. Maybe I’m being naïve. As a White woman, I’ll never have to struggle with putting my race to the side to appeal to the broader masses. But I have been through something similar. When I was nominated to run for president of my college’s NAACP chapter, I was thinking, OK, this is weird… I’m White. But I went with it. I ran, and I won, and when my race was mentioned in a Q&A with the candidates, I replied that my race didn’t matter, because we’re all fighting for civil rights. This is the same for Obama – in terms of whether he has the credentials to be president, race has nothing to do with it. However, you have to acknowledge that race exists. I was always blunt and straight-forward about my race and how it affected certain aspects of my leadership with the NAACP, and this honesty was appreciated. But I don’t think Obama is honestly addressing the needs of the Black community in his campaign, nor is he acknowledging the historic implications of his candidacy. He gave one speech on race, which was an amazing one, but it was given only because of the Rev. Wright controversy. I’m sorry, but it should not take some huge controversy to get our nation’s first major Black candidate to talk about race.

This opinion piece articulates what I’m feeling a lot better than I can. I can only imagine the difficulties Obama must face trying to balance his race with his role as a major party’s nominee; most recently, he felt he had no other option but to leave his church of nearly 20 years in order to appease White America. So I understand that this is incredibly difficult. But if you ask me, I think the struggle is worth it. Obama – you are walking through doors opened to you by the Civil Rights Movement so that you can open new ones for my generation.

Ellie Gunderson is a rising junior at Georgetown.

Latest posts by elliemaehoya (see all)

  • Ellie-

    I hate employing this tired-ass cliché, but race really is a third rail. For him to bring it up isn’t cowardly, it’s just shrewd. The costs to his campaign far outweigh the benefits; I can’t see him making race a theme in his campaign and still winning (or even being competitive) in a lot of the primary states in which he performed well.

    Yeah, I think an ideal world would be one in which someone three shades darker than Obama could be president. But that world isn’t this one, where many of his white supporters praise Obama in language that they don’t even realize is condescending, or love him as a symbol of racial progress even if their personal circles are devoid of people of color. I think a lot of people don’t even have the elemental vocabulary to have that conversation in a constructive way.

    I’m just not convinced that him waxing didactic on America’s racial history from lecterns around the country would have been well-received enough to be effective.

  • LH

    G.D. beat me to it.

  • tam

    Also, as much as I would love for him to have given a shout-out, he didn’t need to. CNN did it for him throughout the night…

  • glory

    Part of what I like about Obama is the fact that he understands what G.D. is saying.

  • elliemaehoya

    G.D., I definitely agree that it would not be a smart political move for Obama to rub the race issues of this country in everyone’s face. (This is one of many reasons why I decided some time ago that I will never, ever go into politics.) However, I think that some issues are higher than politics, and the fact that people were literally tortured and killed for the right to participate in the government, a right that Obama is now able to take advantage of now, merits some type of thank you in a public way. I find it insulting to those who fought for this right, including those still living, that he is avoiding bringing up race at all costs. And yes, CNN used the word “historic” enough times to get the message across to everyone in America, but I just want to hear it from Obama. I know he must be feeling that sense of gratitude on the inside, and I know why politically he doesn’t want to say it and put race on the table, but like I said, just a small little shout-out would be beautiful.

    Also, this was the opinion piece I mentioned in the last paragraph; maybe it says it better than I can: http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=643&Itemid=1

  • Tasha

    elle – It would also be nice if people weren’t overt or closet racists, since that is a long time coming understand and appreciate a game well played as it’s being given.

  • Geraldine Ferraro speaks for a lot of people and it’s a long road to November.

    I’m sure the ancestors would understand that he has to be more shrewd with his strategy than possibly any other point in the history of black folks.

    The stakes are just too high right now.

  • bertie

    I see it differently. If there is one thing the black folks who came before us know, it is survival. If Obama is to survive politically, he doesn’t need to inject race into the campaign. His very standing there with Michelle by his side is a shout out to how historic the moment is/was.

  • rakia

    Race is a big enough issue in the campaign without Obama mentioning it, even if it is to thank the MLKs and Shirley Chisolms of the world. No one is going to forget that he’s black. Black folks are proud of him and perhaps worried about his welfare. White folks see him as a sign of progress and/or remain skeptical of his intentions. At best, Obama will be seen as a presidental candidate who happens to be black. And that’s fine with me. The most important thing is that he win. And if he needs to rein in his enthusiasm for “all things Black,” then so be it.

    Also, it’s important to note that his speech on race a few weeks was basically said it all. For 45 minutes, he said everything that could and should be said. No need to keep repeating it.

  • stella

    The remark that Obama has repeatedly taken for granted the black vote was unncessarily harsh and I feel that his speeches come from a genuinely open-minded (and yes obviously strategic) place in his heart and mind. Lest we forget Obama is still half-white and is in a position, intellectually and emotionally, to understand the divisiveness of race in american political history. His speech on race was as poignant and effective as he could probably be in this leg of the race. the black shout-out will come in many forms from both barack and michelle after he gets elected and probably not a minute before.

  • elliemaehoya

    I do understand the “you gotta do what you gotta do” mentality, especially when it comes to politics. However, I don’t think one 45 minute speech that (while perfectly written) was delivered only to squash the Rev. Wright contoversy should be the only time our first Black candidate mentions race, rakia.

    My only hope is that you’re right, stella, and he actually does begin to articulate the needs of Black America and answer them after he is elected. The problem is, I’m not too convinved that he will. He’s spent so much time catering to the “majority” vote that by the time he gets in office, he will be answerable to them and not too concerned with his own people because they make up such a small minority. I hope I’m wrong, though. I know Obama is a great person who truly cares about the community – I just hope politics and the Presidency (Lord-willing) don’t change that.

  • It’s strategy people. By any means necessary.

    I cannot wait for his next book to come out. I’d love to hear what’s really going on in his head regarding the commentary about his campaign.

  • aisha

    I could have sworn he gave the shout outs in the race speech. I next to look up the text again.

    People of color, Black people, have all had to walk the line and it’s familiar. We have to know when to raise hell and when we need to just slide on buy. I really think you underestimate what race means in this campaign. Drive the hour West Virginia if you need a reminder. He doesn’t need to do the public shout outs…that’s what they usually do. Invoke the name of our beloved forefathers to make us feel better about voting for them.

    I really wish that he could be the Black candidate but I know that he can’t and I accept that. This makes me think about Harold Washington of Chicago and the reality he faced as the first Black mayor of Chicago.