Really. That's the question that I'm asking myself right now.
Why? Because I just read that a CNN poll from last week found that 69 percent of blacks in America currently believe that MLK's vision "has been fulfilled." This is quantum levels of optimism beyond a mere majority. Say what? Black people? You mean the very people who for as long as we've been doing opinion polls have been the quintessential pessimists? Yes...those people.
I know you're thinking that if black people are so effusive, then white people must practically unanimously agree that we have reached the promise land. And in this case, you would be wrong...because only 46 percent of them do.
Yes, we have suddenly turned the world upside down.
Let me give you some context. When asked if this country had fulfilled Martin Luther King's vision in March 2008, the poll numbers were as unnewsworthy as they were predictable: 34 percent of black respondents said "yes," compared with 35 percent of white respondents. If we go back several years, before Barack Obama entered the public limelight, those numbers were more like 20 percent for blacks and 40 percent for whites.
This just might be the first time ever in our history that African Americans are more optimistic than white Americans with respect to the position of black people in the United States racial hierarchy.
OK, so what's going on? That's what I want to know. What's this mean?
I have a few thoughts. Black people are riding a spiritual high that crescendoed right after the election when, for the first time ever, a majority said that we would eventually find a solution to our race conundrum. And now on the eve of a (half) black president, the glee is too much to contain. Sure, the enthusiasm will wane, but for the moment how can the world not look rosy and cheerful -- as long as people with brown skin refrain from riding the subway in Oakland. (OK, I'm being cynical here; I'll return to that story in a future posting.)
The white celebrations, by contrast, do not have the momentum of 400 years of mistreatment and second (or third) class citizenship. Maybe white people are feeling a bit nervous about having their racial universe turned on its head. Sure, there are positives to the transformation -- like the prospect of being able to have normalized relationships and straightforward conversations with black and brown people. But on the negative side, there is a visible crack in the foundation of white privilege and I can only imagine that it's weakening the support beams holding up the house of normal -- and white people are feeling the stress.
But really, I feel like I'm shooting plastic ducks floating past at one of those midway stands at a carnival -- and it's highly unlikely that I've tagged the one with the star on the bottom. In other words, I'm at a loss on this one. Someone tell me what these poll numbers mean.
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1 – 200 of 258 Newer› Newest»The Obama Nation: Land of Unity or Denial?
Since the election of Barak Obama, this nation’s first colored president, the opinions of people of color, African Americans especially, have dramatically shifted in terms of equality. Many more of the supposed pessimistic blacks are saying the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. is being fulfilled than is expected. On the other end, less whites are agreeing than one would think. The reason for this? Once again, we turn to the biggest current racial issue in the news today; the inauguration of Barak Obama.
In the eyes of many African Americans, of colored Americans in general, this is a giant step forward. For the first time in history a colored individual occupies the highest position of power in this country. But this is not how white people see it. Chances are many more black people voted for Obama because of his race than did white people. I’m willing to bet more than a few whites voted against him because of his ethnicity. But for the majority of whites who voted for Obama, they refused to see him as he is. They did not vote for a black man, chances are they didn’t even acknowledge he was black. I’ll admit that I myself didn’t give his ethnicity a second thought. It wasn’t until I saw the headlines in the New York Times proclaiming the first black president to have been elected that it hit me. Oh yeah, he’s black.
I feel like so many African Americans today are just looking for something, anything to show that they’ve improved their social standing. Now don’t get me wrong, I think they’re doing pretty well, but aside from Obama, what proof do we really have? Even back in the day when slaves walked the Americas, there were free blacks, maybe even one or two who owned land. But did that mean that African Americans as a whole were well off? I can’t help but wonder if some very optimistic African Americans even think that Obama will now be taking steps to further raise the status of the black community. For my part, I don’t see that happening.
Let me be the first to say I am not an expert on race by any means. But I have had my share of black friends. I think for them the biggest thing holding the black community back is the stereotypes. I mean really, how many white or even Asian or Mexican Americans can you imagine agreeing with or even respecting the gangsta’ mono so many blacks portray today? Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, has become so riddled with crime that the government there is sending people off to other towns like Williamsport, which only seems to spread the drugs and the violence across the state.
Okay, I’m going to contradict myself here for a minute. I’m glad that some of these Philadelphians were sent to my home town. It gave me a chance to get to know some of these students for who they really were. It made me sad to see how my friend Cureem acted so different with his black friends than he did with the acting troupe we were in. Funny thing was most of the troupe was black, too. But for some reason… Well, in drama class he sat with some black kids from Philly and he was loud, he was disrespectful, he acted like a real jerk. But after school he was the nicest guy you could ever meet. And it just… I hate that people feel like they have to pretend to be someone different to fit in. And unfortunately for many young African Americans, to fit in is to rebel against society in a destructive way that undermines the very thing people like Martin Luther King Jr. worked so hard to fix.
Luke Abercrombie
It's funny because until a "half black person" decided to run for President no one felt as if being biracial was simply that "biracial". All of a sudden it is easy to notice that Obama is half black and half white instead of the usual, "because he is half black he is Black". It's almost like when someone has some form of power, white as a race is NOW noticeable. I feel as though only 69% of African Americans feel we have reached the so called "promise land" because finally "The Man" is a man that looks just like them; or at least half, and it's like the "system" is more for us and in our favor than against us regardless if Obama has served his term yet or not. It is an eye-opener. It is a sense of security and relief that something so extraordinary as having a black president would become a reality; dream-like so to say. I feel MLK's dream is visible, very visible to be exact, but in my eyes we have not reached the promise land; however we are one step closer to being there. So what is the promise land? Some place where everyone is equal and everyone agrees and is in harmony? If that's the case then we have a long way to go and Obama being elected as president will hopefully open-minds that now, the same ancestry that was abused and taken into slavery is now the ruler of our country and that is very exciting. Another reason why there may only be 69% is because the other 41% realize that there is alot of work to be done. Not only has Obama been expected to change the face of America but on top of that he is black which means as much as we are waiting for him to make miracles we are also waiting for him to make mistakes; or at least some are. His every move is being watched which means MLK's vision has come true, but now it has to be manifested and proven. Unlike Obama, Dr. King wasn't president he was an excellent leader, motivator, and person. His knowledge and courage helped African Americans press on. As times change discrimination and racism is still around but how strong is it if Obama was considered president before all votes were counted? In some way people are looking for a way out of hard times considering the recession and war, so much that they will even disregard color and worldly perceptions and learn that color and quality are not the same thing. Unfortunately, for Obama his job is to get us at an at least okay state and that is going to be hard. Just like Dr. King wasn't the Messiah and lead us some what to the promise land is the same way with Obama we can only "keep hope alive"!!!
Sasha Howard
Section #14
I feel that these pole numbers represent a change in the way that both blacks and whites may view racism in this country. Theses poles represent a change for the better finally after years of oppression and dealing with racism black people see the election of Barack Obama as one of the greatest victories against racism. I feel that the pole reflects much of the older generation then my own, because they actually went through segregation and saw many of the atrocities that were committed. After seeing these things and being of a time n our nation when blacks were not seen as equal to actually be alive to see a black president in the office is amazing. To them something like this would truly signal an end to racism in this country and the possible fulfillment of MLK’s dream. MLK preached equality and seeing every man as equal and I mean nothing could represent equality better then a black man finally entering into the white house. Something that I don’t even think he himself good have thought would happen in his own lifetime. My own personal feelings about the pole are somewhat different than those of older generations, because I myself was not subject to the in your face racisms that they were. I feel that the election of Barack Obama is an incredible stride in the realization of MLK’s dream but I don’t think it’s the actual realization of it completely. I take nothing away from this momentous occasion I as a black man have never been more proud and happy about something in my entire life. However I don’t think MLK’s dream has truly been realized yet I feel that there is still far too much behind closed doors racisms for his dream to have truly been released. I feel that there are still too many people in high places of power and esteem that still hold the beliefs of a time not long passed. This can be seen all around us especially in television and the media. For example look at the small number of black coaches at the college level. Outside of historically black universities or majority blacks schools you can count all of them on one hand. Witch to me is just stupid because if you look at the star players on these major university teams I would dare to say 90 percent of them are black. How the hell does that work is what I would like to no. I mean all that says to me is u trust us to play for u a win for your school but u don’t think we are intelligent enough to run your team. All in all I think Barack’s victory is monuments but I don’t think doctor kings dream has truly been realized yet.
It seems as though people stick to what they know. They treat the comfort of familiarity as a security blanket in all aspects of life. Whether it be a common face, a regular hang out spot, or a daily routine. However, in the case of America’s most highlighted news, the inauguration of The United States of America’s first black president, people, whites especially, are filled with uncertainty. Having a black president sets people on edge because it is something new and different and many are unsure of what to expect, though they may in fact support the cause.
It is important to recognize what Obama stands for: Change. Change scares people and leaves them wondering about what’s to come and how it should be handled. It is evident based upon recent statistics that African American’s have more faith in the country now than in previous polls, proving that their support in our country lies in what they may recognize as a familiar darker skinned face. Though fewer whites maintain confidence in the fulfillment of Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, this historical moment has proven to be a highlight in the advancement of time and society. Many whites highly support President Obama, however, I believe that in their eyes there is more work to be done in order to reach cultural equality. This is a major step towards the destruction of prejudice in America, but the statistics prove that there is a lack of universal faith in the political status of our country.
I feel as though many African American’s voted for Barack Obama for the sole purpose of the color of his skin, and I’m sure many white’s voted against him for the same reason. But the most important thing that Americans should be concerned with is how our new president is going to overcome the current struggles of our country. Based upon the statistic, more whites are concerned in the future of our country, and I feel as though it’s not just because our new president is black, but because our economic problems are devastating. Whereas blacks see this moment in time as an opportunity for a person they can relate to to shine in ways that blacks haven’t in hundreds of years. This moment in times signifies a civil rights triumph for African Americans. This theory may very well explain why 69% of African Americans believe MLK’s dream has been fulfilled and only 46% of whites do.
In all, American confidence levels have been altered due to recent historical events. Whites are concerned with the idea of change and unfamiliarity, and the current state of our country does not help. African Americans are taking this moment as a means of empowerment and strive towards equality and supremacy.
The inauguration of our new black President has been a reality check for the United States. The wake-up call for change has finally occurred. So why do the polls show that more Afro Americans compared to whites are feeling as though Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream is finally coming alive? Being comfortable is what all humans strive for, regardless of color, race, ethnicity; it is human. We have just elected the first black President and blacks are feeling more optimistic than whites, coincidence – I doubt it. The polls from the past have shown us that blacks have always been the pessimists of the world. The presidents from the past have also always been white. In my opinion there is a clear correlation here. It is human nature for people to feel threatened by new, uncomfortable things and this is exactly why whites are not as optimistic after this election. Although I’m sure a very good amount of white people voted for Obama for their own reasons, I am also sure that a good amount didn’t because of his color and ethnicity.
Now the question is why are some blacks not as comfortable as others about this new president of ours? I think the reason is because of a big word that everyone has been waiting for, change. Some people become automatically optimistic and sure that MLK’s dream has been captured, however others are nervously waiting for this change to happen. The world has been in a bad place for a long time and although getting Bush out the White House is exciting for a lot of people, it is also still very nerve-racking for some. Just because Bush is out and Obama is in, doesn’t necessarily mean that the world will be better and change will occur. The polls show even though a lot of people are excited about this new presidency, others are still going to wait and see what happens before they start “jumping for joy”.
Obviously many people support Obama and the majority clearly voted for him. I think part of the reason why blacks don’t seem to feel as though MLK’s dream has been reached and why whites seem to be the pessimistic ones is because mostly everyone was concerned with getting a Republican out of the office. I talked to many family members and friends and when I would ask why they were voting for Obama as I was still making a decision, many replied with the response that it was time for a Democrat to take over. So theoretically speaking, what if Obama was the Republican in the election and McCain was the Democrat, what do you think would have happened then? Because I think there may have been a good chance that McCain would have taken office. Regardless of the reasons, our new President is black which is a culture shock for everyone including Afro Americans; many people are excited and many are waiting for a change, so I guess we’ll see where Obama takes us.
Electing a (half) black male as President of the United States has been the most historic moment in our lives. So I do believe that black people would have a higher outlook than white people when it comes to the fulfillment of Martin Luther King’s dream. A few decades ago there was complete segregation in the U.S. and MLK’s vision was to end all types of racial profiling and live as one nation. Even in today’s society there are still “snippets” of racism. However, the U.S. has come a very long way in acknowledging the dream that many minority men and woman have acted upon in order for all races to join as one. For instance, as a young black woman I do believe that MLK’s dream has been somewhat fulfilled because if it was not for his dream and the actions that he took for this vision, we would not be as open-minded as we are now. I mean who would’ve thought that the U.S. would have a black president in our lifetime. I definitely knew a lot of people who doubted this historical day, including myself. I knew of the previous black people who ran for office but has not succeeded. Therefore I made the assumption that the U.S. would not see a non-white president for a very long time, but as you can see I was wrong! But anyway, I feel that there are many black people that look up to President Obama as an inspiration. Meaning that we don’t have to put ourselves down because of our race and since the “barrier” that we thought was holding us down is gone, we should expand our horizons. Such as furthering our education, being ambitious, and working for what is right! I also believe this vision impacted black men. There are a higher percentage of black men in jail and on the streets than in school or at a stable job. Because of the same old excuses, such as the “man” has brought them down. But in fact, there probably haven’t been positive role models in their lives except for now. Therefore, if a (half) black man can make it to the White House there should be hope in reaching new heights.
Going back to others who believe that the U.S. has not fulfilled MLK’s dream, I would also have to agree with them. Just because we have a non-white president does not mean that we are living in utopia but does mean that we should start to make changes in our lives also. We need to acknowledge the fact that the equality and harmony in our country is still poor and needs to be worked on for the betterment of this country.
Therefore, MLK vision and President Obama’s Inauguration not only impact the world but it inspired people to look on the inside rather than outside of a person.
I identify as white and when I read that white people are the pessimists in this situation I was surprised. However, then I started to think about the possibilities of why the polls turned out the way that they did. I think that the generation I am part of is more open minded and accepting than the generations of our elders. I think that perhaps when my generation looks at the event of Obama being inaugurated we see this more as an opening of doors. Granted this is definitely a very monumental event, perhaps this will lead to greater things to come. I think that a half black president being elected into the white house would definitely have been an ideal part of Martin Luther King’s plans, but I think that he would have had other things in his vision that were just as important or possibly even more important.
Having a half black president means that there are going to be a lot of changes in our country, but unfortunately a lot of things are going to stay exactly the same. Yes having a non-white President is something that people probably never thought they would see in their lifetime so it is a huge achievement, but just because we have a non-white president does not mean that racism is going to be non-existent. Our country still has a long way to go in terms of equal rights for blacks.
Maybe the reason that only 46% of white people polled that they believed that Martin Luther King’s vision had been fulfilled is because they think that yes this is an amazing thing that is happening that will indeed change our country forever, but maybe they realize that this is only going to lead to even bigger changes. Maybe blacks are so astounded by a half black president being elected that they cannot even imagine anything that would be better for the black community. Having a half black president is something that a lot of people thought was not even possible. Having a black president is such a huge achievement, especially for the black community, but maybe whites considering they have never had anything but presidents of their own race are thinking that it is not necessarily as big of a deal, but think that so much more is possible and would therefore believe that Martin Luther King had probably imagined much more and that his vision was not yet fulfilled.
I think that the most important thing about the poll results is that blacks are more optimistic than usual and are optimistic with what we will be experiencing down the road with our new half black president. Blacks have suffered and gone through many things that most people will never experience and it is about time that they can experience something that they believe will lead them to a positive change that will improve their lives and their equality.
I don't think hell just froze over but I do find it very interesting in how much of a majority of African Americans believe that Dr. Martin Luther King's dream is fulfilled. I feel that there is so much more to this dream. I do not believe that because there is a 'black' man in the highest seat of power in the country it means that the dream has been fulfilled. I am not an expert on race but I know that Dr. King did lots of work to better the African American community as a whole and I do not believe that he would feel his dream is fulfilled because one partially black man is our president of the United States. I feel that Dr. King would feel that his dream was fulfilled when African Americans were not only equal with whites and the browns and everyone else but when they were not stereotyped against and could succeed just as much as the next man. I think that African Americans are so positive right now because they have never been represented like this before; in all of history there has never been a president who was black. I think that African Americans feel that Obama will be able to represent them and bring change that they feel they need. On the other hand I feel that white Americans were not as high on the poll because they don't feel that this fulfills Dr. King's speech and I also don't think that all whites view President Obama as black. There has been talk that some people, like African Americans voted for President Obama because he was black and that was their only reason because they felt he could raise the status of the African American community. I am also sure there were also others on the flip side where some whites didn't vote for him because of his ethnicity or race. I however did not vote for him based on color as I am sure many others did not. I voted for the person I felt was most qualified for the job. Obama is a very educated man, good speaker and I feel that he will help us to get through the rough times we have been going through. I think he was the best for the job. I feel like this is a very monumentous time for our society. With electing a man of another ethnicity other than white into office we are making steps of progress forward. I think by electing a multiracial man into office we are able to continue moving forward hopefully for the better. I think that hopefully over these next years our economy will improve but also our views on society will also change for the better because of the historical steps we have continued to make. I think that after the high of electing a black man into office dies down everyone will realize that there are still more steps to fulfilling Dr. King’s dream. I also think that as time goes on whites will hopefully become more comfortable with President Obama as our president and that everyone will not see Obama as only a black or multiracial man but more importantly as the President of the United States that is helping to improve the greatest and most powerful country in the world.
Yes we can. Yes we have. As expected, we are still divided on the issue of racial equality in America, even with the inauguration of Barack Obama, only 69% of black people polled believe we have realized MLK’s dream and even less, only 46% of white people polled believe the dream has been reached. These numbers are higher than in previous years, but they are nowhere close to 100%. I feel that this is due in part to the fact that we have only completed another step in the road to true equality. The journey to equality is not over yet. Yes, we now have a black president, but that statement in itself shows that we have not yet reached equality. Only when we stop looking at the color of the skin on the person elected president, and just say “we elected a president”, not a black president, or a white president, or an asian president, or a latino president etc. , will these poll numbers reach or be close to 100%.
The poll numbers show hesitations more so from whites who were polled, perhaps because this is such new and uncharted political territory and they are anxious and nervous to see how the country and world reacts once Barack Obama settles in as president. The poll numbers are higher from blacks who were polled, perhaps because the monumental fact that a black president has taken office is evidence enough that we are making good progress on the road to racial equality. This poll, when compared to past polls on the same topic shows that both groups of believe that we are on the right track to racial equality in this country. The election is a great step forward, and the poll numbers will continue to rise as more steps, inspired by Obama’s accomplishments, are made toward breaking down racial barriers.
I think once Barack Obama has been in office for a year or so, the percentage of whites who think MLK’s dream has been realized will rise, because I feel that as we get to better know the Obama’s and are given more insight into their family, white people will become more comfortable with racial issues. There will be less tension as American’s feel more at home with the Obama’s and hopefully all Americans, no matter what their race, will see that the First Family is a living representation of MLK’s dream, maybe not in its entirety, but it is certainly a huge step forward in race relations. As time goes on and Obama makes his mark on the country, I believe these poll numbers will increase from both groups, and by the end of his presidency, perhaps we will be much closer to reaching that 100% number of people of both races who feel that the dream of MLK has been fulfilled.
As Martin Luther King Junior stepped up to the podium and announced to thousands of viewers across the nation that change was upon us through his “I have a dream speech” no one at that time anticipated how long it would take for that change to come and in what form it would take. Now, decades later, the time is upon us where the normality of the past has been thrown out the window as a new age of diversity has entered the white house. With the election of Barak Obama and the promise for change in the next four years, it has created a catalyst of hope for African Americans as we as a people take part in what will be known as one of the most historical days in our nation’s history. What becomes interesting about this monumental event, however, is the reversal is optimism from whites to blacks.
In past years as public officials such as Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice took office, it gave some hope to the people of color of this country that new times were upon us. However, up until now, there was never a visible statistic that this was felt by the majority. Now, with 69% of blacks expressing their belief that Martin Luther King’s dream has in fact been reached it has the country turned inside out as only 46% of white Americans have expressed that same belief through the polls in the last election.
Taking sides, I’d have to say that I agree with the 69% of blacks that feel we have reached MLK’s goal. How can you not? The United States of America (after 43, white, male presidents and a terrible history of violence concerning segregation and black slavery) now has a black president. That 69% are the ones flying high, looking for the light at the end of the tunnel they thought would never come.
Following up on that, I think there is a similarity between the minority of black people and the majority of whites that think Obama’s election is not the answer MLK was looking for. The grudge the black man holds on white men for the brutality of the past will probably live on in the older generations of this country forever and they won’t truly believe that things have changed until a president of a full black background enters the white house. For whites, not only does this reason hold true but also the denial factor. For so many years whites have been the dominant race in this country and now a turn of power has taken place. No one likes change and maybe whites don’t want to admit that things are changing even though it is inevitable. Maybe the change is for the worse. Maybe the declining economy will plummet and we’ll go into another depression. Or maybe Obama is the answer to so many struggling American’s prayers. Just like time heals all and has led us to where we are today, only time will tell what these poll numbers truly mean and who is right in the end.
I think this poll shows hope and also shows that we are heading in the right direction. Or are we? 69% of black people polled said that Martin Luther King’s vision was fulfilled. What does that mean? Does it mean that we have a black president, or does it mean that everyone is created equal? In my mind, Dr. King’s vision was for blacks and whites to be equal in society, for all blacks to have the same chances as whites. And we have gone very far in this sense. But the fact remains that it is not true. The poorest schools in the nation, the ones with the worst grades, are inner city schools that are predominantly black. There are more blacks under the poverty line then whites. I fully agree that Obama becoming president is huge, astronomical, but things are not just going to change over night. I think the reason 69% of blacks said his dream was fulfilled was because this was such a momentous occasion that they got caught up in it. I have a feeling that if the poll were given again in one year, the results would not be that high. Also, I think that white people are better able to answer this question at this time of the year. I am white, and I know blacks have gone a long way, but I am on the outside and I can see that his dream has not been fulfilled, something that I think black people are too caught up in the history of the election to see. And that’s fine, its totally predictable, but I don’t think this poll is a good test to see what the nation, and especially black people, really think about the completion of Dr. King’s vision. Still, I highly doubt that Dr. King would of thought that had he not been shot, that he would have seen a black president take office. In his mind, just getting rid of the colored water fountains and being able to sit anywhere on a bus were huge steps in the right direction. I don’t think that Dr. King ever included a black president in his vision (although I do not know). I think that Dr. King just wanted equality, for everyone to get along. The greatest thing about this election was what happened here during the ceremony. In the lobby of Waring commons there were roughly 100 people gathered around the television. When Obama was sworn in, everyone clapped, everyone cheered, no matter what race they were. I think that people are sick of having a racial problem in America. I think this election showed that although Dr. King’s vision has not been fulfilled, we are breaking down the barriers faster then ever so that it can be.
Has the United States of America moved into a forward direction of hope and peace? Has this nation really swallowed its proud and knocked down the restraints that once held so many back? Has individuals born in the households of hatred and racism put down their torches to join with others not of the same race? If the answers to these questions are yes then we have achieved the timeless dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King, who wanted people to be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character, would have been proud today as, he watched the first half black President be sworn into office. Barack Obama today achieved what other Multi-racial American could only dream of doing. Standing in front in millions of people Obama represented a man of change.
I was in total all today. I actually felt myself tearing up as I watched the inauguration events on TV. It seemed like I could feel the energy from the crowd. From the screams, to the chatting, to the warm solitude it felt like I was in Washington. Not to mention my mom called me from the Lincoln Memorial crying as she watched the 44th president stand on the steps and deliver one of the greatest inauguration speeches of her life time. I can honestly say the overwhelming feeling I felt today was not because I am a victim of racism, but because I understand there was a battle fought on my behave. I realized that there were people young and old who was abused and mistreated so I can do things like attend college. Even do simple things like walk down a street or sit in the front of the bus.
I am not surprise to read 69 percent of blacks in America currently believe that MLK's vision "has been fulfilled." Why, because we have come a long way. I felt a difference in my community when I went home this past winter break. A lot of people in my neighborhood, guys especially, are starting to speak more positively about the future. Many young children are starting to care more about education and reaching their goals. No longer are we as a Black nation conditioned to believe we can’t make it out of the struggle.
Unlike many Americans there were a few people who were not happy to see a Black President. And believe it or not those people could have been relatives, like grandparents and that’s sad. The one thing I would say to those people is America is going to continue to change with or without you. And yes believe it or not people of all races will walk hand in hand toward a common goal, known as humility.
Faith Harris
I think white people are pessimists in this period of time because they never have been led by a black person so to them even for a black person to win as a president is unbelievable. I also think the people that participate in the polls are people are mostly older people I do not think our generation really cares as much. After all the president has won because of his potential to bring to the country not because every black person voted for Obama and every white person voted for his competitor. Obama won because more people in the United States (black or white) wanted change weather economically or racially. I think our generation looks at this change as an opening door. A black person is a president in the United States that’s even bigger internationally; other countries look at America as “America is not as old as we thought it was”. I think this had fulfilled many African Americans dream starting from Rosa Park, Martin Luther King and all others that suffered for this day. I think 69% of African Americans polled that Martin Luther King dreams had been fulfilled is because never did we think that a black person with his family was going to be in the white house. This is because not too long ago African Americans and white people could not even go to the same school; sit in the same section of a restaurant, play in the same team anything we are able to do now was not even questionable 40 years ago. So this is a big change to African Americans, we have been inferiors for centuries if we are not optimistic today when will we be? Martin Luther King had dreamed for all of us. He spoke out loud when nobody else could. He wanted African Americans to be heard, be giving the same rights, and walk in the same street. African Americans went through horrible thing that nobody can relate too. We have been slaves, just been punished for been color people. May that is why whites cannot relate to this moment like we do, may be they polls were 49% because they are scared that African Americans will superiors and they do not want to be inferiors. America has been a country since 1700s but this is the first time we having a black president. So I think for white people to be pessimistic is normal. But I think this is a great positive change in the United States and everybody needs to embrace it. I also think this is just the beginning we far more to accomplish. There is no question this is the moment of the change but we still strive for more positive changes. And then maybe we all will have 100% polls.
My opinion of those poll numbers mean that black people are extremely excited about this presidential milestone in American history- as they should be. I’m excited as well, because to me it has made our whole government system seem more connected with the people of this country. And sure, we may not be all the way past our racial issues in this country, but progress is steady and we must work hard at it- as was stated in President Obama’s inauguration speech as my favorite part. As for the lowers percentage of optimistic whites, I think that may have something to do with this milestone event. I do not think it’s because whites are threatened, but I do think that the percentage shows that whites are belittling this occurrence. It’s almost as if they do not believe that this is as big of a deal as it is because they are still aware of their own issues with race. Whites may also be skeptic of a black person being in office. Change is a scary thing for some people, especially the older generations, so the whites are worried. As for not believe that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled, I believe to an extent it has. A point that stood out to me most from lecture was that MLK’s vision will be truly fulfilled when we’re not excited because we finally have a black president, but that we simple recognize that we have a new, highly qualified president- race would not even be a factor. Obama’s “Change” campaign may have something to do with white pessimism also. Some of my friends who are against Obama were so because he has too much charisma or too much talk to hope. Although he may be extremely optimistic, I think that’s the positive boost our nation needs to get things back on track. While running against McCain, Obama was going to seem more energized, fresh, and excited by nature. That excitement might scare the older conservative white people. I would also like to comment on another thing said in lecture today; a Jewish boy said that he feels we still have a long way to go because Jews, Arabs, and others are still discriminated against. All I know is, I would not like to live the life of that boy. Sure, I do not know what he’s going through because I’m not Jewish, but for our country to accomplish such a feat and to still feel our country needs so much more growing is very sad- at least on a day like today. He must have been one of the white people who do not believe this was fulfilling of MLK’s vision. While the projector scanned through pictures of slavery today, then went to a picture of the Obama family, I had a sudden feeling of so much accomplishment that it brought a tear to my eye. Maybe it took centuries for this type of equality, but just that fact that it is possible makes it worth the while. I’m one of the 54% who believe MLK’s vision has been fulfilled because I know MLK is a reasonable guy who would see this event for what it is- amazing.
For the first time in the history of the United States, a black man has been elected president. This marks a great point in change for America and our society as a whole. It seems as that even though the optimism of both whites and blacks for achieving MLK’s dream has risen, there still seems to be some uncertainty within this patchwork country. I believe that the reason for the sudden rise of 69% of blacks feeling MLK’s dream has been fulfilled was due to the fact that for the first time they are not being ruled by a white president in the country which within they live. I also believe that the reason that the white percentage did not increase as greatly was due to the unfamiliarity and uncertainty of change. I feel this has to do with the fact that since because Barack Obama is our first black president, people are uncertain of how things are going to unfold in the White House and in our society. It is only human for blacks to be more optimistic over whites of this change. From these percentages, many may ask has Obama become president because of his credentials as a candidate or simply because the color of his skin? Well you would have to be foolish to believe that Obama won due to the fact that he is of African American decent. This election was one of the biggest elections that America has ever seen and promotes for great change. However, it does not mark the point in time where Martin Luther King’s dream is fulfilled. MLK pushed for a time where people could see pass color and race and simply see people for who they were and what they stood for. Now, as a citizen of the United States I believe that there are many people in this country that were able to see pass the fact the Obama was black and simply vote for him because they thought he was best suited to be our next president. On the other hand, I can assure you that there were many Americans that voted against him or simply did not vote because they did not want to see a black man as the highest man in power in this country. When it comes to racial relations, I feel that Americans have not yet achieved total equality but I feel that having elected our first black president this year has allowed us to take a step in further doing that. One man can not change how every American citizen treats one another, but he can however move us closer to a point where that dream is more visible. Obama has not been put in the white house to achieve overall equality. He was however elected at a time where America was in dire need of a change. He has been elected president to bring about changes in foreign relations, education, healthcare, the economy, and our overall society and I am very optimistic to believe that he will successfully do so.
69% of blacks think that Barack Obama becoming president fulfills Martin Luther King’s dream. While I do somewhat agree with this, part of me thinks this is only part of his wonderful dream for this country. I’m sure anyone who was a part of the civil rights movement was beyond words today when they saw the first black president get sworn in today. It is a huge achievement for this country, especially since race is still a factor in this country. I, like many people who voted for Obama, were very hopeful but also worried that it might not happen, that race might have too strong a hold on this country to let something like a president who is half black become our next president. Once Obama was declared our next president, many people, especially blacks, became hopeful and even optimistic that this was the thing to turn around our country and rid us of racism. While again, this is a huge step for our country, that the president I voted for not only has the changes we need but also made history by being the first black president, we still have a way to go. I can understand why black people are so optimistic about their position in the U.S. They, along with many other people in this country, elected the first black president. For the first time ever, someone of color had a seat of power, the most powerful in this country. I can also see why this would lead black people to believe that MLK’s dream has been fulfilled. A majority of the country voted in a black president. However, while MLK would be nothing short of absolutely ecstatic about today, I think he wanted more from us, as a country. I think he wanted us to have today be so important because it was a new president, a younger president from another party with lots of changes for us. I think Martin Luther King wanted us to not see the Obamas as a black family in the White House but another family, just like ours, that were the new inhabitants of the White House. I think Obama being elected into the Oval Office is nothing short of amazing, I was thrilled and very happy that he won, he did it fair in square and I can’t wait to see all of the wonderful things he can do. I also think that MLK wanted more of the American people, he wanted us to have Black, Asian, Native American, Indian, Russian, Brazilian, and so on friends and not notice the race that goes along with them, to see them as people and nothing more and nothing less. I know that Martin Luther King would love today and what it has done for us, but we still have some work to do so that Obama would be seen as a president, and not just as a black president.
69% is a remarkably large number of African Americans that feel that Martin Luther King’s dream has been realized. As a staunch, backwoods, down-to-earth conservative, I look at this number in two different ways. I think it absolutely wonderful that the United States has its first African American president. I think it is great to see that “freedom has rung from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania”. One elderly citizen even stated today on ABC that “years ago I saw black and white people, now I see people of one color”. It is wonderful to see that for the first time since he used it, it is ironic that Barack Obama used Abraham Lincoln’s bible for the inauguration, think about that for a moment. However, I think these numbers and all the results of the election reflected an ignorant public. Keep in mind with all of my recognition as to what has happened, but I often wonder how informed the United States public was. Prior to the election (and say what you want), FOX News went out into the public and asked many African Americans of who they were voting for. All of the responses said that they were voting for Obama. But when other questions arose, things went a little differently. One question was posed if the citizens felt okay about Sarah Palin, yes, Sarah Palin being Obama’s running mate. Much to my dismay, many said they were fine with it! This little video piece made me think if many of the United States public was voting solely on race? Many other questions were posed to these people in which FOX News blatantly asked non-Obama ideals, and many of the interviewees said it was fine what Obama was doing, even though those concepts were not what he believed in. I think much of the public simply voted on things that were insignificant to the election, which helped Obama win. I know many people might respond by saying that I am racist, conservative minded, etc. However, I have to say shame on the American people for voting solely on race. Do I, as a white conservative feel that America has reached MLK’s dream? No, a strong no. Here is a clear example which still occurs in America’s youth. I once worked at an afterschool program for underprivileged students in what was classified as an “inner city” elementary school. I often had to sort out fights between the girls in third grade, in which often rooted down to race. One girl once told me “My mom won’t let me be friends with her because she is black”. I think these words can easily state that America still has work to do in order to achieve Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream.
In response to the blog entry “Did Hell Just Freeze Over” I found myself in somewhat disagreement about what Sam Richards had to say. I of course did not disagree with his statistics, for they are in fact just that- statistics and facts. However, I felt that he missed the big picture and was overly pessimistic about how whites feel about the situation. I don’t think that the majority of whites are in fear about our new president; I think it is just a lack of understanding. Coming from a small town with a ratio of white to nonwhite being about 500 to 1 (no, I’m not exaggerating) I find myself having a hard time identifying with black people who are beside themselves in joy for this new “change.” Yes, this is exciting. It is great. However, I have never suffered due to the color of my skin nor have I known many people who have. Although I can hear the stories and do my best to understand, I could never truly feel the outright jubilation for myself and for my family that older black people feel. For these people it has been a lifetime of struggle that is seemingly coming to an end. Also, in response to Porkboy34’s comments, I felt myself identifying with what he said. First off, he mentioned the Fox News poll in which Americans of color who were voting for Obama were okay with Sarah Palin as his running mate, his stance on abortion, etc. All of the information they were given were actually qualities of John McCain’s campaign. All of these people sided with John McCain’s views (what they were thinking were Barack Obama’s). I feel that this negates MLK’s dream. He did not want people to judge by the color of their skin regardless if it was in favor of blacks or whites. He wanted everyone to be judged by the content of their character. When people chose to vote for Obama because he is black, they were creating an entirely new situation with its own set of problems. If blacks side with blacks simply for being black isn’t that just the same as whites siding with whites simply because their white? I think that a perfectly harmonic world may be a little too idealist, however, I think it is something we should at least strive for. Rather than having the “Society of Black Women” isn’t it better to have the “Society of People?” Why do we have to separate everyone into groups? We are all people. We all have different interests that are entirely separate from the color of our skin and our gender. If we must classify, classify by interests. Creating elite groups of people that previously were considered inferior does not negate the past. Instead we are better to look to the future with a clean slate. Can’t we start over and just be people?
I don’t think it is necessarily accurate to label the white response to the election of President Obama as a pessimistic one – after all, the number of whites who believe MLK’s vision has been realized has increased eleven percent since March 2008, and is creeping closer to the fifty percent mark. The only thing these numbers really prove is that the experience of this election is different for black and white Americans, as well as specific to each individual American. It is true that white Americans cannot imagine the significance of this day to black Americans, as they have not been subject to the same type of racial subjugation throughout American history. Also important is the fact that to some white Americans, racial oppression is not an modern, contemporary American issue; it is a discussion swept under the rug, an unpleasant part of U.S. history which no longer exists, or an isolated issue to be dealt with by the specific sectors which are plagued with it. In fact, the abolishment of Jim Crow laws and the instillation of equal rights into the Constitution have made racism sneakier and more institutionalized. What was once out-and-out racism is now a covert operation – it’s less money towards inter-city schools based on the “fact” that the money is more needed elsewhere, or the rejection of a job application solely based on lack of “qualifications.” In this way, it is harder to find and fix prejudice and discrimination.
I do agree that some whites may feel threatened by the paradigm shift which seems to be at hand. The institution of racism has existed for so long because it is a part of infrastructure which benefits wealthy whites in power: it is in the best interest of those in power to maintain the status quo, and to continue to promote and support a hierarchy which grants them said power. In this case, that hierarchy is one which oppresses women and minorities, so one can imagine that a primary election which pitted a woman against a black man was bound to cause alarm among the powerful. Yet I remain hopeful that this does not represent the viewpoint of the majority of white Americans, only the close-minded, greedy few who would choose to hoard power and consequently stunt the growth of this nation.
I believe that many white Americans are as exhilarated by the prospect of change as black Americans, if not for the same reasons. It is hard not to be caught up in the excitement being experienced by an entire country, and to be hopeful that changes in the way races interact can reverberate positively in our social systems. By improving basic infrastructure so that it does slant unevenly in favor of white Americans, social change can improve the quality of life of all Americans.
Truly, this is a moment of accomplishment and victory for the black community in the United States, and for this I applaud them. A (half) black man who is younger than a large percentage of those that voted for him, has achieved what no other black man or person of a different race has succeeded in doing thus far.
I believe, however, that as we discussed in class, a true victory will only have been achieved in the moment that color is no longer even an issue during the campaign. The president elected will be recognized for his promises and plans for positive change, not in addition to the fact that he is a man of a different skin color. It actually really upset me to hear that a significant amount of people (white and black) ONLY voted for Barack Obama because of his skin color. In my opinion, this is a very scary thought. Regardless of who I voted for or what is actually best for this country, I feel that this is a very unfortunate sign of a lack of education and understanding among those that participated in this election.
I feel that the huge spike in the black comfort level and the role reversal regarding the fact that 69% of African Americans believe Martin Luther King’s dream has been realized is clearly because of this striking moment in history. In addition to what others are saying, I also believe that less of the white community feels this is true because they are more resistant to change. The black community along with the older generation of blacks is able to let out a sigh of relief on how vastly the times have changed from the days they were faced with struggling and slavery. On the other hand, however, it is obvious that many whites are uncomfortable with such drastic times of change. Not only has a black man been elected president for the first time in our country, but also the economic situation has gone drastically down hill. To feel these effects so quickly and heavily is something that isn’t easy for many citizens of this country. They are unsure of such big changes, especially all at the same time. In a way, the white community has almost lost a sense of privilege that has always been there and even though it is definitely time to accept and be proud of this change, there are still those that cannot and will choose not to accept it. For these reasons, I believe it is clear why the CNN poll showed an increase in the black community’s thoughts on a Martin Luther King accomplishment, versus a decrease in the white community’s feelings.
To me personally, I do not feel that Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled. I believe that electing a black person as our new president will only lead to other changes, in a different sense. Racism will not end. I think that many of those in the black community feel victory has been achieved in a full sense, but I highly disagree. I am constantly hearing thoughts from people around me that they believe or even just worry that Obama will be assassinated based on his skin color. If this is the case, or even just the fact that so many people have considered this event, truly racism will never end. Because of this, we have not completely satisfied Martin Luther King’s hopes, but in reality, we have indeed come a long way.
Although that it appears that hell has frozen over, I believe that it has not. For example, in the polls it suggests that 69 percent of Black people believe that Martin Luther King’s vision “has been fulfilled.” I feel that just because this country has elected a one-half black man, does not necessarily mean that MLK’s dream has finally come true. The statistics are simply skewed due the emotional highs correlating to this gargantuan event in American history. Rightfully so, African-Americans deserve to have these emotions felt after over four-hundred years of mistreatment including: slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, etc. Blacks were once not allowed to vote. Now, their voices can be heard and there is now a Black president (half-Black). This is why the percentage of the polls is so high compared to the 20 percent when Barack Obama was not in the public picture. However, do not count inequality out altogether. There will still be prejudice, bigotry, and racism in the country, especially buried deep in the roots of the south. I feel like Black people are being too optimistic about the election of Barack Obama. Do not get me wrong, I voted for him and believe he will do much more for the progress of our nation than would any other candidate that ran against him throughout this monumental accomplishment. Many people have put race aside, possibly just for the time being, for the sacrifice of the greater good, the good of the country. However, I still believe that there is a large amount of prejudice and discrimination that exists in our country. I feel that if it weren’t for the specific circumstances, perhaps Obama would not have been elected. For example, if it weren’t for the state of the economy, the general dislike/distrust for former president George W. Bush and the similar opinions of Republican candidate John McCain, the grim war in Iraq, etc. maybe someone else would have been elected instead. I feel that America is not yet through and over with being prejudice against African-Americans. White people, being more realistic, understand that we still have more of journey to reach true equality in this country. We, as a country, needed something to be done quickly to help out our current predicament. The answer was Barack Obama, the most eloquent and qualified presidential candidate.
No doubt, the United States of America has come a long way. In the same year that Barack was born, the first, African-American was allowed to go to college. This was James Meredith who began to attend the University of Mississippi. We have made great strides of integration and more and more people have left their discriminatory views/ideas at the door. However, we still have some progress to be made. Personally, I feel that Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has still not completely come true, but we, as a country, are trying to make it so.
Has Hell frozen over? No, I don’t think it has; I truly hope it has not. Yes, Barack Obama’s inauguration is a momentous occasion. Why? Well, it is not because he’s a democrat, or a man, or because Oprah supported him way back when….its because he is Black, or rather he’s half-Black. It is time that our country accepts the changing ways, and we should be excited that finally a Black man has been elected President. However, I think that the reason 69% of Black people believe that Martin Luther King’s vision “has been fulfilled” because they are excited about the election. I do not think that this 69% believes that there is no more to be done in this country. I hope this is not the case, because if this notion is in fact true, it will set our country back several decades. Having a half-Black President is definitely a step forward, but being satisfied with this and believing that MLKs dream is fulfilled by this one action is a crime. James Meredith, Rosa Parks, MLK, and Stokely Carmichael (to name a few influential black leaders) fought too hard for too long, for one inauguration to satisfy 69% of Black people to the point where they feel no more needs to be done.
While it is acceptable to be excited about the inauguration we can not settle and just be content with the current state of the country. Please do not misunderstand me, I too am excited that Obama won the Presidential election; I voted for him because I believe that he can make the changes necessary for our nation to become an even greater nation. There is still racism, prejudice, and discrimination in our country, however, and being content and not striving for more will not end it. I do not believe we have reached our fullest potential. When I see the Obama family I see an American family. I do not see a Black family, a half-Black family, an Indonesian family…I see an American family. While many will argue that is important to recognize that Obama is Black (half-Black), I agree to a point. Yes, this is a historical event that I am proud to be a part of, an event that I will tell my children and my grandchildren that I was a part of; but my pride should not end with Obama’s inauguration speech. The day our country comes close to reaching MLK’s dream is the day that a Black person is elected into the White House and people are excited because we have a leader who will further build the country, lead a successful nation, and strengthen us as a people, not the day when people are excited because finally….a black person is in the White House. The day when a black person, or a woman, or a gay person is elected, and we as a nation (I understand that not ALL people will accepting), can just think of it as another person has being elected….is the day that MLK’s vision “has been fulfilled”, because then we truly are not blinded by gender, religion, or skin color.
Perhaps America’s greatest and most rewarding leap of progress lies not in the fact that a half black man has been inaugurated as the leader of our nation, but rather, that the black community has finally reached a point where they feel grateful and optimistic in regard to the station they assume within society. Although the election of Barak Obama is the most significant palpable symbol of the country’s evolving approach to racial issues and distinctions, the happiness, comfort, and hope that individuals of the black community are currently experiencing is an indicator of our advancement which lies somewhat below the surface. Nonetheless, this overwhelming sense of contentment and confidence is a far more gratifying representation of the shift toward greater equality, more just treatment, and higher levels of respect and courtesy.
For the first time in over two centuries, those constituting the black populace are beginning to harbor a positive, reassured attitude concerning the condition of their lives. Rather than waking up and wondering to whom their son or daughter had been sold, how many whippings they will be forced to bear that day, how they will feed their families with the meager earnings they receive from the fourteen hour shifts they work, or in what manner they will be exploited, disrespected, or in any other way discriminated against, individuals representing this long-suffering human experience now have the freedom, encouragement, and inspiration to wonder how they can utilize their talents to better themselves, as well as our society. Because members of the black community appear to be sensing a ray of light and experiencing a beacon of hope in reference to their state and circumstance as a once-degraded race, they are lying to rest their unease and apprehension, and embodying and outwardly expressing their recently adopted feelings of security, sanguinity, and assurance. In turn, with the dismissal of anxieties regarding mere survival, individuals may push the envelope further, and aspire to achieve great things (such as fulfilling the role as the United States President).
Despite numbers, percentages, and statistics, the more predominant, overarching point of this matter is that the course of American development is arriving at a destination at which human beings classified as blacks are being treated as such: human beings; and, thus, are experiencing happiness. The point of weight and prominence is not that more blacks consider Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision as having “been fulfilled,” than whites. The bigger, more imperative picture is that blacks are finally—after decades upon decades of torture, suffering, and misery, being the innocent victims of prejudice, inequity, and bigotry— vocally, and voluntarily, attesting to the fact that they are experiencing peace, complacency, and joy within the world, in spite of the color of their skin.
It is this elation and vivacity among the black community which truly fulfill Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision. Therefore, the unanticipated, and as many would even deem, odd, outcome of the CNN poll is not a reality that is to be questioned and analyzed, but rather, celebrated.
I believe that the poll numbers represent a change in itself. Obama’s main campaigning slogan dealt with Hope and the future of America. Whether he was focusing on America as a whole, or just the black community I can’t really say. All I know is I voted for him and I expect change out of our country. He has a lot on his plate already, but I am confident he is the right person to be leading our country. In the previous years of the poll whites believed MLK’s vision had been fulfilled. In my opinion, I agree with those results. White believed the vision has been fulfilled because in most places racism is nonexistent, at least in most of white’s everyday lives (compared to the past). We are no longer segregated and blacks have the same rights as do white people. Also, black people were also involved in the political scene, and had the ability to express their rights. So like I said, I can see where white people came from by saying that MLK’s vision has been achieved. Back in March 2008 when Obama was in one of the Presidential candidates, black people still had less percent than whites believing that MLK’s vision has been achieved. I find that strange that the black community was still not as confident as they should have. A black person was running for the most important job in the United States, and the black people still didn’t believe change has been made. That kind of disappoints me because I feel that just having a presidential candidate that is black should have encouraged many more blacks. Once Obama won the election, however, it was very good to see that the black community finally had a majority of their community believing that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled. In my opinion, it definitely has been. Yes, he may be only half black but that is better than nothing. I think America has finally reached the point where we can completely throw slavery out the window. It’s important that future Americans continue to learn about slavery and how blacks were treated in the past. It is more important, however, to live in the present and realize what our nation has come to. We went from a country filled with slavery and oppressing the black community, to electing a black president. Obama was not elected because he is black, but because of his political views and morals. He was not judged on his outside, but he was voted on the qualities he possesses inside. I believe he will be a strong president and be an excellent replacement for Bush. Hell definitely has not frozen over. America has just finally come to their senses and realized everyone can be equal. Optimism is finally in the hearts of Americans, which hopefully will bring everyone even closer. Its unimaginable what America could come to under the unity we now adamantly have.
When considering the issue of nervousness felt by white people due to the results of the recent election and inauguration of President Barak Obama, I feel that it is unfair to generalize the race as a whole. It is undeniable that there is a "crack in the foundation of white privilege" with a half black president in the White House, but you must consider the generational gap before lumping everyone together in a group of people screaming that the sky is falling. It didn’t take someone who was very informed about the issues of the 2008 election to see that Obama was the overwhelming favorite on college campuses and among younger professionals, where McCain supporters were in the older demographic. This can be proved easily by looking at either candidates campaigning (especially in the swing states). I think it's interesting to look at recent cinema and television where the Oval Office is occupied by African Americans and how opinions have changed so much in just a single generation. Ten or fifteen years ago, most people would say that the roles played by Morgan Freeman in Deep Impact or Tommy Lister in The Fifth Element are as unbelievable as the ridiculous plots that the movie follows. Today this is certainly not the case. Back to back black presidents in the television series 24 as well as Chris Rock's role in 2003's film Head of State prove that our generation not only accepts the idea of an black President, we embrace it. The issue can actually be argued with gender as well. Glenn Close as Vice President in Air Force One and Sally Champlin as President in The Woman Every Man Wants proves that the new millennium welcomes the idea of women being qualified to fill these positions. When looking at portrayals of female presidents in film on Wikipedia, only 4 actresses have graced the big screen before 1995. In the nearly hundred-year existence of the film industry and the countless times a president has been portrayed, 4 is not a significant number. Less than a year ago we could have had a female president, a female vice president, or a black president. America was left with three options, each yielding a historic and unprecedented outcome. That fact alone shows that we are developing as a people and are able to look past trivial characteristics and elect who is most qualified to get the job done. As the years go by and our children get to the age where they can start to be informed about what is going on in politics and what is deemed acceptable vs. unacceptable, they will undoubtedly look back at these times and ask the question “What was the big deal?”
Yesterday was probably one of the biggest events that I will ever live through, competing so far with 9/11 and my 21st birthday (ha-ha, I hope I live through that one). January 20th, 2009 will be etched in history books as the inauguration day of the 44th President of the United States of America, and that man happens to be a man of color.
Yesterday should have been monumental for all Americans, but unfortunately, some, including my mother, continue to sleep with one eye open, afraid that a “terrorist” has taken over our country. Now, I have sat and listened to my mother’s reasons for thinking this way. I have brought her facts to sway her in her opinion, but she still believes Obama will ultimately, “disappoint.”
I know I haven’t touched on MLK’s dream yet, but I am getting there. So, there will ALWAYS be pessimists in the world. There is no avoiding it. What MLK’s dream means to ME is that as a nation, we just have to keep dreaming and keep striving forward to a better world, that sees race, but does not discriminate because of it. We can never settle even if we feel everything is right, why? Because there will ALWAYS be pessimists. I personally believe MLK’s vision will never be fulfilled- there are certainly aspects that we are getting better at and improving on, but I don’t think he ever wanted the growth to stop. Black people and white people alike have something to celebrate and when the shock of the inauguration wears off, the only way to keep fulfilling MLK’s dream is to keep spreading the world of acceptance, peace, and perseverance.
Our generation’s biggest hurtle to jump is talking to and convincing people that are apart of older generations- people like our parents and grandparents. This is very hard for most teens and 20-somethings because we have always learned to listen and respect what our parents say, but as Dr. Richards explained in the first day of class, we cannot accept what they say just because they are our elders. We, as a generation, have to learn to have our own opinions and grow with them, or this world will be at a standstill. When talking to adults about politics and their opinions on race, you have to know that just one conversation isn’t going to change anything. It sucks, but they immediately assume you are “too young” to know anything about what you are trying to discuss. Change their opinions by printing out facts or showing them a YouTube video, like the one Ole’ Miss and talk to them about how that makes them feel.
To be completely cliché, Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” This world and MLK’s vision will never just be changed or fulfilled in one day, one week, or one 4-year term of a president. It is going to take our generation and our children’s generation determination in what we know is right to change the future.
Barack Obama becoming the new President of the United States is just a small step for what is Martin Luther King’s dream. Since he became President- Elect in October many opinions of people have dramatically changed. While walking around campus I am able to see everyone being more accepting of one another. People are not concentrated on what people look like or what religion they practice, but focus on who they are and what they believe in. I feel the CNN poll numbers are a little distorted because of when they asked the question. African Americans feel they are on a “high” right now because of Obama. However, I feel that whites are more realists. Many are excited about the new President but, I feel MLK’s dream was more than just taking steps torwards equality, he wanted to achieve the ultimate dream; complete equality. I feel that his dream is well on its way to being fulfilled.
It will take a long time to see how people view President Obama and the job he does. Currently, everyone is focused on his race; he’s black, and we have never had a black man in office. Over time I hope that people no longer see him as a black man, the first black President, but as our President, the President of the United States of America. Obama is a brilliant man as is capable of doing anything he puts his mind to. He needs to not only become a leader for African Americans, but for America as a whole.
It is very unfortunate that people do not appreciate the history that we were able to witness with electing the first black President. Some are just so arrogant that they feel that because Barack Obama is black he won’t be able to do anything correct. He will screw up America more than it is now. He will be a worse President the George W. Bush was. Those people are WRONG. It’s the year 2009 and it does not matter what color you are. It doesn’t matter what religion you practice. Barack will be a fantastic President I feel that it is time for all of the ignorant people to change their opinions. They need to open up their eyes and see that everyone, America is changing. Slowly but surely equality will be upon us, it is just a matter of when it will happen. When Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream it was that everyone would be treated equally. Right now, I can say his dream has not been fulfilled. Whoever thinks that we are all equal right now is completely wrong, however we will be. MLK’s dream will be accomplished and everyone will have to put forth effort to do it. Electing Obama was just a start.
The discrepancy between past and present poll numbers has less to do with the reality of the situation of racial equality in America and more to do with people’s misconceptions of what it truly means to “fulfill Martin Luther King’s dream”. At the time Martin Luther King delivered his famous speech on civil rights, the most imminent racial concern in America was the relationship between white and black people and the issue of segregation. Times have changed, however--and yet, unfortunately, it seems as though even today, people are still mostly concentrating only on the relationship between whites and blacks. Sure, we have a black president now--but does this really mean that Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled? Maybe it’s a sign to black people that it has been, but where are the poll numbers for Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Jews, Pacific Islanders, and Arabs? Would they agree with the 69% of blacks who say that MLK’s vision is now complete?
I like to think that when Martin Luther King spoke of a “brotherhood of man” that he didn’t limit his vision to merely the equality of whites and blacks, but that he meant to include all other racial minorities as well. Obviously, if we include all other races (instead of just blacks) in our idea of what it means to “fulfill Martin Luther King’s dream” then the poll numbers would most certainly be lower. I agree with the position that black people were on a “spiritual high” when the poll was taken, and that was most likely the reason why 69% of those asked believed that MLK’s vision is finally a reality. This is understandable, and the election of America’s first black president is undoubtedly a momentous occasion and a great leap forward for racial equality between blacks and whites. But does Barack Obama’s presidency signal the beginning of the end of ALL racial inequality, as MLK dreamed of? Maybe. Maybe not.
I would be willing to bet that if this same poll were taken again one year from now, the poll numbers for black respondents would go down to near normal levels--or, at the very least, the numbers would be very similar to white respondents. After we adjust to having our first black president and it becomes a normal, everyday thing to think of Barack Obama as president, I think the initial high of blacks on the issue of racial equality will subside and they will again realize that MLK’s dream is far from being fulfilled--especially for other racial minorities. The fact that this poll doesn’t include the responses of other racial and ethnic groups is testament to the fact that MLK’s dream is not a reality yet--one doesn’t even need to look at the percentages. Until we have presidents from other minorities (whether racial, ethnic, religious, etc.) and people of all backgrounds working in our highest levels of government, we cannot say that Martin Luther King’s true dream has been realized.
There has clearly been a dramatic shift in popular opinion regarding ‘race relations’ in the US, evidenced by the recent CNN poll. 69% of African Americans now believe that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled while only 49% of white Americans concur. This may mean that black Americans are more optimistic than are white Americans in regard to the position of blacks in the US, though this poll leaves out a crucial variable: What was MLK’s ultimate vision? To be judged by the characteristics that define us as people rather than by the color of our skin? If this is the case then clearly we have come a long way with the election of the first black president. However, there was also a recent CNN poll claiming that two thirds of the voters in West Virginia said that race did play a factor in their voting decision.
I grew up in an extremely liberal suburb of Washington DC with exposure to a tremendous amount of international cultures and I don’t think I ever once heard a racial slur. When I came to Penn State I was shocked to find out that 86% of the student population was white and I hear racial slurs almost daily, as if it is perfectly acceptable. Eliminating the remaining racial tension is a movement within our society. I believe it is important to superimpose the events of a social movement onto society to more clearly see the effects of the movement. Take gay marriage. This will never be legal until we stop calling it “gay marriage.” It is “marriage” that happens to be between two people of the same sex. Simply calling it gay marriage makes it seem as if the act is negative in itself because it adding “gay” separates it from the norm of just “marriage.”
If closer to 90% of African Americans believed that MLK’s vision had been fulfilled then I would agree that it has been. If there were a unanimous agreement between all black people that this vision had reached its end result, then that in itself would be the end result. 31% of black people still think that there is enough racial tension in the US claim that the vision has not been reached, so evidently it hasn’t been. Maybe for that 69%, having a black elected president was a great enough symbol to make that claim. Although the poll percentages for black and white Americans have shifted, they have both shifted upwards, meaning that there is more agreement altogether about the issue. I’m not sure if the position of white people on this poll really matters. White people have to imagine how black people feel about the issue to answer the question, so what only really matters is how black people feel about it. If all black people agreed that the vision had been fulfilled and believed that they had true equality, this social movement would be over. Clearly it is not. Hell has not frozen over, in fact, I’m really not surprised by the results of this poll.
It’s undeniable that we’ve come a long way since the days of Martin Luther King Jr. and his famous “I have a dream” speech. Really, I can’t even imagine what things must have been like back then. I have always been raised to believe that color didn’t matter. That being said, in grade school I never really thought that there couldn’t be a black president or a female president. I never understood a reason as to why the President would have to be a white male. I just never thought of it that way. I always thought I would see someone who wasn’t a white male become President at some point in my lifetime. And really, I don’t necessarily think that MLK’s dream was specifically for there to be a black President as much as it was for there to be a time when being black wouldn’t stop someone from becoming President. I think that his dream extends even beyond just black people to women and people of all different races and religions. At least that is the way that I interpret his dream of equality. In his day there would be no way that a black man would ever be elected President. His dream was for there to be a time when the best candidate for President, or anything else for that matter, is chosen based on the candidates experiences and values, and not on the color of their skin or their religion or whatever else a person could be judged by unfairly. I believe that with Obama this was the case. He was voted for because he is the better candidate. Whether he is black or half black or whatever anyone wants to call him, he is the man for the job. With President Obama’s inauguration it was proved that we are moving closer to Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream being fulfilled, but we still have so much further to go. Just today there was an article in the Collegian about the “n” word being written on a student’s door. I was completely amazed by this. Everyone is celebrating how far we’ve come, but yet there are still horrible problems. How could someone even do this? On an amazing day like yesterday one of our very own students at Penn State felt the need to take a huge step back and write a derogatory term on the door of another student just because of the color of his skin. We are making progress yes, but this incident just proves how much further we have to go. But will we ever have a society that is completely free of unfair bias and racism? Will it ever be possible? I hope the answer is yes, and I hope that we as a society can continue moving in the right direction. With big steps like the inauguration of Barack Obama as well as with little steps that each of us as individuals can make. I believe at the time of MLK’s speech, people would not have been able to imagine how far we would come, and I hope that years from now, an incident like what happened here at Penn State with derogatory words being written on student’s doors, is unheard of.
Before watching the clips in the past class about The Battle of Ole Miss and the segregation in states the year that Obama was born, I would say that MLK’s vision had not been fulfilled. Although the United States of America has just elected its first (half) black president, I think our world has a lot of change to come in order to say honestly that whites and blacks are equal, and actually treated as equals on a daily basis. There are many stereotypes that people of different races face everyday. After watching those videos, however, which point out the riots that occurred when a black student applied for a university, I would say that some crucial steps have been taken towards MLK’s dream. Today, a man of color is the President of the United States. That is definitely an improvement in society as we grow as one country. Obama represents the country, and all of our races combined. Obviously more then one race had to vote for Obama in order for him to be where he is today. Whites among many others voted for him because he is the most qualified to lead this country. At first, I was very uneducated about Obama as a person and as a leader. I did not dig deep enough to understand his values and ideas he has for the country. Watching interviews on news channels with his wife proves to the American that he is a real person. Obama knows how to address a crowd and he also knows how to appeal to that crowd and come off as a more personable leader than what we may be used to. I think that the class has a lot of eye openning discussions ahead, which will educate me in a much needed way. I
In response to the blog, “Did Hell Just Freeze Over?”, I think that the recent increase of Black people believing that Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has been fulfilled, as opposed to their opinion in March 2008, does in fact have something to do with the outcome of the presidential election. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” In King’s time, Blacks were seen as subservient to Whites, and given much less opportunities. The fact that in 2009, the current President of the United States of America is Black, is very moving for many Black people today.
While I’ve heard the debate of whether he is really Black or not, I see him as a Black man. Like Sasha Howard said, when a person is mixed, with one part being Black, usually they are considered Black by society. However, when there is some type of success involved (actor, musician, politician), they are noticeably known for being mixed. Unbeknownst to many non-Black ethnicities, a lot of Black people are composed of more than just African descent. Regardless of his complete genetic make-up, prior to this election there have been no presidents that have come remotely as close to Black as Barack Obama.
I think a lot of emphasis has been put on Barack and his race versus the fact that he is an intellectual and qualified person for the position of president. In response to Luke Abercrombie, I can understand the notion you have that some Black people probably only voted for Barack Obama because he is a Black man; but there were probably just as many that became more involved with politics to hear about his credentials and plans for America for the same reason. Making a statement like that somewhat underestimates minorities and provokes a thought that they would not become educated about a person who could potentially (and in this case, now) run the country.
I think for Black people in America, having Barack Obama as president is just a stepping stone in the road for racial equality. The fact that he is president does not change the social statuses of Blacks, and I do not think that they would believe this would do so. A lot more has to be achieved in order for the way Blacks are perceived on the social tower to change. I think the fact that Barack Obama is president is enlightening for the nation as a whole. It does show how far America has come since the times of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement, but I do not think that America has completely overcome racial inequality. There are still a lot of racist and hateful people in this world that seek to keep a social divide between Whites and Blacks (including other minorities). While Martin Luther King’s “dream” has become a little more reality, it has not been entirely fulfilled.
Did Hell just freeze over? I would argue that it has not; however, I think it is fair to say that Hell is experiencing a “climate change.” The inauguration of America’s first (half) black president is an exciting and momentous event that represents change in its finest form. So how are Americans—or more specifically blacks and whites—reacting and why are they reacting differently?
As demonstrated by the recent CNN poll, 69% of blacks believe that Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has been fulfilled, whereas only 46% of whites follow the same belief. I would assume that from the black perspective, many individuals are probably reacting underlying importance of the culminating event of Barack Obama’s efforts—his inauguration. Perhaps blacks associate Barack’s election into office as a sign that the rest of America is finally ready and comfortable with having an African American holding the highest and most important office in the United States. This possible association is not at all meant to discredit Barack’s qualifications. Instead, I think it represents that Americans are certain that Barack is the best person for the job, and instead of seeing his color, are seeing his aptitude to lead bring change to America. Barack’s election is one of the biggest steps in a long time towards equality between blacks and whites, and I think a large majority of blacks (69%) find this step impossible to ignore.
Now how do we explain the relatively low percent of whites who agree that Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has been fulfilled? In my opinion, this statistic is a little harder to pinpoint. Perhaps this low percentage can, in part, be attributed to white Americans uneasiness with the whole race/slavery issue. I think this reaction is especially pertinent to the young generation of Americans. We have all learned about the horrors and inhumanity of the slavery institution, but we did not play a direct role in slavery itself and not many of us are certain of our role in “righting our ancestor’s wrongs.” There is a clear element of guilt in many white Americans, and the presence of guilt in any situation is hard to eliminate. In this sense, I think a lot of white Americans will not outwardly state that MLK’s dream has been fulfilled until more blacks (an even higher percentage than 69%) agree that equality and coexistence has been achieved.
Closely related to white American’s uneasiness with the race/slavery issue is also the idea that whites do not feel like they can participate in answering this question. After all, whites are not black (a.k.a whites do not share the black “experience”) so who are we to judge when a true sense of equality exists.
Honestly I thought the poll numbers would have been higher than what they are within the black community because we finally have a black president and we finally have a chance to show how good of a job we can do... We've been put done for so long but I believe that we are the future and if we believe we can achieve. I know its cheesy but oh well. We have so many people that put us in this pool and stereotype us all the time and we finally have a black president. He bypassed all the sterotypes and did what he had to do to become president. Mixed or not I still consider him a black man that made it. All over I just hope he sets a good example for others and inspire them to be the best and never let anyone keep you from fighting for your dream. Alot of people think that the only reason why black people voted for Obama was because he's black but thats not the case. I voted for Obama because I knew that he was the perfect person that would change everything for the good and that we needed something different. Obama isnt just about being called president and i just hope he will be a great president. And as far as the polls its whatever. I think there are way more people that believed in Obama
I don’t know about Hell freezing over or anything like that but this change in the polls is almost as unexpected as having a black man as our President of the United States. I am of mixed ethnic backgrounds including black, white, and Korean and I was brought up in a small 99% white community. I say this because I feel that I have many similar views of a small town white girl although I am not. I see that Obama is a black man and I understand the joy and excitement that black people feel about him being in office because I very much identify with that but saying that Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled is a bit of a stretch in my opinion. There are still countless racists throughout the country and until they can be ‘freed’ from their ignorance we are still working toward that dream. This presidency is certainly a step in the right direction especially because of the fact that the Obama’s are able to represent part of the American Dream with a mom, a dad, and 2 kids and also the diversity that America itself withholds. These two elements could quite possibly show people who are still weary of the idea that a black man is in office, that they are normal people. I think what scares some people is the stereotypical “black man” and by showing that black people can be different then their stereotype whites have become less apprehensive about the President.
The polls show that whites are the more pessimistic of the two groups but in my opinion I feel that this is a predictable outcome with the inauguration of President Obama. Blacks are excited on this day, not because we have a new President other than Bush, but because he is black. This is the focus and I think it is fine that it is. That’s a big deal and so black people are putting that fact at the center of their attention. Most white people on the other hand tend to stay away from race and any talk of it in general so they are focusing on Obama’s credentials and his character and anything else other than his race in order to not be judged as racist. This is why I think their polls are only 46 percent.
I feel that this poll showing that 69% of black people think that Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has been fulfilled is not only in response to the fact that Obama is the President but in how he reached that great achievement. This means that many people that are not black or brown voted this man into office. And this goes to show just how far we have come as a nation, that we are able to look at the color of his skin (because I believe it is ridiculous to say that race isn’t an issue or noticeable) and then keep looking at his credentials and his character and let that over power any relationship to race that our minds may have first focused on.
While I completely understand the optimism displayed by African Americans at this remarkable moment in our nation's history, I can't help but think that the good vibrations surrounding the inauguration of the first colored President of the United States have something to do with not only race, but age group.
As the child of two Republican parents, and after extensive research into the beliefs held by each political party, I decided to register as a Republican. While the majority of my beliefs align with this party's views, and while I did vote for McCain, my reaction to Obama's victory greatly differed from my parents. While I saw his victory as a huge step in how far we have come as a nation, my parents saw it as a cause for concern. A cause for concern that now African Americans may come to dominate our country, and thus erase the white superiority that pulses through our country. Although not everyone may want to admit it, I am almost positive many of the parents of my classmates reacted the same way. While the older generation was worried, my generation was proud and excited.
Although I would not say that my parents are racists, I would say that they see color more than I do, which is the reason for our different reactions to Obama's election. I can honestly say that I believe race was a factor in their decision on who to vote for in the previous election. I can also honestly say, that race was not a factor for me. If we were to poll these two age groups, one being the age of my parents and the other being college-aged, I would not be surprised to see similar findings. This, in my opinion, is because my generation has been lucky enough to grow up in a time when race is not QUITE as big of an issue as it used to be. I’m not saying our generation is perfect and we have reached the point of being color blind, but we live in a time so much more open than the generation before us. My generation has had the opportunity to live in a world of integration and greater acceptance of not only black people, but of all people who are different than us and this opportunity has opened our eyes wider than our parents and allowed us to not only see this historic moment for how remarkable it is, but to embrace it as a vital event in the movement towards total equality. So while African Americans may be more optimistic about our current situation than whites, I ask you to also take a moment to break these feelings down into generations and see that President Obama's victory is a victory not only for people of color, but for today's youth as well.
After reading the blog, and celebrating the inauguration of President Obama, I began to give a lot of thought to whether the dreams, of Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and every other civil rights activist that has walked the scary halls of racism have been reached. When speaking about racism, I think progress has been made in every sense of the word and we are one step closer to the ultimate dream that Martin Luther King addressed on that very morning in Washington D.C. In a country, that watched as groups of people were designated as slaves, and now a man of African American descent can be sworn in as the next President of the United States, to me this is progress. However, the question must be asked have the barriers of racism been broken down for good. The answer for myself and probably the other 41% of poll takers, is racial equality has yet to be reached and there is still much more to be done. I do not believe we have reached the ultimate goal of racial equality in a world where people face racism every day. By having a half African American President in office this does not mean racism does not exist, it just outlines the progress that has been made in the eyes of African Americans. Even if the barriers of racial inequality have yet to be broken January 20, 2008 served as an eye opener, and a vision of progress for many Americans around this country. Even with our country being one step closer to racial equality there still exists racism in many parts of the country, which will probably take years to eradicate. There are many other changes that took place as President Obama was sworn into office. As many Americans are distraught over a failing economy and the Iraq War, many look to President Obama to change these terrible days and make the world a better place. By having an African American president, it may be time where people who did not always have faith in African American president will now have faith if President Obama is successful. It may become a world where color is disregarded when electing an official into office and their political views are the only important factor when casting a ballot. After years of oppression and racism African Americans have finally been able to see their dreams, whether or not the ultimate dream has been reached is still debatable, but it is one step closer to a world where racial inequality does not exist. I would have to agree with the other 41% and say that the dream is visible but is yet to be fully attainable.
To me, it is very shocking to see that the black community more than the white community has said that Martin Luther King’s dream has been realized. As a white male, if I was asked whether Martin Luther King’s dream has been realized, I would probably say it has been realized just not fully carried out. Yes, having the first black president in office is a huge step in racial equality in this country; however I’m sure it is coming as a bit of a shock to some extremist Americans. In class the other day, someone made a very good point by saying that Martin Luther King’s dream will not be realized until we have the first black president in office that doesn’t get the huge media coverage based largely on the color of his skin. To me, equality in this country means getting used to certain things; because there are people stuck in the racist past who really believe that blacks are inferior to whites and will not do as good of a job leading this country. This country is largely based on opinions, and when Barack Obama succeeds in office, this will be the fact set in stone to force many Americans to see that Whites and Blacks are indeed equal. When this day arrives, Martin Luther King’s dream arrives with it. The reasons for more of the black community than the white community saying that Martin Luther King’s dream has been realized is a mystery to me. Obviously, Barack Obama being elected America’s first black president is a huge stepping stone in the elimination of inequality, and I think that he black community was very excited to see this day come. This might have affected the way blacks voted in this poll, but after some time I think everyone will realize that inequality is not totally over in America, but a huge victory was just won.
Now more than ever, I have seen white individuals try and rationalize the fact that Barack Obama is half white, and should be considered biracial and not black. I think a big reason for this is because some white Americans want a reason to say that Barack Obama is one of us, and that’s why I voted for him, and he’s going to succeed. Never in the past has a black man’s full race really been examined except for Tiger Woods, and the white community made it known that the best golfer in the world is a lot of things, but not black. I think for some white individuals, not all, this is their racist way of getting back at the black community and saying that no matter how hard an African American tries to succeed, no matter what the white community will always find a reason to pick him or her apart.
By no means would I refer to the sudden optimism of African Americans as “Hell Freezing Over”, rather as a sign that whether or not people like or are ready for it, this country is experiencing a transformation that many thought might never come, or at least not yet. Although the fact that President Barack Obama has finally been inaugurated was obviously expected to cause somewhat of a rise in the morale of the black community, I don’t think they should necessarily see it as our country having fulfilled MLK’s dream. Don’t get me wrong, having a half-black man assume the role as the most powerful leader in our nation is an unimaginably huge step on behalf of the black community’s fight for equality and power here in the U.S. However, we must wait to see what comes in future years as a result of this achievement by Barack Obama. Will whites suddenly feel as though their hierarchy has finally come to an end? Will this role reversal result in a prevalent change in people’s everyday life? No one can yet answer those questions, only wait to experience and observe the way in which our country either changes or remains the same. Only if this change does occur, and whites finally feel equal, even inferior, to the black man, do I think blacks are entitled to agree with the fact that MLK’s dream has been somewhat fulfilled. To contradict myself, the fact that Obama, a half- black man, has become our President, might absolutely be the fulfillment of an individual white or black man’s dream, regardless of whether they are referring to MLK’s dream or their own.
On another note, President Barack Obama has a huge job ahead of him if he wants to satisfy the 69% of black people who believe MLK’s dream to have already been fulfilled. MLK was an amazingly inspirational leader and speaker who helped the black community to believe that someday in the future, they would achieve equality among the nation as a whole. Obama is now our new most influential black leader; however his entire job will not be geared towards making the black community feel more comfortable in their own shoes. His new job as our President does not entail delivering inspirational speeches that will help the black community to believe their dream has indeed been fulfilled. He must deal with running the entire country and stabilizing the economy, which will by no means be an easy task. Although I absolutely believe him being elected as President to be an enormous step towards our country reaching the realization that black and white people are completely equal, I unfortunately hope the black community doesn’t expect him to lead in the same exact way as MLK, as he must serve us all as an equal group of citizens and not focus more on one group or color of people than the next.
Personally, I would have to agree with these numbers and would say that I definitely saw them coming. The only thing that I was thrown off by was how long it took for these numbers to actually turn around. The numbers that were given in March, 35% percent whites and 34% blacks, should be switched around with the current number of 46% percent whites and 69% percent blacks. I do not seem to understand why black people were pessimists before Barack Obama won the election. I believe that at that point in March, even having such a black candidate running in a Presidential election was momentous enough and black people should have been more optimistic.
If this optimism were in place even before Barack Obama came into play, maybe this would not have taken so long. Only after you have a black man becoming the president of the United States that black citizens start to realize what they can do to achieve Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream. I truly believe that what took place on January 20, 2009 could have actually taken place a while back in history. Nevertheless, I am glad that it in fact finally did happen now than never.
For the percentage on the white people, I feel they directly correlate to whatever the black crowd is feeling at the time. So if they are confident and actually do believe that MLK’s vision is being fulfilled, the percentage of whites that agree with it will do down inversely. Reasoning for this is due to the uncertainty that white people have regarding what will happen if MLK vision does follow through. On that contrary, if black people do not believe this nation is not improving on the gap between blacks and whites, white people will feel probably feel otherwise and agree that MLK’s vision is following through.
Anyways, I hope this newfound confidence in the vision by blacks will allow for more changes to be seen in the race relations with blacks in this country. Hopefully, this major step in United States history will be one of many changes where we see more black people in leadership positions in this country. Not only that, but black women as well. The day a black women comes into the White House is going to be the day when I can see seriously say that MLK’s vision has been achieved. Moreover, this change with a black president might even be a stimulus for other races such as Asians and Hispanics and their roles in this nation. I know that there is a lot of history between blacks and whites in this country, but there is history with whites and other races as well. When all of those gaps in ethnicities have been solved will be the day that this nation can truly say it has lived up to its dream.
The first thing these poll numbers say to me is that the black population is riding an emotional high right now, and I can't blame them. Barack Obama's accomplishments reflect the evolution of the black community as a whole. 50 years ago a non-white president was unheard of, where we are today is humbling in a way. Stereotypes and prejudices are taking a backseat in politics, kind of. I think being black helped Obama reach the white house believe it or not. The presidential vote was almost an obligation for black people to vote Obama. Of course that wasn’t the only factor that came into play. An outstanding ad campaign destroyed McCain’s chances. I feel the presidential race has turned into a battle of propaganda of sort. The famous graphic around the nation with a picture of Obama’s face in red and white with the word “Hope” along the bottom, was that a message to America or the Black community? I’m sure most of us have heard of the television shows where Obama supporters were interviewed with questions such as “Do you support Sarah Palin as vice president?” The interviewee’s response was always positive unbeknownst to them all of the questions were regarding McCain’s policy. Let’s face it; there is a large portion of voters who base their choices on commercials and campaign slogans.
So, 69% of blacks say MLK’s dream has come true compared to 46% whites. Obviously Obama represents the capabilities of African Americans, but does he represent their place in society? The truth is, prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, they all still exist. It’s going to take much longer than 50 years to rid the country of such things. Martin Luther King dreamt of equality. Legally every citizen is equal, but we aren’t all treated the same. White people had less optimism probably because most of them believe there’s still work to be done. As for the 69% of black people, Obama just won; if I was black I would have voted yes. Because of the emotional state of the Black community right now, this statistic isn’t very accurate.
Becoming President is one of the most honorable and difficult things one can achieve in a lifetime. Obama has been immortalized as of January 20th, he will be remembered forever as one who proved you don’t have to be the same color as the White House to live in it. MLK’s dream isn’t a reality quite yet, but we are one very large step closer to seeing it come into being. It’s good to see optimism from both black and white people. Everyone can see it, the United States gets closer everyday to being truly equal. Every year on the third Monday of January we are reminded of how far we have come.
I am responding to the “Did Hell Freeze Over” blog entry. The inauguration yesterday was one of the most captivating and moving events I have ever witnessed…regardless of the fact that it was on television. Also regardless of the fact that I am a white suburban 21-year-old who has undergone little suffering or real hardship in my life and cannot possibly understand what the culmination of hundreds of years of oppression feels like. All I know is that our new president gives me hope, and the image of our new first family is very comforting, especially contrasted with the feeling of dread and disappointment that often accompanied seeing our last commander in chief.
I think the poll numbers indicate something about the shared experience of black people in this country with that of the white people. The fact that for the first time in U.S. history black people are more optimistic than white people makes sense to me. This optimism is the result, in my mind, of the great sense of relief, euphoria, and all over jubilant feeling that truly only African Americans can experience. This is due to their shared experience of hardships and struggle for their share in the “American Dream”. The image of Obama in the White House is so symbolic of how far race relations and the spirits of African Americans have come.
I think that white people are more hesitant to claim that the election of President Obama because they are not capable of experiencing the same feeling of accomplishment and excitement, on a more personal level (their own race and ethnicity) that black people can. The fact that race is still an issue at all, and that this moment is historic because of the race of our new president, may mean to white people that the world is still not on racially-unified lines. They see, as do I, that once race is not an issue at all, then MLK’s dream will be fulfilled.
I think the lower optimism report has a little to do with “white guilt” as well. White people themselves cannot be the best judge of success and evolution for black people, because they don’t want to appear racist in anyway. Whether this is through diminishing the struggles of black people or oversimplifying the solution of end result…electing a half black man president. “White guilt” involves being very cautious with the race issue, and appearing as indifferent about race as possible, so trying to diminish the significance of an African American president makes sense in a twisted kind of way.
This is a monumental feat for our nation, but it means slightly different things to different people. Despite this difference due to different shared experiences, the presidency of Obama will be remembered forever because of the hope that accompanies it, and the change that he and his cabinet represent.
As a “white person” I would have to disagree with the 35% of people who say that we have met and fulfilled MLK’s dream of a racist free, equal society. When we see Obama on a screen it is impossible to see him as just another president or simply as the fourty-fourth president of the United States. He is seen as a black president, the first black president. This election has been so dramatic and so important because America has finally elected someone who is not white into the white house. To say that we don’t see Obama as black is ridiculous. Reporters introduce Obama as a black president, and he identifies himself as a black president. However, the fact that Obama is seen as a black man, and the fact that a huge deal has been made because a black man was finally elected into office means that we haven’t achieved MLK’s dream. If MLK wanted equality, it certainly isn’t equal that this inauguration was bigger than any other in history. I am not saying that Obama didn’t deserve all the attention he got (he deserved every bit of it if not more because he is breaking incredible for this country and for the world in general), but I don’t believe that true equality can be reached, and MLK’s dream fulfilled, until a black man, a Hispanic man, or maybe even a WOMAN, can be elected into office without it being a bigger deal than any other white male inauguration. I have a hard time passing judgment, though, on the fulfillment of MLK’s dream. No member of my family fought and struggled through the time period of MLK, and I am not personally familiar with the struggle during MLK’s time or the seemingly never ending struggle between blacks and whites. I am truly grateful, however, that there is now a black man (or half black man or whatever) in the white house. MLK’s dream should have been fulfilled a long, long time ago and it is about time people overcame the adversity between blacks and whites. Our generation clearly doesn’t agree with the morals and decisions of our ancestors (or slavery) or else we wouldn’t have elected a young, black man into office in the first place. We are trying to enact change and bring a newer more liberal side to the American government, to change some of the things formed by our ancestors and elders. Electing Obama into office is definitely a huge step in the right direction for racial equality, but I don’t feel that it is all that can be done or will be done. Hopefully, with the help of Obama the racial struggle between blacks and whites (and other races) can be overcome.
A 23% difference exists between black America’s and white America’s opinion on whether Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has been fulfilled. When I look at these numbers my mind first wanders off to my 7th grade history class. Yes, this was when I first learned about slavery in America in all the gory details. As I watched the Inauguration on Tuesday, I got chills seeing the overwhelming emotion in the audience as President Barack Obama gave his oath. This is when it all hit me. I, an Indian girl, am feeling so aware of the historical significance and am filled with hope and confidence for the future of our country; I can’t even imagine what those Americans who have slave ancestors and lived through segregation are feeling at this very moment. These polls answer my questions. They are optimistic. I look at the polls of white America and wonder—why are the numbers so much lower? Many non-black Americans watching the Inauguration probably felt similar as to what I was feeling: extremely aware of the significance of what was happening. Since most white Americans’ knowledge of slavery is the extent of a history book and some movies, their emotional attachment to the matter is different than those who have grown up experiencing segregation and hearing first hand stories about slavery. When Obama won the primaries, those living with stories of the struggles of their ancestors found hope. The hope became success this past Tuesday. After seeing a half-black president take the office, all the years of struggle were all worth it. White America, however, may also feel so content with the Inauguration, but when asked whether they believe Dr. King’s dreams have been fulfilled, their minds perhaps take a pessimistic turn and thinks about all the racism still present every day. Perhaps if a poll was taken again in a year or so, the percentages would be slightly closer in number. With the election fresh in mind, however, the overwhelming significance with everything that’s going on is prominent in most people’s minds. The everyday racism doesn’t seem important anymore. Yet, do people still lock their car doors when driving down a street at night after seeing a group of black men standing on the streets? Once the answer to this is a no, perhaps that’s when people believe Dr. King’s dreams will be fulfilled. Dr. King’s dream was for everyone to live in equality. Seeing a black man as president has fulfilled many of his dreams. America’s respect for Barack Obama would seem absolutely unbelievable years ago. Everyday racism may be impacted greatly because of the respect that all of America has for the new president. While black Americans may look at things in this manor and feel optimistic, white Americans are thinking about present day, everyday racism when answering the question.
I think it is big that so many African-Americans are saying that we have finally fulfilled MLK’s dream because I honestly believe that there will always be work to be done. When we can finally look at Barack Obama and his family and see a president rather than the first BLACK president have we really begun to fulfill MLK’s dream. I believe that as the American people we have taken great strides in a good direction, we have only begun to conquer what MLK walked for. MLK’s vision was that the American people could stand next to their neighbor and consider themselves equals no matter what color the person is. Just because we have a black president does not mean the problem of equality is solved, but we are moving at a faster pace than we were years ago. I agree that I think that since the swearing in of Barack Obama African American’s have been more on the optimistic side, but if I were an African American I would be too. This is momentous to African American’s besides it being important for the bettering of America.
I do believe that with change comes uncertainty. I do not think that White’s are worried about their “white priviledge” shattering, but I do think that they are being more realistic. The fight for equality is far from over. I, having grown up in the South, know that it is going to take a lot more than a black president being elected to truly fulfill MLK’s dream. There are still people living out there who are ignorant and refuse to listen to anyone’s opinions. There are still white parents teaching their children that they are “better” than those of color. There are still African Americans with resentments towards whites for how they were treated in the past. A president cannot change these people’s opinions. Barack can only speak his own vision and hope that it gets through to the people of America, and this is where I go back in saying that we have taken a major step, but it is not the solution. A President is here to lead his people, but he cannot push them. He can only hope that his words begin to break down the ignorance of people, and that these same people can learn to see the light. America has come far in its fight for equality and Barack’s Obama’s presidency is a great catalyst for this fight. I truly hope that the African American people have not given up on this fight because they think MLK’s dream is fulfilled because Barack is going to need America’s help and open minds to truly begin to work towards a more equal country.
I think I am getting to the point with all of this where there is so much information flying around and so many different opinions that I am starting to lose sight of how I feel and what I believe on this whole matter. So I guess I will just state what I do know. I am truly happy for those who feel as though we have reached MLK’s dream. While I feel we have quite a long road ahead of us before we make it there, it is nice to know that many are feeling satisfaction with our country and proud to be Americans.
I also know that it worries me that people are putting all their life’s hope into the success of this one man. While I understand this is a huge deal, I do not feel that he alone can save the world. I understand that it is a start and an enormous step in a great direction, but I hope that the people who were so committed to making sure he got where he is are also committed to making sure that other steps are taken to assure the continued growth of our country and that our nation can work together towards common goals.
As I am writing this I am also realizing that I am not one of those who feel MLK’s dream has been fulfilled. As a girl stated in class the other day, I agree that we will not reach that point until the day comes when race is not even an issue- something that does not even need to be discussed. And we obviously are not there. As one response to the blog stated, it can be guaranteed that many votes were placed for and against Obama merely because the color of his skin. The day when the color of a persons’ skin plays no role on whether or not he receives our vote is the day I feel as though that dream will finally come true. I guess the absolute achievement of that dream is when no color is seen when placing that vote. But is that even a possibility? Is it possible to ever get to that place where we look at the First family and not for a split second even take notice that their skin is the same or different than ours? I cannot express the joy it gives me to know that we are on our way to that place, or as close to that place as possible, but I hope that people do not stop fighting just because we have a black (or half back) president, as if that it is enough and something we can settle for.
As for the numbers on the recent CNN poll, I am not sure what to make of them. One would think that if black people feel the dream has been achieved, then white people would as well. Black people are the ones who have suppressed by white people for all these years. I only wish that Martin Luther King Jr. could be here today. I would love to know his take on this situation and if his dream truly has come true. But if that were the case, and he were here, this election would most likely not be as monumental and as large of a step as it is in the fight towards perfect equality.
After Barack Obama was elected and throughout the transition process I was having some trouble really understanding what it mean for him to become the president. I mean I knew it was historical and a big deal, but I wasn’t really able to get it fully until we watched the video on Ole Miss in class. While watching the video I began to realize how I would feel if instead of a black man trying to integrate a college it would have been a woman instead. If within my mothers lifetime women would have gone through this transition to place a woman as the President of the United States I can’t even consider the response I would feel. In realizing this I understand how the polls have changed for the first time and why shouldn’t they? We now have an intelligent, sophisticated, half black and half white man representing us to the world and to ourselves; get inspired.
I think that in many ways Barack Obama becoming president will help us to address racial issues and help to end the awkwardness associated with discussing race. In my experience our grandparents and great-grandparents generations had very little dialogue with members of minorities. It is because of this that many negative racial stereotypes still exist within rural and elderly populations. I think that Obama being president and being in the news so often will in some ways force those who hold racial stereotypes to re-evaluate them or at the least begin to discuss them with others. Obama will be holding several press conferences and public events a week that will show his lack of negative characteristics.
Another aspect of the Obama presidency that will influence and change the black community in America is that there is now a well-known, popular and cool black role model. I fell that a majority of the role models that youth regardless of race look up to today are celebrities, musicians and rap stars. Some of these people have positive characteristics, while other promote negative choices. In other words I hope that Obama will change kids dreams from having lots of money to buy alcohol and hoes with to something a little better.
As far as MLK jr.’s dream being realized I think it has been to some degree, however I don’t think it has been fully. Or maybe if he were alive today is dream would have changed and grown to add equality and respect not only for African-Americans, but also for the LGBT community, immigrants, people forced into slavery, Native Americans, women, and all of the groups who are still stereotyped in society. Overall, I fell that our parent’s generation has come a very long way in terms of advancing racial equality and ending stereotypes. However, I fell that it is now our turn to get active within our communities, to continue an ever-changing dream of equality and understanding for everyone. As cheesy as it sounds we need to embrace, accept and love the differences we all have.
It’s certainly promising to see that black people are no longer as pessimistic as they used to be and I have to admit that Barack Obama’s rise to the presidency is incredibly inspiring. But can we really say that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has been totally realized? I believe there is always room for improvement when it comes to race relations. Major steps have definitely been made in the past few decades in regards to race relations, especially between black and white Americans, but there are still people out there who judge others based on the color of their skin (or, in some cases, the language they speak). This is in direct contradiction to the words spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It won’t be until all people are evaluated based on their character that I believe his dream will be fulfilled.
Now this may be a little idealistic because it seems impossible for people to entirely disregard the color of someone’s skin before reaching a conclusion about his or her character. Unfortunately, people are always going to have biases and prejudices about certain people based on past experiences or what they were taught. That being said, I’m afraid we may never fulfill Dr. King’s dream and it will remain only a dream. This is probably a little pessimistic, but I just don’t think it’s possible for race relations in this country, or anywhere else for that matter, to attain the near perfection Dr. King spoke of in his infamous speech. While black and white Americans may experience better relations currently, there is still much work that needs to be done on relations with Hispanics and Arabs, among other races. Beyond race, there are other minorities that are still discriminated against in this country, such as the LBGT community. With all this hatred and ignorance going around can we honestly say that Dr. King’s vision has truly been realized?
This is not to say that those 69 percent of black Americans are wrong for choosing to believe that Dr. King’s dream has been fulfilled. I think it’s awesome that they are that optimistic about race relations in this country. Optimistic people have been shown time and time again to experience higher rates of success than those who are pessimists, which says to me that black people will see an increased quality of life if they remain hopeful. I just think it’s a little premature to say that Dr. King’s dream has been totally accomplished. I’m also very curious how these numbers would be different if John McCain had been inaugurated instead of Barack Obama. I imagine they would be much lower, simply because Obama’s message was one of hope and change whereas John McCain only offered “Country First” and a good amount of political experience. All things considered, I think the next four or so years are going to see great strides in race relations in this country, but there is still much work that has to be done.
These polls show a lot of optimism coming from African American people. Let us consider that there are only white, black people and a mix of the two in this nation for the sake of this conversation. These polls could mean many things: either that black people are very optimistic because a half black (not half white) person is elected president, white people feel the same as they did before Barack Obama was in the picture, or that black people are actually optimistic because they sincerely feel that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled and white people feel weary since a non white (half black) is elected president. This election will always be remembered as one that defined history. People say that race is not an issue in today’s world, but we all know that this is not the case. Some people do not think that this is “big.” This is either because they are in denial or are just not willing to accept this fact. Obama is our nation’s first nonwhite president, a black president. Yes, he is half white, but he is identified majorly as black. What people should not do is judge other people by their decisions. Just because numerous black people voted for Obama does not necessarily mean that they all voted for him because he is black. He is very qualified for this position and it could also be that these people actually like his stance on many of the important issues. If people think that most black people voted for Obama because he is half Black, then they should think it over. I am not saying that all black people voted for Obama because of his qualifications and his stance on issues and just seeing him as a better president. Of course there are black people who probably voted for Obama simply because he is half black. However, then again there are some white people who did not vote for Obama simply because he is a man of color and they are not yet ready to accept a non white (especially black) president. Hence, it goes both ways so one cannot make the argument that black people voted this way because he is half black. What was impossible in the past has been made possible by the very people of America. A lot of people do not understand completely what it is like to be in the position of black people and having all those years of slavery in their ancestry. I am not black and I still can see where these people are coming from, but I know that I will never be able to fully understand what it is truly like for them to have such history take place. All we need to have is hope and give this man a chance to prove what he is all about.
As the day of the inauguration came, it was probably the most influential day for many African Americans. Especially for the early generations, it has had a very emotional, yet life-changing effect. I do agree that our country has come a long way considering we have gone through years of inequality and slavery. Many African Americans have watched their families go through slavery, and they now realize that having a partially African American president, could result in great change. And, I definitely do agree that this was something that will benefit our country as a whole for the future. Just by the picture of the Barack family (showed in class), I think we all noticed that our country is making progress between races, just from the first day of his presidency.
Going into this election, I stood from a very Republican standpoint. Since this was my first year with the ability to vote, I was introduced to a lot of information during the election at once. I would never think to be voting for a democratic candidate, but as Obama became much more in the news, I became extremely interested in his party. However, in the end, I voted for McCain because of his viewpoints and ideas for the future. I don’t have anything against different races for presidency, but I do think it’s important to recognize what each president has to offer, rather than just hoping for a change of race in office. This may be narrow-minded, but I do think that many people who voted for Obama don’t realize how our economy is going to drastically fall in these upcoming years. So, I do think hell will be freezing over for our economy. But, for our country as a whole, and as for the people, maybe this will be beneficial for our country. So even if our economy does take a drastic move downward, we may need that to bring our people of all different races together.
I think some whites have become very pessimistic about the new presidency because they have not become accustomed to leadership of the different races. I think most of this group feels like this because of the generations that they grew up in (i.e. our grandparents, etc) Meanwhile, it is noticeable that most blacks have suddenly turned optimistic because someone of their race is now the leader of our country. Yes, I do think that is something to have pride for, but I still do agree that there are other factors in voting. So the tables have turned. Now blacks are optimistic and whites are pessimistic. I wonder, will this make our country divided, or will this election actually bring change and equality to our country?
Barack Hussein Obama. Who would have thought that this name would be the name of our president, the president of the United States of America?
Our country has come a long way since the days of slavery and segregation. The inauguration on January 20, 2009 was a HUGE day in American history and I do truly believe, a turning point (but not the end) to the long term equality struggle our country has faced for over hundreds of years.
Although for some it may seem that this day was just like all of the other 43 inaugurations--another guy swearing to protect our nation and follow the constitution to the best of his ability. Some may not realize that having a black man as president, is another step closer to end the 400 years of strife and grief black people have had in our country. The polls said that more black people felt that Martin Luther King Junior’s dream has been “fulfilled” than white people. This is a surprising fact, for in the past the numbers would have been reversed- with the numbers lower for blacks. Sixty nine percent of blacks is above the majority and this seemingly positive outlook is probably based more on a sense of pride and accomplishment, rather than the end to an equality struggle. For many blacks, the experience of mistreatment and racism is tangible. Many families’ history traces back to slavery and to know that now their president is a black man is a true sense of triumph.
If I were asked, my response would be that I do not believe that the dream that MLK spoke of has been accomplished. People still see Obama as a black man, not just as an extremely qualified leader. Racism still exists, for race is present in our everyday lives and people are still being mistreated due to their ethnicity all over the world.
As an American citizen, I am extremely happy that the Obama family is now living in the White House. I voted for hope and change, and do believe that our country will be seeing change for the better in the near future. Barack Obama will be the leader that he has promised to be throughout his campaign. Although as a white woman, my glee is not based on a family history of literal blood, sweat, and tears. I do understand how big this moment truly is, although I cannot feel the sense of pride and happiness that someone who has experienced hands on the negative effects of racism in our country.
Overall, I do believe that we are a long stride, rather than a small step, closer to the dream. We still have a long way to come, until we have true equality in the United States of America.
According to recent studies, for the first time in history blacks have been more optimistic than whites. In my opinion we have a very long way to go in order for Martin Luther King Jr. vision to be fulfilled. Electing a president who is half African and white is a huge step for this country's history. I’m very proud that we finally have a president who can have a positive effect on the whole world and not just America. But I think it’s funny of how people define his ethnic background. Before, if someone had a black family member they were considered black. Now when it comes to a position like being the president of the United States people make sure you know that he is half African and White. When everyone comes to the realization that we are all mixed, the whole ideology of race will be different. MLK’s had a vision that will bring everyone together as one. I feel that everyone looks at this year’s election as a black and white issue. I think that President Obama can also use his accomplishments to help open the eyes of everyone in the world. I feel that regardless of how you look at the situation, it is instilled in our minds that you will notice the ethnic background or “race “of someone. It will be unrealistic to just look at Barack Obama as just the president of the US and not a “black president.” This year’s election has made a lot of people optimistic and not only just black people. On the contrary, the results of the election as resurfaced a lot of racial mentalities. When Barack Obama was announced as the president of the United States, a lot of people had racial comments posted on the internet. People had posted racial remarks on facebook, myspace, and youtube in regards of Obama being elected as president. This goes to show that racism still exist today, and it’s in everyones mentality today. Regardless of how diverse a person may be, they will still have some type of stereotypical mentality. I know it sounds pessimistic but I do not believe we has human beings will ever get rid of that racial gap. Besides there being a racial gap, there is also division within races. If people are not discriminating against race, they are discriminating within their own race. I’ve known people to have stereotypical mentalities against members of other ethnic backgrounds. I live in New York City, and it is just about the most diverse city in the world. I have friends who sometimes say that dislike members of other ethnic backgrounds based on the cultural differences. For example, some of my West Indian friends make derogatory remarks about other West Indians. I would say that we are far from MLK’s dream, but we have made a tremendous step towards unity.
I don’t know what the polls mean, but honestly, I’m not really concerned with figuring it out. There are so many potential reasons, but I need no reason to accept positivity. Whether simply on a spiritual high or not, I am thrilled to see the morale of so many minorities raised. Scratch that, I’m thrilled to see the morale of so many people raised. Despite what the polls say about white people, I fear I get only a partial picture, as I live in a college town, and have typically like-minded friends. We are all thrilled. In order for real change to occur, we all must first believe that it is possible. Yes, all of us. And while white people have been receiving positive reinforcement for ages, the mere existence of our first black (half, I know) president is enough to boost the morale amongst those who share with him a similar background. It is my assumption that while the numbers will decrease in the coming months, they will still far surpass what they used to be once they level out. I guess it also depends on how our new President performs.
When the question of whether or not MLK’s dream has been actualized came up in class, it really got me thinking. While we as a people have clearly come a long way, I fear that we may never fully “get there.” So long as people are divided and conflicted within themselves (a whole ‘nother story…), there will be conflict and divide in their external worlds. This means that the “us” and “them” property that permeates essentially every part of our present lives will perpetuate some sort of better-than-worse-that ideology. MLK’s dream was that people would realize that all men are created equal – while we are certainly becoming more open minded racially, socioeconomic divides remain pervasive. And then there are sports teams…. Ahg.
But, alas, there certainly is hope. Earlier today, I had a team meeting with my boss, and the other members of the Teach For America recruitment team. In the beginning of our meeting, our director told a story that gave us all goosebumps. And so the story goes…
In the low-income areas of D.C., the public school system is atrocious. Unfortunately, poverty has developed along racial lines, and the majority of the students are minorities. Funding is limited, and many of the classroom amenities and extracurriculars that many of us grew up thinking were “normal” are not provided for the children. This includes most music programs. Since gaining a new Chancellor, Michelle Rhee (TFA Alum) a year and a half ago, the D.C. system has been much improved.
This year, for the first time, a little boy who happens to be the main character of my story was given the opportunity to play in his schools newly established marching band. The marching band played in the inaugural parade. When taken aside by an interviewer after the parade, the boy said something along the lines of this: Before all of this happened, me and all of my friends talked about being musicians and sports superstars when we grew up. College was never a consideration. Now, we’re fighting over who will be President.
Whether the huge increase in the polls will wane or not, it is my belief that having Barack Obama in the White House will change race relations and this country for the better.
Did Hell just freeze over?
Due to the inauguration of the “first black” president of the United States yesterday, there is an overwhelmingly obvious outpouring of joy in the black community. Poll results show that members of that community feel as though MLK’s dream has been fulfilled. My opinion on this matter is that Obama’s win for the presidency is not so much a step forward for African Americans but more for people of color as a whole. Obama associating himself as black does get a little irritating sometimes because he is half white and was raised mostly by white people. Now, of course he has the choice to associate with any part of his race as he chooses but since it helped him win the election I feel as though it was too big of an advantage for him. Obama is a very qualified candidate for president, he has a great educational background and vital experience, but sometimes I question if he would have still won if Bush’s administration didn’t make so many mistakes. Bush’s approval rating is the lowest in years. He is just a very hated president in many citizens eyes. Sometimes I wonder if McCain’s association with Bush (and perhaps the poor choice of Vice Presidential candidate), were the things that hurt him the most. If American’s weren’t so fed up with the previous administration would they stray so far from the norm? The past forty three presidents of this country were very similar in nature. They were all older white males and usually from high class backgrounds. Then here walks in Obama with not the greatest or luckiest start to his life. His father was an African American immigrant and he grew up in times of a lot of racism. I think going from where he came from to where he is today is obviously a testament to his true character and ability to lead this country. But has MLK’s dream been truly fulfilled? I would say no, I would say that we are definitely making strides but there is too much racism left in this culture for his dream to be realized. The country is far from that. I am glad that polls show that the black community is more optimistic about this president but at the same time he just got into office and we still have to see what he can do to improve this country. I certainly believe that he will do a good job. His win does help break boundaries of racial segregation, but nothing will be changed overnight and it is not one person or event that will do it. Obama made the reference in his inauguration speech of equality for all Americans, and as much as I would like that to become a reality, I’m just a little skeptic of how close we can get to that over the next four (or perhaps eight) years. This chapter in the countries history is that to be proud of, we certainly have come a long way. I just hope we can continue to go further to gain tolerance in this nation.
The civil rights movement and the fight for the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was and is still changing through small accomplishments. Throughout history these accomplishments were not always life changing, but always were significant in symbolism. From Rosa Parks taking her seat on the bus, to the Little Rock nine entering school, a step was taken towards racial equality. With each accomplishment blacks gained hope. They gained hope that one day, the dream of MLK would no longer just be a dream, but rather a reality.
The numbers presented in the CNN poll, seem strange and uncharacteristic of normal societal views. The cause for the switch in optimism is hard to point out. I feel that the only explanation for such a drastic change in response is the emotional high, which Sam and others presented. The inauguration and the events which took place on January 20th were remarkable for all Americans, but truly special for those who identify themselves as black Americans.
This emotional high is temporarily distracting black Americans from realizing what MLK truly meant by, “I have a dream.” Although whites view the historic nature of President Obama, they are not so full of emotion that they envision that MLK’s dream has been fulfilled.
Having a black man in the White House is a huge accomplishment, but I do not feel it means complete fulfillment of MLK’s dream. MLK preached in his famous speech that one day “we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, [and] to stand up for freedom together.” In this time of great accomplishment it is important to recognize that we still face racism in this country. We still face a division based on color of our skin, based on religion, and on sexual orientation. The people of America in large part still do not feel one with those who are different. Although people of different backgrounds may function together, not everyone looks to the person next to them and sees a person, but in fact sees the person’s skin.
I feel that if this poll is to be retaken in a few months the numbers will even out more. An increase will definitely be seen from the percentages before President Obama was running for office, but we will not see the drastic difference and swap between the opinions of blacks and whites. In a few months, once the excitement has died down and black Americans are off their emotional high we will all realize that Barack Obama as President of the United States is another step in the fight for Martin Luther King Jr’s dream, in which there is still a battle to be fought. As a country we cannot forget the true dream of MLK, a dream that our children, “will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
After reading this blog the first thing that came to mind, regardless of how weird it sounds, is that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. I think, in this case, white people are like the old dog because they have been a strong and powerful group of people for hundreds of years while black people are a somewhat up and coming race in the United States. I think that white people are so set in the way that they think that they are almost afraid to say that Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has been reached simply because it is change, or for my analogy’s sake, a new trick. The other day in class we watched a video of what was going on in the year that Barack Obama was born and it is clear that every day there is something small that happens to further progress black people towards complete equality. Because black people have been through so much and their progression has been so rapid, it is easier for them to change their minds about Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream. As a Jewish girl, I would be so moved and excited if a Jewish person was elected to be the president of the United States. I know that I would feel instantly proud for people who suffered in the past. I think that more of those who are not Jewish, just like the white people in the situation we are all in right now, would feel that the dreams of many Jewish people of equality have been met, but not to the same magnitude that Jewish people would. I think that, in addition to everything I have said, minorities have always felt pessimistic in such a majority-dominated nation like the United States. I think that they have tried to keep themselves from getting false hope and have learned from the past that they should not be optimistic in this nation. I feel that, finally, there is reason for black people to be really proud and excited about their race and they do not have to be afraid of investing all of their hopes in something just to be let down. I do not think that anyone has to worry about their hopes being invested in the wrong person this time around and I think that most black people and a large amount of white people are certain of that. In conclusion, I feel that this is a classic case of a stubborn old dog not being able to learn new tricks. White people are not going to be as optimistic as black people about the beginning of Barack Obama’s run as president because, for once, black people have something to really celebrate of which they are completely sure.
What do these numbers mean?
Well, it seems that if 64 percent of all African Americans surveyed said that they believe that MLK’s dream is fulfilled, then for once in a long time, they have hope. Speaking as an African American, I believe that on the contrary to popular belief, for a long time after slavery, blacks in America were discouraged by circumstances, and therefore, often fell susceptible to the unforeseen tribulations that occurred over the past 140 years. With that said, down trodden, most people give up, children drop out, adults give up trying to “beat the odds.” I myself, have even faced trying times regarding the hardships endured by people such as myself, and circumstances on the contrary to whites that we grow up in.
Yet, I believe that it’s when someone similar to Barrack Obama, whether it be James Meredith, Ruby Bridges, MLK, Rosa Parks, Malcolm, defies the odds, and pursues what may seem to be hard to accomplish, it gives people hope. And while there are many sacrifices that are risked, African American children dream of being the next president, lawyer, doctor, as opposed to the statistics of jail inmates, those strung out on drugs, and adolescent pregnancies.
It is true that in some cases there are insufficient words to express emotions. Some of those who cry in light of things such as the Inauguration of President Obama don’t know why they cry, or why it means so much, like me, but I say it has a lot to do with heritage.
Even though white people also have heritage (without generalizing all whites), their ancestors didn’t fight to sit next to us in a restaurant, or go to the same bathroom, or even obtain even close to the same type of education. To me, going to Penn State means something, reading the same books mean something, and the words “liberty and justice for all” mean something brand new, because those words, were just words for me and my ancestors for so long. White people cannot say the same, because they constitutionally founded this nation. It’s different to be born with the pursuit of happiness versus finally “obtaining” that happiness.
And with that said, most black Americans from older generations never thought that this was a possibility. It’s hard for me to think that way because I come from a generation that is slowly but surely fusing with the cultures of other peoples.
Even then so, in respect and consideration to all races, when someone defies the odds, and truly changes something about society, a different perspective occurs.
While I don’t necessarily know about white Americans, I can honestly say that I think most are scared about the direction of this country. One thing that the survey proves is the fact that while African Americans are more optimistic at this point in time, white Americans do seem to take the more practical approach and understand that while things have drastically changed, it is no secret that there is a lot more work to do. Electing a biracial president is just one base, and there is quite a couple more to go.
“Without struggle there is no progress,”---Frederick Douglass
With the election of a fresh, new face in the white house, supporters across the nation rejoice in the promotion of the leader they hand-selected themselves. This fresh face is new, but familiar in many ways. Many of us have looked forward to his move into the White House since we first saw his name on a ballot. His distinct motto of “change” rang through the ears of Americans of all races, but it seemed to have had a particularly strong effect amongst African-Americans. African-Americans have been waiting for this for a long time. Since the days of slavery and segregation, African-Americans may not have felt equal in this land where “all men are created equal”. Events from America's harsh past are well known by most Americans and may have lead to the derivation of the phrase “the white man is out to get us” and sayings of that nature. This kind of mentality was carried on throughout today's society. I would often hear African-Americans utter the words “it's because I'm black isn't it?” This is usually said out of fun, but there must be some reason that there would even be such a phrase. Because African-Americans know that racism still prevails and many are particularly racist against African-Americans. In a country that is predominantly white in most areas of leadership, any minority can feel that the white man is out to get them. With the election of Barack Obama, the white was pushed out of the spotlight and allowed a little black inside. Across the country, African-Americans rejoiced to see someone like them as the Commander in Chief. A sigh of relief whispered across the nation as African-Americans felt that there was finally someone that would understand what they are going through and can make a difference in their lives. There will be no more looking down on black people, because the holder of the highest chair in the country is black too. Right now it is almost as if African-Americans everywhere are in the “honeymoon stage” with Obama as president. Everyone is feeling great that diversity has hit the oval office. Many blacks are confident in their presidents abilities to help his fellow African-Americans through the rough times. We all have a rosy vision of his path of presidency as we envision all of his plans and policies to fall neatly into place and place a big bandage over all the loss from the economy and pain of conflict overseas. At least that is what we would all hope to see. For now, all that we can be certain of is that he has rejuvenated the hope that Martin Luther King Jr. had once brought to this country as the day after Dr. King Jr.'s birthday an extra large dose of change was prescribed to all of the citizens of America.
In response to the many people stating the possibility of many Black Americans voting for our new President solely due to the color of his skin-I actually really think that many White Americans voted for Barack Obama because of his skin color. No doubt do I believe that he is more than qualified to lead our country, I'm just putting that out there. I am one of those forty six percent of White Americans who believe that Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream has not completely been fulfilled. Sure, this is a huge step, for the time in American history, we have a black president (I would like to point out that I did not say half black, I think it's ridiculous that when a black American comes into power why have to point out that he's still HALF white, one of the reasons I believe we have not reached Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream). I believe that Martin Luther King wanted equality for all men AND women. Can you imagine a Muslim American being elected to serve as the President of the United States? Better yet, can you imagine a lesbian woman in that position? It seems ridiculously out of the question today. In all reality, it is illegal to be gay in this country. No, no, I know it's not really, but in the majority of states, you cannot marry the one you love if he or she is the same sex as you. A man or woman can chose their sexuality just as much as their race. And I know this is a class on race, not sexuality, but it is hard for me to see much difference in this case. This is only my perspective of Martin Luther King Jr's dream, and perhaps he was only dreaming of black and white equality and if this be the case, then I would one hundred percent agree with the sixty-nine percent of African Americans polled. However, people of my race have never been oppressed inside of the country. So I have a bias opinion. It would be interesting to see a poll if Asian, Latino, Native American, Arabic and LGBT Americans feel Martin Luther King Jr's dream has been fulfilled because Barack Obama has been elected to the leader of the United States of America. This sounds somewhat pessimistic, and I don't really know if it is right to say, but Black people were the first group of people to face prejudice in America (besides the Native Americans). So, it almost seems to make sense that they are the first to be accepted as equal. A black male in America was allowed to vote before a woman of any race was allowed. It follows the pattern. We have yet to have a female president. Hopefully all races, sexualities, and genders will be viewed as equal in America, but until that time comes, I do not believe that Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream is fulfilled.
What does it mean to be a citizen?
What does it mean to be a consumer?
How are these terms related to your daily life?
Is it possible to be a global citizen?
Is it possible to be a global consumer?
How are all of the above concepts related to understanding the world and your place and role within it?
Left wrong post...
On Election Day, Barack Obama emerged as the winner – not at all by a landslide victory but certainly with a healthy margin. What’s more, he beat a highly qualified, decorated war hero with much more government experience. He used his charisma, intelligence, and debate skills to win and even proved himself to be inspirational to even a historically unenthusiastic group of people (us, the youth).
Did people vote for him because he is half black? Or a democrat? Or young? Or a proponent for significant change from the Bush Administration? Of course, it is never that black and white. I would like to think that people did not judge him on one thing, even the one thing the media constantly threw in the public’s face: his race. If anything, I would like to think Americans supported him because of the content of his character, which is one the hopes listed in Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Sam Richards wonders how it is black Americans are more optimistic than whites. If I were to respond to the survey, I would have said no and been included in the white pessimism. I say this because I don’t think simply having a black president is King’s dream realized. And I am not naïve to believe that is all respondents who answered yes think. I think there is much, much more that needs to be done before King’s dream can be fulfilled.
Perhaps the people who responded yes may be thinking that Obama’s victory represents the dream. It shows that people can look past race and judge based on qualifications. It shows that the United States is ready to move on from petty differences. It shows that we are ready to change.
King lived during times of racial unrest and extreme prejudice, and he marched and rallied for change in legislation and people’s views. But it wasn’t just about black and white for him either. He took up the torch for other causes, like the end to the Vietnam War which he found immoral. He also died before he could lead the Poor People’s March on Washington. He was a beacon of hope for the disenfranchised and those who craved change.
While the social climate is certainly not as hostile now, there are plenty of other issues Obama will have to face as president. In many ways, he will be leading the march for various campaigns just like King. He can help create peace where there is war, financial stability where there are economic woes, and trust in the government where there has been growing skepticism. After writing this, I may have to agree that Obama’s election has fulfilled King’s dream, but I am going to wait and see if he gets the support and uses the fortitude needed to get the job done.
After reading that an overwhelming majority of blacks in America believe that Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream has been realized with the inauguration of Barack Obama, I was a little surprised at the naivety of blacks in America. Although everyone can agree that the inauguration of the first (half) black president is a monumental occasion, people should understand that this is only a small first step towards equality.
The election of Barack Obama is a dream come true for most black people, but it is not Martin Luther King’s dream come true. King dreamt of a world of complete equality, where this nation “will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’” The election of a black man into the highest office in the country in no way guarantees that the plight of black people in America will become any easier.
This does, however, put hope into many black and brown people that they will now have chances they dared not dream of before. I’ve heard it said by multiple black people that with this election they can now tell their children, “You can be anything you want to be” and actually believe it. This alone is a powerful thing because believing is often half the battle in overcoming barriers in life and bettering yourself.
White people seem to have mixed reactions to the election of a black man. This is evident through the fact that only forty-six percent of white people believe this election is the fulfillment of Martin Luther King’s dream. Although most white Americans would never admit to being racist or prejudiced, I think a lot of white people may be afraid of what this means for America, especially white America. Although the majority of Congress and other governmental bodies are still made up of nearly all white people, some may be afraid that Obama will make changes in America that adversely affect whites. This seems silly, but segregation and Jim Crow laws also seem silly looking back upon them now.
Regardless of race, the election of Obama is a momentous event for America. Never before in our lifetime has a more important political event taken place. Although I am too young to feel the full effects that segregation had on this country, I know that many Americans who experienced the worst of the Civil Rights era see this election as the culmination of decades of work. In that sense, I can understand why sixty-nine percent of black and brown Americans see this as the realization of Martin Luther King’s dream. However, I believe that America still has a lot of work to do, but hopefully Obama will be the man to lead America through these uncertain times.
At first, I was surprised by the outcome of the poll, but after thinking about it I can understand it. While I believe that Martin Luther King’s dream is on the road to being reached, it is not quite there yet. I believe that the poll turned out that way because with whites, it was more past generations voting not our generation. We are more optimistic about the future and realize how much farther we can go. Whereas past generations believe this is enough to make Martin Luther King’s dream realized. It is a huge step, but there still are many people who do not believe we are all equals. I also feel the black people who voted are just excited we got this far. They have not thought about the future and how much farther we can go. The previous polls even help support that; the 2008 poll said that only 20% of black people thought his dream was reached. Now it is doubled, that shows that we were able to change even more. The white’s numbers did not go up as drastically but they did.
There still people out there that are not in agreement about President Obama’s impact though. I was walking to class and heard people talking about how they did not understand what the big deal was because he was only half black and half white. I have never heard of a time when someone’s being half white used against them. All of a sudden, it does not matter he is half black, to some people that means nothing. Like someone mentioned in class, during slavery if you were 1/16 black, you were considered black no matter what. I understand he is only half black, but we still have never had a half black president. So I cannot understand why people do not see this as change or big deal. It proves how far the country has come.
For now this is a great thing, but I think (like we said in class) that once race is not an issue at all, that is when Martin Luther King’s dream will be realized. When we just elect a president and the only thing we are excited about is the new president that is when race will no longer be a concern. I think we still have a lot of barriers to overcome to get there though. At that time I would hope all the polls would be 100% believe it is realized.
Basically, I personally feel that we are not at MLK’s dream yet. We are definitely on the right path to reach that point, but we have many other things to overcome to get there. Starting with people understanding that change is happening, and finishing with race no longer as an issue.
I think the first thing to examine is what exactly does Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream “being fulfilled” mean? King’s life was dedicated to civil rights and racial equality. But how can one define his dream as being completely fulfilled? In King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech he calls for white and black children to be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood- to be able to walk hand-in-hand as brothers and sister- that one will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character- and to let freedom ring throughout the nation.
It’s no doubt that America has come a long way from the 1960s- when segregation ruled the south and blacks and whites ate, drank, and even rode the bus in separation. America has turned around from blacks not even being considered members of society, living as slaves in the 1800s- to having a black man hold the highest position of power. These are all momentous achievements that cannot even be expressed in words. And, yes, all these accomplishments are done in the spirit of King’s dream being fulfilled. Yet the fight is not over. It may never be over. King’s dream was been fulfilled in many ways- but not completely.
I believe racism is still alive in the corners of the rural deep south, in whispers, or in unspoken thoughts. Ancestry and skin color cannot be changed. But the way we think about people of certain color certainly can. But for whatever reason racism and stereotypes were created or how they were created- they are still there. How can society change stereotypes and prejudices that have been around for many, many, many years? It is possible- it can change with each generation- but it’s not going to happen overnight.
I believe the reason more blacks believe King’s dream has been fulfilled is because for them this is a monumental achievement. After hundreds of years of suffering and belittling- for the first time in history- one of their own is now running the country. But it is different for whites. In one South Park episode a controversy arises in the show when a white parent says the n-word. The man’s son has to deal with the reaction of one of the only black boys in the town. During the whole episode the white son apologizes and argues with the black boy over the white father’s use of the n-word. Only at the end of the episode does the white boy have a revelation. He runs up to the black boy and says, “I finally get it. I don’t get it.” I believe this is a true portrayal of white regarding blacks. No matter what white people will never “get it.” A white person can never truly, completely understand what it is like for blacks. This is true for every race. A black person can never truly, completely understand what it is like for whites- Asians can never fully understand Latinos- and so on. Perhaps this is why less whites agree with the poll than blacks. Perhaps it’s just because they don’t “get it.”
Michael Patchen
January 20, 2009
I think that everyone is making too big of a deal about the election of Barack Obama. I do appreciate the progress that has been through the last few hundred years, but I also acknowledge that there is plenty of progress to be made. It just seems like people are celebrating Obamas inauguration like racism’s funeral. Racism definitely is not over, I still see it every day. I don’t think the actual election of Obama means anything. The fight against racism has been a painfully slow process. Everyone is making it seem like we made no progress since the civil rights movement and now suddenly we’ve lept into the future. Obama’s election was a landmark, but I don’t think hell has frozen over.
As far as the opinion polls on racism go, I think they are neglible. I have a feeling that within a few months, they will balance out back to normal. People are definitely just riding out the high off Obamas election. I think that its inevitable that another event will happen that will throw peoples opinions in another direction. Im sure these type of polls fluctuate in response to every major or minor event that happens.
The election of Obama is defintley a huge deal, a landmark event in American history. But its not a reason to pronounce racism dead, or that hell has frozen over. I think that we still have a ways to go, no matter what the opinion polls say.
The poles obviously show that we are far closer to reaching MLK's dream than ever before. However, I believe that we still have some ground to cover. The leader of the free world is now a (half) black man, but will he be able to keep America's trust? I know this is a question for every president, but Obama is more in the limelight than any before him, and therefore will have every move be more highly scrutinized. How his presidency turns out will undoubtedly have an effect on the polls. This is a turning point in history and a giant step forward for our society, but does it fully realize MLK's dream? I'm from a town of only 2,000 people with two black families, but racism is not a problem (and I'm not just saying that). However, go a few towns over and you can find it heavily scattered throughout the older generation and trickling down to our generation. Would I be able to date a black man without getting "those looks" or having the whispers? Most likely, I would not be able to escape these. Also, remembering one close black friend, him being of a different race seemed to stick out and there were definitely comments made. We definitely are closer than ever to living in a world of equality, but we still have more steps to take. The election of Obama was the greatest step and, while unable to explain why there is a difference between the white and black numbers, is highly responsible for the jump in the polls. Our nation is growing and becoming strong once again. I believe we are becoming closer day by day to reaching MLK's dream.
So 69% of blacks and 46% of whites believe that MLK’s dream “has been fulfilled” in America. A dramatic rise in this number is due to the election of Barack Obama as US President. The first thought that comes to mind here, is that most white people (including myself) do not really understand what MLK’s dream was. Thinking back on what I learned about it during Black History Month at my 99.8% white catholic elementary school, hmm… Martin Luther King Jr…. he was a pretty cool guy… he was that black guy that had a dream, right? Yeah, a dream that black people and white people can hold hands! Well that sounds easy enough. Yeah, sure I’ll hold hands with a black person, maybe in church or something. Wait, there were no black people in my church. Come to think of it, there were no black people in my town. The one black girl in my school was treated as an equal but thought of more or less as an outsider. So I was nice to her, so what? What black people is he talking about, exactly? Those in the inner city who I hear about on the news? The violent criminals in the city holding hands with shiny happy white people from the suburbs? This was about my picture of MLK’s dream, a completely distorted, pathetic vision of society and culture. As far as that dream goes from that misunderstanding, undereducated mindset, we have not even come close to fulfilling MLK’s perceived dream. There are still stereotypes and prejudices categorizing black people as poor, violent, or in many ways sub-par. And these thoughts seem like reality to those many undereducated white people. There are still far too many hate crimes, and colored people in prisons, which is a product of this misunderstanding.
I think these poll numbers have something to do with both the idea that white people fear the crumbling of something they have considered normal for so long, and also that white people are largely uneducated when it comes to race and don’t want to face (or don’t know) the fact that each person is born 99.97% the same. We don’t want to talk about it or deal with race and our feeling toward it. This recent election has made it more and more clear that we white people are being forced to deal with our own stereotypes, judgements, walls and fears that we have built up without even knowing it. It’s like you’ve picked on and beat up your little brother for your whole life until one day you wake up and he’s taller than you. It’s an awakening experience and it takes warming up and letting your guard down. I have hope that if this poll is taken in two years from now, the numbers will rise because more people, especially white people, will begin to educate themselves, in some ways because they were forced to do so by the changing times. I know I am.
I think it’s obvious why the polls read the way they do now. The more optimistic race is now black rather than white, whereas now we have a black president rather than white. The correlation here is blindingly powerful; when we had all white presidents, white people were more optimistic that the future held change and now that we have a (part) black president, black people are more optimistic about race issues.
You could ask if race was the deciding factor in the election: maybe yes, maybe no. I feel like for every ignorant black who voted for Barack just because he is black there is an equally ignorant white who voted against Barack just because he is black. All those people who voted for Obama because “he’s black” (even though he’s not full black) versus all those people who voted against him because “he’s Iraqi and Muslim” (even though a foreigner cannot run for US president and the Muslim religion is peaceful). Assuming these votes cancelled out, the election shows that America picked Barack because of his political qualifications. Just the fact that many of us didn’t care what race he was (and therefore voted for only politics) is a huge step toward Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream.
That said, I don’t want to make it seem like I don’t think our President being black isn’t huge, because it definitely is. I think it’s awesome and shows our country’s progression. Just looking back a few generations, so much has changed. I know many of our grandparents saw the inauguration as unbelievable. They thought they would never see the day of a black person as president. Even our parents are surprised. I feel lucky that my generation is starting to erase racism, and our kids will do so even more. Until that time when it is erased, I’m proud to live during this time.
Growing up in this generation rather than the previous ones, it didn’t hit me until just recently how big a deal it is to have Obama as President. Last year, I’d say I was irritated with the media for making such a big deal out of Hillary versus Barack: a woman versus a black man. I didn’t see it as a big deal what the candidate was, it only matters what his or her politics are. Again, I’m not saying that having our first black president isn’t a big deal. I’m saying that it’s really great that we have elected a qualified man as president, and that man happens to be black. I’m saying that it was silly to make race such a big deal during the campaign period.
Hell hasn’t frozen over. Black people are more optimistic than they ever have been before, more so than even whites, because of this milestone in American history. The polls really do show progression. Before Barack came into the picture, 40% whites were optimistic about the future and only 20% blacks felt the same. Early last year, during the bloodbath of choosing the democratic candidate, black optimism grew to 34%, and whites (although still more optimistic) shrunk to 35%. After the bloodbath and the election were over, both races inflated optimism. Whites rose to 46% and blacks soared to 69%.
Now that optimism is up on both ends, especially the black end, it will be hard now to keep it up. Even as well qualified as Obama is, people will expect more from him, the first black President, than they have in the past.
Do I think Martin Luther King’s dream has been realized? No I do not. I wish I could say it has, but unfortunately, in 2009 there are still closed minded individuals who breed more individuals to be races. Now if you asked me if MLK’s dream has been drastically improved my answer would be yes. However, I would not say that the inauguration of President Obama has been the ultimate factor that has bettered MLK’s dream. There have been many contributors to help make the Dream closer to arms reach like: Codeless Rice, Jackie Robison, Rosa Park, Carl Brashear (first African American navy seal), and the case of Brown v. the board of education. It is because of these people and many others that today Obama is serving in office.
Crystal Marigliano
Has Martin Luther King’s vision been fulfilled? Absolutely not. Anyone who believes that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled with the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president is completely shortchanging the entire civil rights movement that King supported. King’s goal for the civil rights movement was not political, it was social. He never says the benchmark for freedom and equality is to have black leadership. King, rather, touches on the social oppressions of the black community and the obstacles that needed to be overcome in that regard. To quote his 1963 speech on the National Mall, “But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free…One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.” Keep in mind this speech was given over forty-five years ago. But the problems that King talks about are still obviously present in today’s society! Forty-five years later blacks still live in a higher rate of poverty than whites. Forty-five years later we can still find cases of blacks being pushed to the corners of society, especially in low-income urban areas. Sure, the racial problems and inequalities of 2009 pale in comparison with those of 1963—but they still exist. And that is the point: Martin Luther King’s vision cannot be considered fulfilled until these inequalities have been overcome.
I don’t want to detract from the incredible historical event that took place on Tuesday. Inaugurating Barack Obama as the president is monumental. Breaking down barriers, whatever they may be, is always a step in the right direction for racial equality. It shows the black community that a black man (even if only half) has the ability to rise to the top of the system. No longer can anyone argue that there is a “glass ceiling” for blacks in politics. And with as many black CEO’s and business professionals as we see today, it seems the ceiling in the private sector has been broken as well. But let’s be honest: Nothing changed in American society between 11:59am and 12:00pm on Tuesday. Blacks were treated the same on Wednesday and Thursday as they were on Monday. I take that back—one thing did change on Tuesday at noon. There is a new sense of hope and political excitement within the black community. The average black citizens seem to care more about politics now that Obama is holding the reins.
I strongly and wholeheartedly feel these 69% of blacks are wrong in feeling that King’s vision is fulfilled. In my opinion, that poll says that 69% of blacks are filled with hope in this new administration. They trust that Obama will bring about policy to stop the poverty, the societal exile, and the inequalities that King spoke about 1963. This is the reason why I think something special can happen during Obama’s 4 (or 8) years in office. Change is not going to trickle down from the top of the system, but rather it needs to rise up from the bottom. The average citizens; black, white, brown; are the ones that will demand equality from this administration. Only time will tell the success or failure of Obama’s administration. Political excitement has never been this high in our lifetimes, and I think we can ride this wave for 4 (or 8) years and see some amazing things to come. I’m excited.
To be honest, I think that the poll results have a lot to do with the current race situation in the United States. The white people in America are already living free of the constraints of race. Because these white already know what it’s like to live in a world (their own white world) that is free of racial barriers, they don’t believe that, just because we have a half-black president, all of Martin Luther King’s dreams have been fulfilled. I, being a white person myself, am well aware that my black roommate, however well-off she may be, faces many more injustices because of her race than I do on a daily basis. While I believe that the election of President Obama is a huge step in the right direction, there are still many things that need to be sorted out before all of MLK’s dreams will ever come true.
Now as for the percentage of black people who believe that MLK’s dream has been fulfilled, I don’t mean to belittle their intelligence by saying that they are unable to see what white people can see. In fact, many black people did say that Obama’s election did not fulfill MLK’s dream. However, in terms of the percentage of people who do believe that the dream was fulfilled, I question whether the idea in the blog about a sort of “high” was true. Maybe these people are just overly excited and classifying their feelings in a way that may change as the hype of the election dies down. If not, I’m wondering if the discrepancy has more to do with a sort of hopelessness on the part of many African-Americans in this country. Surely people have more hope for the nation than electing a half-black president. Why not simply a president, regardless of race? When a man of Obama’s ethnicity gets elected in the future, wouldn’t it be nice to think, “Oh, that’s the president elect who stands for….” Rather than saying “Oh, that’s the half-black president elect”? And after all this time and all the inequalities we’ve seen in American history, can we even really expect African Americans to see beyond what an outstanding feat that Obama has overcome?
Basically, I think it comes right down to another racial barrier. The fact of the matter is, many people believe that whites are less optimistic about Obama’s election because they have some sort of racial issue and, as the blog stated, nervousness “about having their racial universe turned on its head.” And while I’m sure this may be true for many, I believe the numbers are lower than many people would think. I happen to come from an extremely conservative family, and I can’t count the times that I’ve had people assume I am somewhat racist because of my political beliefs. The fact is, I’m not racist at all. Neither is my conservative family. I’ve heard both my parents loathe the policies that Barack Obama poses, and yet I’ve heard both of them praise him for overcoming so many obstacles to change America. I think it all boils right down to the fact that both blacks and whites are extremely excited about what this election means for the future of America. And if we are going to take one poll and use the numbers to make HUGE interpretations about Americans, then maybe we’re not digging deep enough into what is really going on in our country.
Barack Obama being inaugurated into office is probably one of the greatest, if not the greatest, history changing moments we will witness in our lifetimes, assuming we’re all 18-22 year-old college students. I am white, and I saw January 20, 2009 as an amazing day in the history of the United States, so I can only imagine how members of the African American community felt. I think as hard as many whites try, they will never fully understand how it feels to be a black person of ancestry which links back to slaves and how exciting this moment has to be for them in history. The days of slavery are long gone, but try as we may to ignore it racism is still very prevalent in our nation today. And it is not only that Barack Obama is a black man, but he is also an extraordinary man who is putting so much hope into our nation and a man who probably would have won the election regardless of the color of his skin. I don’t know how people could NOT be excited by this remarkable day in our country’s history even if they do not completely agree with all of his views, unless of course that person is a racist, in which case, their opinion really doesn’t stand fair. I believe that the polls turned out the way they did because many blacks probably thought that they would never see this day come. It was really not long ago that MLK was fighting for equality in our nation and it is amazing how far we have come. In my opinion, I think that this is the single greatest thing to have happened as far as MLK’s dream being “fulfilled”, but I also believe that there is more to come. I agree with the anonymous blogger who wrote that many things have yet to be accomplished such as poor inner-city schools with mostly black students, and adding to that, city gangs which are still present in our nation. I hope that Obama can help our hurting country and invoke even more hope and optimism in the hearts of those who doubt him and those who are pessimistic. We as a nation have an opportunity to “start over” in a sense, and come together and stand behind our leader. No one wants another Bush Administration where such a large portion of the country doesn’t even stand behind our president and other countries look down upon us and have little respect for our nation as a whole. With such a hopeful and optimistic man leading our country, it is hard for those feelings not to be contagious. I voted for Barack Obama and when I left the polls, I felt so confident that I did a good thing for our country. I think that black and white citizens alike have every right to be excited and optimistic, and I think that those who are not, need to realize that this is 2009 and time for some serious change.
I feel these numbers are honestly expected in light of what has just happened in this nation. We just elected the first president of the United States of America with a major diverse quality in him since John F. Kennedy was voted into office. I am curious to see how long the awe of having a black man in office will last. As Americans we have an interesting tendency to lose interest in things very easily, but despite that I truly believe this is something that will remain incredible even after more and more presidents of diverse back rounds take office. No American who is old enough to remember segregation and the civil rights movement can deny that this is a huge victory for equality among the races. In less than 50 years we went from not allowing whites and African Americans to use the same drinking fountain to having a half black and half white man leading our country. This would clearly explain the jump in optimism among African Americans in this country and it very well should lead to a more positive outlook on life. Who wouldn't feel more optimistic about life after a jump in status like that? As for why whites do not share in that positive outlook, I can only speculate but I feel there are a number of reasons. I'm sure many whites have mixed feels about this day based on their politics, but I bet many would agree they it is a huge day in history and will change our world forever. I feel that many whites never had to deal with the oppression African Americans did. Does this mean they don't understand the importance of it; no but it certainly would help one understand why it might not seem like a dream of equality has been filled. Another reason is that I feel many white people see Martin Luther King's dream as equality free from even the thought of color. We live in a world where a black man can be president as of today, but we still don't live in a world where a man's color, or religion for that matter, is of no importance. Will having a half black president now make the next diverse president old news? Absolutely not, but it has opened the door and once enough men and women of various back rounds and religions are voted in maybe someday it will be "old news" and everyone will feel equality. I believe only once we hear that an African American or white guy is president and just see it as only an American being voted into office will we see a equally high percentage of all races believing that Martin Luther King's dream has finally come true.
These poll results are ridiculous and on representative. The reason that they are skewed in the way they are with white people seeming to be less optimistic is because of all the either crazy old people who are still living in the 1960’s, silently racist individuals or white supremacists whose worlds have been turned upside down in the past few months. People need to sit back for a minute and take this out of context. Who was in charge of distributing the survey? Was it a reliable source? How many people were actually given the survey?
Also, we are in an economic depression. White people may just be looking beyond the presidency and into their bank accounts and realizing that they can no longer live in their upper-middle class home because they just got laid off from their mediocre job in a cubicle somewhere in corporate America. On the other hand this occasion is so momentous for the black population in America. It is a huge deal, especially to those older blacks who grew up in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s and watched on TV their friends and family be brutally beaten by cops and eat in separate restaurants as whites. Also many blacks may not even have been hit as hard in this economic crisis as whites. Corporate America has been hit incredibly hard by the recent situation and that area tends to be dominated by the white population.
This poll means nothing to me to be honest. All I keep thinking of is that in order for the president to be elected he must have secured a majority vote. I am sure that many black people did vote for him, but also many white people. They did this because they believe in Obama. The white negativity may have no bearing at all on the presidential election; it may just be a reaction from racists and people who were hit hard by the recent economic depression.
Another issue I keep hearing is that the president is half black… who cares?? Number one he looks blacker than he does white. And his wife is 100% African-American. So regardless of whether people want to bicker back and forth about how black our president is. This is also the very first African-American first lady. This is huge! The first lady is usually a chubby, boring, silent and obeying wife to the president. Michelle Obama is anything but that. She actually has a personality and a fantastic education of her own. She speaks her mind and has her own intentions and accomplishments she wants to take on. In my opinion the role of the first lady is the one that is going to be changed the most drastically. It will not just be the traditional role of starting a charity and redecorating the white house. She will make is a position of interest and influence.
I am white and I agree with you. I don’t think everything is okay now and that all the race problems are solved. It is a huge step and a big moment in history, but there are many more problems to solve and having a black leader is not the answer to every single one.
As for the jubilation on the other side of the polls, I think we are going to have to chalk this one up to not being black. Whites always see familiar faces on the news when it comes to politics and leadership and many good things. All the faces in the Oval Office have been white. We have no idea what this feels like and we can not be expected to.
I imagine, for black people it goes something like this. Since the civil rights movement, people have been telling blacks that they are equal citizens and they are entitled to do whatever they want and that they have no disadvantage. But when they turn to the media, they see another message. They can look at the daily news and see like cities latest young black male who is going to jail due to drugs or murder. TV shows show black convicts more then white ones. There is still racism in their schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. But ever since the election started, there was a new face in the news. A black face with the word hope captioning it. This image to me was just an election tool, but I imagine that African-Americans is was much more. It showed the African American population that they can do anything and they are equal. What better way to prove it then have a black man run for the most powerful position in the United States. I think it changed people’s attitudes, mind sets, and views on their own lives. When Obama won the election it was like saying “see it can be done” to the entire black population. And when it finally all became real on Jan. 20th, 2009, those people had a reason to be dancing in the streets. It was the first time they saw someone of their own kind in a very public and very powerful position and to top it all of it was being celebrated. This man was not judged by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character and elected to the position, it was not a mistake, coincidence, or a formality. So for the African-American population I can see why they think Dr. King’s dream has come about.
As for me, I know I will never fully understand, it is one of the unfortunate things about being in the majority. I am just thankful that I can appreciate the enormity of the event and am humbled at the power of the American people and their spirit.
While the country as a whole is reaching unparalleled optimism with regards to a new president, I do not believe that MLK’s dream has come true. While Barrack Obama being elected president as an “african-american” is a monumental step for us as a country to take, it is not even close to the last step. My pessimism in regards to whether or not we have reached MLK’s dream stems from Hurricane Katrina. After having traveled to Mississippi and New Orleans to help out on two different occasions, one thing became obvious to me. White people in charge of this country do not care about people of color. While many, many Americans criticized the artist Kanye West for his infamous quote, “George Bush does not care about black people”, I could not agree with him more. The contrast between the cleanup efforts in the white neighborhoods and the black neighborhoods was staggering. While many white Americans families were moving back into their homes in the following months after the disaster, many African Americans families were left wondering what to do. The state government, with supposed help from FEMA, was telling these people that if they didn’t rid their houses of the diseases and chemicals, their homes would be taken. Meanwhile, the city of New Orleans was already being repaired. By the time I arrived there a year after the Hurricane, the city looked as good as new. But in the predominately African-American neighborhoods, progress was hard to come by. There is no doubt that a natural disaster like a hurricane affects all people, but what bothered me was how it appeared that the white people were receiving more help than the people of color.
Although Hurricane Katrina happened a little over three years ago, I still question how much as a country we have really changed. Martin Luther King Jr. speech was not about electing a black president. For hundreds of years there have been superstar athletes who have been black. These players were loved, and people looked past the color of their skin because they were such great players. MLK’s goal was for all people to be treated equally. Just because we have elected a black president does not mean we have reached equality. To be honest, I believe that any Democratic candidate would have won this election because of the missteps of the Bush administration. We have reached Martin Luther King’s goal not when we elect a black president, but when we are able to talk about the Obama presidency without even mentioning that he is black. One day, people will look back on our civilization as one that looks primitive because we were so obsessed with the color of one’s skin.
I believe these numbers explain the differences in black people and white people. In March 2008, it was 20 percent black and 40 percent white who thought this country fulfilled Martin Luther King’s vision. Now that the election is over and we have a half black president, the polls have changed to 34 percent black and 35 percent white. Yes, I feel bad for those people who were mistreated over the last 400 years, but as a whole to me it seems like the white people more so than the black people aren’t as racial and that picking a black president wasn’t the issue in the voting booths. I choose to vote for my candidate because I felt he was qualified. I didn’t even second-guess him by his skin color. It bothers me that some Americans, black and white, had voted for Obama because he is half black and they wanted change. Don’t get me wrong. Change is good. But I would like people to think more about the visions of the candidates. Why is Obama the better candidate? Is it because he’s smarter or younger? Does his view on America make us feel safe? I feel like people dismissed these kinds of questions.
One day, I was watching TV and reporters were asking random black people on the streets who they voted for. They all said Obama. Then, the reporters asked them why they voted for him. More so, they said the ideas and beliefs of a republican candidate and asked the black person if that was the reason he/she voted for Obama. Not of any surprise, every person agreed. They didn’t even know Obama’s outlooks on America. They voted because he was black. It makes me wonder if all black people voted for Obama. I have many white friends that voted for him so I know many white people did. Is this why he won? Is it because he’s black?
I voted for Obama because I saw more of him than just being black.
In my perspective, black people need to realize that they already are accepted into are community. They need to stop thinking that white people have all the power. There are tons of successful black out there and it continues to increase everyday. I have grown up with many black friends and I hang out with them like I would hang out with any white person. I treat them equally and would never in my life say anything racial. I am not racial at all and I will never be. People to me are all equal and I like the diversity. Yes, I might not know all the different ethnicities and how to tell which person is which, but I treat them all the same, even when I don’t know.
I believe God made these different kinds of people and cultures so we can learn more about each other everyday.
The CNN poll numbers that came out a few days ago reflect the jubilation that African-Americans are feeling now that an African-American is leading our country. If people step back for a minute and truly think about what Dr. Martin Luther King’s Dream was, they would see that it has not been fulfilled. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted peace and equality for every person – no matter what color your skin is. It is sad to say, but Americans today are still treated differently because of the color of his or her skin. However, electing Barack Obama the 44th President of the United States of American is a giant leap for Americans and is one step closer to the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. People must realize that there is a lot work that still needs to be done in order for Dr. King’s dream to be achieved. If CNN were to take a poll of everybody in the United States asking “Do you believe racism still exists in the U.S.” Almost everybody would say “yes.” The sad truth is racism won’t change over-night because we have an African-American president. Just because America has elected its first black president doesn’t mean Martin Luther King’s dream has been realized. Stereotypes still exist in our country for people of all different backgrounds and they will continue to exist over time. I believe that the reason why only 46% of white people say that Dr. King’s dream has been achieved is because the majority of white people in America feel as though racism still exists. The 69% of African-Americans polled that believe Dr. King’s dream has been realized represent a portion of African-Americans that are just content with having a black leader. My guess is that if a poll were to be conducted of blacks and whites in 2 years (after the Obama craze has died down) of that very same question, you would see far lower numbers. I believe that blacks and whites would start to realize that there is still a lot of work ahead in order to make Dr. King’s dream a reality. My ultimate point is that these CNN poll numbers reflect an African-American community that is in a state of great joy (and shock in some cases) because of our newly-elected leader is black. If we were to take a step back now and seriously think about Martin Luther King’s dream, we would see that electing Barack Obama is a big first step to making Dr. King’s dream come true. In order to truly make the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. a reality, we must eliminate all racial prejudice and stereotypes. I believe that this can be achieved, but it is going to take some time.
Yes, America has come a very far from the time of slaves and more recently the civil rights movement of the 1960’s. If you looked at some of the things that happened during the time of the Civil Rights Movement, I’d say we’ve become a more accepting country. Martin Luther King was a great man with a great vision, but to say that his “dream” has been fulfilled seems to be somewhat naïve. I’m not saying that it is not a good thing that we finally have a colored president, because it is a great thing to know that this once harsh racist society is starting to see past the color a man and more at his character. How many people do you think voted for him just because he was black? Personally I think that the color of Obama’s skin was exploited more than it needed to be. He is a good man and an eloquent speaker, but too many people made it just about race. Although there were probably many whites that voted against him for the exact same reason, race should not have been the main concern of the election. Race in the election became one of the main points and sometimes even overshadowed the candidates own policies. Rather than say what are you going to do as the president, it would be phrased, “As the first black president, what will change in the government”, or something along those lines. To say that one man is going to save this nation seems childish; though I may be a doubter in his presidential capabilities I’m not saying he won’t be a good or even great president. But the fact that it took this nation so long to elect a colored person as its leader just shows that racism and segregation are still not gone.
It is a good thing that blacks are starting to be more optimistic, but until they are always fairly treated and given the same rights, I can say that Martin Luther King’s dream has not been fulfilled. No matter where some people go, some will still be mistreated. Blacks will be looked down upon and whites will be looked as oppressors. Wasn’t MLK’s dream for white and black to live in harmony? For a man to be treated by the content of his character and not by the color of his skin? We as a society have made large strides to create equality among blacks and whites; but there are still stereotypes that we witness in everyday material, whether it is magazines, billboards, commercials, movies, or any other form of entertainment those stereotypes still exist among everyone. Until people can actually stop considering race as a huge obstacle when interpreting people’s ideas and beliefs and individuality, MLK’s dream won’t be fulfilled.
Ben Fuerst
I believe that today we all can stand here and say that a great feat has been reached. But I cannot say that Martin Luther King’s dream has been completely fulfilled. America now has a half black president, but many people refused to vote for him because of his skin color. That shows our country still has a long way to go. I know people who had to muster up the confidence to vote for Obama because they feared a change in the status quo. In my opinion, I believed that Obama was the much better candidate, and his skin color did not affect my views. Many people agreed with me but feared having a black man in the oval office. But nevertheless I am ecstatic that many Americans were able to get over race and recognize a future leader. We have a great man in the white house now, who is also African American. On the other side of the spectrum many people voted for him because of the sole purpose that he was an African American. I am not trying to discredit the fact that we just hit a historical high in United States history. I am just saying that it makes me upset that voters believe that equality is based on highlighting the uniqueness of each race rather than eliminating the differences all together. We must realize that people of all color voted for Obama, not just African Americans and he is going to try and help us all. I think that African Americans are jumping up and down more than say my white republican parents. But even my parents realized the importance of this election and our proud of our new triumph. Maybe I am taking this softer than I should and I need to realize what just truly happened, but I want to see the change. I personally am trying not to get my hopes up because America has had many duds as president. I just want to see the transformation that we are all looking for, and be sure that I made the right vote. Many of us witnessed one of Martin Luther King’s dreams come true, but we all have to realize Obama has many things to accomplish in order for the change we need to occur. We have just taken that jump in the right direction and I hope that Obama does a great job and that soon we will see more racial equality and see unity in the United States. I think it is irrational for us to think that Martin Luther King’s dream has been completed after one event. It is a great satisfaction to see Obama as our president I just accept the true; we have a ton more work ahead of us before we can say Dr. King’s wishes and dreams are complete.
We gain knowledge through experience. Therefore I feel that the generations before us play a huge role in those percentages. For instance, my grandparents and aunts and uncles are democratic. They originally were voting for Hilary Clinton if she were to get elected. HOWEVER, after Barack Obama was elected, my family surprisingly changed their votes to McCain. Now, to be a college student at this particular time witnessing this is absolutely fascinating. Not only to be able to witness the election but to be able to justify my views against my families. My family would claim themselves as “not racist”. Yet, they refused to vote for a black president, and when this was brought to their attention, they responded with answers that were completely and utterly ridiculous excuses for racism. Now, I’m not here to tell you that my family is the consensus, however to be able to recognize the differences between generations is what I am trying to attain.
Let my reiterate by emphasizing that generations that were brought up in the times of slavery and racism 160 years ago are a lot different than the generations that witnessed racism 60 years ago. The grandparents of my grandparents knew nothing but racism. Thus, it was bestowed upon my grandparents, and then on my parents and now my generation. Although we live in a whole different world today, I feel a lot of the race issues are still present because of generations before us. Our parents are models to our beliefs and usually, on average, a person is brought up with the same customs and beliefs that their parents engulf them in since birth. Now that the years of slavery and intense racism are becoming more and more of the past, I feel that there is much hope for the future. Look how far we have come as a country. Yes, there is still slavery, and yes there is still racism, however, most new generations are not brought up in the light of those tragic events. Therefore, I feel although we will never forget the past, we (by “we” I mean ALL races) as future generations hold the key to the “promise land”. Not to be negative because I love my family more than anything in the world, but I think our efforts at this young age of ending slavery and ending the issue of racism will eventually be accounted for in generations to come. Eventually, there will be no ancestors left to bestow negative comments and thoughts on us at birth. WE and the future generations will be the ones that determine if racism will continue to exist. Therefore I feel we need to BE the change we want to see and those percentages may merely reflect parts of ancestry.
One interpretation of the poll from last week that showed that 69% of black people feel that Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled and only 46% of white people feel the same way is that black people are very optimistic, confident, and have hope that Obama’s presidency will and is currently bringing great change. One the other hand the poll shows that there are more white people that think we are not quite there yet. And that is not to say that Obama’s presidency isn’t a great thing, It just might be that at the moment, Obama’s presidency does not change the way whites look at minorities, minorities look at other minorities and vice versa., which is what most white people might think fulfilling Martin Luther King’s dream would entail.
Having elected the first black man ever to the oval office, this country has clearly taken a big step in history. It was only a few years ago, when my parents were growing up, that the United States was a segregated country. Blacks were not even allowed to attend the same restaurants or receive the same education as whites. Therefore, the fact that a black man now has the opportunity to lead and change this country is pretty amazing.
Knowing the history of this country it is no surprise that the black population is so optimistic at this time. Clearly, they have every reason to celebrate and be optimistic about the future. This country has finally made the major step in history that would have been impossible not that long ago. It does not really matter that Obama is only half black or multiracial. He looks and identifies himself as black, which would have kept him out of the oval office in the past. On top of this, Obama, regardless of his race, is a strong leader who seems to be a capable of leading this country in the right direction. Therefore, he was most likely voted for by American voters because he was the best candidate for the job. Altogether, this is why such a large percent of the black population believes that Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled. For he was all about equal rights and opportunities, and now Obama has just won one of the greatest opportunities: the opportunity to lead and change this country.
On another note, the emotions felt by the white population in the mist of Obama’s victory are different reactions then the black population. For, it is not mystery that the white race does not share the same heritage. Though the history of slavery is definitely know by the white population it is still not part of its heritage. Then again they are still part of this big moment in history. Regardless of the fact the white population doesn’t have a history of slavery in this country, they are still experiencing change. In fact, some of the white population even feels worried or unsure about this change. In reality, this is one of the most major changes in U.S. History and change is always accompanied with fear. This is especially true for the older generations; having grown up in a very different world they may feel unsure about this change. Meanwhile, many whites are very excited about the outcome of this election and are very optimistic about how Obama is going to help and run the country. Many see it as a good outcome for the United States because of his race and/or because Obama seems to be the leader most fit to help this country at this particular time in history.
Irony is the first word that comes to mind when I hear the statistics that 69% of blacks believe that MLK's vision has been fulfilled, while only 46% of white people agree. Electing Barack Obama, the first (half) black president, as our 44th President is huge for our country. Naturally black people immediately feel more passionate and more proud of this great accomplishment of our nation, as Obama is the first black President. As someone mentioned in class, although Obama is half black, it is the half that our country should see first. Slaves were seen as 100% black all the time, and now that we have a success story for a half black man, the black part of Obama is very significant. The history of black people and slavery plays a crucial role in why more black people believe that MLK's dream has been fulfilled than white. Black people have endured so much, generation after generation, and seeing a fellow black man become the most powerful human being in the country is very moving, rewarding, and inspiring for all black people. White people, on the other hand, although not ignorant, but rather they are unappreciative and uninformed about the history of black people. This can play a major part in why only 46% of white people believe MLK's dream has been achieved.
Personally, I believe that white people put the entire situation into perspective, rather than just seeing that we now have a black president. Obviously black people are on a major high since there is a black president, so naturally right now the majority of the black population feels as though the dream has been accomplished. However, for white people, a black president is definitely unique and interesting, but not as significant as it is for the black community. Therefore, the white population continues to see the entire picture in the US, rather than just a black president. The white population still understands that racism and stereotypes can, and most likely will continue to occur, despite the country having a black president. Although the United States will be governed by a black person for the first time ever, racism, unfortunately, is hard to terminate permanently.
However, maybe there are some people out there, black and white, that are still too stubborn to believe that black and white people will be treated equally. For me, Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream has undoubtedly been fulfilled, and even shattered. The United States of America is now being ruled by Barack Obama, his mom from Kansas, and his dad from Kenya. The irony that the president of our country is biracial, both white AND black is beautiful. If Barack Obama can, and should, be embraced by our entire nation, it is time that each and every individual person embraces everyone equally, despite their race, ethnicity, religion, or background. With Barack Obama as the President this is something that will be extremely hard not to do, meaning if Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream has not been fulfilled, it definitely took one giant leap forward of becoming fulfilled.
I think saying that Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled is utterly ridiculous. I believe that the Presidency of Barrack Obama is going to do great things in terms of race relations for this country, and the ramifications of this election for future generations can’t even be measured. Yet, this all depends on how he runs this country. Hypothetically, let’s say these economic stimulus packages President Obama is suggesting fall flat on their face and we fall greater into the recession for years to come. Let’s say we are attacked on American soil yet again by terrorists. Let’s say we prematurely leave Iraq and the government crumbles there without our support. If President Obama goes down in history as a President who did more bad than good for this country, could this hurt the black population more than it helped? Even worse, say a radical assassinates President Obama (God forbid). The racial tensions in this country would be at a level to the likes we have never seen. If the country thought that the assassination of Martin Luther King, or the Rodney King beating riled up racial hostility, just imagine the protests and violence we would see in this country. I think Obama obviously knows this, and I’m guessing that he would not agree with the statement that Dr. King’s dream has been fulfilled. A black man winning the Presidential election is major in itself, I realize this, but President Obama cannot think the job is over right there (he has mentioned this countless times).
To answer the question if Dr. King’s dream has been fulfilled, you must ask yourself, what was his dream? A simple way would obviously be to look at his famous “I Have a Dream” speech and go from there. He dreamed of a world of racial equality, where your skin color did not matter, and that prejudice was no-existent. Would he be happy with our progress in race relations? Yes, I believe so (we did just elect a black President for Christ’s sake), but he would most undoubtedly say that the job is not over yet. Black people are still treated like second class citizens in so many aspects of life that you cannot agree that racial equality has been fulfilled. Just like slavery, just like the Jim Crow South, just like government sanctioned apartheid, just like 100% of US President’s being white; these barriers will break down with time. A lot of hate in this country is deeply rooted in many Americans, and it’s just going to take time for that to go away. Although Obama won the Presidency, you must also remember that there were many Americans who undoubtedly did not vote for him purely because he was black. That’s just the reality of the world we live in today, and it’ll take time for that to change.
Race has been an issue for as long as anyone can remember and now that a Black or half black person has stepped into the highest “political” position that many believe you can have in the United States it has put the race issue in the forefront once again. I think the polls show that President Obama is a huge victory for blacks but I don’t believe it is the total “dream” of getting rid of racism. A girl said in class the other day that she doesn’t believe that we have met Martin Luther King’s “dream” until the issue doesn’t appear as an issue anymore. I agree with her a hundred percent, there will always be more that any race can accomplish, but until the day that people see an election as just a new person becoming President and they don’t see their color, there will still be an issue of race. I’ll be honest I’m not an expert on race or the sociology of race, but I do believe that Martin Luther King wanted people not to see color just human beings. Though most of the percentage of blacks believed that the vision had been fulfilled there still is a thirty-one percent of black people that believe the dream has not been fulfilled. I am white and I have no problem with race, I have black friends, and my best friend is dating a boy who is Spanish, so maybe the small increase of whites believing the vision was fulfilled was due to the people like me who don’t have a problem with race; that some believe yes a black person taking the president position is a huge step towards overcoming racism, but they themselves don’t have a problem so they don’t see a complete difference? Who knows the exact answer to why the polls are the way they are, but that may be a reason. I do believe that having a black President shows that blacks and whites are equal in the political society and that anyone of those races can get to that position if they want it, but my question is that MLK wanted equality for all people, so do the sixty-nine percent of blacks that said the dream was fulfilled do they think that blacks and white are totally equal now? And what about Hispanics and Asians, there hasn’t been a person of those races to be President, so are they not equal to the blacks and whites of America? I don’t believe that being the President totally gets rid of racism, yes it is a step but there are still racist people out there and until they day people don’t see color or bring up color as an issue there will still be racism, unfortunately.
January 20, 2009 will forever be a historic date in American history, but when it comes to deciding whether or not Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision has been completely fulfilled, I would have to disagree with the 69 percent of blacks who feel that it has. Maybe I'm being a "pessimistic white person" as some of the posts suggest, but I'm facing reality.
In response to Sam's comments in lecture on Tuesday, my father was born and raised in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, approximately a mile or two outside of West Philadelphia. If anyone is familiar with this area, it is predominately black and was once a ritzy, white area until "those people moved in" as my grandparents would say. My grandparents passed away almost four years ago, but they were probably rolling over in their graves on Tuesday afternoon.
Now I am by no means a racist. I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and went to a large, multi-cultural high school with more than 3,000 students, some coming from inner city areas. I've always had an open mind and was one of Obama's biggest fans, but at Thanksgiving dinner, my Irish-Catholic family scolded me for voting for him. "I can't believe you voted for a liberal black man," they said.
I think our generation of college students is very educated and accepting to races, religions and beliefs outside of our families', but when I go home to the Philadelphia area or travel to other places around the world, I don't see how MLK's dream has been fulfilled quite yet. I think it is very close to being met, but not completely 100 percent fulfilled. No way. I think people think it is just because we now have a half black president, but I think a lot of people need to wake up and see the racism that still exists. And this racism is toward not only blacks, but also whites, Asians, Latinos and Native Americans.
Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in August 1963 and said “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
In my opinion, this sentence in MLK’s speech has not been met. People are still judged by the color of their skin. We may not be segregated like blacks in the ‘60s and we watched America’s first black family enter the White House two days ago, but Americans have a long way to come to judge someone by the content of his or her character before his or her skin color. And that goes for all types of races or ethnicities.
I think the CNN poll turned out the way it did because a lot of people are optimistic that racism is dead because a black man is president. Racism, however, will be alive until attitudes are altered. I have faith that President Obama is a step in the right direction to put an end to those attitudes, but we as a nation still have a long way to go before we can make Martin Luther King Jr. a fully and totally proud man.
Barack Obama becoming the president of the United States has made me so proud to be an American and thankful that I am a part of history. Although I am not black, I am still so excited and emotional that this day has come in our nation, and I feel happy for people of color and other nationalities. In the past couple of years, I haven’t thought very positively about our country and the way some people think. I felt that many people were ignorant. Even though many still are, I feel that Obama becoming president shows hope, that not everyone thinks so one mindedly. In my head this day was not going to come as early as it did, but I’m glad that I was proven wrong.
The fact that we have a black president is such a positive thing for America’s youth to see. Although some people still believe negative thoughts about him, not because of his political stance but because of the color of his skin, is something that is sad. Many parents who believe this will put their views and thoughts on their children. If children grow up in a racist community the negative thoughts about people with color will be the only thing they know. Obama becoming president teaches them that those views are wrong. That there is no such thing as one race being better than another and that everyone is equal. I think that his presidency will hopefully end prejudices and racism.
When reading the statistics about Dr. Martin Luther King’s dreams being fulfilled I was shocked to see that more blacks felt that his dream has been accomplished over whites. I thought there would be more whites thinking his dream has been fulfilled, with the mentality being there is a black president, what else could anyone want? I personally feel that his dream might not be fulfilled entirely; however, this is a huge affirmative step that will lead to his dream being fulfilled 100%. I interpreted his famous “I have a Dream” speech that Dr. Martin Luther King wanted more than just a black president. I feel that he wanted that and for it not to be such a big deal. His dream and what he wanted was for all people to be treated equally. Legally this has been accomplished but not in society.
In order for his dream to be met, having a black president should not be a big deal. Having a president from any race or gender should not be shocking, but normal. It will probably take a couple of years until this happens. After all, there has to be a first female president, first Asian president, a first Jewish president, etc. But after all those firsts and after all the different types of presidents we have, I think then his dream will be fulfilled. For now we need to feel blessed that this giant step has been fulfilled, that Barrack Obama is the president of the United States and hope that more change is to come.
With the election of Barak Obama, there was a change in how a lot of the citizens of the US view politics. Black people have never before seen someone who looked like them when they tuned into CNN to watch the president address the nation. This is something a lot of white people don’t even think about. They have watched all their lives as someone they can relate to runs the country they live in. Now it’s finally the black population’s turn do this. Now they can relate to a president and relate to a first family. Being a white person, I can’t even completely comprehend how good that must feel. I can only imagine the joy they take in seeing someone of color finally holding arguably the most important position in the world.
This is probably the best explanation for the CNN poll results. The election of Obama opened a world of possibilities for all black people. Young blacks can watch the president of their nation and see someone who could be them in 30 years. With a black president it probably appears to many blacks that anything is possible which is amazing. These feelings are most likely the reason for the poll results. Whether MLK’s vision has truly been reached is irrelevant. Blacks haven’t gained new rights, but now they see they can overcome anything.
I believe this election is a step in the right direction towards MLK’s dream, but it hasn’t yet been fulfilled. The ugly truth is that racism still exists in the United States and until it’s gone the dream is still only a dream. There will be changes in the next four to eight years, and they will also be in the right direction. With Obama as president, hopefully those who are still ignorant and racist will be changed when they are lead by a black president. I think Barak Obama’s performance and popularity as president will be a big factor in how well this presidency moves our nation towards MLK’s dream. If it turns out to be another Bush-like appeal from the people, there are many ignorant people in our world whose opinions will remain unaffected by a black president. On the other hand, if Obama can continue to keep the affection of the people, things will be different. People who are racist today will see that the differences between a white and black person end with the color of their skin. With a successful presidency people will change the preconceived notions about race. Our nation still has some ugly things to overcome (like racism) which have been swept under the rug until now. Obama’s presidency will bring these issues up, and people will have to think about issues they don’t normally think about. With a black president, there is a chance for MLK’s dream to turn into a reality, and this responsibility lies on the back of a man who is ready for the challenge.
I am a big republican. My grandfather was the longest serving republican in Philadelphia history. I personally am a republican. I am active in my towns local republican organization. What makes me different from the rest of the people in my community is that I am jewish and I am republican. The jewish community stood behind obama. Although I did not vote for him. I am actually excited to see how the rest of the world is going to react to the largest superpower in the world being run by an African American. To me its shocking. Even though times have changed from MLK I still thought that it wouldn’t be until later in my life that I would see a black man in charge of our country. Although I do not like Obama’s politics one bit, he still intrigues me.
Obama isn’t just a president. He has created this whole new way of thinking. He is like MLK with actual power. MLK was a great speaker but he did not have any power in the political system. He was only an activist. Obama is a black man in charge of the whole country. It will be interesting to see what happens. I still do not know how the radicals in the country are going to react to a black man being their president. How are the racists going to respond? Are they going to protest? Are they going to try and assinate him? I believe it is everyone’s big fear that he is going to be shot. Radicals everywhere would love to kill him. He is a shinning star in the movement of hope for everyone who isn’t white in the world.
What also I find interesting about this new change is the popular music response. We are hearing a lot more music that is responding to Obama. The other day in class you quoted lines from Jay-Z. It is very interesting how a lot of popular music is changing their songs to include more political ideas and straying away from the more violent aspects that are associated with rap music. Best quote from Jay-Z’s new song is, “My president is black. In fact he is half white. So even in a racist mind he’s half right.”
My hope is that his next 4 years will be interesting. To see how he and the world handles this new change. This is a big leap forward for the black community. Finally there is a person in charge with the same color skin as the people of Africa. They are hurting and our last administration did nothing to help. Maybe he is going to help more. It will be interesting to see if any of his politics is swayed by the color of his skin. I just hope that he doesn’t make our government to democrat that it is unfixable.
On the day of the inauguration, I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by this historical moment. I was in awe of the mass amounts of people that attended, the news coverage, the performers, the fashion, and the balls. However, even though I was excited to see Obama sworn into office, I couldn’t help but feel that my excitement was completely different than that of my surrounding peers. My excitement on Tuesday was that of change, but not of change because our President was now “black.” I was excited to change the face of the President in general, whether he was black, white, purple, Asian, man, woman, Catholic, Jewish, or bisexual, and I was celebrating the fact that for the first time in eight years, I felt that our country could start anew. I have seen the negatives (and positives) that President Bush brought to our country, and I personally was ready for a change in the way our democracy is run. I didn’t care who it was so long that the candidate that I selected shared the same ideals and beliefs that I did. I was ready for changes to be made in foreign policy, education, social security, and health care. Obama had the most similarities to my ideology, and that is why I voted for him.
Dr. Richards might find it hard to believe, but I truly never once thought about the color of his skin or how he identified himself until the news and media brought it to my attention basically every waking minute of the day. To be honest, if I were solely looking to submit my vote to make a change in American history, I would have voted for Hilary Clinton because that would have had a more profound effect on my race and how I personally identify myself: a woman.
I agree that this is a huge accomplishment in the African American community and can understand their passion for this man, but I think that the media and our society has done a terrible job by making his inauguration only about his race and the color of his skin. The entire day’s events were about Barack being black and the huge step it is for African Americans. Aretha Franklin sang “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” Beyonce sang the first dance, and Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Jamie Fox, and Jay-Z all performed and attended the Neighborhood Ball. What do they all have in common? They are black. When Jay-Z performed, he had a video playing in the background, and I would say about 90% of the images were only of African Americans and various monuments throughout America. Not until the very end was there an image of just a group of “Americans” – all races, all shapes, and all sizes. As a complimentary token to the rest of the races in our country, Faith Hill and Sting performed for the “white” audience, and Shakira performed to represent the “Latino” crowd. Meanwhile, two of the three performers that I just named (Sting and Shakira) aren’t even American. I also discovered that many news channels sent African American reporters to cover the events. ABC sent Good Morning America host Robin Roberts, MTV sent Sway, and Ellen Degeneres sent DJ Tony Okungbowa. Even when the news channels would show the reactions of those in the crowds of people during the inauguration, it was typically an African American.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I would classify myself as part if the 54% of white people who don’t think MLK’s dream has been fulfilled. The past couple of months, in my opinion, have proved to me that we are still a segregated country. All I hear is “first black President this” and “Yes We Can” that. Is it meant to be “Yes We Can” for African Americans or “Yes We Can” for ALL Americans- no matter what race, religion, or hair color. I don’t feel that our country is unified by one event. It is going to take a lot more than electing Barack Obama as our President to make the changes we need in this country.
We are moving towards a better place, indeed, but when I read the Daily Collegian, one of the headlines stated “Blacks celebrate in D.C.” If we really fulfilled MLK’s dream wouldn’t it just say “People celebrate in D.C.?”
The election of President Obama will be seen as one of the most historical moments in regards to race relations. Aside from being significantly important to African Americans, it is important to the country as a whole. Dr. Kings’ dream was equality and peace for every one of all colors. Has this dream been fulfilled by the election of an “African American?” The first black man in the oval office is a great accomplishment, but the racial barrier still remains throughout the country. Until equal opportunity is shown and practiced, the dream will not be completely fulfilled.
The amount of energy running through the African American community is enormous at the moment. A race that has been put down century after century has finally been put into the greatest position of power possible. The shear fact of this happening was enough to convince the majority of black people that we have achieved Dr. King’s dream. The number of those who believed this doubled since March.
Perhaps the answer to these polls comes down to the perception of each racial culture. Asking whites and blacks if the dream has been fulfilled will have different responses and reasons on both sides of the fence. The first question to ask would be “What is the dream?” And how does each race identify with that dream? For all I know as a white man, the African American community could have a totally different understanding and respect for Dr. King and his dream. Those who were alive to see and hear the civil rights movement probably had more emotions for the inauguration than younger generations.
It may be possible that the white community thinks the black community is further from the dream than they actually are. Maybe there is less racism and tension between the two races than believed by white people. Unlike white people, African
Americans actually identify with their race. The white culture in this country has become very uncomfortable and awkward when dealing with race. Perhaps whites feel like they deserve a feeling of guilt for being the “dominate race.” In my opinion, whites have fewer social advantages as a race than they think they do.
Race may be how we identify ourselves in terms of physical appearance, but first and foremost we are Americans. A more accurate measure of that poll would be to ask the same question one year from now after the excitement and energy has died down. But maybe the excitement will linger for more than we think. But for now the feeling of accomplishment is well deserved. A building built by slaves for rich white men years ago is now home to a black family from Chicago.
I feel as if the inauguration of a (half) black president does not fulfill that of Martin Luther King’s dream, but rather takes an enormous step towards furthering the United States to that accomplishment. For generations, blacks have been oppressed and denied their rights of human equality because society could not see past the color of one’s skin. Now that we have sworn a male of black descent into the White House, African Americans, in particular, are interpreting this as another step closer to putting an end to racism. I believe that this election had many unfair aspects having to deal with race, and after recollecting on the poles’ data, it is evident to me that majority of blacks and whites have an opposing view on what exactly this presidency is portraying; blacks see it in a more optimistic viewpoint, helping to better our country, whereas whites see it as a dominating downfall to our culture. Chances are that a majority of Barack Obama’s African-American votes were a result of his ethnicity, rather than his political uprisings, as were a majority of white votes against him as well. As for the whites who did not vote against Barack Obama because of his race, I think that is a significant symbolization that our nation has taken action against racism and can see past ethnicity for the first time. A black man is now occupying the most powerful position in the United States. I believe that generations ago it would not have even been an option for Barack Obama to run, nor would it have been safe either. I have to say though that it is hard to provide a dominating opinion on the poles because for one, I am white and am not vulnerable to this particular form of racism, and I also did not live through the time period during which the cruelest and most violent forms of racism were occurring. I believe that Obama stands for only one thing, and that is change. Regardless of his African-American descent, I believe that he is a very qualified candidate for the job and will do a tremendous job in bettering our country in all aspects possible.
Even in today’s society, I believe that conquering racism is still an unreachable accomplishment. Yeah, we’ve come quite a long way over the years, but we still haven’t fulfilled MLK’s vision of the promise land. If you want my honest opinion, I feel that this country will never fully overcome racism. It is said that blacks are entitled to all that whites are, but we all know that they do not have full equality from everyone. Blacks are still looked down upon and belittled because of the color of their skin. However, I believe that Barack Obama’s presidency brings us closer to and more optimistic of this vision of attaining equality. He will not be able to change all Americans’ views on racism, but he will definitely make a difference in some.
Lacey Carney
Section #13
I think that the latest CNN Poll confirms that Blacks in today’s America are more confident, secure and optimistic about their place in today’s United States of America. Barrack Obama’s meteoric rise to the most powerful institution in the land has definitely melted away the historical legacies and mistrust that had reinforced the view in many blacks that indeed they were second class citizens in their own country and their now can take their rightful seat in the affairs of the country. Therefore this poll number are significant in my view especially in regard to race relations in this country and American society is moving closer to the dreams that Martin Luther King Jr. envisaged.
Martin Luther King in his historic ‘I Have A Dream’ speech wished that and I quote
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
This statement is in my view is perhaps the most significant in capturing the mood in this country particularly concerning the aftermath of Barrack Obama’s victory in the election. During the campaign season, many speculated about the significant role race would play in the election and whether Barrack Obama, amid rising popularity would fall victim to the stain of racism. Would he be slain by the ‘infamous Bradely Effect’ a term describing the effect of a non-white who is running against a white candidate having strong support at the polls and gaining momentum only to have the bulk of his support switch allegiances to the white candidate at the voting booth. This arguably cut short and/or affected the careers of prominent African American politicians such as Tom Bradeley, Jesse Jackson and David Dinkins. In a racially charged political climate, would King’s vision once again disappointed or would Americans turn a new leaf and live up to it by entrusting the White House to a black man? Thankfully the latter happened and it is refreshing to be living in such a time when hope and inspiration have triumphed over generations of racial mistrust and intolerance. That is what I saw in the CNN Poll in particular to the black response.
The white response was predictable in the sense that it would not be as boisterous and jolly. That I expected and I don’t think that is a bad thing necessarily. White Americans too are on the train towards the paradise of harmony and understanding that MLK wanted. The fact that the white response has been positive and is increasingly optimistic shows that race relations are improving in this country. However I think the blogger reacted to quickly in relations in terms of whites seeing visible cracks on the foundations of white privilege. I’m not white but I don’t think that whites saw or felt that their future would look bleak in an Obama era America. This is not post-apartheid South Africa after all. I saw many white faces at Obama’s campaign stops and the inauguration and they voted for him in their millions. I also think white Americans who voted for Obama as a whole were more objective in examining him as a worthy candidate. Not to say that blacks voted for Obama merely because he was black because that would be untrue, but him being black certainly inspired more blacks too participate and get involved in the process in a way that they would not if Obama was not black. The same way Obama’s skin galvanized many other whites too reject him outright. I cannot speak for other races in this instance.
To conclude though, it is clear that the vision that Martin Luther King envisioned is achievable. The country is not there yet but it is moving there and one day I believe it will reach that cherished destination.
To be honest, I consider myself fairly ignorant on most current issues, political, international, current events of all kinds. I have gone through the motions in many classes and learned as much history as I’ve had to, but haven’t really gone beyond the basic requirements of learning. To be honest, for much of Obama’s campaign, I probably couldn’t even tell you Biden’s name or put a face to the name. Although I’m sure there are many who are more involved and “current” with current events and politics. I’m also sure there are many like me who most of the time are ignorant at best and apathetic at worst.
However, for one of the first times in as long as I can remember, this situation is pretty much unavoidable. It is impossible to stay ignorant anymore. You can’t walk anywhere on campus, step foot in any classroom, or go around town and not hear or see it everywhere. EVERYONE is talking about it. I’ve talked about it with my parents; I’ve talked about it with my grandparents, my girlfriend, and my friends. Everyone has something to share.
There are certain things that, more or less, cannot be denied. Our economy is hurt, some might say crippled. Racism is still alive and well, although has been somewhat buried underneath the surface in recent years. Troops are still deployed overseas, and many still die on a daily basis. And Obama being elected as president, being black, and arguably being the best qualified for the job, offers the United States a chance to tie up all of these loose ends at once.
It would be naïve to say that having a black (ok, 50% black) man in the white house signifies an end to racism. Having him in that office for 4 or even 8 years will almost definitely not be enough to “gray” the lines between black and white. But if a black man can climb to the highest political level available in the United States, maybe that signifies something. Maybe this is the beginning of something. Maybe a minority that has typically been underrepresented, historically repressed, and depressed can finally begin to feel optimism swelling. Maybe they can begin to feel represented, to be able to feel like they have a voice and representation in a long time white-dominated society.
Has Martin Luther King’s dream been realized? To the fullest extent, I would answer no. I think that even after Obama’s election, there is still work to be done and equality to be achieved. However, I think the man who’s holiday we celebrated less than a week ago would beam with pride to see how far we’ve come so far. To be continued.
Yes we can. Yes we did. With Barack Obama’s win this past November and his inauguration this past Tuesday the United States made history. Whether or not you are happy with his win you cannot deny the fact that he is a part of history, and those who voted for him helped that history come to light. Becoming president is a HUGE achievement, becoming the first black president is another whole thing! The weight on Barack Obama’s shoulders to do the ‘right’ thing, whatever that is, and live up to everyone’s expectation must be immense.
Personally, I am not sure if Martin Luther King’s vision has been reached especially depending on whom you ask. There are a few reasons for that. I am a white female from an upper middle class family living in the suburbs of Philadelphia. So not surprisingly I have not thought too much about how much Barack’s running and win has related to Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech and vision. I can see how African American’s would have the complete opposite view, especially those in the older generations who were raised in a strongly segregated nation. To those citizens this election may just have been the realization of Martin Luther King’s dream. But to the younger generations who did not personally experience Jim Crow laws the dream may still not be realized.
I feel that those reasons are why only 69 percent of Black American population agreed with the statement “Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled.” Also, being a critical consumer of the news media may give us another reason why a CNN poll gathered data resulting in 69 percent of the black population and 46 percent of the white. If this same poll was given by FOX or MSNBC news the numbers may have been much different because these channels receive viewers with different views as those who tend to watch or read CNN news.
I think that Barack Obama’s win is only the tip of the iceberg of achievements for people of color, whether that color is black, yellow or red, in the United States. I feel that Barack being in the White House will show the youngest generation that people of every race or back round can be whatever they want to be as long as they put their mind to it. His family is now the family of our nation. To some people this image is unsettling to them but to countless others it gives them hope that one day we will all live in a nation where equality will not just be a word but have a meaning that has been achieved. Sadly we are not in that nation yet. There is still racism, there is still hate, but with this election may be able to change depending on how Barack’s term or terms pan out.
In response to the blog "Hell has frozen over", I think these polls give people hope after Barrack Obama has been sworn in as president of the United States of America. To me, these polls show that people, more blacks than whites, believe that there will finally be a good change in America. It is only normal for blacks to be more thrilled about a black president rather than a white man. Although I am not black, I was excited to have a black president and someone who can bring change. It is obvious that many blacks have been waiting for this moment for years and years and it means the world to them. In my opinion, I feel like having a black president has really influenced other blacks in this country and they no longer feel like minorities and they feel like they too can make a difference in the world. Obama has influenced many to pursue their dreams and “get out of the streets.” He makes blacks feel like they can do anything if they put the time and effort into it.
Some people however do not like Obama and I have heard many people tear him apart and it’s only because he is black. I am not racist and when I voted for Obama, I voted for him because of his personality, his mindset, and what he wants to do for this country. I just wish people would look at Obama for what he can do for this country and not for the color of his skin. I do believe it is harder for the older generation of whites to accept the fact that we do have a black president but many younger people in our generation right now are ecstatic about it. It basically all depends on how you were raised and where. Not to stereotype or anything but I’m from Maryland and I have many black friends but people I have met in Pennsylvania live in towns where there are no black people and I just feel that people like that will never accept black people or a black president because they are not used to that race. Now I’m not saying everyone is like that but it’s just an example. Some people will just never accept the fact that our president is black.
With that said, I do think we have come a long way and have made history but there is still SO much more to be accomplished and we may not even live to see it. Racism is still a big problem in the world and I think it will take a lot to change that. But for now, I feel like we have had enough white presidents and it’s time for a change and for Obama to represent our country.
After reading the blog “Did Hell Just Freeze Over,” along with some of the comments posted by fellow students, there are many good points brought to attention. First, as Sam has mentioned, we see from this past election process that the number of blacks have been more enthusiastic and optimistic with the final results. President Barack Obama has become the first colored president in the White House, leader of the United States. I feel that it is fantastic to see someone like Barack in Office, but it is not because of his color that I voted for him. His race did not play a part in my voting decision, but you can’t deny that it may have been a factor for some people.
I agree that many blacks voted for President Obama because of his color, because he is considered a “black man,” even though he is clearly half-white. To go along with a statement made in an earlier lecture by one of our fellow students, I believe our grandparents or parents may have seen this election differently due to their past experiences with race relations. In respect to some of our grandparents, who may have lives during the time where segregation was legal, their views of this situation may be different. Some may have been a little pessimistic about having a colored president in office, but that’s what they know, that’s the time period in which they grew up. In that sense, I wonder that if we took a closer look at the statistics of this past election regarding age and who voted for which candidate, would we see more of the younger generations voting for Obama, and the older generations for McCain? I would be interested to find out, because it would validate the previous argument.
I also wanted to comment about Miss Howard’s response which I had previously read. I completely agree with her statement about how because President Obama is in office, he is recognized as a “half-black, half-white” president. Someone who may have been considered “half-black and half-white” could just be considered “black.” However, because of the position of power to which he rose, the “half-white” part of his racial background is realized. I also agree with Miss Howard’s statement that we still have a ways to go before MLK’s dream is fulfilled. She made the point to say that even though 69% of black people believe that the dream has been realized, the other 41% still think we have work to do. This is a good point, just because 69% say “yes,” it doesn’t mean that the rest concur. Although I believe that the numbers projected in the blog show that we have made some progress towards accomplishing MLK’s vision, we definitely still have a way to go. Hopefully in the future we will have less racial separation in our country, but only time will tell.
I honestly believe that people are misleading themselves if they believe they election of a biracial president was Dr. King’s dream. His dream was equality, and one man being elected to the highest office in the country does not mean that race inequalities have vanished. True, it is inspirational to see that a biracial president has been elected, but has that obliterated the racism that still exists? Or let us phrase this more aptly for the 69% that think it has – do you think racism is going to decrease by 69% in the near future? For while Barack Obama won by a landslide, there were a lot of people that voted for McCain, or rather, against Obama. By the standards of this poll, essentially, everyone that voted for Obama was anti-racist. By the same measure then, does that make all McCain voters racist? I certainly don’t believe so. Everyone had different reasons for voting for the candidates they voted for. Destroying racism was not everyone’s key objective and I doubt it was the main reason that 70% of people voted for Obama.
Ask yourself ; why did you vote for Obama (if you did)? Was it because he would be the first black president in the history of the United States? Really? It was because of his mass appeal. I think, even today, if you could pit JFK against Obama in an election, it would come a lot closer. Obama reached out to young people in a way that most other candidates cannot. He is young himself. He has a lot of common ground with us and hence we feel closer to him and wanted to vote for him. Furthermore, his campaign policies struck a chord with the mass majority. The idea to withdraw from conflict zones like Iraq, and change tax policy for the underprivileged, made him the ideal man to tackle some of the most pressing issues in a struggling economy.
The polls certainly show us how overoptimistic people are. If you tell yourself that Obama is going to tackle racism and bring it to its knees I would disagree. Obama is here to inspire you to deal with that problem. Racism has existed on Earth for millennia. The current economic crisis is going to be a far more important challenge. MLK’s vision remains far from completely fulfilled. It is close, yes, and we have made it far in bridging the gap between people of different ethnicities. But a movement only succeeds with the right leader, and as Obama has just stepped into the Whitehouse, I deem it impossible that MLK’s vision is complete. It has only begun.
Changing the world begins with Obama. It is our responsibility to ensure that we carry on following him and use the motivation we get from him to make race equality a reality. Please America, do not fool yourself into thinking that this is over, when this is truly only a start.
Did hell just freeze over, or just my optimism?
I guess I’d fit into the 46 percent that don’t feel Martin Luther King’s dream has been reached and I’m usually the optimist. Don’t get me wrong, I was there when he was campaigning, there in the voting booth witnessing his name on the ballot, there when they were counting the votes naming him the next president, and there watching his inauguration.
I was there to witness the history, but what makes me feel this isn’t part of MLK’s dream is the fact that we, as a nation feel that this is the step to end racism. While I understand we had to have a huge stepping stone to work from like President Obama being the first black president, I don’t understand why it took this long and this election to light a fire under America’s butt.
Why haven’t there been any other black senator’s or politicians trying to step up to the plate? I don’t think is had anything to do with qualifications, because there is no way Obama is/was the first qualified black candidate, so where were the others? Were they too scared to try? Was America not ready? Was no one willing?
Personally, I can’t tell you the answers to these questions, but I guess what I’m getting at is we are behind on the times. This war against racism, and don’t be fooled it is a war, may have started a while ago but it stagnated: “white” people content in their ways and “black” people using racism as a defense and excuse.
It’s true the younger generations, our generation, is more tolerant to diversity: of color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc… so I guess it’s hard for me to imagine the barriers of being black, but from what I’ve seen in this country, especially in the last decade, we are a nation to achieve the impossible, to reach unreachable goals, fail beyond belief and build ourselves back again better than before, and to relish in the glow of diversity.
America is the melting pot of the world, so why haven’t we been treating our fellow citizens with the respect and care they deserve, for we all are a central part of the essence of this country? We’ve all been given hearts, but I think it’s about time we actually start to use them instead of abusing them. I guess I feel more optimism than I first thought because I know we have the ability to be the land of freedom and hope we were founded on.
A new era is in fact starting, I just wish we as a country could have had that spark lit under us from the start and not have been an outcome of the first black president and I feel that was MLK’s dream-recognizing the country as a whole and seeing everyone as a part, no one lesser or greater, no white or black or red or yellow, no race. It may be impossible and just a dreamers dream, but I’d rather be chasing that unreachable reach with a spark in my heart then accepting the “best” of the moment with blinded vision.
-j.swerdon
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “ I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, “We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” (http://www.mlkonline.net/dream.html)
In a sense Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision was equality for all men in the nation, no matter what their skin color. Although the inauguration and swearing in of Barrack Obama as President is a very large stride forward for America in terms of race as well as the black community, I do not believe that King’s vision has been fulfilled. I can say that I do not believe this because his vision was for a world that no one person was judged by the color of their skin, may in this case mean, African Americans, I take his vision to be equality for all races. I know this today is the year 2009 and not the 1960s where segregation occurred in public restaurants and schools. However I think that it is very still a reality that people can be judged by the color of their skin or the way they look. If we see some one that is Muslim or from Iran on a train or plain, I believe it would be hard for a lot of Americans not to think twice and judge them for the way they look. As a single young white woman that grew up in a predominately white community, if I am alone and in public and come in close contact with other races, I definitely think twice. This maybe a reaction to the environment I was brought up being non diverse or it might be a reaction to living under ideals of parents that were in a sense racist. I think that Martin Luther King’s dream will be fulfilled when we no longer see color and no longer look at others that are different with eyes of judgment. As a Christian I can say that King’s Dream will be fulfilled when Americans can look at others and not first notice anything that is different but notice what is the same, we are all made from one likeness no matter our race, creed, etc.
Barrack Obama, being the 44th president and the first African American president is a very large thing for the black community and the United States. I believe that this is something that is a great stepping stone for the country. Although before the lecture on the inauguration day, I only saw Obama as the candidate I didn’t vote for, after this class I realized the importance, history and possibility that his presidency means. I think that one reason that the black population is more positive in this poll than white is they truly believe that Obama’s Presidency will lead for Change in the black community as well as change with the entire United States, in a time where change is so called for.
All I have to say is wow. And it certainly could be said without the actual percentage of optimism that I saw this coming and I am equally surprised/disturbed. I’ve been taking note of the excitement and enthusiasm of my other black friends/acquaintances and I am also stumped on this one. I really feel like a “nay sayer” right now because I am not at all thrilled. Well, I can say that it makes me happy to see that we do have a person of color as president and it is quite unbelievable (so much so that I think I may still be in shock) however whatever excess of joy I did have was gone after the month of November. Now I am ready to see some real change and I will patiently wait. Until then, I will continue life as usual as I’m sure everyone else is, this includes every racist bigot and sexist from the janitor cleaning my communal bathroom to the senators of this very state (I’m not speaking of anyone in particular).
I also hear people say a lot (black people that is) that “oh, now we have no excuse.” As if to say now anything is possible. This puzzles me. We haven’t changes the country’s way of thinking with this election. We still have white supremacy and it is quite apparent…well…EVERYWHERE. And not only that but classism, sexism, and every other “ism” you would like to through in there. When that changes, I assure you I will be the first one to jump for joy, do a jig, and shout Hallelujah at the top of my lungs. mmm Call me a pessimist but I rather be a bit wary and cautious than delusional(well that’s a bit dramatic but bare with me).
But honestly I can see where this might come from. People have been fed up for so long; it’s really nice to have something to be joyous about, something that we all helped bring about. I do not want anyone to get the idea that I am bashing anyone. I do understand that this is really a big thing and that many people never thought they would live to see this happen. I’m not even sure if I thought I would ever see it happen. But I’m going to just hold my breath on this one, wait a bit longer to release my sigh of relief. I ‘m also containing myself because I would feel horribly devastated and disappointed the next time someone says something ignorant to me( It happens more often then I even wish to say).
Again, I want to say that I ‘m not trying to discourage people from being excited, I just do not want to see people dissatisfied somewhere down the road.
I kind of disagree with the fact that these statistics show whites as being pessimistic. I feel that maybe people voted that way because they hope for more in the fight against racism in our country. Do not get me wrong, it is a huge step in the direction of fulfilling Martin Luther King’s vision. But, just because there is a black (or half black president) does not mean that there are not still problems throughout our country that need to get better. I feel like maybe what whites are really trying to say is that yes, the change that is occurring today is very powerful but, there is still more that needs to be done. It is merely a step in the right direction for what needs to happen.
This issue relates back to what we have discussed in class that racism will not end until race is no longer an issue. The true vision of Martin Luther King will not be fulfilled until the status of a person’s race is no longer a factor and when people are no longer being discriminated against in any way.
I am absolutely amazed at what I have seen throughout the past couple of days- and months. The inauguration of President Obama has truly made history, to say the least. It is a remarkable time for the people of our country (and even other people throughout the world). Just from watching news clips, seeing the inauguration, and watching television shows it is really inspiring to see how much a difference this has made in people’s lives.
I feel that the fact that “the white celebrations do not have the momentum of 400 years of mistreatment and second (or third) class citizenship” does not necessarily mean that “white people are feeling a bit nervous about having their racial universe turned on its head.” It just means that these white people have never been in the place of a black man and known what they have gone through so they could never feel the excitement that the black community feels at a time like this. And, maybe, whites are a little scared about the upcoming change…because it is something different, something new.
It saddens me to know that some people voted for Obama solely based on the fact that he is black. I do not think that gaining a black president in this way really shows the steps we have taken to succeed and change our country. I think that if Obama won based on his qualification that it would be an even more impressive win for our country and something even greater to brag about and to say you were a part of.
I believe that this change in the polls will help our country to believe in itself and for the black community to finally feel a sense of true belonging. Maybe this is the step that America needs in order to get over the hard times we have been facing, to beat this economic downfall, and to try solve the problems in the Middle East, amongst many.
Looking over the years at the changing percent of people agreeing that Martin Luther King’s visions are fulfilled can be both questionable and predictable. No doubt the inauguration of Obama has influenced these numbers. We see a rise from only 20 percent blacks feeling MLK’s dreams have been becoming reality to 69 percent after the victory of Obama. The most perplexing part, the percent of whites agreeing in this positive change has risen only 6 percent. Personally, I would think whites would agree more than blacks that the steps to equality have gone exceedingly far since the years of slavery. But then again scoring so slow just shows whites are looking to take it even further than electing a black president. They want to see more advances in the future. Maybe white people are not looking at how far from slavery we really have come. Do they not understand the man running our country could have been years before the man whipped for shining our shoes wrong? White people never had to live through that hatred, maybe they just do not understand. Don’t get me wrong, the more whites thinking we could do more to achieve the goals of civil rights is an ambitious stand that could do many positive things for blacks, but come on white people do not be so modest. We have a black president! Looking at the black percentages, I can see their high esteem and delight to have a face similar to theirs representing the United States who once took part in the slave hangings and segregation. Blacks are well aware of the history of their people, what they went through for years and years, the hatred. Understanding this I believe and am almost positive, helps the black race see Martin Luther King’s visions bigger than ever in our world today. I can agree with those 69 percent saying we have come to a point where MLK would have been thrilled. It is a huge step to see another race for the first time representing America. Just ten years ago it would be unheard of. This is the first time blacks have been more optimistic in the polls but we also see the 31 percent blacks who still feel they have not seen MLK’s dreams come true. Maybe they are still waiting to see the “Change” Obama promises. Regardless, Obama although only half black in reality, has already begun a change in the United States’ view on civil rights. If it were McCain in office those percents would most likely not have changed one bit. With that I say congratulations Obama on reaching the once farfetched dreams of Martin Luther King, do not prove us wrong.
I’m international student. I don’t have a right to vote. Majority of the people who vote pick the person by reading their plans, back ground, trustworthiness, and etc. It’s not like president is like a joke. People vote for the person that they want that person to lead the U.S. to right ways. Not based on their looks or hair style or at least it shouldn’t be. But the way I see this situation is that no one can take the history away. It is permanent. For some people who had someone in their family or relatives or just people they know had experienced racism then this is a big deal. Like the video clip that we watched in class, the year that obama was born, one black student was struggling to get registered in Mississippi. There is nothing wrong with his race and it’s not like he had a choice that he could pick and choose. It’s not right to treat people different because of their skin color. I actually learned this in my psych class. It was experiment that was done long time ago at the elementary school. The teacher said that blue eyes are better and brown eyes aren’t great. Immediately, blue eyes students were better at solving puzzle then before and brown eyes students did worse than before. Just like that. They showed the result right away. Even though the racism is gone politically it would be hard to make change in how people think and their morals it’s not going to change overnight. Of course black people were poor and didn’t have great education. For them to be able to rise to how it is now and actually see the results on TV. It should be emotional to some people and for some they should be proud. MLK was the person who influenced a lot of people. And it shouldn’t be about which race is better. It should be about who would lead the U.S. better. I guess one patriotic people are trying to still not letting go of the fact that they are not better by the color. And it’s not like Obama has a DNA that is telling him that black people should take over the world or gang people up. He is there to serve the country. He already got elected and pledge. There is nothing that can change that. It’s not like since Obama who is the president and at the highest place will think that now it’s time for a pay back. So people who still won’t let go of the issues with race should suck it up and just deal with it. They have to sooner or later. Why not now.
I’m glad that a majority of black people in America feel that we have reached MLK’s “promised land”, but I feel that we are only one step closer in reaching it, there’s definitely a few more steps that need to be taken.
But now the question, why are blacks more optimistic than whites? I feel like this kind of has a lot to do with the whirlwind of the whole presidency inauguration going on before our eyes. It’s easy to get caught up in everything happening, and not exactly look at it in the big picture scheme. Maybe some blacks see this happening, and automatically think everything is going to be kosher in four to eight years, but it definitely doesn’t happen like this.
Why do white people seem generally pessimistic about reaching the “promised land”? Well, I personally, as an average white college student, don’t think that minorities or black people in general have reached that point because I still see racism in my hometown. Until I can walk down the street and not see the stereotypical old white person not tense up when they walk by someone different than them, then we are not there yet.
With Mr. Obama now in the white house, it’s impossible to say that we have not made giant strides towards that “promised land”. I feel we’ve got our generation to thank, all of the peers I surround myself with, not one of them, has a problem with any race or different group. We see what this country has been through in the past, it’s easy to see that segregation, slavery, and a subhuman outlook on minorities is going to do much more harm than good.
I’d say generally as a whole, our generation is much more optimistic, and why shouldn’t we be? We’ve seen this country run into the ground these past eight years and we knew we needed a radical change. Now I’m not saying that that is why Obama won, because I surely don’t think so, he was the change we were looking for, and just happened to be black as well.
I genuinely hope that Obama did not win because he is black, which I do not feel is the case. It seems like this year, for once, a majority of the people voting were actually educated on each candidate’s policies and knew who they were, so I think if you took everything that was Obama, but made him white, I am confident he still would have won by a landslide. So while we say race wasn’t important in the campaign process, it was, but I see as more of an added bonus for blacks, minorities, and the American people as a whole.
The election has played a big part with black people not only in the United States but across the world. I was in Washington DC, this weekend and saw the people coming together for once cause. I'm a white upper class and have had the chance to learn about history a lot. I think the election of a black president has shown black youth that it’s not "dorky" or a "white" thing to learn about history. The best thing I saw was that black youth were learning about the history of America. African Americans were being one with everyone else; in my eyes they felt happy that this was going on. The whole weekend people were together not looking at each other with what race they were but what change they were for.
What exactly do these polls mean?
Well, I believe that for the first time in the history of the United States, black people can afford to be more optimistic because, for the first time in the history of the U.S., there isn’t a white man in power. And as stated in class on Tuesday, some feel that this historical event doesn’t mean as much to my generation, and I believe the exact opposite. If you look to people that grew up in the early 1900s to the 60’s, racism and discrimination could be found in conversation of probably 95% of them. However, the fact that our president is now black proves that my generation, the 18-24yr olds growing up in today’s society actually have a voice for the first time in a long time. We have been taught our whole lives that racism and discrimination are wrong and the fact that Obama is in the White House now proves that we have learned and we as a society are growing. The fact that blacks are more optimistic shouldn’t be much of a surprise if you really think about it. Blacks finally have someone that can relate to the struggles they have faced for centuries, and having someone like that in power of our country is comforting I’m sure. (I’m not saying that being hung up on the fact that blacks were slaves for years and years gives the blacks of today’s society a right to feel sorry for themselves, or for us to feel sorry for them because slavery didn’t occur in our lifetime, and they have no claim to anything because they didn’t experience first-hand. What I am saying is that Obama is black and can relate to not only what whites in America want, but also to what blacks in America want). Racism and discrimination will never be a thing of the past. Someone somewhere will always have a negative attitude to someone that doesn’t look like them, not necessarily someone black, but someone Jewish, Muslim, Indian, etc. And unfortunately that is their right. We have grown up knowing that we have the freedom to dislike and hate and as wrong as it is, there will never be anything anyone can do to eventually make it all just go away. But there will always be people like me that believe that everyone is equal, and not see color or ethnicity, and just see people. I do believe that we are on an upward spiral to much more as a society and that this is a great start and foreshadowing of what is to come, but it is only just that, a start. But I suppose with what our country has gone through in the past 8 years with Bush, anything is going to be better than what we had, and I’m so honored and excited to know that Barack Obama is in the White House and that change is not far from us.
-Amber Williams
I think that black people are more optimistic because many older blacks have seen and felt what it was like back in the 1950s and 60s. They have seen all that we have overcome since then and how big of a deal a (half) black president is. For years in the black community, a black president used to be a joke. Something that no one thought we would ever live to see and only hoped our children or grandchildren may see. However, it has already happened and so much more quickly than we thought. It was like receiving an extravagant gift that you thought you would never be able to obtain and out of nowhere it drops into your lap and it is yours. Obama symbolizes black people extravagant gift that we thought we would never be able to obtain in this lifetime. So, of course we are going to be much more excited than whites may be right now, especially since it is all so new. Perhaps, if the poll were to be taken after about a year or two of Obama being in office black people may calm down and realize that racism is still there and some inequality will still be there because Obama cannot control everyone’s mind. The only thing he can do is encourage oneness and set an example, but only when we as a people have literally achieved oneness will I say that Martin Luther King’s vision has TRULY been fulfilled.
White people do not have that passion and joy that many black people have about a half black president because as a people they did not have to endure heartache and struggle during the civil rights movement. Sure, some of them may have helped black people out and help fight for equal rights, but they do not have the pain and stories to tell their children. Therefore, their children do not feel what a black child may feel after being told that their grandfather was bullied and beaten by white men whenever he went to a specific neighborhood for school. Or they have not felt the way I felt when my father told me that when he was a child growing up in the 60s that a group of white men would bully him and his friends as they walked home from school, and that one day they beat his friend up so bad that he was shivering on the ground. Many white people do not have those pains rooted deep inside them like so many black people do so naturally they are not going to rejoice as much as black people are rejoicing. They can look past how big of a deal it is and see that there is still plenty inequality and racism. Some may say that is a pessimistic viewpoint, others may think it is a realistic viewpoint. I believe it is a little of both. It is pessimistic to completely ignore how big of a deal Obama is, however, it is also unrealistic to believe that MLK’s vision has truly came true and everyone really treated equally.
This is a very interesting observation made by Sam. In my interaction with many african americans before this election, they really did seem like pessimists and basically had no hope that Dr. Martin Luther King's dream would ever be fulfilled. Right now as an international observer, I feel that what 67% of black people in this country are saying about Dr.King's dream being fulfilled is just out of the hype of what is going on right now, that is having a half black, half white man is president. After everything that african americans went through in the past,this victory for president Obama shows that there is definitely some hope for african americans in general. African Americans must realize that, the dream if Dr. Martin Luther King cannot be fulfilled until the entire american population is content that they have a black man as president. During the election, race was a very big issue, where questions being asked were ;" would americans take a black man over a woman for president or vice versa. It is when these type questions are obliterated in an election, that is when we can truely say that Dr. King's dream has been realized.
Did hell just freeze over? Hell No!
I believe that the recent poll numbers between African Americans and whites show the optimism and hope African Americans have for this country. Never before have the polls displayed numbers that favored to the black vote; but how can one not expect the numbers to increase with this past election. I mean come on; Obama was elected as the nation’s first Black President, that’s some big shit! Its surreal and an amazing a beautiful thing---almost like being in a dream. Obama is a representation of one the greatest victories against racism. He represents the struggle and makes people proud to know that yes, a black man can do it too. For the first time African Americans get to see a figure in the highest position of the country that looks like them. The “Man” is one of them for once. Obama has given the African American community a boost in the optimism. He is a representation that you can become whatever you want in life and that race does not have to stop you. I just think people are excited and they should be. This past election is historic and just out right a great movement in history. No wonder the polls show that 69% of blacks believe that MLK’s dream has been fulfilled. In the past polls however the numbers have been different. The explanation to this is black people never though this way before because they felt they weren’t given a reason to. But now that Obama has become present I believe that it has cast this feeling of hope and inspiration to other African Americans. Now that a black figure is at the head position of the house, African Americans feel liberated and think that they too are capable of being successful. Obama has showed American’s all over the world that if you want something and you work hard for it, damn hard, then why wouldn’t you be able achieve your dreams as well. Now there are no more excuses for the black community, Obama is a black man and he did it so what’s your excuse now? Obama is a driving factor for other African Americans and they to want to make some changes of their own, Obama has just given them that confidence the community has been lacking for so long.
On the other hand the White vote shows that only 46% believe that Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled. This may be due to fact that they don’t believe that just because a black man was elected president that now everyone in this world will be treated as equals. This may also be due to the fact that not as many white Americans are as optimistic about seeing a black president as white Americans. For the first time they are not seeing the “Man” who looks like them.
Overall I personally don’t think Kings Dream has fully been reached, however we are getting much closer to achieving this dream than we ever had before. I don’t even know if will ever come full circle but with this recent historic event I do plan to see some major changes in the way society thinks as a whole because it is possible and Yes We Can!
I am surprised by this poll, because to be honest I would have thought that the results might have been flipped. I would have guessed that the higher percentage would be seen in the white population believing that Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream is fulfilled. I think that the white population might feel that because there is a president that is biracial, that the black community should feel satisfied and almost the idea that this should be enough to fulfill “the dream” of the black community. I think at times the white population can be ignorant to or unaware of the fact that while our country has passed the times of slavery and the civil rights era, there is still more to accomplish. This is why in this situation I think the white population would have been more optimistic because they might not be as aware of what else must be done to truly get past the racial tensions in our country and to fulfill Dr. King’s dream. While, I would think that the black community would be more optimistic with the presidential election of Barack Obama, I thought they might have still been less optimistic with the poll question, knowing that there is still more bridges to cross in order to completely fulfill Martin Luther King’s dream. However, it makes me feel good to see that the black community has shown that they are more optimistic after this mark in history. After the many years of fighting racism and inequality in our country, the election of Barack Obama was able to enlighten the spirits of the black community and the entire world. And to be honest, while the polls showed the white community to be less optimistic, as a white individual, I feel more optimistic and I think that my spirit has been lifted after this election. While, I do personally believe that Dr. King’s dream has not been entirely fulfilled, it is an amazing feeling to know that we have truly begun to fulfill his dream. I think that the fact that our President is a man of color reflects an enormous amount of change- especially when looking at our country’s history. It should give people of color the confidence that they can be successful and get past the struggles that they have been fighting through for so many years. However, I believe that Martin Luther King’s dream involved more than just that African Americans should be able to rise in power or feel confident in succeeding. It was more about how there would be equality among white and blacks, in that there wouldn’t even be an issue or questioning of a black man rising to power or succeeding in life. It involved the breaking of the racial barriers between white and black people and a rise of equality within our nation. While, the election of Barack Obama as our President is a very positive and large step into fulfilling Dr. King’s dream, I feel that it is really only laying the foundation for what needs to be accomplished.
Did hell just freeze over? Hell No!
I believe that the recent poll numbers between African Americans and whites show the optimism and hope African Americans have for this country. Never before have the polls displayed numbers that favored to the black vote; but how can one not expect the numbers to increase with this past election. I mean come on; Obama was elected as the nation’s first Black President, that’s some big shit! Its surreal and an amazing a beautiful thing---almost like being in a dream. Obama is a representation of one the greatest victories against racism. He represents the struggle and makes people proud to know that yes, a black man can do it too. For the first time African Americans get to see a figure in the highest position of the country that looks like them. The “Man” is one of them for once. Obama has given the African American community a boost in the optimism. He is a representation that you can become whatever you want in life and that race does not have to stop you. I just think people are excited and they should be. This past election is historic and just out right a great movement in history. No wonder the polls show that 69% of blacks believe that MLK’s dream has been fulfilled. In the past polls however the numbers have been different. The explanation to this is black people never though this way before because they felt they weren’t given a reason to. But now that Obama has become present I believe that it has cast this feeling of hope and inspiration to other African Americans. Now that a black figure is at the head position of the house, African Americans feel liberated and think that they too are capable of being successful. Obama has showed American’s all over the world that if you want something and you work hard for it, damn hard, then why wouldn’t you be able achieve your dreams as well. Now there are no more excuses for the black community, Obama is a black man and he did it so what’s your excuse now? Obama is a driving factor for other African Americans and they to want to make some changes of their own, Obama has just given them that confidence the community has been lacking for so long.
On the other hand the White vote shows that only 46% believe that Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled. This may be due to fact that they don’t believe that just because a black man was elected president that now everyone in this world will be treated as equals. This may also be due to the fact that not as many white Americans are as optimistic about seeing a black president as white Americans. For the first time they are not seeing the “Man” who looks like them.
Overall I personally don’t think Kings Dream has fully been reached, however we are getting much closer to achieving this dream than we ever had before. I don’t even know if will ever come full circle but with this recent historic event I do plan to see some major changes in the way society thinks as a whole because it is possible and Yes We Can!
I agree that much of the increase in percentage of black Americans polled who believe that Martin Luther King’s dream has been realized results from the overwhelming achievement of Barack Obama’s election. His winning of presidency is so monumental that it has lifted an entire racial group’s hopes and spirits for a brighter future. This renewed optimism has combined with other social advancements in the black American community to turn out numbers such as the noted sixty nine percent. African Americans across the nation are now respected doctors, professors, scientists, and athletes, as well as government officials. Just a few years ago, the United States saw its first black coaches of the Super Bowl. This was a notable occasion because so many sports are dominated by black athletes, and yet it took until the 41st Super Bowl to see a black coach. I think that events such as that have also helped to mold a more positive outlook on African Americans’ status in American society.
It is extremely interesting to see the comparison of the sixty nine percent of blacks to forty six percent of whites who see MLK’s dream as realized. I agree with the idea that the white percentage is lower because they are not coming off the high of Obama’s victory, but I think that there is more to it than that. By in large, Corporate America is still run by white executives and workers. I think that this is probably over looked. When white workers look around and see their fellow employees who are black make less money, receive less managerial jobs, and far less executive positions, it probably gives them a sense that Martin Luther King’s idea of equality has not quite been reached yet. In the Dow 30 companies, there is only 1 minority Chief Executive Officer—Ken Chenault of American Express; as of 2007, there were only five black CEOs in the Fortune 500. That means that one percent of the CEOs are black—in a country where African Americans make up over twelve percent of the total population. It is difficult to look at statistics like that or the fact that black males make about seventy eight percent of the salaries that white men do, and think that equality between races has been reached.
Barack Obama’s election is a milestone in the achievement of MLK’s dream, and it is easy to see why the African American community has found increased hope for equality in these times. White Americans are also seeing the leaps toward equality, but view them in a different light. They can look at the upper hand they have had throughout American history and see the still present mistreatment and undervaluation of black Americans and have a less optimistic view of their current equality.
Though we can’t determine what the motive was for answering the polls in the manner they did, it is obvious that this is quite a cultural shift for the black people of America. For the first time in history, it is not some old, white Senator’s son in office. It is a mixed race man who grew up middle-class, just like much of the country did. Finally a man in power is someone that the population can really identify with. Obama attended public school, not Philips Academy. He worked his way through college, instead of getting accepted to Yale and living off his father’s status and riches. He has a strong family heritage, tying back to Africa, and a strong bond with his mother and maternal grandparents. Not only does his heritage and humble upbringing make him identifiable with blacks, it also makes him more experienced in a wide breadth of areas that affect common people. After reading his memoir in 2004, I can see how his life mirrors the lives of millions of others in the United States, and his experience growing up in middle-class America makes him more sympathetic towards the struggles we face every day.
It isn’t fair to automatically assume that black people are suddenly more optimistic, just by looking at numbers and statistics. I don’t think that opinion poll reflects optimism vs. pessimism as much as it reflects the upbringing and experiences of those who were polled. I know that growing up in the predominantly white Irish-Catholic suburbs of Boston and graduating with one black person (whom I had never even seen before he walked to the podium), I was not really told much about the details of the plight of MLK and his followers, and I never really experienced much adversity. The blacks who were polled have probably been hearing stories for years about their relatives and ancestors in the Civil Rights Movement, and they themselves may have faced inequalities and racism. The poll question hits home for blacks more than it does for whites, and that may have been a major factor in their answers. Many others may have even felt like they HAD to answer a certain way, just because so many of their brethren believed it. Like Martin Luther King Jr., Obama is also a sensational orator, and people have been comparing their oratory styles for years, ever since Obama delivered the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2004. We can’t determine why black people answered the way they did, but it is clear to anyone that the election of President Barack Obama has had an impact on how both black and white people view the American political system.
The perceived optimism in the black community is very intriguing. As we discussed in class the other day there are many different perceptions on the new president. There is a gap between the perceptions of those who have lived through the Civil Rights period and those of us born after the fact. I feel that the difference in optimism levels of whether or not Martin Luther King’s dream has been achieved is similar to the disparity between my generation and my parent’s generation’s feelings on the recently inaugurated president. Someone said in class on Tuesday that their mom was crying the whole day during the inauguration and my mom was one of those people as well. Having lived through the separate but equal times, I feel puts more elation in the fact that we now have a black first family. However, having talked to many of my elders about their perceptions on the new president and whether or not MLK’s dream has been achieved I believe that whites in the Baby Boomer generation and beyond feel that there is still plenty more to be achieved. The quote that was put up on Tuesday declaring that “Rose Parks sat….so that Martin Luther King could walk….so that Obama could run…..so that we could fly….” helps put my feelings into context better. I feel that the fact that we are making such a big deal about having a first black president does show that we have more progress to make. I think the reason why a lot of people my age are excited about Obama is because to my recollection we have not had a president with the ideals, optimism and credentials that Obama has. The reason why I believe my parent’s generation is excited about Obama is because they lived through the Civil Rights movement and are excited to see such a major step made in the progress that MLK hoped we would someday achieve. Another way of looking at Obama being our new president is that MLK’s dream has been reached and that is the outlook that I feel a lot of black people are feeling. Because of the overwhelming excitement people are feeling and showing I think it is easy for black people who have had ancestors involved in slavery to see this as the culmination of coming from being treated like an object to being finally seen and treated as equal to the white man. I think that is a great outlook, however, I feel that if this poll were to be given in a couple of months down the road that blacks and whites will both agree that while this is a major step in the right direction that more can be done. I feel that a bigger step towards realizing MLK’s dream would be to have a black president be elected and have everyone be as excited but for the fact that he is the right man for the job and not because of his skin color. I am personally thrilled that a black president is finally in the White House, but I am even more thrilled that the more qualified candidate and the right man for the job is now the President of the United States.
Watching President Barack Obama on Tuesday was an odd, yet uplifting, experience for me. I say odd because, unlike most people, I was not focusing on what this moment meant for the future of our country and the rest of the world. Instead, I was looking to the past. During the Inauguration, most people – white and black, American and foreign, rich and poor, Republican and Democrat – were renewed with feelings of optimism and hope for the first time in a long time (if ever) because they were looking to the future and sharing realistic visions (not dreams) of equality and peace. I, on the other hand, could not stop returning to the past – not to the time of slavery or the civil rights movement, but to two very recent occasions that occurred within the past four years. As our president placed one hand on The Holy Bible and raised his other to God, I first remembered an innocuous English 30 assignment – at least it seemed innocuous at the time – that required a critical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. Weaved throughout my analysis of the letter’s rhetoric and the author’s meaning were the evolving feelings and opinions of a 19-year-old kid who grew up in a small town that was whiter than a glass milk on a paper plate in a snow storm. I wrote, “Ideologies and perceptions must be changed ... we must foster an environment of equality and peace. How can we progress into the new century when we are still stuck in the old one?” These thoughts were an unrealistic pipedream at the time; although I meant every word, I never thought I would see any of them come to fruition. Yet, as President Obama recited the oath of office, I realized that ideologies were being broken and changed for the better, and an environment for equality and peace was being founded and built. The second memory occurred this past summer during a typical conversation about politics. I was asked, “Who do you think will win the election?” I responded quickly, “Anybody but Obama.” My reasoning was not based on politics, but on the strong belief that the people of America could not elect a black man (no matter how eloquent or qualified he is) to any high-ranking position, let alone the President of the United States. I am not a pessimist by any stretch of the imagination; I just had very little faith in our country and did not believe that it had the ability to look past skin color and see a person’s character. But, as last Tuesday proved, I greatly underestimated America – and I could not be happier. My personal history has shown me that we are taking a monumental step in the right direction. However, all progress has the potential to be erased if we become complacent. We, as a country, must strive for equality and justice for all. One election will not accomplish everything, but it is a start.
I personally think that it is great that black America is more optimistic than white America. I feel that while we have no fully fulfilled Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream we are a lot closer. I believe that while there is still hatred in this country, that is mostly dying off with the older generations and I hope to see very little, if any, hatred in this country against blacks at the end of my lifetime. The thing that bothers me more than anything else is that I have seen black Americans blame others, especially whites, for failures or things that have gone wrong in their life. Slavery was over long before any of us were born so the fact that I hear teenagers and young adults still bitch about slavery makes me so angry. I did not enslave anyone so I don’t want to hear about how you don’t think it is right, I don’t think its right either but what’s done is done and we cant change the past. The only thing we can do is move forward.
I do not care what race my president is, as long as he or she can fix the mess that is our country. I have seen news reports and stories about how black children are now looking up to Obama instead of rappers and athletes as their role models and how this gives them better hope for the future. This makes me sick, there is NO reason why they couldn’t have looked up to others as their role models before. What about when Obama was elected to the senate four years ago? Why wasn’t he this great role model then? What about MLK? What about looking up to a white person? I know lots of white people who look up to Obama and that seems to be acceptable but a black person needs to have a black role model? That is absolutely ridiculous. So really it is good that black America is finally getting optimistic but they didn’t need to wait for Obama to try to change. He is ONE person while they are a nationwide community. Anyone can bring change to their own life by simply putting forth the effort.
I also hate how people are saying that they are so relieved that the American view of the ‘black family’ is going to change. I know what TV and movies portray the typical black American family as and I know many, many black families who are not like that. Then again, I know many who are. There will always be stereotypes about groups of people in our society, that is a given, but you don’t have to act like that. If you are a black American, don’t act like the families on TV, because my family plays into NO stereotypes that there are about the white family. And there are many different ones about the white family from the suburban family with two kids and a dog to the white trailer trash. I act like me, and don’t pay attention to how other people think I should act.
Obama's Election Masks Prop 8: BLACKS MOVE FORWARD WHILE GAYS MOVE BACKWARDS
This CNN poll does indeed show that blacks are more confident about the future than they were in the past, and with good reason. The fact that we now have a black man as president of the United States of America shows a great deal of progress since the days of Martin Luther King Jr. However, this historic election seems to have masked the fact that racism and prejudice still very much exist today. Dr. King’s dream was for all people to be equal, not just black people. In today’s America, although we have made progress, not all people are created equal. Prejudice and racism have affected many other cultures, races, and ethnicities outside the black community. Do any of us really think a Native American would be elected president next year? What about a Hispanic person or Asian person? Do we really think that all these people have a fair chance to achieve the same things as Barack Obama has? Even if you think we as a people might be able to overlook someone’s race or ethnicity and just judge their character and credentials instead, it’s hard to argue that someone’s religion wouldn’t impact the country’s decision in an election. Do I think people would overlook the religion of a Jewish, Mormon or Atheist candidate. Even Mitt Romney was under much scrutiny in the primaries this past election for being Mormon and many people would not have voted for him because of it. If Barack Obama was indeed Muslim, which is absurd to speculate in the first place, would he have had a prayer of a chance in this election? No! He wouldn’t have even made it past the Iowa caucus. Would the country as it exists right now vote an Indian man or Arab man president. The closest thing we’ve had to an Arab presidential candidate is Ralph Nader. If Nader’s skin was a darker color it’s unlikely he would have ever been able to run for president in the first place. The least likely of all would be for a gay man or woman to be elected as president. I for one have no problem voting for a homosexual, but I don’t believe much of America agrees with me. It is evident considering the passing of legislation to hinder the rights of gays in our country. With the election of Barack Obama people seem to have forgotten about the passing of Proposition 8 which banned gay marriage in California during the same election. I pray that someday we as a nation will be able to overcome our prejudices. I realize and am proud to say that we’ve taken a huge step in electing Barack Obama as our president. You might peg me as a pessimist but believe me I am not. In every aspect in life I am a full on optimist, but in this case I’m trying to make sure that this past election doesn’t mask the truth that we still have a long way to go.
With all the recent media stampedes and all of the publicity surrounding this election, it was hard NOT to see it from a few different perspectives. On the one hand, I am very happy that we have finally proven to the world that we are not as racist as everyone thinks we are. This was a huge step for the blacks in America, and it will be remembered as such in the future. That being said, from a staunch conservative standpoint, it’s hard for me to accept the hoopla. I get that this is huge. I understand that. What I don’t understand is why our nation is so focused on the color of his skin rather than the moral code and system of beliefs that will dictate the direction of our country in the next four years. I completely 100% disagree that MLK’s dream has been fulfilled. His dream was that one day, people would be judged not on the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. Obama has yet to prove the depth of his character, and the American people are making a potentially fatal mistake putting the cart before the horse with this one. MLK’s dream was that one day, ancestors of slaves and ancestors of slave owners would be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. How is that even a remote possibility when words like ‘reparations’ and ‘redistribution’ are being casually thrown around? How can we get past the animosity caused by racism and slavery if our Commander in Chief believes that people in South Carolina should be making reparations by funding inner city schools? I totally get that blacks deserve to be treated as equals, but the amount of reverse racism that was present throughout the entire election season astounds and disgusts me. For me, though, this whole process has been about SO much more than race. Race is the last thing on my mind when issues like abortion and homeland security, two things that I am highly opinionated about, are being discussed. I realize that there ARE people out there who voted for Obama purely because of his skin color; there are people out there who, I’m sure, voted for McCain for the exact same reason. While this is very likely the exception rather than the rule, it directly contradicts MLK’s dream. I, like many conservatives, am anxious to see how this presidency will play out. I am not wishing Obama to fail; I would just like to be reassured that the confidence right now in this nation is justified. So in short, there ARE some of us who have fulfilled MLK’s dream. I am looking at Obama not for the color of his skin, but for the quality of his character. The country as a whole, on the other hand, has a long way to go before MLK’s dream will ever truly be realized.
Hell is not freezing over, and pigs aren’t flying yet. These are the things that would happen if Ralph Nader was elected President (for those of you who get the SNL sketch from 1999, thank you). I think the figures discussing our country’s new found optimism amongst black, colored, and white Americans is because of race but also simply because of change. Having Barack in office, even though he’s only half-black (though we learned that any percentage of black blood can make you entirely black in this country), is definitely breaking down barriers. It provides hope that the racial issues in American are becoming less evasive to some, but they still carry their importance. I get frustrated that some of my immediate thoughts in my head are racist when I see someone looking Middle Eastern in the airport or when I’m alone and a group of black guys are near me on the street. It sucks that American culture and media has conditioned those types of thoughts to come about in my mind. I feel guilty about thinking those thoughts, and I feel bound by the strings of some puppeteer. The only defense I have against those thoughts is, to some extent, to tell myself that I’m being an idiot and that is not my fault for the initial reaction at this point in my life, but it’s something I can change, and aim to do so. Barack Obama is helping me make those first steps.
That statement might derive the question, “is it because he is half white and half black, so you can take the baby steps having the luxury of knowing you got the best of both worlds?” The answer: NO. Since the first time I have seen Barack Obama speak, I trust this guy. I believe what he says. I hope that his gaining of office and all that he says is sincere and that this whole event is not just some charade by some secret government master plan to cover up some bullshit we’ll have to attempt to fix with the next guy…or girl (not necessarily a bad thing, but Hilary, come on). I understand my last thought was speaking from the liberal paranoid college student aspect of who I am right now, but hey, I’m probably not the only one thinking about such things. I digress. I trust Barack Obama. I find his voice to be powerful yet calming. There is also something to be said about the look in his eyes. I can’t quite identify what it is, but it makes me trust him even more. Also, his speech on Tuesday was incredible. I’d like to say it was the best or one of the best inauguration speeches ever, but I have not heard one other one at all. I think it’s fair to assume it was better that W’s. By the way, I feel bad for George W. Bush. He is viewed as such a bad guy. Yes some questionable stuff went down when he was in office, but I’m not so sure a lot of the decisions made were his decisions at all. Why’d we elect him then? Well I’m not so sure something behind the scenes swung that one too (college paranoia conspiracy stuff again). Regardless, Bush is not our President. We just need to let him go and help fix the stuff that went array when he was in the Oval Office.
Back to Barack and summing things up. The people are optimistic because he is a symbol of change racially, Democratically (speaking in terms of political party control of the government), and presidentially (is that a word? Hmm?). Barack is a new start; one that carries a lot of weight and significance. America wants that new start on so many levels. People were seeking it and now we have it. It feels awesome. How cool is it when one guy can make voter turn-out higher than it has been, inspire the positive change he is, and bring together the surviving members of one of the greatest rock groups ever because they believe in him too. Awesome concert if you weren’t there. Still regret drinking outside through the entire Allman Brothers Band set, but I still got to see the Dead in the BJC. It’s good to feel united under Barack. I guess MLK’s dream has been reached at some level, but so has the American dream of hope for our future. Sounds a bit cliché but it’s an honest feeling I have.
I will sign off this post with one last comment, rather a question, I wanted to say in class yesterday: “Is Mariah Carey part black, and, if so, is that why she can sing the way she does?”
Viewing the election of a black president as the fulfillment of MLK’s dream is incredibly shortsighted. In terms of symbolism, I believe that King would see this moment as a turning point or a leap forward, but in no way a complete victory. For one, the fact that any discussion concerning Obama’s election is inevitably centered on his race illustrates that all is not well in the United States. I don’t mean to say that we should not be acknowledging the fact that he is black. How could you not? We are however in uncharted waters. With the exception of JFK our presidents have had a stunning resemblance. We’ve been spitting out White Protestants for two and a half centuries.
But there is a new kid on the block now. He’s black, was raised by a single mother, speaks well and is the owner of a smooth jump shot. Why wouldn’t black people be riding high? They’ve finally got a president they can call their own and this new found optimism is reflected in their poll response. With so much evidence pointing to the fact that the Dream is far from realized my initial reaction is to be disappointed by the results. I’m reminded of the fact that since Reconstruction (1870’s) there have been just 4 black Senators. We should be mindful of the failures of our inner city public schools where graduation rates for minorities continue to lag behind. And don’t forget the disproportionate number of African American males in our prisons. That’s why I think it’s important to take the poll for what it really is, an attention grabbing stat that is heavily influenced by recent events and that most importantly does not accurately gauge how people truly feel about race relations in America.
I think it is interesting that Dr. Richards refers to Obama as half white. My roommate insists on making the same distinction and I understand why, they’re trying to make sure that we don’t forget that America still retains many of its prejudices. Having spent the last paragraph making that argument it should be understood that I agree with him on this. At the same time I feel that referring to Obama as half white is pointless. What is really being argued here? Were Obama as black as Kueth Duaney (look him up) I feel he would still have been elected. The man has an aura to him that I at just 20 years old have never seen in another politician. He won convincingly in a nation that has a majority of white voters. That is to say that Obama would not have won if a large portion of white voters had voted against him simply on the basis of race. So… after 43 white presidents, the white segment in America decided that they were willing to vote for a black man so long as he wasn’t “really” black. Please. As Dr. Richards said in class, his victory can be attributed to his presence as a politician and perhaps more importantly George Bush’s abysmal approval rating.
Has hell frozen over? No probably not… but the optimism of blacks across the nation has increased. However, the fact that 69 percent believe that MLK’s dream has been fulfilled to its largest extent is naïve. A (half) black man is president, yes that is true, but does that necessarily mean that this will transcend to all minorities or even all blacks. No, I don’t think so, at least not in the recent future. Don’t get me wrong I’m not trying to be cynical, we have definitely taken a large step forward as a people and a country but for blacks to believe they have reached the promised land and become complacent would be a mistake.
Many American’s are optimistic about the future of our country now that a charismatic, young, leader with new ideas and attitude is now in the highest office of the United States. Blacks are more optimistic because this leader looks more like them, which is kind of racist in itself. Did they not like the previous presidents as much because they were not black? Maybe that is going a bit far but it might be a legitimate question.
As far as Barack Obama’s presidency, the pressure is definitely on him from many different groups ranging on topics like the environment, the war in Iraq, foreign relations, civil rights, and probably most importantly for the well being of our country the economy. I am not an economist, and have a very limited knowledge on the subject but I can only hope that he and his team of advisors can find a way to rectify our crashing economy for the sake of me being able to find a job when I graduate and the real estate market; but not too soon because I’d like to be able to buy a house in the near future for dirt cheap. The environment is also a pertinent issue because, as Obama said in his inauguration speech, our dependency on oil is strengthening our enemies and hurting our environment. The first major action that Obama has taken as president is the plan to close Guantanamo Bay. This is the one issue I really have disagreed with Obama on all along. Our rules of engagement have long been a joke to enemies of our state and have been exploited at the expense of our soldiers. Furthermore giving non citizen enemies of the state right to trial is even more of a joke but now to completely close down Gitmo within a year will mean the lose of many assets to our countries intelligence and perhaps make us more vulnerable to further terrorist attacks.
The expectations for Obama have been raised so high. I have no doubt that he is up to the challenge but sometimes it seems like the task maybe too much for anyone. I hope that he can right the ship that has been drifting for the past 8 years and as such he will go down as one of the greatest presidents in our history but that is many years away as is the fulfillment of Martin Luther King’s dream.
For the first time African Americans are more optimistic about the future and this is reflected in the poll about MLK’s vision finally being reached. It is interesting that more African Americans believe that MLK’s vision has been met than whites. It would seem obvious that whites would believe this is a time of fulfillment in a sense, but there is something wrong. The poll brings to light the racism issue in the United States and it is important as a country that we try to confront the issue and actually make a change.
As stated above, the poll definitely brings to light the underlying issue of racism in the United States. I believe that it is no coincidence that so many African American’s are optimistic about the future, while most white Americans are not. Obviously, African Americans have someone they can connect with in the White House. For the first time they have someone who is like them in a position of power, who can change the way they live. For them change is actually tangible and a realistic idea. After years of being the underdog, African Americans are truly at the top of the world with the inauguration of Barack Obama.
One the other hand, this is the first non-all white President of the United States. Many white Americans are unsure what this means for them and their future. Change is difficult for anyone, but given the history between these two races tensions are high. Many whites are pessimistic because they do not know what is in the future for them. The level of comfort for some white Americans is gone especially after being used to 43 white Presidents. The idea of losing the control is hard for people, and maybe white Americans feel as if they are losing the control that they have had for so man years. It may be difficult for some white people to accept the fact that their so called “superiority” is coming to an end.
The United States is clearly experiencing a time of change right now and every citizen knows it. For the first time in a very long time our nation is excited about the future. This is a time of great uncertainty, but also could turn out to be a time of great promise and hopefully a turnaround for our nation. The polls from CNN definitely represent a time of change and growth for the United States. African Americans for the first time believe that the next four years are going to be better than the past four years. I believe that MLK’s vision has been met to a point, but there is still room for growth and acceptance in this country. Despite the fact that not all whites are excited about this change; my hope is that Obama can make a change for the better for the United States because right now we are not looking to good. Regardless of his race, we have a new President of the United States. It is up to us as American Citizens to support our president and to do what we can to improve that status of our country.
In response to the blog “Hell Freezing Over” my first reaction to reading the polls outcome was good for black people. Our president is black and it is great! I love Obama and I believe that he will do great things for our country. So let black people rejoice and be happy. I’m a white person and for me personally I don’t think that the Martin Luther King Jr. dream is completely fulfilled, but I do think that it is a little bit achieved due to the fact that the United States currently has a “half” black president. Right now I definitely think that black people are overwhelmed with having a black president. Let us look at when this poll was asked. It was last week. So I think that this poll is slightly inaccurate because right now black people are so proud and overjoyed with having a “half” black president in office. I think that’s it truly great that black people think that the Martin Luther King Jr. dream is fulfilled; I mean it is a great thing for our country to proudly say that we have a black president. I would have to say that I don’t think that white people are feeling nervous or threatened at all by there being a black president or even that black people think that the Martin Luther King Jr. dream is fulfilled. I think that white people are just as happy and thankful that our nation is changing is a positive direction. I believe that the Martin Luther King Jr. dream will never actually be fully fulfilled. For it to be completely achieved there would have to be no prejudice people and racist people which that will never happen, because our world is extremely evil.
Blog 1: How does a cynic radiate optimism after January 20th?
Well, let me tell you. As a cynical white girl, I was wary of the promises of Barack Obama early on in the race. Though I supported him, I found it hard to align his ideas of a systematic overhaul of some self destructive American institutions. It isn’t because I didn’t want to. I did. I just took a dark and cautious view of those promises because the foundations in which so many Americans bury themselves are not easily deconstructed. Surprisingly, I found myself putting more “faith” in the hope factor of his campaign than I normally do in situations. But, there were just so many obstacles.
After all, he is a black man. Remember, I’m a cynic, not a racist. The brilliance of Barack Obama, I feared, would be overshadowed for some Americans (dare I say too many) by the fact that he was black. But as the campaign trudged into the heated, competitive months I saw, or more likely just noticed for the first time, the pure optimism radiating from the black community. And I’m not just talking about Oprah.
African Americans were excited. They were hopeful. I don’t mean that in a patronizing, give-a-child-a-lollipop-so-they –forget-you-yelled-at-them kind of way. It seemed as though with Barack Obama the hope for equality long promised and fought for could be realized. The racial barrier may finally be breached; in as much as Americans would be willing not to just admit it exists, but to bring it to the forefront of our lives and render it a vestigial relic. Not to forget to the past, but to see the future as a monochromatic and unified place.
Now, that is how to cauterize a cynic’s heart with optimism. When I found myself arguing with friends that this was possible, I realized there had been some monumental shift within myself. But I was not the source. I fought against it, in fact. I tried my best to shrewdly doubt it. But I couldn’t, after long, when I took notice to the new sense of nationalism flowing through America. The fervor of some for tanks and desert sand was replaced by a warm sense that change was not only possible, but imminent. If African Americans could believe and hope after all their years of struggle, then the cause was enough to melt the icy heart of one cynical white girl.
I find it shocking the number of African Americans that feel that we have reached Dr. King’s dream. I am normally someone who is an optimist in every part of life, but when it comes to race, I am a realist. There are always going to be people who judge you by the color of your skin, your sexual orientation, and sometimes even your hair color. We are a society battling discrimination based on stereotypes every single day. I am not sure that we will ever reach a day where people won’t see color. People will always see color, and they may not judge you based on that color, but they will see it. I feel as though society will always judge interracial relationships and will question the idea of blacks and whites together.
It seems to me that it would take another hundred years before people will not see color. But maybe we should embrace our differences. If we were more comfortable discussing ancestry and it wasn’t such a taboo subject maybe then, in the end, we would become a colorless society. By discussing all the differences and putting it out on the table, maybe we could understand each other better. I feel as though as a white person, you can never describe someone as African American without someone saying “Well, why does that matter?” It doesn’t matter. It is just a characteristic of a human being. Perhaps this is a slight rant, but it made sense in my head… Essentially, if we could all learn to take the risk of exposing ourselves to the differences between one another, maybe just that bit of open communication could help rid the ideas of color and race.
That being said, we are all people and it’s nice to know and think that people feel we are on the way up. It’s an exciting day and age and I’m excited to one day live in a world where people think its ok to voice opinions on race. I feel as though our generation has come the farthest in this capacity. By electing Barack Obama president of the United States, we have shown that we have overcome the racist ideals of the older generations. We are ready to move forward. Though I may have disagreed with a lot of President Obama’s platform, I am excited to have him in office to hopefully unite this entire country. A lot of people forget that we live in the greatest nation on this planet and I think that there nationalism was renewed with the election of our first (half) black president. That is what our nation needed, someone or something to believe in, to unite us all around a common goal and cause. I look forward to the future to see what the weeks, months, and years will bring to the ever popular race issue.
I think that with the election of Obama a lot of blacks have hope. Hope for the future and hope for true equality. It’s that hope that explains the high number in the polls of black who believe MLK’s dream has been reached. It’s the feeling of the here and now because Obama has just come to power, but once the euphoria of the election dies down those numbers will go down because this country has a long way to go before all people are treated as equals in this country. MLK’s dream was that all people treated as equals and that is just the case in this country…yet. The country still wouldn’t elect a Native American or a Latino president in my opinion. It’s sad to say, but it’s true.
Many white people are happy for the election of Obama because they themselves have gone through mistreatment or have relatives who have. My great grandparents came over to this country from Ireland and were treated terribly. So while they might not have momentum 400 years of mistreatment as you say they surely do know what it felt like to be treated as third class citizens. When I watched the inauguration on Tuesday I saw just as many white people standing there as I did black people. I think the low number of white people believing that MLK’s dream has been realized comes from the fact that this is only the first step. Blacks have wanted this step for so long they are of course optimistic and if it had been the reverse and we has 43 black presidents and 44th was white I’m sure the polls would show whites were more optimistic than blacks. But until we can say we’ve had 3 or 4 black, a few Latino, a woman, a Native American as presidents I don’t think that skepticism will go down. I’m skeptical myself. It’s great that a black man is finally in the White House, but me I hardly have a shot at that dream. I’m white, but I’m also a woman in a wheelchair and America is hardly ready to have me or anyone like me as their president. Sure FDR was president and he was a wheelchair, but if media had been more prevalent then he never would have gotten elected. Perhaps people think I’m being pessimistic, but I’m not even here at Penn State, a college campus I have people stare at me, talk to me as if I was four, or treat me as if I have some horrible contagious disease. It will be a long time I think until anyone in my situation as a pray of become president of this nation. If CNN were that question again in a few months once the initial reaction to Obama died down, I think the numbers would even out more between races because people realize that Obama’s election is just the first step in the long journey of truly achieving MLK’s dream.
You could look at it many different ways and no matter how you look at it, I don't believe there is a right or wrong answer. Let’s start with the polls. The idea of a black president 4 years ago was unheard of. Many people thought to themselves “Hey it could happen, but not right now.” It’s like the theory of the sun burning out, it’s possible, but will not happen today or tomorrow. That was essentially the idea people had about a black president. Everyone wanted to go along with the idea that it was going to happen sooner rather then later, but hoped it would happen later. So when Barack Obama was elected, it was the realization that it was neither sooner now later, but NOW. This brought all kinds of thoughts and expressions to peoples minds whether they were the “white power” type or the “lets all just get along” type. People started to realize that change was here whether they were with it or against it. So as soon as those polls came out many people voted with emotion rather then intellect. MLK’s speech was one that will always be remembered as one of the greatest symbols of the race to equality. I believe when MLK spoke he not only spoke of color but of all injustice. To me, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” is not about just color but sex, nationality, etc. I believe that we still have a long way to go, but this is without a doubt a HUGE jump towards the idea of justice. The other parts could include a woman president, a Jewish president, a Muslim president, or whatever else you can think of. This is the time in our lives when the (pardon my language) “shit gets real.” We are now faced with the question, “What next?” When will we have a woman president? When will we stop judging those around us? When will we be able to walk into a room with Muslims and not think terrorists but people?
Another very important point to look at is what happens if Obama fails? What if his decisions and ideas fail? What if in four years from now we are worse off then we are today? You don’t think it will become a black thing? Do you think that people won’t bring that into question? That a black man can’t run a county, that’s why it has never happened before? You think that when another black man runs for any type of government position whether for president or congress or anything of that sort that they won’t remember what happened when Obama was president? If this happens, it is a very real possibility that a black man won’t ever be elected as long as our generation is around. These are all things that are very scary, but very possible. He takes on a huge responsibility not only being the first black president, but now has to make sure that he doesn’t screw it up. Every consequence of every decisions of every problem will be torn apart and evaluated in detail.
January 20, 2009 was perhaps one of the most memorable days I will ever remember. I have to say that I wasn’t ever sure the day would ever come when a President who is half black would be elected to the highest position in our country. Now I’m not trying to be a pessimist here… I have faith in people. It’s just that for so long, while to me, it seemed like the divide between blacks and whites was not as evident, I still sensed that Americans were unsure or scared of what the election of a man or woman of color would do to this country. Would it divide us apart? Would those lines that seemed invisible between blacks and whites once again become evident? The bottom line is Americans saw something in Barack Obama. Yes, they saw a man of color but they saw something even greater… a man with dreams, goals, and values. Black People have become the optimists because I believe they see something in our newly elected president that maybe white people can’t see. To the black community Barack Obama doesn’t just represent any man of color. The black community is proud to specifically have Barack Obama representing them because hes awesome!! But also he is so incredibly intelligent and well versed. There is something about him that makes you believe that theres hope for our future. I do not think that MLK’s vision “has been fulfilled.” I feel that gradually over the past decades it has been fulfilled. But completely? No way. The election of Barack Obama was one of many steps in MLK’s vision. I mean Barack Obama hasn’t even been in the White House for a week. We are not even really sure how this man will fulfill his duties, how he will make his presidency the best ever. For those who live in Illinois, they have a better idea of how Barack Obama can lead, what he is capable of. But for the rest of us, Barack Obamas greatness is yet to be seen. There is a difference in how MLK’s vision is viewed between whites and blacks. For whites, I believe their view on this “vision” is simple. As they see people of color move up in our world (to higher ranks and positions in our society), they believe that this is what MLK’s vision entailed. However, for blacks MLK’s vision means a little more than seeing a person of color move up in our society. I think its what that person will do for this country. How they will make a difference. How they will leave their mark. Its not just about the title, its about what that person can do, how much we trust that person to carry out the goals that they have set forth and promised.
Has the election of Barack Obama conclusively proven that the dream of racial equality set forth by the Reverend Martian Luther King Jr. is indeed reality? Perhaps, we can see it as the waking moment after a long nightmare under the regime of last administration? Or maybe it something altogether more complex and at the same the same time much more simple, in that by its very nature the election represents an upward linear progression of the American nation, society, and people towards an ultimately greater state of being where the collective evils and transgressions of the past remain in the past. We must think about how Barak Obama’s election fundamentally changes the way we all perceive the system and its operations. For being the world’s oldest modern participatory democracy the United States has long be criticized for its notoriously low voter turnout. The reasons for this have been given by a number of differing entities highlighting a number of differing issues, yet in the end it all seems to come down to two things as basic as they are evil; disenfranchisement and apathy. Under such a setup those with needs that our democratic system has been designed to address simply feel that corruption and behind the scenes dealings have left them without a voice. The long standing perception of an American politician has been a crusty old white guy who puts on a plastic smile for the public but is secretly an insider and a schemer whose network of secret contacts, where his true loyalties lie, has generated him vast amounts of wealth and influence and is now looking to manipulate us to continue such practices. This phenomenon has caused presidential elections in this country to be seen along such lines and as a result the many Americans were left to believe that there was no real choice. These were the types we were all conditioned to believe were our rightful leaders and we must accept them.
Then came Obama who gave us something truly unprecedented at a time when we disparately needed something new for we find ourselves bogged down in an unpopular war, corporate greed and decadence proved many great weaknesses of capitalism, and our world reputation has suffered greatly. In Obama we found a man who came from no form of aristocracy, who was a community organizer and civil rights attorney rather than a career politician or ungodly successful businessman, a man truly able to inspire. As far as race was concerned he proved he was the man for the job despite long stand perception mass conditioning hammered into us all. So in a sense Dr. King’s dream was achieved for America genuinely judged Barak Obama not by the color of his skin but by the content of his character. In his election a barrier was broken and one is not wrong to expect a flood new advances President Obama’s election has made possible
I think it is pretty clear what these changes in polls mean. Whites enjoy having power and always have. Blacks have always been more pessimistic because well, they have never had someone of their race in complete power. I think the reason whites seemed more optimistic about Martin Luther King’s dream before this election was because whites still did have the power, so in their eyes, everything was going pretty smoothly in the world. Blacks being free was enough for whites to believe that blacks had “equal power” in this world. However, whites also had never been threatened by blacks in the number one power holding position in the world, President of the United States. Obviously, a lot of white people voted for Barack Obama, I being one of them, but I think it was a lot of the younger generation of white voters who voted for Obama. I was speaking to my mom about who she thought my grandmother, her mother, would vote for and she explained to me how white people of that older generation still have that skewed mindset that black people are just “different” from them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying every white person of the older generation thinks this way, but I think many of them do. The youngest generation, my generation, was lucky enough to grow up in a time where whites and blacks had the same rights and freedoms as whites. We were educated about the rough times blacks had with equality and the civil rights movement that ended them, where as the older generations actually lived it. The election of a half black president is obviously a much bigger deal for black people than white people which accounts for the huge jump from 20 to 24 to 69 percent. For a lot of black people, especially the older generation, they thought they would never see this day come true. To them, Obama’s election was the becoming of Martin Luther King’s dream. However, many blacks, 31% of them according to these polls, don’t believe his vision has been fulfilled. I think these people believe that his dream will only be fulfilled when racism is forever erased from our world, which sadly is not the case yet. I think this is a wake up call for a lot of white people out there because like blacks, they never thought this day would come either. I personally could not be more excited to have a half white, half black president. I think it’s time for a change in the white house. Barack Obama revolved his campaign around “change” and that is what we all are hoping for; whether or not he’ll follow through with this motto, only time will tell.
I would have to agree that hell might just have frozen over. For the first time in my lifetime black people are the optimists in the society when it comes to a racial issue. Many blacks feel that with the election of President Obama the United States has finally realized Martin Luther King’s dream for equality. I feel that white people are more pessimistic, because we have been told for years that we need to accept blacks as equals. While electing a “half” black president is a good start, black people in this country are still not treated as equals. One person has already pointed out that there is a severe lack of black coaches in college football. For MLK’s dream to be fully recognized, this country needs to have blacks and whites mixed throughout every facet of society. However, I do believe that the election of President Obama is a very good turning point for our country. I think this will put us on the fast track of seeing all races as equal in the United States. There will still be those out there that cannot stand to see a half black man in the highest position in the United States, but the majority of people will accept this with open arms. I am one of the latter. I am a republican and at first was hesitant to see what this country would become with a woman or a black man in office. However, I am now excited to see what this man is capable of. I am hoping that within the next couple years I will be able to see a drastic change in race relations. I want to see everyone treated as equals within the next ten years. I am by no means an optimist, but I think the country has made a positive turn, and with a little work, we can take it to the next level. I would also love to see the demise of affirmative action. I feel that it only encourages people to look at race. If we can do away with it, there will be more people looking at people’s qualifications and not their skin color. For this goal to be realized, stereotypes must be taken out of our society. Like Luke said in his response, stereotypes are a very big problem in this nation today. People have a tendency to try and fit in with certain groups by conforming themselves to that group’s dynamic. This is not at all productive. People should be who they are whether others like them or not. I, for one, would rather hang out with someone that is real and a little off then someone that is just trying to fit in. If President Obama’s election is all about change, we too need to look at ourselves and change for the better of the nation.
A day after our nation and the world experienced a moment that will forever go down in history as a major turning point in time, there are still those who believe that the inauguration of a black man as President of the United States of America is no big deal. To those people, I have this to say – you are most definitely wrong. In all honesty, yes, President Barack Obama is not African American; he is half-black. But in all of history, and to this day, is it not true to say that most people would judge someone’s race by the color of their skin. It has always been this way in history, where just because a person had dark skin, they were considered to be black. Therefore, to all those people who try and downplay the race issue with President Obama, by saying he is half-black, I must say just look at history and that will say that he is black.
Whether people will admit it or not, we still judge people by the color of their skin. We see people in colors. We don’t see nationalities or ancestry or ethnicities; we see color, and we make judgments and form opinions around color.
Therefore, I put forth the notion that having a black family in the most powerful home in the world is one event that should be forever remembered. In a country where discrimination and segregation flourished for many years leading up to the 1950s, the sheer idea of having a black man in the White House was unheard of and, perhaps, seen as impossible. Yet, we find ourselves today defying all of these odds, and making a dream come true.
But many believe that with the introduction of a black president, all of these barriers of discrimination have been knocked down and bypassed. Is this the case, though? In my opinion, not at all. True, this is a historic event and giant leap away from racial inequality, but is it enough to change the way we see people? Color will always exist and remain a reason for inequality. But considering how far we have come in the past sixty years, we have the ability to overcome racial discrimination entirely.
An image that I will forever carry in my mind is one that took place on January 20, 2009, on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. The sight was of two black Americans, President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama, marching outside of the presidential limousine and waving to thousands of people lined up on the side of the street as part of the parade to the White House, following his historic inauguration. This sight is not one that hints to an end to discrimination, but a story of a black man who overcame great racial barriers to change a nation, in order to rise up to attain the most powerful rank in the entire world, and possibly putting race off to the side, even if it was just temporarily.
As far as Obama is concerned I am proud to have him as our new president but what scares me is that many people voted for him just because he is black. He seems qualified and I’m sure he will do wonderful things for our country but many believe his color is the reason he won the election. Howard Stern sent a man into Harlem and asked people there who they voted for and why, of course the majority voted for Obama but few people could name one of Obama’s opinions that they agreed with, the man asking the questions even went as far to name John McCain’s policies and as if they were Obama’s. He asks “if Obama wins how you feel about Sarah Palin being vice president” the man responded “I think she would do well, I’m for it”. He also asked questions about Obama being pro-life and surprisingly all of these Democratic voters were very enthusiastic about this idea. I am a 20 year old white female and have been taught my entire life that the color of one’s skin means nothing. Especially when the issue is as important as the President of the United States I think it is just as bad to vote for a man because he is black than to not vote for him because he is black. This man will be leading our country for the next four years and it is important that we vote for the person whose views and policies we agree with. This election has brought the race issue once again front and center and has hopefully made people realize that stereotypes are wrong and need to be overcome. While I do not agree with the reason some people voted for him, I believe President Obama will do a wonderful job these next four years and trust that he is the fresh face and attitude that this country needs. The issue of Obama being half-black is just another example of people focusing on the wrong issues. Arguing over how black, American, Africa, Native American, he is useless. No matter what background he comes from he is an intelligent well qualified man ready to run our country to the best of his ability and that is what matters. Race is an issue that I feel will never be completely solved. It is a sensitive topic that families have their own opinions about and will pass on those opinions. There was a good point brought up by one of the students in class the other day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream will be made true when we do not see race. When a black president is elected and the big issue isn’t his race.
Barack Hussein Obama will be the first black president to grace this nation with his leadership in the 44th Presidential regime. And yes I did say “black”, not “colored”, not “mixed”, nor “half and half”. It’s funny how when this man achieves such a position, people start to criticize his race. Some argue that he’s not really black or that he is not black enough. What’s the difference? If Barack was an ordinary man, without the power, you would look at him and say he’s black. So why do people want to debate about his race or ethnicity. Some even go as far to criticize his religion and his middle name, Hussein. But none of that is really important. The fact that Barack Obama is indeed black does make this a momentous and noteworthy occasion, but we must realize that he still has a job to do. We need to realize that Barack Obama is the president because he was a better candidate than John McCain.
I think many Americans that are black voted for Obama because he was black. Some could care less that he was a better candidate. The mentality was “this is our chance to get a black man into the white house and the chance might not come again”. A naïve mentality but nonetheless many blacks jumped on this opportunity and voted to make history. So a CNN poll from last week found that 69 percent of blacks compared to 46 percent of whites in America currently believe that MLK's vision "has been fulfilled." Clearly, blacks are this optimistic because now we have a figurehead in the white house who will lead the country that once oppressed us. And those that don’t see it as a big deal probably cannot relate. However, I do not agree that MLK’s vision “has been fulfilled”. We have a long way to go before we reach the promised land; when, in actuality, a promised land, where everyone is equal and treated as such, is unrealistic.
I am sorry to say this to all black people, but Barack Obama being the president is not a “hook-up”. Don’t think that Obama is here to bail you out when you’re in trouble. That’s what family and friends are for. Chances are if you rob a bank, you will pay the repercussions; Obama is not going to show up at your hearing, pat you on the back, and pardon your case. So white people have nothing to worry about because I doubt having a black president will grant us with “black privilege”, although it would be nice. Therefore, black people as a community and a race needn’t not gloat but continue to strive for the goals we set yesterday, today, and for the days to come.
The Inauguration of President Obama has caused quite a stir among the American people. The idea that Barack Obama will be controlling our country makes me feel both comfortable and safe. As a white person, I voted for him because I liked his policies and what he planned on doing for our country, not necessarily because he was black and it would bring a change to the country. Many others, however, did vote for him simply because he would be the first black President. I do think that in a way MLK’s dream has been reached. He came from a time when there was still segregation and extreme racism, and a Black President was something that he worked towards. This accomplishment was not his only goal though. He wanted for there to eventually be a time when there would no longer be racism against blacks and the races would be equal. I think that the Inauguration of President Obama has been a great feat for many people, especially the older generations. For our parents and grandparents, this was an even bigger moment in history than for us because they lived through and experienced the ugliness of racism and segregation. This symbolizes a new future for our country in the sense that the races will become even more equalized. I personally do not think that MLK’s dream has been reached, but this is just another stepping stone (a major one) towards complete equality.
I agree that with a new President of a different race in the White House, things in our country will be different, but I do not think that they will be so different that white people should be threatened. I also think that a black President may not be the prayer black people were looking for. The first term of his presidency will only be four years and unless he is reelected that may be all the time he has to make a great impact. And while he is making a statement that our country is finally growing up and realizing that equality is needed, there needs to be a successor that will continue on with the work he started with. I am ecstatic that we have a black president in office. I do think that this is a big moment in history and he stands for what many black Americans have been fighting for for numbers of years. I believe that some people voted for him because his policies and what he stood for is what they liked; I also think that people voted for him because he represents accomplishments made by African Americans. I think that the United Stated will change very much in the next few years and President Obama represents another stepping stone in MLK’s plans.
I would like to start this first journal off by stating that in my personal opinion, I DO NOT think that Martin Luther King’s dream has been accomplished. I think we as black people have made steps striving in America, but out all honesty I don’t think we have even come close. Not that the steps that we have taken are bad we are not there yet. People relate Obama to King and in many ways they are representatives of change, but King died while his legacy lived on. Obama has to really do more because now he has the whole country on his shoulders instead of a race in America. I think King dream was for everyone not just one race. I think King’s speech was aiming for perfection and maybe some space to settle. What I mean by that was that, he wanted a society where there would be peace and nobody would have any problems. He wanted people to strive to always be better. We forget that Martin Luther King was a man, but it was his message that affects us and it was his action that made us do what was done for equality. We as people don’t really look for perfection in ourselves because we look for other Kings, other Xs, and other people to follow instead of leading. We have to change. 303 million people in the U.S. so he can’t be the only one for change. We settled for somebody else like Obama to make change instead of making change ourselves. Only then will I believe that his dream will be fulfilled but then again that was just a dream. To be honest we all have fallen short on something because we all aint perfect, but a lot of people don’t stand for what they say they want. How can we vote for change, but still act the same way we did when Bush was in office. I don’t know if we just want to get more comfortable and fatter, and if that’s what change means to people then I guess even still we haven’t met that expectation. I am not in any way trying to be negative in light of this great presidential election, but everybody’s value systems is all messed up because I think if King was still alive he wouldn’t be retired. In that position you can never retire because there is always something that needs to change. I don’t honest know what black people want out of Obama beside have a black man at president. I think its a step, but it the best option to go with for change. I can dig it, but I aint going to sell out to nobody. I think if he fail some will say it because he is black and I the if he succeed some will say it because he’s black, but the biggest part of the equation that we don’t take into consideration is that we as people have a great amount of power depending on the roles we play in the country and just black people, but all people. Like I said this was great for America but aint defining King’s dream and maybe that just me.
The title, “Did Hell Just Freeze Over?” may be the most exaggerated, wishful thinking title possible for this blog and shows ignorance for the truly tragic events that are taking place in the rest of the world, and the events have happened in the history of the world. While the CNN polls and other polls around the country show that blacks in America have “hope” and are more “optimistic” since the election of Barack Obama, it is wishful thinking to say that MLK’s dream has been fulfilled and more importantly that hell has just frozen over.
First, one half-black man becoming president of the United States in 2009 does not equate to what MLK had in mine when he said that he hoped all men would be treated equally. Although this may be considered a big step toward what MLK envisioned, there is still tons of inequality around the world and in the United States today. In fact, in certain parts, there are probably more race problems because of President Barack Obama’s election. How does becoming President of the United States really affect people’s opinions and views on race anyways? Barack Obama does not have the power to order all people in this country to treat each other equally or to refrain from making racial slurs. Sure, black people are now more optimistic because they feel that the country is sliding towards a more equal land. But, what if the next 43 presidents we elect are all white? This could be a one-in-a-million event and may never happen again. If this is so, would black people say after the 87th president that this country is back to segregation? Putting one half-black man in office does not fulfill MLK’s dream that all men are equal and it most certainly does not deserve the title of freezing hell over.
Right now, if one was to list ten things that they think would make hell freeze over, I bet he or she could come up with ten better things than a half-black man becoming president. The end of world hunger, poverty, war, and disease come to mind for me, just to name a few. Also, hell probably would have frozen if Hitler, Stalin, or Hussein never came to power. Clearly, a half-black man becoming president of the United States does not even come close to fitting this expression. While “hell freezing over” is only an expression and should not be taking literal, it shows ignorance for the truly horrible things that are taking place everyday on Earth. There are so many problems in the United States and in the world that need fixing that it will take a very, very long time for this expression to become appropriate.
The presidential election of 2008 brought about issues that stray from previous elections. It was no longer just an issue of who was going to run our country; race was brought in to the picture. Some people focused on Obama’s race and others realized that he was the more qualified candidate. It seems as if hell just froze over, because it is remarkable for many people to grasp that we have a black president.
I find it very hard to believe that sixty-nine percent of “blacks in America currently believe that MLK's vision "has been fulfilled.’” Martin Luther King had a dream of freedom, and through the years the issue of slavery has diminished. However, many people are blinded by the fact that slavery still exists today. Slavery may not be as prevalent as previous years; however, innocent people are being abused and neglected. Now that Obama has become our president, his qualifications and success have opened new opportunities for blacks.
As a child, moral figures in our lives tend to tell us that we can be whatever we dream to be, whether it is a doctor, a teacher, or even the president. Until this moment in time, for African American children the dream of being the next president seemed out of reach. However, now that a black person has obtained that high position, becoming the next president is a more practical idea. I feel that so many blacks believe that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled, because he has broken another barrier for the black race. They feel there is going to be equality for everyone; however, these people are oblivious to the fact that there are still ignorant people out there that will keep their racist views.
The reason why black people are more optimistic than white people at this time, is because they are excited for a black man to be in charge of our country and they are enthusiastic for the coming years. The other reason for this flip in view points could be explained by white people feeling like they have less control in the country now. I feel that having Obama as our president has not only opened doors for blacks, but also the other minorities dreams of becoming a president are more tangible.
We are about to embark on a new adventure with Obama as our president and I am excited to see the greatness that he will bring to our country. If he is able to rebuild are country, I feel like even more viewpoints may change, and there may be less racism in our country. Although a high percentage or blacks think that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled, I feel that it has just started and great things are about to come.
I questioned myself about cheering for Obama, was I doing it because he was Black? Why did he intrigue me, was it because he had a black family also? Did I want to have a great leader who was qualified or see only his skin color or heritage? So, at first I was blinded with the idea that if you are black you must vote for him. I soon realized that I had to look into both candidates. When I did look into both, I found it wasn’t merely because he was Black but because he was a great candidate who also happened to be partially black. After being in the U.S. for numerous years and seeing someone who looks like me finally “make it” made me feel a level of completion. Maybe people can start to appreciate our heritage; maybe people can see that black people are not “hustlers” or “gangsters”. Now there is a person out there who can give black people a positive image, besides Oprah Winfrey. Yes, he is not just black, he is also many other great heritage backgrounds but being black applies to me. This man gives me hope like one other time in the past when other black people had this feeling. When Martin Luther King was around the black race had so much hope, closeness and connectivity. Dr. King gave black people the vision we all hoped for and still do today, so does Obama. They may not be the same men but they give/gave the black race a better feeling about success, happiness, and most importantly themselves. How can you be happy about yourself, if the whole country tells you that you are inferior to the white race? Whether it’s changing your look to look like them, or maybe trying to “fit in”. Black people in America are seen like the “wrong” race, so where do you get the hope from? Obama gives people the first step to understanding the inequality in the United States, how can black people not have optimism now? Now that a Black man is in power, people want to take away his heritage and say that it could only be because he is partially white. Why can’t people just agree to the fact that he is in power and yes he is black? What about Michelle Obama? She is very successful and from what I know she is fully African American. Are we going to say that it’s because of her husband that she is very successful? (Of course we wouldn’t). They are the great examples of what people can overcome when they strive for the top and we need to simply accept it as that.
It is indisputable that a vast number of our citizens were able to look beyond race to the integrity, intelligence, and vision of a candidate by voting to elect Barack Obama. This historic, unprecedented event symbolizes a shift in our culture that empowers the black community to move from the repression of perceiving themselves as victims to the inspiration that all things are possible. Although nothing has changed socially or economically in the lives of the black people who were polled, a spiritual shift in how they perceive themselves has occurred. Perhaps this change in self -perception must precede real social change. The very example of this man inspires all (whatever race) to take responsibility and create a better world. Witness to the power of this call releases us all from the repression that results from accepting limitations. The black population is responding with optimism to this poll because Obama inspires a positive and hopeful attitude to meet the challenges ahead.
Although they are obviously moved by the enlightened vision of this candidate and ready to understand the power of unity of purpose, the white population that support Barack Obama (44% of white voters according to CNN exit polls on November 4th) may be less inclined to believe that equality for all (whatever race) is real as they are aware of the prejudice and ignorance that lies in the minds of many. Allegiance to white supremacy is not easily surrendered by the masses that fear people and cultures that differ from their own. Therefore the white population polled may be more cautious in their assumptions. Also, depending on the demographics of the poll referred to in this blog, the white population questioned may have been from the south where white voters supported McCain by 38 percentage points (according to the CNN exit polls on Nov 4th). Some of these voters may have chosen McCain solely because of his color, reflecting the racial prejudice that still exists. These same individuals would not likely affirm that King’s dream has become a reality, nor would they ever support that dream unless they experience a spiritual shift in perception as well.
The election of a black man to the highest office in the most powerful country in the world is a supreme instance where white voters were able to overlook race and choose based on the qualities of leadership the candidate possessed. In this election, we have clearly taken a giant step toward reaching King’s “dream” where racial prejudice no longer exists- that a man will be judged by his character and not by the color of his skin. However monumental, it is only a beginning. Only time can reveal the unfolding of this reality.
I think that these numbers show a massive change in the way that black people are beginning to see themselves in a different light in modern day society. In the past a majority of black Americans has been very pessimistic about how they are viewed and treated in modern day society. The popularity and extreme success of Obama in the last year or two has been the cause of the change in these polls, in my opinion. His success has been very inspirational for black Americans and black people all around the world, as well as for people of other ethnicities too. Even though Obama is not 100% of black or African decent, he has destroyed many of the racial barriers that had existed up until just in the past few years. During these next four years of Obama’s presidential reign, I think that the race issue will continue to make leaps and bounds IF he keeps the promises he made during his campaign, and is remembered as a good president that did improve the state of our country. If he is unsuccessful and is remembered in a poor light, I think it could possibly hurt the progress of the country in a racial light. The more racist white people in America would most likely bash Obama ruthlessly if he messes up, and this is going to put extreme pressure on Obama.
The reason I believe that the white numbers in the poll differed greatly from the black numbers in the poll, is because many white people may not see Obama as a fully black person, because of his heritage, and they may not consider this as fully fulfilling Martin Luther King’s dream. Many of the white people that voted for Obama probably did not vote for him because of his ethnicity, which may have been the case for many African Americans, but rather the white voters voted for him because of his qualifications as a candidate. This is also a huge moment in American history for black people, and this current elation over his election may have caused inflation in the numbers voting that MLK’s dream has been reached. While this is a major step in the path towards complete racial equality, many know that there is still much that must be done. I think the white polls were lower because of this fact. While many white people are excited over the election of a multiracial president, they probably can see more clearly that there is still work that needs to be done for MLK’s dream to be fully and completely fulfilled. These next four years will be very interesting as we see if major strides continue to be made in terms of racial equality, but it is still something that will takes years and years, maybe even decades to achieve.
Barack Obama being President of the United States is a huge milestone. I recognize the importance and the symbolism it has for millions of Americans and even people throughout the rest of the world. I personally think that this is long overdue, and I’m very happy to be able to witness this amazing landmark event in US history. However, because I didn’t live through the Civil Rights movement and I didn’t witness the hatred that happened through those times, I don’t believe I truly realize the extent of the overwhelming feelings that many Americans are feeling. I am not so naïve as to think that no discrimination is still happening or that people don’t still hold ignorant views, but I believe that this goes for all different races and cultures. Obama being the 44th President and half black is a big step in the right direction, but I do not agree that Martin Luther King’s dream was fulfilled. Almost all Americans would tell you that they see a black man when looking at Obama, which is obvious. However, I do not think that this is the dream that MLK was talking about. Until it does not matter the race of our President, I believe we have a ways to go. Until the headlines of newspapers and articles do not focus around the race or ethnicity of our President, there’s work to be done. We have a ways to go considering we haven’t yet had a woman President, an Asian President, a Latino President, a gay President and many more!
I am a twenty year old, white woman who was never raised to discriminate and always taught that everyone was created equal. But there have been several times throughout my couple years at Penn State when I have felt discriminated against for being white. Walking through the commons in East, I passed by a bulletin board that had postings covering it. One stood out and shocked me; there was a flyer for Miss Black Penn State! It seems to me that there is separation that’s created by certain races and ethnicities which gives the idea that discrimination is okay, but only for some groups. I can’t help but think what would happen if there was a Miss White Penn State and the amount of hatred and accusations that would come from that. But no one even questioned there being a Mr. and Miss Black Penn State and Mr. and Miss Latino Penn State honored at the Homecoming Parade. To be honest, I feel that race is still prevalent in our country and mostly because it seems as though the same people who want to be equal, separate themselves. Hopefully President Obama will be able to break down some barriers and work more towards MLK’s dream.
I believe it’s hard to establish whether or not his dream in fact has, or ever will be ‘realized”. Martin Luther King was very idealistic, and without a doubt one of the most important people of the past 60 years. With his calm demeanor, and collective and educated tone he showed that blacks could be more than just “Negroes”, but in fact if given the right circumstance they could be great and intelligent leaders.
I personally believe his dream is still in progress, but it would be almost ignorant to say that it is very close. Prior to giving the famous speech, blacks were treated so terribly they couldn’t co-exist. Martin Luther King as I said was an idealist in my opinion, and as with most, while their ideas are great, it is hard to implement them with people, because by nature, we humans are flawed. No matter what, regardless of how far we come, I believe if I see black person walking down the street, it will be the first thing I notice. As well as if I see a person who is 8 foot tall, the first thing I would notice wouldn’t be something like their personality, or smile, but rather how they differ from me. I think it’s only human nature to find generalize and find differences in people, because we as people feel the need to make sense of things. Prior to the Civil Rights movement, blacks were not even seen as humans. I think the recent surge in education, for example more people attending colleges than ever, has enlightened people to see that black is a color, but it is in fact only a color.
I say this because, not only do you meet so many people in college, your mind is expanded to think deeper into things. Personally, I come from a racist area. A suburban, white middle class area. When I was a kid, I thought black people were bad. My grandparents were racists, and I would hear them say slurs, as well as others. It was almost second nature to me as a child, and since I couldn’t think for myself I took those ideals as my own. But as I grew older and learned, I saw that if you think that all black people were bad, that is as crazy as saying all white people are good. Personally, since I grew up around white people, I could even say I knew more criminals that were white than black. It is just because we differentiate them, we can easily group them up, because all we see is black.
I think MLK’s dream is not full, nor will it ever be. However, I feel that our tolerance will continue to rise, and with education we will find more common ground. I also feel our economy plays a part, because it seems people realize we have to band together, white or black, or this ship called “America” will continue to sink.
Dan Suter
497 Words
DRS5193@psu.edu
I agree with you in saying that these poll numbers are basically a “high” brought upon by the election. This is like the morning of Christmas Day where you have been filled with excitement from the day before to the point where you just want to tear apart your presents open. When that glorious moment comes, it is as if light comes off the present as you sink your claws into the wrapping paper. That is where we are right now in the presidency. We have neither tested the endurance nor even really seen it in action. How much the confidence “wanes” after this point will depend on the performance and visual image of Obama throughout his presidency. As I remember it, during election time isn’t morale always higher than usual? Doesn’t the government artificially lower gas prices, make the economy seem better than it really is during election time? Sure, this does not account for a lot of the higher confidence in African Americans, but maybe for a bit of it. Also by simply having someone who one believes represents you in the highest state of power of a nation gives one a sense of empowerment. This is as if that group can do anything, because someone has already laid down the tracks. This is probably enough to show the flip in numbers.
There is also a bit of pressure against African Americans to support the “African American” president, just like women supported Hillary Clinton. To some people if one does not do this looks to be a form of betrayal and one loses respect from that group of people. I am not sure what effect this has on questions that just can be answered by showing their support to Obama.
Though the notion that MLK’s vision has been reached seems a bit too extreme. Obama has just started his presidency, and if his presidency is a flop –though it may be taboo for saying this- will MLK’s vision still be reached? There is so much riding on this precedent that maybe African Americans are trying to create a bigger buffer to success. Bettering the image permanently for African Americans and, as the professor said, take a swing at “white privilege”. Not meaning that Obama is destined to fail, that he is incapable, or that there is some fatal flaw somewhere in his presidency, it is just that African Americans as well as Obama supporters are hyping up his support to start Obama out in the best light that can be mustered. On the flip side, if his presidency is the best presidency in history, then a great stab will have been taken to what is left of racism in this nation. A great deal is riding on the level of success of Obama’s presidency, and it is too early to know if MLK’s dream has been realized regardless of how much confidence the choir has.
A few minutes after the election had been called for Barack Obama my phone rang. I was surprised to see that on the other end was my mother. She had called to make sure that I was going to watch his acceptance speech. She then admitted to me that for the first time in her life she had voted for a democrat. My mom a life-long republican had found a candidate whom she truly believed in and was willing to “cross party lines” to vote for him. She rambled on for about ten minutes mostly about how I would tell my children about this moment and how this would be one of those memories that I would never forget. However, amidst her celebration she made sure to remind me of a sobering fact, this was just a step, albeit a big one, along the road to equality. Despite all of her excitement she remained practical, because for her, his election was not a personal vindication of her race. She hadn’t had ancestors brutalized by slavery, and she had never suffered the indignities of segregated schools or been victimized by derogatory terms. As a white women my mom’s perspective was different from the millions of black people whose joy on that night was unquantifiable.
Even two months later, as Obama is being sworn in, blacks are still riding a roller coaster of emotions peaking with absolute ecstasy. So we shouldn’t be surprised when we hear that at this moment they are far more optimistic than white people. Of course they are more optimistic. While this is a historic time for everyone, it is a time that black people truly never envisioned would become a reality. One would have to be extremely pessimistic to not feel uplifted at this point. Eventually, the elation of the black community will subside and slowly it will become apparent that Martin Luther King’s dream has still yet to be completely achieved. The number of optimistic black people will drop slightly each month until it levels of. Of course there is another possibility. Obama’s presidency could provide a much-needed jolt to the nation when it comes racist policies and institutions. Perhaps black people are right to be optimistic. They may be able to see the big picture better than anyone else. Even if Martin Luther Kings dream has yet to be completely realized, Obama could be just the person to make it come true. In ten years the world could be rid of racial inequality. Optimistic? Maybe. But I have just seen the impossible come true. Now is the time to embrace the spirit of the black community, so that we too can feel their hope and determination.
There are many ways to view this changing perspective. In fact, there is an almost infinite amount of ways to view the fact that African Americans are now more optimistic than white Americans. Why is there so many ways to approach this now topsy turvy optimism shift because this is the question. There is no reason to collect data and then throw it out. Data of any kind, whether it is mathematical or sociology related, must be read and furthermore, interpreted. Data with no one interpreting what it means is just another useless statistic and there are millions upon millions of these in the world. So, what is there to do with this data? There is in fact a lot to do with it. The reason there are so many different views and interpretations to this shift is because everyone is entitled to their own opinion and they are entitled to interpret the problem for themselves. This means that many people will reach different conclusions. Now it is not a fair assumption to say that every race will have the same thoughts and conclusions drawn up, but I feel that it is a fair assumption that there will be some general patterns to some of the different interpretations. For example, as was stated in the blog, white people may, in a very general sense, be distressed over the shift in the balance in power that will inevitably occur. In contrast, African Americans are obviously more optimistic with the first black president and there could be a possible trend in people being less distresses or anxious about the subject of ethnic balance of power. This is what I feel to be the most affected races, but that is not to say that others don’t have opinions. Many other races will also tend to have trends in their thought patterns toward this subject and none of them should be ruled out. That is why there is no one definitive answer or one opinion that counts more than another. To incorporate the truth into the answer of what this statistic means one must be able to recognize this fact and furthermore be able to incorporate many different opinions into their thought process. As the power in the United States does inevitably start shifting from the majority of white people that control it and into the hands of the minorities, there will be many opinions that have previously been untested and theories and strategies that have not yet been uncovered because there will be a much more diverse ethnicity in power. This will reflect onto the people and help them because I feel that all peoples interests will be better carried and explained instead of just one group that controls the government.
Even though Barack Obama is now president, I am one of the people that disagree and say that Martin Luther King Jr’s dream has not yet been fulfilled. The inauguration of Obama was a huge and groundbreaking moment in history. I personally believe that MLK would not wanted to have this much attention on the election, his dream will be fulfilled when an African American president can be elected and it will no longer be a giant event in the news. The majority of the celebration seemed like it was just for the color of his skin, which is amazing, but it really should be for what he can accomplish. Obama is a very qualified person for the job, and the day that it is no big deal that there is an African American president, will be the day that MLK’s dream is fulfilled. The process of fulfilling his dream took a giant step in the right direction on the day of his inauguration. In my opinion, the majority of society views Obama’s family as a black family in the white house. It will be amazing when everyone can say, “Obama’s family is in the white house,” without using the world black. MLK wanted everyone to be equal; we are still far from equality. I think there would be much controversy if, for example, a black woman was president. In addition to moving in the right direction, our generation is accepting and open-minded to new things now. Older generations probably never thought they would live to see the day an African American president was sworn into office. Plus, it has been said that Obama has a new blackberry and he is incredibly connected with the public via technology. I highly doubt Bush is a very technological person at his age. The youth of the nation is able to see this and connect with him. Our generation wants to be involved and have a voice. More than ever, the youth is actively involved, one clear way was by voting in this election. It will be an amazing day when the color of one’s skin is of no importance in an election. Some people only voted for Barack because he is black, while that is the exact reason others did not vote for him. Both of those should not be reasons to sway a person to vote one way or another. The vote should be based on what can be accomplished by the nominee, not his color. When that is true, we will know that MLK’s dream has been accomplished. As for now, I believe we still have a long way to go. This was just a step in the right direction towards making the dream come true.
I don't trust polls. Maybe because i am one of those cynical white people or maybe its because i don't know much about statistics or maybe its because most of the time they really are not worth trusting.
I have a problem with the framing of the question and also what is drawn from it in the article. It is true that when Obama was born full fledged racism was all around. To say that we have not come along way would be a ludicrous statement and a flat out insult to all the people in the civil rights movement, some of whom lost there lives. To say that we have fulfilled Mlk’s dream is quite a different matter. If instead you asked a black person if they have experienced racism in there lives or if they feel or have seen whites getting more privileges than themselves, I think the outcomes would be quite different. I think the results of the poll show how much that having a black president in office means to the black community rather than it does the fulfillment of MLK’s dream.
The second issue I have with this is that whether or not anyone believes that MLK’s dream has come true or not, does not mean that his dream has been fulfilled. I need to look no further than our university to see that it has not. In a thesis by Robin Hoecker in 2002 called The Black and White Behind the Blue in White, she does a great job of chronicling the history of racism at Penn state and highlighting the racism that still exists at Penn state.
When you make the claim that Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has been fulfilled it means it is time to let your guard down. When you say his dream is fulfilled it means that all black children have an equal opportunity as white children. If you look at books like savage inequalities and the shame of a nation by Jonathan Kozol, you will find that we still have a long way to go and a lot of struggles to overcome before this nation is the one that MLK dreamed of.
MLK had a lot more dreams than ones only pertaining to race. He was strongly against the war in Vietnam. He said “America is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today”. If he were still alive he would agree that not much has changes on that front since the day he said that.
All of that being said, MLK words that he said the day before he died ring true now more than ever:
“Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.
And I don't mind.
Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!
And so I'm happy, tonight.
I'm not worried about anything.
I'm not fearing any man!
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!”
Martin Luther King’s dream has been partially fulfilled. Martin Luther King’s message was mainly about equality among every race (even though today in class we came to the conclusion that there is no such thing as race). With our 44th president being African-American, it shows that America, and Americans have come a long way. The fact that all people, no matter what color, can attend the same schools, obtain the same jobs, and maintain relationships with others of a different ethnicity without being punished for their actions is a great accomplishment. Nevertheless, Martin Luther King’s dream will not be fulfilled until discrimination and racism is completely gone; but I feel that blacks are becoming more optimistic because they are more appreciative of everything that is going on with the election of an African-American president. Although the election of Barack Obama did not eradicate racism, this is a huge leap for the African-American community, and it gives African-Americans a sense of hope, and a sense that change is sure to come for the African-American community. So instead of being called optimistic, I would rather say happy, filled with joy, and relieved. I say relieved because I have been holding my breath since Obama began his campaign, and I am so very ecstatic to have been able to exhale. I thought that America and the men at the top of the United States racial hierarchy would never give a black man a chance,but America has proved that they are willing to give at least a (half) black man a chance, versus no black man at all. I have been called a N***** before, for no reason might I add, so I know what discrimination feels like; it sucks!!! I am African-American, a woman, and a homosexual, so I know how it feels to be judged by your outward appearance, and discriminated against period. You are exactly right; blacks are on a spiritual high. The black community looks at Barack Obama as sort of a savior. Blacks, for so long have felt like their government has failed them, while whites on the other hand have been given privilege and opportunity from our government. For the first time in American history, Blacks have a little more faith in their government; and if they are still skeptical about our government, they damn sure have faith in this man we call Barack.
I think the fact that Barack Obama is half white is relevant and irrelevant at the same time, but I will say that I think the fact that he is half white helped him succeed in this election. Because of the “One Drop Rule” I pay no attention to him being half white. I wonder whether the whites in America are clinging to his white side and if the blacks of America are clinging to his black side? I can’t answer that but it is just a thought. But I do believe that the changes in the polls are a direct result of the happiness that blacks have recently been filled with.
The polls taken, immediately after the official election of the first black president, are largely based on a situational bias. With daily media attention and a new face to this nation, there is bound to be excitement with regards to our new black president. While Martin Luther King’s dream is well on its way to fulfillment, it is grossly overstated to claim it has been realized with our new president. Gang wars based on race still exist as well as discrimination in every corner of our society. While better masked, these injustices still exist today, though many measures are being taken to achieve this wonderfully optimistic dream.
Barack Obama, a fresh and untainted political figure, representing youth and a force of change in the otherwise stagnant, undesirable conditions of our once gleaming country, is a beacon of hope. Not only for blacks, but all those looking to see a new era for America. Without a doubt, we are well on our way to realizing the dream of Martin Luther King, and it would be inconceivable to consider this election as anything besides a monumental step in the right direction. Why, then, is the statistic of black optimism looming over that of whites? Easily, the population most affected by this sensation will be that with greatest degree of change. What the statistic does not necessarily display is the increase in whites’ belief of the dream’s realization.
White supremacy is most definitely in jeopardy as this statistic makes its debut, which is another contributing factor to the difference in opinion. The sentiment is not as much that Martin Luther King’s dream is coming to fruition, but that it is far more achievable with a majority electing a black man. White people, like it or not, represent the majority in this country, and so choose those who will lead. With the election of a black president, this is an obvious statement of acceptance for an entire race of people normally regarded negatively when it comes to race relations. Truly, we have witnessed the next most important event in the history of blacks in America, second only to the civil rights movement.
Personally, this has been a life defining moment for myself and many others very close to me. My parents, who have seen more than a few elections in their time, have said that this is, by far, the most exciting and momentous. I believe that watching Obama speak and implement change will be a highlight in this nation’s history and reputation. With this new president we have potentially begun a new era in American politics, and optimism is abundant in our nation. People are paying attention to politics, activism is becoming more prevalent, and the greatest threat to democracy, apathy, is slowly deteriorating. With this poll and the election of our first black president, I see a turning point in our country, and I find myself the proudest of our people as I have ever been.
While I agree that our nation has come a long way in terms of equality, I cannot accept that we are even close to where we need to be. Barack Obama’s victory for presidency was an important step for America and consequentially for the world; however, we need to realize as people, that just because there is a change within the color of the president doesn’t mean that things are better. What matters is how we treat one another on a daily basis. I don’t think Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream will ever be fully realized because as a society we place emphasis on image. Flesh shapes the day when it comes down to it and I don’t see how we will ever get around that. I hear things almost everyday about skin color, whether it be a black person say something along the lines of “look at that white boy”, during a basketball game or a white person say something of “black people don’t play hockey”. Even if we don’t intend to be mean about what we say, skin color is so engrained in our judgments that we cannot get around it. What matters just as much as how you treat someone from a different race, is how you treat someone from your own race. Why can you spread hatred to someone of your own skin color but if you are nice to someone of different skin color then that is okay. We as humans are never going to fully respect and get along with every single person, so I don’t see how we can move forward because there is always going to be hatred in our world.
I am glad Barack Obama is our president because I think he can be a symbol of hope for people, however, it is very easy to talk but what matters is our actions. Barack Obama was able to run for president because he had the money to do so being in the upper class. I think real hope for America is when someone from the lower class or middle class is able to build a campaign and be given an opportunity to run for president. This is the kind of true America that makes sense to me, when we all actually do have equal opportunities, not just those with money. Just because a black man is president does not mean anything is necessarily going to be different. The money and class issue is what divides us more than race. If we can topple the race issue then that would be great, but until we find a way for money equality, there are always going to be problems. It would be interesting to see if white people were the ones who struggle more with poverty and if so, would poverty even exist?
I can’t respond to this blog as an African American (because I am not one), but I can speak on behalf of what I felt when I watched Obama at the inauguration. Let me begin by explaining my background: I am a conservative white upper middle class male who has always supported the Republican Party and I am in that minority that voted for McCain (and yes I know who his running mate was). I followed the election fairly closely during the last few months and I really did not agree with many of Obama’s platforms and positions. The night of the election I was greatly disappointed and angry; all I could think about was how much money this guy was going to take from my family. I felt like he had taken all my ambition away; I figured why make a lot of money if he is just going to tax me more and more. I hate to say it since it was said so many times during the campaign trial, but it felt like communism.
Now, it is easy to understand how this election affected me: I was pissed off, hurt, angry, felt let down for waiting in a two hour line for a vote that didn’t even seem to count. However, all that changed when I sat down and watched Obama’s inaugural speech. I watched him speak and it sent chills down my spine. For the first time ever I realized what was actually happening. I thought about Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King, the hundreds of thousands of people who were enslaved, those who were oppressed for hundreds of years. I thought about how many African Americans had lived a life of complete segregation and had probably assumed that their lives would never change and that their race would always be regarded as sub-human. And also those African Americans who had lived those same lives but had believed; had believed that one day their grandchildren or their children would see some sort of equality. I mean think about those who just fought so hard just to be able to sit in the front of a bus or drink out of the same water fountain… they couldn’t even begin to ponder what it would be like to have a black president.
So some people are wondering why the black community is so ecstatic if the guy is only half black anyway. I answer to that what I feel like most African Americans would… WHO CARES!? It doesn’t matter what percentage he is; the fact is he identifies himself as African American and everyone who looks at him or hears him speak identifies him as African American. The truth is in what we make it, it is public perception that creates reality. As far as I can see it the overwhelming majority of the world believes we elected a black president and therefore, so do I.
I believe that the numbers represented in those studies are so because of the quiet white racist minority. There is a group of white people, one of which I am friends with, and I’m sure many other Obama supporting white people know. This group is relatively quite, they don’t say racist things to black people and they don’t go around burning crosses and yelling white power, but they believe that deep down black people are uneducated savages. My friend, who I’ve know for many years, sent me a video link on some web site I have never heard of that featured a tribe in Africa doing a traditional tribal dance while the song “movin’ on up” played in the background. The video was created by a group called “white now” (get it? It sounds just like “right now”. This is a cleverness level reached only by A+ 3rd graders) and the video ended with a picture of Obama with a monkey’s tail, waving and saying “Vote for me or I’ll throw poop at you!” (once again, the cleverness is overwhelming). I feel as though because these people exist, this is why most white people do not believe that Martin Luther King’s dream has been reached. I’m not saying that most white people are like this. I’m saying that this group of white people only reveals their racism to other whites because they feel that because of our skin color we all obviously think the same things. This group, plus all the white people that know these other whites I think are the reason that it seems people are not optimistic about Martin Luther King’s dream.
I think that this group of people has come around out of fear. Just like you said in your blog, I think there is definitely something to white people being afraid of this shift in power. For the past 200 some years white people could sit back and be comforted by the fact that there was a white man in the white house, and if them uneducated colored folk got out of hand he would be able to stand up and say “get back in your place son, or I’ll send the military after your ass”. Now that a man of African lineage is in the white house some are afraid that he is going to bring about an uprising of biblical proportions and lead the oppressed black minority to get revenge for being enslaved and dragged from their homeland by turning the tides and enslaving the white people. Now of course very few people believe this extreme, but there is definitely a large group of white people that see this as a real possibility now that there is a black man in office.
Tom Szedlmayer
Section #30
You know how people say history repeats itself? Well, this country has its first (half) black president. That’s something new! I do feel as though times have changed and that America has voted Mr. Obama for president because he is the best person for the job. To me, it wasn’t about the color of his skin. I think for a lot of people it wasn’t about his skin color. People wanted to change positions in the White House. Although I did not vote for him, I will stand behind him. I think for the college aged generation we didn’t think about the color of his skin because we are past that. Race discrimination isn’t on our mind. We are worried about having jobs after graduation and we needed a president who will help secure jobs for us, among other things. We will see what he can do. I agree with the girl in class that said we have not reached MLK’s dream because we still SEE the color of Obama’s skin. Have we made huge progress? YES we have. The United States still has a ways to go though. This is the first election, and historic moment that I am proud to be apart of. Who knows that the future of his presidency may bring but change is always good. I identify as white and I think that some white people do have second thoughts about a black man being president. But lets be real, its 2009, it was only a matter of time until anyone, not necessarily a black person, ran for the job. Let’s turn the tables a little bit. Let’s pretend Mr. Obama didn’t run and Hilary Clinton had won. People would be making a huge deal that a woman was president. We would be saying how historic it is, and blah, like how now, people are talking about how there is a young, QUALFIIED, black man now in office. Black, white, yellow, green…who cares? All I want is some who is qualified for the job. Someone who can kick butt in the White House and clean up America’s name in the eyes of the world. Having a non-white president is probably something that people thought that they’d never see, but I think it was never a far fetched idea; it was only a matter of time. I think MLK would be very proud of this moment in time. We as a country are taking huge leaps to become a better place. I watched the MTV youth Inaugural party and it was focusing on helping others. I think that Mr. Obama’s presidency will focus on just that, helping one another to make the entire world a better place. A new president, whoever it may be, is a new chapter for the country and that is always a good change.
I feel privileged to have been alive during Barack Obama’s campaign and seeing him be elected as our first black President of the United States. This was an event that will never be forgotten in United States history and an experience that we can share with our children someday. As far as saying that Martin Luther King’s vision has been fulfilled I do not think that we have quite made it to that point yet, but all great things happen in steps and this was a huge leap in the right direction. The older generations may feel like his vision has been accomplished because they saw first hand the segregation and inequalities that took place, making this feel like “hell did freeze over.” Looking back at the status blacks once had in our country and now seeing the highest position being filled by a familiar face brings hope that this country will one day fulfill MLK’s vision. The 69% of blacks that do think his vision has been fulfilled are just excited about what just happened to the United States, so why not allow them to be optimistic? Clearly it has not reached to the point where blacks and whites are treated equally considering there were many people that were against Obama just for his color when in my opinion he was the better candidate for the job (and it also went the other way as African Americans voted for him just because of his color). It’s a poor excuse not to vote for someone because of their skin color but that proves right there that we have not fulfilled MLK’s vision quite yet. In my opinion his vision was for more than getting a black person into the highest power position but more for every color to be looked at equally. Our country still has a long way to go before there are equal rights between blacks and whites and just because the president is half black does not mean that those racist people in the world dropped their opinions about black people. The 46% of white people that agreed that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled probably do see this as a huge change for our country and hope to continue to see more astonishing changes with equal rights. Having President Obama in the White House was an eye-opener for many people to see what this country can overcome and put hope back into the people that didn’t think this day would ever happen. I think many people are afraid of what Obama was campaigning which was change. No one likes change and everyone worries about how this change is going to occur and if it’s going to actually make a difference to our country at the time we need it most. Change is what this country needs right now though and I hope that many of the white people that feel uncomfortable with this situation loosen up and see how this is a great accomplishment.
As a Black American I don’t believe that Dr. King’s dream has been completely fulfilled. I think we still have some more work to do as Americans to make his dream a reality or complete. I think Dr. King’s dream won’t be fulfilled until racism does not exist anymore. In his Speech, Dr. King describes how we won’t be free until all people are free, not just Blacks but Asians, Hispanic, Native Americans, and all races. Dr. King worked to promote non-violence and peace. He wanted everyone to live together in peace without violence. If you look around we are not living in peace with guns on the streets and people killing other people. So as long as there are wars, violence, and racism Dr. King’s dream will not be fulfilled. The election of President Barack Obama as the 44th president is a start. We made a really big step towards making his dream come true. We just put a man of color in the highest office in this country. We just made history!!!!!!!! When I think about the weeks leading up to the inauguration, I would often think back to when Obama was elected, on November 4th 2008 we reached a milestone in American History. A milestone for all of the people that suffered in the Civil Rights Movement or for all the slaves that were beaten, mutilated, or even killed. This is for the people who fight so hard for Black Americans to have the right to vote or sit on the front of the bus. As I watched the Election I didn’t even see when the last electoral votes came in but turned around to see the message on TV screen saying “Obama Elected” It took me a minute to realize what I was reading and immediately after I jumped for joy. As I continued to watch the election seeing all of the people crying and cheering from the results made me feel overjoyed. I thought I would never see this in my lifetime. I know if I never thought I would see a Black president I know for sure the people of the Civil Right Era even my grandparents never thought they would. I can see why some people would say that his dream has been fulfilled because this is something we as Black Americans thought would never come. To watch as the first black man take the oath as President was something I will never forget. As I am writing this blog I become more and more overjoyed at what has been accomplished with this election. No Dr. King’s dream has not been fulfilled but we have made one huge step trying to make his amazing dream a beautiful reality.
After reading the blog entry, it really did shock me that African American in this country would be more optimistic towards racial equality than white people in the United States. While I do agree with the fact that we can attribute this success to the “high” of election, I personally believe there are more factors counted towards the results of the poll. Let’s pretend for a second that this election didn’t happen at all, and we are back in 20005. Ask someone why do you think white and black in this country are not equal? Well, I can bet a common answer would be “ we never had an African American president.” All of our presidents shares many common trait, for example, male, religious, attended top colleges and graduate schools, good-looking (as some would agree) and lastly all white. When asked why don’t we think white and black are equal, it really is difficult to answer. I mean, we share the same law, same “opportunity”, the same land. The most obvious answer would be, well the top position in this country have never been filled by a black men (or women). However with the victory of Obama, this has changed. This one thing that we can see has changed. Martin Luther King is best know for his “I have a dream” speech, where he said people would not judge others on the bases of there skin but who they are. What does a black president mean? It means that this predominantly white country has chose a men to lead them that is black. After generations of fighting for equal rights, this is perhaps the biggest event in a single moment of history that changes everything. Let’s think of about this, what is the one thing that could prove, we as a country treat African American as the same as white? The answer to that would be to have a black president.
From the white point of view, less people expressed positive feelings towards this election win. That’s because most believe that a black president is not the end of racial discrimination, but rather a step forward, which I agree with. While most do not discriminate again others based on the color of their skin, there are some that do. And overall in the election, we can say Obama is a more qualified candidate than McCain. However, if two are equal in everything, but their race is different, this election might have a very different result. Due to these thoughts, most white people might not see this as achieving King’s vision but as a major turning point towards that goal. In conclusion, whether or not this is what King’s dream, we can say for sure that this is a major milestone in history and is for a better future.
Hongyun Wang
sec 27
I think after watching the videos on Ole Miss and hearing the student in lecture talk about her mother crying on the day of the inauguration about how much the whole election of Barack Obama meant to her, one can say that the vision of Martin Luther King has taken a big step, but a lot still needs to be done for his vision to be fulfilled to the potential he dreamed of. As a white person, I do not feel nervous about having our racial universe turned on its head. I think that having a "half-black" president plays a huge part in our country today when it comes to race. I am hoping that by having Barack Obaba as our president that the question of race will be lower and different races will be able to co-exist more.
I agree with Blake where he says that if all black people said that Martin Luther King's vision had been fulfilled and that the social movement would be over. I still feel that more has to be done in order for blacks to feel equal and that a lot still needs to be done for this to take place.
I think that one thing these poll results show is the internal stereotypes and racism that a lot of white people have against black people. As Dr. Richards has talked about in class, a lot of white people are uncomfortable around black people and just talking about race in general. I don’t want to admit it, but it’s definitely true. I think this internal uncomfortableness about facing race makes a lot of white people believe that we have made a lot less progress than we really have. Externally it may appear as though Dr. King’s dream has been achieved, but really, internally, the discrimination still exists, it’s just not as obvious.
I grew up in a very “PC” (Politically Correct) conscious family. When my grandfather says something racist we all look at each other in shock and say POPPOP YOU CAN’T SAY THAT! I wouldn’t consider myself racist, but I definitely feel as though I act differently around black people. I think about everything I say, making sure that it is politically correct. This makes it almost impossible for me to have a comfortable, open, conversation with someone who is black. I feel as though I should not be thinking this way, I should be as comfortable talking with a black friend as a white friend...but due to our PC obsession in America I am constantly questioning whether I am offending someone or not. I think that a lot of white Americans have this same feeling and therefore feel as though we have a lot farther to go until really achieving Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream.
In terms of rights and equality, we have definitely improved leaps and bounds. In terms of interactions between races, we have also improved, but I think we have A LOT farther to go. People are still identified by their race and stereotypes are still rampant. You can still find lots of neighborhoods populated by a majority of black people and neighborhoods with all white people. The income gap between black and white is definitely still there, in the white people’s favor. White supremacy exists all over the world. These are all ways in which Dr. King’s dream is not being achieved.
Looking around campus, you can easily see different groups of people who have split off into their specific groups by appearance. I think this is because these are the people we feel most comfortable around. They are people we can relate to. In reality, if we just take down the Political Correctness shield it would be easier to get to know the people around us, we would look at race in a much more realistic way, and overall I think that relationships between races would be easier to achieve.
To start off I would just like to say I am not sure I completely understand the whole premise of the question, “ Has Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream been realized?” Is that to say that by answering yes to this question that at this moment in time all men are created equal? Yes, we now have a black president and I do not mean to take away from that. But just because we have elected a black politician to the highest office, does that mean it can’t get any better? Not trying to be cynical or pick apart MLK’s words, but electing an official of color and saying that all men are created equal in this country are not the same thing. Have we made progress from where we were? Yes. That is not the issue in question. I’m just not sure I like the question, “ Do you think his dream has been realized,” because it makes it sound like, “Hooray we did it!” while I feel that we still have a ways to go, ya know? In the workplace, we are far from equality. I took 2 seconds to google the wage gap between races and even in 2008/9 black men are making only 75% of what white men do for the same job, and for Hispanic men that number is about 60%. For women, these numbers are even worse. So like I said, p
Although I do not like the question itself, I will say it is a positive thing that more people, from all ethnic backgrounds, are starting to have more faith in our system in terms of equality. If we are to continue making progress, we must have a positive attitude towards it.
Another thing I don’t understand is the use of the words “half-black president.” What is this? I have never heard this description until I walked into this class. Was I aware that both of his parents weren’t black? Yes. But throwing that into speech, “on the eve of a (half) black president…” What? What is that? Now I’m not a history major, but I don’t recall you getting any breaks during the slavery period or segregation times if you were (half) black. I feel that to say that almost takes away from his accomplishments as if to say in 50 years we’re going to look back on this election and have great pride in the fact that for the 44th presidential election we elected out first (half) black president. To me what is truly shocking about this whole election is that generally when a nation goes into economic turmoil and when problems start to arise, the nation moves more towards greater nationalism and greater conservative views. With the status of the country’s (world’s) economy not likely to get back to where it was very soon, I hope the openness to differences in race continues.
I find it very surprising that more black Americans (as you said, 69%) believe that MLK’s vision has been realized, but at the same time, maybe it makes sense—especially in comparison with their white counterparts in the poll. In my mind, it’s possible that black Americans see Obama’s presidency as a gateway into opening further locked racial doors. That it’s Obama who will further the dreams of MLK as president. Because Obama’s election was so historical, we have hurdled a certain obstacle as American voters. But, the fact is that doesn’t mean someone else who is running for office, or anything significant for that matter, who is half black and half white will win. Barack Obama is highly qualified no MATTER what race or color he is. If another “biracial”—but more visibly “Black”---candidate runs in the future, that doesn’t mean he will win. And if he doesn’t, does MLK’s vision get set back? I wouldn’t think so, but I wouldn’t put all hopes in Barack for opening the doors for OTHER black Americans. He is responsible for his OWN success because he is a highly capable, skilled, and intelligent man. He won the public over because of his message of change, his hope, and his own qualifications. I do not think that he is giving a “free ticket” to any or every other Black candidate to win another election or something significant in the American society. I feel very compassionately that he won the election for himself. I only hope that he can make the challenge easier for other Black Americans, but once again, I truly believe he was an exceptional person who captured the American audience with his intelligence and qualifications. I feel like no matter what your race is, or gender (as we saw in this previous election, twice), that you need to prove your abilities and inner strength for yourself. I do think Barack’s holding office will HELP future minorities with entering the larger political ring, but they will need to win American’s votes by presenting their own story---not saying, “Well, Barack won! What about me?”. And the same goes for voters, White or Black. We must vote and choose our leader on important factors---race NOT being one of them. We cannot vote on race. We need to vote on the person, regardless of his or her skin tone. To me, if Barack Obama was white, or black, or black and white, or whatever, he won because he was the best qualified candidate. I think it clearly opens doors for the future biracial and Black American politicians and candidates, don’t get me wrong. I just think in the future, people will still need to fight just as hard to win an election.
What is the big fuss about having a non-white president? Honestly, I feel that having a black president is not a big deal at all. I actually think it is best for our country and exactly what we need at this time. We have certainly improved our racism issues throughout the United States. However, I personally wouldn’t go as far as “overcoming Martin Luther King’s dream.” First of all, by the stats given, the blacks that feel as if his dream has been fulfilled are one percent lower than the whites that feel the same way.
Now, with that stated, I still do not feel that the blacks are more or less optimistic over the white population of America. However, the close percentage between the two shows that we are slowly overcoming racism as a whole. I believe that we have made drastic improvements with racism in the United States, but there are obviously various people out there who still have hatred built up inside them.
On a side note, I feel that those who are most racist in this country are actually older men and women who have either gone through the terrible decades of this abhorrence, or who have been brought up by those who have.
Now back to the percentages; those who agree that we have overcome Martin Luther King’s dream is still very low in comparison to those who don’t agree. About 65% of Black and White Americans agree with the fact that just because a half-black man has been elected for president, doesn’t mean that all racism will suddenly disappear and everything will become perfect. The world will never become perfect; we can only hope for the world to become a happier and safer place to live, and that is exactly how some people feel about Obama and what he can do for our country. They feel that he will answer their prayers and help improve our country as a whole. That is one reason why I feel Barack Obama was elected for America’s 44th President. In addition to his qualifications, he can connect to different types of people in so many different ways, including his age and color.
Now some of you may feel as though because I am a white woman, this is only how other white women feel. Well you are wrong. My boyfriend happens to be black and also has similar views. He feels as though racism in America will certainly decrease, but there will always be some people out there who just don’t like anyone who happens to be slightly different from them. He also believes that many people, including blacks, specifically did not vote for Obama because of his color, possibly because he was half black and half white. But even though there are some people like this, because he was elected president, it shows that there are less and less people who feel this way than we thought there were. So despite the fact that less than 50% of Americans feel as though we have fulfilled Martin Luther King’s dream, it is no question whether we have improved on racism over the years.
I have a few opinions concerning these poll numbers and their obvious change due to our current political situation. I feel strongly that the tremendous increase in blacks in America feeling as though Martin Luther King’s vision has been fulfilled goes hand in hand with the immense media coverage and the “hype” this election has caused throughout the entire nation, and even the world. I would be very curious to see the results of a similar poll after Barack Obama has had adequate time in office to implement the many changes he has talked about and supports and to compare those results to the current sixty-nine percent that feel the “vision” has been reached. In other words, will and could Obama’s performance in the White House affect the feelings of blacks in America and ultimately differ from the current sixty-nine percent? I also feel as though the negative outlook that seems to go along with the Bush administration (9/11, Katrina, War in Iraq) most definitely affected these poll results. I believe that this ideology may pertain more toward the fact that white people do not even come close to the feeling of blacks in America regarding MLK’s vision being fulfilled. Even more so, the fact that white people have not truly lived through and experienced the oppression, segregation, and racism in our country to the extent that blacks in America have would most definitely contribute to the reasoning behind why only forty-six percent of whites feel the vision has been fulfilled. It is almost as though black people in America have “won” something or have gained a respectable black figure in another area other than entertainment and sports. And what more would feed the feeling of Martin Luther King’s vision being fulfilled other than having a “black” president? There are numerous famous, respectable black figures in our nation’s society, but none have or can compare to what Obama has done; becoming the first president who has not been white. What other single feat could a black American have accomplished to help reach MLK’s vision? In my opinion I do not believe there is anything else any other black in America could have done to even come close to the current presidential situation and this is another factor that contributes to the reasoning of the poll results. Personally, I do not fit into the category of a black American so it is difficult to determine the true reasoning for why such a tremendous amount of blacks in America feel the way they do. Despite this fact, I feel as though electing a “black” president will not solve all the racial problems and dilemmas that black Americans may encounter in the United States, but it is definitely a step in the right direction.
I think hell is far from freezing over but definitely working its way up to that point and will probably succeed in the next few years. Electing a half black president (who everyone will call "black", I'll vent more about this later) I think is going to start a snowball effect for the next decade of seeing how far we can push the limits with things. I feel that racism is getting set up for a huge change but whether it be a good or bad one, I have not decided yet.
I have never been a political specialist or even followed it enough to really know what I am talking about with qualified candidates and their goals or even the ability to back up what they are preaching about. I do know that we are entering into an increased racial awareness program that is enforced by the democrats. I strongly feel that this election was 50% race based and 50% qualification based. The number of minorities who recently registered to vote I believe has drastically increased just because they wanted to see one of their own in office. Not to say he was the wrong or right choice, but that is the wrong way to go about it. Also, I believe that there were a lot of white people who voted for other parties for the racial reason. Aside from those people, the democrats still voted democrat for the most part, and the poor also voted for Obama because of the tax issue. Knowing some wealthy families, no matter what party they were in, They all told me to vote for McCain just based off of how much money they are going to lose if Obama won. The point could be argued that a "black" president is trying to secure the vote amongst his racial group by offering this taxing situation that is going to benefit the less wealthy.
The next issue that I have a problem with is him being called black. I just had an interesting conversation with a friend who is dating a half black man while I was brainstorming for this response. I feel that a term needs to be appointed to a half black half white person. Labeling a person who is half white and half black as black seems wrong to me. They are not black, nor are they white so calling them one or the other is going to result in a touchy situation. I have a friend who plays that card. When something goes wrong he responds with "is it because I'm black?!" but he also uses his half white background to define himself as fully white as well.
In the end, all the people who supported black movements are all very proud of how this is playing out and I feel that our country has come a long way in the past 50 years.
Regardless of poll results, I don't think that I can comfortably say that we have ascended to the kind of societal utopia that MLK JR was talking about when he gave his speech. I will concede the point that America is closer to coming to terms with its violent, bloodied, condescension towards minorities than it has ever been; however, I do not believe at this time that the election of a black president is closure on this treatment. I would love to believe that white Americans are capable of the kind of transformation that this election seems to have propagated, but I struggle to put that much faith in a country with so many racially discriminatory practices towards minorities. The very economic crisis that we currently endure is at least partially attributed to mortgage companies targeting minorities with sub-prime loan practices for Christ's sake. That being said, I think it becomes quite evident that I remain bitter about the discrepancy between how the nation responds, and how it functions (in this case, being able to purchase a house without being red lined or steered as a minority).
Alternately, for many blacks who have lived through and endured the bloody history and racism and seen this election's result, Obama's victory really is catharsis. For them, the reality of Obama's election is an answer to all the prayer, protest, blood, sweat, and determination that has been poured into the civil rights movement for decades. It really is closure for some of them, and that is not something to be taken lightly. Nor is it a point that you can refute, or a victory that you can take away.
Ultimately what concerns me is not whether or not America grow under president Obama (because it will), but rather the point at which these kinds of polls and questions will no longer be necessary. If you really have to poll, question, and debate about whether or not equality has been achieved in America, my inclination is to say that in posing the question, you already have an answer.
Of course, at the risk of sounding insane, that is not to say that I believe this will ever be the case. Instead, I pray that the kind of optimism that Obama has placed into the black community, and the country as a whole, will continue to inspire and motivate people to push, burn, and fight for change.
I agree with the polling that 69% of blacks in America believe in MLK’s vision. I think it is fantastic that just forty years ago, the American began to change from just one man’s ideas. I am also amazed that no matter how long blacks have been oppressed, there is now, just 41 years after the famous “I Have a Dream” speech, there is an African American President of the United States of America, the first of many.
I like to see that the civil rights movement has proven successful, no matter the enormous span of time it took, since slavery ended and integration was finally established. We Americans look today and even though there is still evidence of racism in many parts of the south as well as the rest of the country, but those numbers have dropped substantially. Most of these racial outcries, however, have been brought upon how children in today’s society are raised. If our parents grew up with negative visions of the black race, then our children are raised the same way. I feel that given our new president, who has made history forever to come, not too far into the future I feel that racism will be completely eradicated.
It was a sight to see back in November when Barack Obama was officially recognized as the President-elect, and every person of color in the crowd, coming out to support one of their own as fulfilling a historic milestone with tears in their eyes. Even celebrities of high composure couldn’t fight back tears as Rev. Al Sharpton was focused on camera with a tear rolling down his cheek. Then came January 20, inauguration day, even more tears emerged as everyone in the massive crowd finally realized that “the dream” had come true and history had truly been made.
I hate to bring up something that is “make-believe” but many have felt that Dennis Haysbert’s portrayal of the first African American President, David Palmer in the television show 24 had something to do with Obama’s election as the 44th President. I believe that he did: the show was such a hit when it first aired because of its unorthodox style and its subject matter that had come just after September 11th, but with Haysbert’s characters’ style and politics, viewers and other Americans alike began to believe that such a change may be possible in the near future. It just took a man with the composure, ability and ideas to participate in such an election, and Barack Obama was that man. I think it is kind of funny that when he first appeared as a candidate no one knew who he was or that he had a chance, but look at the world now – the nation was ready for a change and it came. MLK set the dream and a day after his very own national holiday, the dream came true.
The election of Barack Obama has sparked a new refreshing attitude towards equal rights and the fulfillment of Martin Luther King’s dream. This election represents how far we have come as a nation in breaking down racial barriers. The fact that black slaves built many of the buildings in Washington for Barack Obama to use in the future just blows my mind. When I talk to my parents and people in the older generations they would have never predicted the election of black president. The way I see it, each new generation is more open minded than the last, and we are making great progress in many areas of our society.
This election is a huge step towards equality in the United States; however, I still think we have a long way to go to fully accomplish MLK’s vision. In order to make all citizens of the United States fully equal, it is going to take some time and hard work. With the election of a black president, we are bound to break down many racial barriers in the future. This election tops off everything that the members of the civil rights movement fought for. One of them most powerfully quotes that I recently came across was, “Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could walk. Martin Luther King walked so Obama could run. Obama ran so we can all fly.”
The polls discussed in this blog entry represent the changing attitudes of both whites and blacks towards racism in our country. It is a monumental period in history for black people in our country and they have good reason to be optimistic. The election of a black president was only a dream in the past and now it is a reality. On the other hand, it is quite shocking to me of how pessimistic white people responded in these polls. I would have expected to see closer numbers when responding to the question, “Has Martin Luther King’s vision been fulfilled?” Given that 69 percent of blacks in America believe that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled, I would guess that at least 55 to 60 percent of whites would agree. In reality it was 46 percent!? These figures caught me off guard. In the past white people were more optimistic towards equality and now the tables have turned. As said in class, many white people often avoid discussing race. Is this the case or are people trying to avoid the fact that we are ever so close to obtaining equality? I agree with the blog entry, when it says that white people may be nervous of having, “their racial universe turned on its head.” Are white people afraid of what the future may bring?
Did Hell Just Freeze Over?
Cayla Rasi
For most of history, white people have been thinking that they can always be in charge because they can “rule” around or “boss” around people of color – and look, for the FIRST time the United States have elected a black president to lead the country. No wonder why white people have become such pessimists – it’s because they are scared shitless.
This may not necessarily go with any specific race, but when I think of all of the white people down in the south of the country, I stereotype these people as conservative and very close minded. Look at the blue and red map of the United States in the New York Times the day after Obama was elected president. It shows where the majority of democrats were and where the majority of republicans were – now, how obvious is it that the deep southern citizens don’t want change? When I say “change” I am not referring to Obama’s “vote for change,” rather I am talking about how many “traditional” American’s are afraid to break a tradition of electing a white man as president.
Black people have also been given many different moments in history to build up their optimism in regard to building their future equal opportunities with other Americans. This is why they are so optimistic. If this poll was to be taken during the time of Martin Luther King and his “I have a dream” speech, I’m sure that blacks would be just as optimistic, although I don’t think the white people statistic of being so pessimist would be much of a change because of the time in history.
Also, MLK was leading people to understand that blacks should be equal, but he was just making speeches and spreading his opinion out by word. At first Obama did the same (campaigning) and I don’t think that so many people were worried when he was simply campaigning and teaching people what he wanted to do for the country as president. But as soon as he was elected to truly impact the country and the WORLD – people freaked out a bit and panicked. It’s the first time that people are having to get out of their comfort zone, and whether they like it or not they are going to have to prepare themselves for at least four (hopefully Obama will do a great job and he will have 8 years) years of having a black president.
This poll needs to be taken again after a couple of years have gone by during Obama’s presidency, because I strongly believe that this statistic will change and white people will become more optimistic, just as much as blacks. Although right now, it’s very sad that white people are not just as happy as blacks for Obama’s presidency. We do actually need change, and if it means people sucking it up and getting out of their comfort zone to get it done – then so be it.
Does the saying “live in the moment” not answer the question of how those poll results came to be? During Dr. King’s historic speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, he spoke of how America should be “when the bright day of justice emerges.” With all that he dreamed of, who’s to say that day hasn’t finally begun to emerge? All progress and change starts with efforts such as the ones way back in 1963. All of those efforts have been pushing forward in hopes of a monumental day such as January 20, 2009. There is nothing wrong with being optimistic. OK, everything is not perfect, but does true perfection exist? As time passes, the needs and wants of perfection constantly change.
But for now, an epic occasion has occurred. The polls show that people are living in the moment today. Finally Dr. King’s quote: “those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content, will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual,” has been fulfilled because the nation has returned to business as usual, but this time with an African American commander-in-chief.
The poll asks if people think his dream has been fulfilled, and it has. Sure there is still racism in the nation, but why not take the glass half full approach. Fulfilled can mean carried out, satisfied, content and happy. Well then, why should it be so shocking that 69 percent of blacks in America are satisfied and happy? It has been forty-six years since Martin Luther King Jr. and the thousands of other Americans both black and white marched on Washington DC Now a little less than half a century later, thousands have again gathered in Washington DC to witness what was probably once just a hope or dream to many back in 1963.
People are persisting and denying the poll results because racism still exists. As mentioned in the blog “in March 2008, the poll numbers were as unnewsworthy as they were predictable: 34 percent of black respondents said "yes," compared with 35 percent of white respondents,” this continues on further to mention even lower amounts in the previous years. Well this is a new year, and just twenty days into this new year change and history has occurred. People are excited about it. How else would the poll results be so dramatically different?
In 2010, the poll results may change, but the events of 2009 still have occurred. So yeah, racism still exists there’s no denying it and in the long run there is still a long ways to go. At the same time, look at how far we have come. Forty-six years ago people could have been saying the same exact thing. Did they have any idea that in less than fifty years a black man would be ruling the country? If that was such a huge and unforeseeable step, then what will the poll results be in another forty-six years from now? We might still be saying “we have a long way to go,” but people could easily say “well look at the poll results from 2009, and look at just how far we have come.”
The fact that 69% of black people believe that MLK's dream has been realized is surprising when we take a step back and look around just how unequal everything really is even now with a black president. Even from some members of my own family I am horrified and disgusted by ignorant viewpoints and inherent racism. It appears to be most pronounced in older more conservative generations who just can’t seem to get past the old ideologies of their childhoods. Maybe I shouldn’t blame them. After all, we are all shaped by social forces outside of our control, right? But I can’t help but become angered by their arrogance and unwillingness to change with the times. Or at least open up their eyes a little. Maybe it’s the southern background that lays this foundation, although I am not even too sure of that. Living in upstate NY my entire life, I have seen racism in the woodwork that nobody will fess up to. We say we believe in equality and everyone has equal opportunity, but yet when I tell my grandmother about my gay friend or black roommate her eyes swell with horror? I can’t even imagine her reaction if I also had a Mexican boyfriend.
Maybe fewer whites agree that MLK’s dream has been realized because they know it has not. They know because they still are prejudiced in their hearts and just can’t seem to get past it. I would like to think I am being overly pessimistic, and perhaps I am. I know of many people who appear to have overcome the race issue, or at least are working very hard to do so (although I must say, most are either from my own generation or have a PhD). But even among my peers, I hear seemingly harmless off-color jokes about different races or lifestyles. I don’t care if your best friend is black; these jokes are hurtful and inappropriate given our history. Would they tell these same jokes to a room full of black people? Doubtful.
For sure, the mere fact that a black president finally made it to the white house is a momentous stride in achieving MLK’s dream. Obama will be a leader in the steps to working toward this goal. He will show the white world that black people are just like them, and black people that change is finally coming. I think this is something that almost everyone in America is excited about, like his politics or not. But until the day when my grandmother smiles at me with pride when I tell her that I am marrying a black man and that her grandson is gay, I can’t agree with the statement that MLK’s dream has been fulfilled.
These numbers are absolutely ridiculous... and it's very true that there may be many different explanations for them.
Right now, I feel as though this country is looking through rose-colored glasses. Not to say that is a bad thing, because the glasses the country have been looking through the past couple of years have been any color but rose. Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely thrilled that we, as a nation, have been able to take such a step as electing an African American (or whatever we need to say in order to be politically correct)president.
However, I feel as though MLK's dream to have a totally equal United States is not totally complete. On the same token, I'm not sure that complete equality is achievable. Race is something that everyone notices the first time they meet a person. Whether or not it is consciously noted is a different story, but the truth of the matter is that race is a factor in all of our lives.
In his "I Have a Dream" speech, MLK said, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." In this respect, with the election of Barack Obama, I feel as though King's children can rest assured. We truly did elect this president based on the content of his character.
However, to stop now and think "Well, MLK's vision has been fulfilled. Let's pack up our things. Mission accomplished;" would be foolish. After taking such a huge leap as a nation, we should all be encouraged to continue to take more steps, if not only in our own little worlds.
Back to the original point of black Americans being more optimistic to white Americans -- awesome. It's about time there was a little more hope and optimism in this country. And if nothing else, I hope the rose-colored glasses that Barack Obama has been able to put on Americans of every race stay put for the next 8 years.
Just think back to what was happening 50+ years ago with the Civil Rights movement and all that jazz. The world went insane when segregation was eliminated. There were so many white people that hated when segregation was eliminated! My generation looks back at those days and really can't fathom how terrible it must have been for society. Simply eliminating separate water fountains, bathrooms, and other things changed everything. But did it really? There is still so much racism in this world. There are still slaves in this world. More slaves than ever actually.
The other day, the United States of America took one big step. MLK's dream was fulfilled as Obama took his seat in the Oval Office. Whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Christian, Muslim, Athiest, Agnostic, whatever... something big happened the other day. Having a half-white and half-black man as our president makes us, as a people, that much closer together. We went 43 terms with a white president. 43 TERMS! And just now, in 2009, we changed that. The Civil Rights Movement finally ended on Tuesday. This is a huge step for mankind, and I really hope this helps racism in our world.
I think Obama is a great thing not only for the United States, but for the entire world. Having such a popular figure representing a different race as a leader can make everyone closer to being equal. Sure, there is still going to be racism in this world, but maybe it will start to dwindle over Obama’s reign as president. I think Obama will start to bring power to different races, make the workforce more equal with races and women.
I really hope people can trust Obama and not believe in the bad things the news says about him. It is ignorant to believe everything you hear. We should stand behind our president with every bit of pride in our bodies. Obama and his people will get the job done. However, there are so many nay-sayers out there which will always be the case for a big event such as a half-black man becoming president. There are so many pessimists out there, and I really hope Obama turns our country around to where it is supposed to be. I hope the economy gets better, I hope racism gets better, and I hope our general view of each other becomes more peaceful. This is a huge step for equality. We are living in one of the coolest moments in history. When we are 65 years old and telling our grandchildren about how big of a deal it was that Obama was half-black and became president, they will hopefully not understand why it was such a big deal. If that is the case, racism is really improving.
-T.J. Cornwall
Now that the United States of America has a black president, what’s next? What could possibly top the middle finger to all the slave owners, segregationists, and racists of the past and present? What I wouldn’t do for a chance to travel back in time and tell Jim Crow that in 2008 an African American will be elected the president of our United States of America. I would love to see the faces on those pathetic excuses for Americans.
Barack Obama, Barack O’fuckin’ Bama! (To steal a little quote from Chase Utley this past World Series.) Personally I can’t get over it. The sheer magnitude of our decision that day in November will still be jaw dropping for months to come. And I couldn’t be more proud of our country. To think of all the pain and suffering a race had to endure just to be considered equal is beyond comprehension. Not to mention the utter determination of a group of people streamlined than non other that Martin Luther King Jr. himself. Now being a twenty-year-old white male I can’t begin to fathom what it was like fighting in the civil rights movements of the 1950’s and 60’s, but to those who did, what a triumphant victory this election must have been for them. Thanks to them and Martin Luther King we’ve come a long way as a country. From not allowing a single black man attend a university in Mississippi to electing one as president is truly breathtaking. I step back and say if we can overcome this division within our borders than what can’t we prevail over? I’m excited to see where the future takes us.
To address the questions asked at the beginning of this entry I’d like to state that we’ve not yet come all the way. Have we really fulfilled Martin Luther King’s vision? I say we haven’t. Even after this election of Barack Obama and to this very day there is still an obvious rift between black people and white people. I’d love to be proven wrong but the fact of the matter is that there will still be barrier between the ways these two races treat each other. I could answer my own question and admit that some, if not most of racism’s remainder is the vast cultural differences that affect this relationship, yet as you travel further south of the Mason-Dixon Line there will still be many a naysayer of our new president.
There must be something that will truly mesh whites and blacks together and until there is virtually no racism left. I say the answer is time. Just as racism was O.K. to our grandparents and not to us, in a generation or two it will surely be completely eradicated. And electing Barack Obama as president will unquestionably springboard our country into being racism free once and for all.
Is a poll skewed that results in a significant majority of African Americans believing they have gained racial equality on the eve of the inauguration of our first black President? The answer is most definitely yes! For anyone who watched the inauguration and witnessed the mass of humanity, all gleeful with a sense of renewed hope for our country and optimism that they are embarking on an era of positive change at their doorstep, one can only feel that Martin Luther King’s dream has been realized. However, I think the optimism witnessed on that day was only for a fleeing moment in time. With the ceremonies over, we now must step back into the reality of our world.
If Martin Luther King dream has been realized, we would live in a country without prejudices, stereotypes, and discrimination. Many dispute whether Obama really exemplifies the black man in America. Some see him as too white and too educated and claim he wasn’t elected as a “black man.” Others claim he demonstrates the very fact that American people have become colorblind. While this debate continues, unfortunately racial discrimination still exists.
Yes, there was that moment in time when the polls reflected the fact that the African American community felt more positive about race relations and equality than the white community. I believe that the results of the poll were distorted. People were caught up in the moment. African Americans not only personally felt connected to the man standing at the steps of the Capitol but were blinded by the great progress that our country had in fact made on that day. For those who had relatives who were slaves, who marched with MLK, and who have fought endless years for equality, they were standing in a new America. They were overwhelmed by Obama’s presidency because it was a major step forward and in the right direction. For the moment, “We shall overcome” was the mantra for every person of color. I don’t think Martin Luther King’s dream never extended to the real possibility of a black man being President. While the white community was empathetic, they could not truly understand the feeling of being oppressed, enslaved or having to fight for the right to have a seat on a bus. They were supportive and emotional but they were not black and had not experienced firsthand the pain, humiliation, indignity and unfairness of racial prejudice. This was a surely a moment when the black community could rightfully feel that they reached the top. To think, however, that that poll reflects the reality of racial equality in today’s society is to be naïve. Nevertheless, let’s bask in the glory of that moment. Obama is the President of the United States and the future of our country lies in his hands for the next four years. So I’d like to say congratulations and good luck Obama!
I agree with the fact that African Americans have found enthusiasm in this new installment of President Obama, and the fact that he is an “African American” and the first “black” man in the Oval office.
However, I believe that when Martin Luther King, Jr. was sharing his dream with the country, he meant so much more than just a black man in the White House. I think that African Americans should not let their guard down, when there is still so much of a change that is needed in this country for racial equality. Although drastic strides have been taken in the right direction when it comes to equality in our country,
I do not believe that King’s dream has even been close to achieved when there is so much potential for change in the future. People need to take this milestone in race relations for what it is, a milestone, and continue to work just as hard for equality and justice for individuals of all colors and ethnicities. The United States is considered to be one of the greatest nations in the world, and because of this they need to hold up to some of the highest standards when it comes to equality and justice for it’s citizens.
We also need to consider the fact that when Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his historic, “I Have a Dream Speech”, he was not just talking about African American citizens and racial equality. He pushed for equality and justice for all, no matter the color of your skin, your gender, or your ethnicity.
Therefore, it would be tremendously unfair for anyone to base the fulfillment of King’s vision off of only numbers that polled two different groups. For example, a Hispanic family may not feel that racial equality has even been accomplished whatsoever. Today you have Mexicans working as illegal immigrants for a meager salary, compared to their white, and brown counterparts. There is not equality and justice for all human beings. You still see women in the business world being paid significantly less in wages when they are doing the same job as their male counterparts. There is not equality and justice for all human beings.
Americans need to carefully think about the true meaning of what Martin Luther King, Jr. was saying on those steps years ago. They need to evaluate all human beings, not simply the white and black Americans that are commonly polled and asked questions the questions in our society. Americans are not looked at equally and there needs to be a culminations of varying races, genders, and ethnicities if you truly want to find out if Americans think the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. has been achieved.
The inauguration of President Barack Obama truly was a great day in American history, but I do agree with you, Professor Richards in that people are exaggerating the idea of MLK’s dream coming fulfilled. 69% of blacks feeling this way is staggering to say the least, and I feel like this is just a big step in the right direction. A lot of progress still needs to be made.
This is no doubt this is a milestone in the history of the country but I think people are losing sight of reality. There is still inequality and racism present today, and many blacks are affected daily. MLK dreamed of a place where his children would, “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” This dream, unfortunately, hasn’t come true yet. I’m sure there are southerners who wish they could have slaves again, and that’s just the environment they’ve been raised in. People like that don’t know any different, it’s how they were taught from an early age. Until the day comes where people of color can walk and not be judged by the color of their skin, MLK’s dream won’t be completely fulfilled.
Another note about Obama and those who feel he’s fulfilled MLK’s dream: I feel like many blacks voted for Barack on the sole principle that he is black. There was a Howard Stern video (I know it’s not too professional) in which he interviewed people on the street about Obama and if they voted for him or not. A great percentage said they had voted for him, yet a minute number of interviewees knew a thing about his policies. This is not just an isolated subject pool either; people all over the nation are as uninformed as those in this particular video. I feel like many of the uninformed people are part of the percentage who feel MLK’s dream is fulfilled, which is the reason for the spike from 34% to 69%. It’s these same people that don’t understand that this is only a step in the right direction and that much more needs to be done.
In terms of white people’s reaction, I don’t get the feeling that they are nervous about Obama taking the presidency. He is obviously very successful and has the credentials for the job. Being on campus here, I get the feeling that white students don’t care what race he is; as long as he is qualified and can steer the country in the right direction. Personally, I am white and am very glad to have the man I voted for in office. Race never crossed my mind when talking about or watching him, and it sure didn’t cross my mind when I voted for him.
Even though the white people have a much lower positive outlook than black people on whether MLK’s vision has been fulfilled, the percentage of positive outlook white people is higher than in March 2008 when the number was 11% lower (46% versus 35%). In this case, it is easy to see that yes, some white people have a more positive outlook now with the election of our new (half) black president. As for why the number is much lower than that of the black people, I have read the entries of many people here and agree that the blacks do see this as a sort of entryway into the racial equality they have been hoping for.
On the other hand, I still believe that, regardless of the outcome of the primaries so many months ago, some drastic change was going to happen to the United States’ political system. At that time, many people I talked to were in agreement that “the next president is either going to be black or a woman.” Thinking back on that now I wonder, if the democratic primaries had gone differently and Hillary had won, how a gender-equality survey would have turned out after the new president was sworn into office (this is assuming that Hillary Clinton would gone on to win the general election as well).
I am aware that the gender issue does not have nearly as much strength as the racial issue, but there is still a strong amount of evidence for it. “America: Gender Inequality in a Land of Democracy,” a 2008 report from the University of Buffalo, discusses how sexist comments prevail especially in politics. For instance, using the term ‘Nanny State’ to refer to “policies protecting low-income people or consumers” and belittling John Kerry’s presidential campaign by calling them “girly girl” policies proves that women are still seen as unequal to men. For that reason, I would be especially interested in seeing what both women and men would feel about the equality of the sexes in our country if we were to usher in our first female president.
To take this even farther, it may have been just as interesting to take a racial equality survey in yet another alternate reality where Obama had lost to McCain in the general election. With the idea that the white man had beat out the (half) black man for president, I wonder if that would have a negative effect on black people’s originally pessimistic views for our country’s future.
Nevertheless, with our new bi-racial president in office, I can see good things coming in our future. Strangely enough, if I had answered that survey as well, I may have been one of the whites to say that I didn’t believe MLK’s vision had yet been realized. Along with many other people commenting on this post, while we are making leaps and bounds, it is still a long way until we have true racial equality.
-Jenn
I don’t think that hell has frozen over; black people, as well as those who identify as mixed, have quite a bit to celebrate about. Barack Obama’s inauguration shows we have come quite a way in terms of race relations. So yeah, Obama isn’t completely black, but biracial or mixed. That doesn’t mean he can’t be inspiring to the black community, or that by becoming the first non-white president he isn’t proof that America is changing. The question of the poll wasn’t who was happier with the president, blacks or whites; it was whether or not those two different races felt that MLK’s dream had been fulfilled. I would think that with all the inauguration buzz, that it is somewhat predictable that black people would become more optimistic. It also wouldn’t surprise me if in a few months or years, if that number doesn’t go back down. Because now that one hurdle has been crossed (a non-white in the white house), people are always going to be striving for more.
As far as white people not feeling like MLK’s dream has been fulfilled; Martin Luther King Jr. is seen as one of the great leaders of the African American civil rights movement. He probably means a bit more to those of color than white people, although that does not mean that all white people disagree with what he stood for. This election may just be less personal for white people than for those who are black, which is being reflected in this CNN poll.
It would be interesting to me to see that same poll broken down by age and race, rather than just by race. By publishing these facts I think it would provide some incite into what the results mean. Those who are older, and may have been around during civil rights movement and when Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his speech may be more likely to say agree that MLK’s dream had been fulfilled. They have been around longer, know what it was like to live back when MLK was alive, and have seen how much the US has progressed in race relations.
I think that our generation, generation Y, is made up of people who are a bit more open to other cultures, having grown up in an age of relatively more acceptance toward others who are different. This generation seems like it would be more likely to respond no in this poll. I don’t think we can really comprehend what it was like being black (or mixed) and living in the US before and during the civil rights movement; we feel like we can strive for more, and want to see so more happen to make all races equal.
I think the poll numbers are indicative of the end of black people’s pessimism because they relate MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech being realized by a black person coming into a position of high power. Yes, of course there have been black people that have achieved higher positions of power, but Barack Obama’s election as president is particularly profound because this is a man who came from multiracial parents, was raised by his mother and stepfather, and had to work for everything he’s ever had. This is a man who acknowledges the problems with this country, and is committed to fixing them to the best of his ability. But perhaps his most admirable trait is his ability to relate to working class America, to inspire them to have confidence in his abilities, and to assure them that the country will benefit greatly from his election.
As the world knows, hard work and charisma paid off, and Obama was elected to one of the highest positions of power in the world. The reason that this is such a big deal is a subject that people discuss, although they feel the need to approach it with caution: Obama is the first (half) black president this country has ever had, and thus may be the end to 400 years of mistreatment and oppression. Equal treatment occurs when all people regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation are encouraged to pursue the same professions and relationships as everybody else. But when a position of power is involved, equal treatment is tested to its limits. People begin to scrutinize the candidate to find some defect, which, sadly, a lot of times goes back to the details that the candidate cannot change about his or herself, such as their race or upbringing.
The fact that Obama is half black makes people question him because he does not fall into the category of what we consider to be “normal”: he comes from a multiracial background and he is of a broken family. He comes too close to defying what we consider to be the “mythical norm”, which is a person’s physical and personal traits that we as society have accepted as not only normal, but also admirable and desirable. These traits typically include being thin, tall, successful, of a Christian faith, and most notably, white. The deviance of this mythical norm, in Obama’s case, would be the fact that he is not white and has a Muslim father (which led to him having to dispel rumors that he was also of the Muslim faith).
Still, the fact that Obama was able to overcome the mythical norm with such ease is quite poignant for the simple reason that although the lack of the mythical norm is noticeable, nobody cared enough to hold it against him during his candidacy. And because nobody held it against him, it seems that the terms of equal treatment have been fulfilled. Time will tell if equal treatment prevails, and if American society will continue to embrace Obama as their President.
The fact that hope blossoms in the African American community is a wonderful thing, and the election of Barack Obama to the post of president of the most powerful nation in the world is certainly a validation of the success of the Black civil rights movement, but I scoff at the belief that Martin Luther King Jr’s dream has been fully realized. Dr. King’s dream was of an entire brotherhood of man, and observing not just the United States but the macrocosm of the world, it is quite clear that there is much left to accomplish when it comes to global respect and equality for all people. Take for example the horrible oppression of the Tibetans and many other Chinese ethnic minority groups and religious groups by the communist party. Religious war and conflict in the Middle East has been a constant for what seems like forever, with every religion and ethnic group somehow oppressed or hated by another group. Or how about the genocide and war constantly occurring throughout Africa? The conflict in Burma? In a few instances, entire countries are inescapably controlled by a totalitarian government, for example North Korea. Even in our own country, illegal immigrants are considered evil and Muslims are racially profiled and hated every single day. In India, the country of Mahatma Gandhi, the supreme advocate of non-violence who inspired Dr. King, the Kashmir conflict has still not been resolved. This list could continue almost indefinitely. In fact, here’s a website that names and describes most of them: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/index.html .
Why are we not taking action in these cases? Are these instances somehow exempt from Dr. King’s dreams? Even in the few situations where people have taken a stand against these evils, MLK’s words are ignored. We went to war with Iraq to free an essentially enslaved people, which was probably completely justifiable, but is there any point during the course of the war in which non-violence was the strategy of choice? Martin Luther King Jr.’s words were a call to peaceful action against all evils throughout the world. His words were a call to lifelong service to one’s fellow man.
While it is true that the civil right’s movement has been able to provide a semblance of equality for most United States citizens, that is far from the end goal of Dr. King. But Barack Obama’s election may be the spark needed for a society dedicated to service, and if that occurs, Dr. King’s dreams certainly will be reality.
In response to the blog entitled “Did Hell Just Freeze Over?” I agree that with Obama as President, and his identifying himself as an African American, black people are riding a spiritual high that has, in fact, come to its highest point with Obama’s inauguration. Although Martin Luther King’s dream surely must have included a black President in the white house, I believe there is much more that could be done to help MLK reach his true goals.
Beyond having an African American running the country, I believe that Martin Luther King looked for unity among people of different races, where it would not be uncommon to have a boyfriend or girlfriend, best friend, or spouse of another race. He wanted us to live in harmony as one and that is still far from where we are.
As we discussed in class, identifying ourselves as black, white, brown, yellow; it’s still a present concern. Many people do not discuss ethnicity or racial issues. Without open communication about these things, it is impossible to live in true harmony among one another.
With King’s goals met, our country would have fair schooling throughout each district. Ethnic areas would not be highly urban and under-funded. White areas would not be consumed by upper to middle-class people. When King’s dream comes true, race will no longer be an issue. When King’s dream comes true, having a Black man as President will not psych an entire nation out and cause the commotion and excitement that it has. When King’s dream comes true, perhaps it’ll be so subtle that we won’t have to discuss in such depth these concerns we have with our country today. But until that time, we must continue to work his dream and master it.
Early in the campaigns, I heard a lot of talk stating “our country isn’t ready for a Black President just yet.” Yet here we are, just three days after the inauguration of Barack Obama, and for some reason, I feel safe. Never have I looked into the eyes of a President and felt so welcomed or so cared for. Never before have I felt capable of relating to a President the way Obama has related to us. He seems to understand the middle-class and want to work alongside them, truly knowing how we live, which is something I haven’t seen very often before. It seems that past Presidents work with the very elite or the very poor, but do not interact highly enough with those average people of the middle class. In order to run a country, the President needs to be able to identify with all classes within the country. Obama has pledged to build ties with our communities and help us turn around what the last eight years have brought us. He wants our men and women out of war zones and back with their families where they belong. He wants to drastically improve the economy as it is in its worst state in decades. He wants healthcare for all Americans. He is getting down to the very core of what the average American family needs and as processes like this continue, King’s dream will continue to come true.
The poll numbers are a mirage; Dr. King’s vision has not been fulfilled, although the election of President Barack Obama was a giant step in the right direction.
When contemplating whether Dr. King’s vision has been realized, I think back to late November when a political discussion broke out at my family’s hunting camp. As one would imagine, most hunters are fairly conservative and pretty closed-minded. My father and I were the only ones in the room who had voted for President Obama, so the rabble was roused.
The conversation was filled with many racial stereotypes and came to a halt when the phrase “you know he’s a Muslim.” Came out of someone’s mouth. Of course my father and I immediately yelled out, “Well for one he’s not, but if he was, what would be wrong with that?” This shows the close-mindedness that still exists in many parts, mostly rural, of our country.
One good thing that did come from that conversation, however, was at the end, everyone in the room, to a man, said they still supported President Obama considering he is our country’s commander-in-chief. This at least shows some improvement toward acceptance. Rather than complaining and threatening President Obama, they respect him as the elected leader that he is and gives me hope for the future.
Speaking of rural areas, I hail from rural south central Pennsylvania and during Christmas break I can’t even begin to tell you the numerous racist jokes directed at President Obama that I heard. Some of them were so bad I feel uncomfortable repeating them, so I won’t on this forum, but trust me, they were bad and many included the N word.
These jokes and use of racial slurs show me that Dr. King’s dream is still not a reality. Veiled in the safe cocoon of academia, it’s easy to believe the world is almost 100 percent tolerant. But then racist graffiti is left in McElwain Hall and we are reminded all is not well.
But there is hope.
Our generation is probably the most tolerant in our country’s history and our children are bound to be even more tolerant than we are. Eventually we will be able to essentially breed out racism in this country.
But as long as skin whitener is the world’s most-sold cosmetic and we live in a white society, Dr. King’s vision has not been met. Only when we live in simply a society and can watch the election of a president, not a black president, not a white president, but a president, will Dr. King’s dream be fulfilled.
We are making great strides as a society, but we are not there yet. But in time, we’ll be able to make Dr. King proud.
And as for shooting the plastic ducks, pass me the gun, I'm ready to take aim.
I was not entirely surprised that the results of this poll turned out the way they did. The fact that Barack Obama was elected president of the United States is the single most important victory for black people in history. Black people in America are optimistic about pretty much everything at this point, and rightfully so. They can now tell their children that they can be anything they want in life as long as they work hard, and they can say it with honesty. A few years ago, I’m not sure that they would have believed in that statement. So, the fact that 69% of black people in America currently believe that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled isn’t crazy at all. I also think that it is a good sign that only 46% of white people think that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled. That means that over half the white people in America think that we have more work to do. I would agree with them entirely. Martin Luther King’s vision was one of equality, where everyone would be treated the same. I don’t think that we have yet achieved perfect equality as a nation. For example, there are still disparities in the pay that black people and women receive for their services. If everyone was treated equally, they would receive equal payment for the work that they do. Another reason I don’t believe we have achieved equality is that the justice system is still unbelievably biased against people of color. People of color are incarcerated at a much higher rate than are white people. It is simply not true that black people commit more crimes than white people do. Therefore, there is obviously a prejudice in the system. It is also easier for a white man to get a good lawyer than it is for a black man. Justice does not prevail if people are not treated equally. A third reason why I believe MLK’s vision has not been fulfilled is that it is still easier for a white person to get a better education than a black person. Inner city schools, where there are a higher percentage of black students, do not get the same funding that schools in the suburbs do. If black people do not receive the same schooling that white people do, they cannot reach the same potential. I feel that a proper education is the most important tool someone can have, and for black people to not have the same means as white people to attain one is unfair. I agree with black people that we have come a long way in realizing MLK’s vision; however, we still have farther to climb. The election of Barack Obama was obviously a huge step towards reaching that goal, but it was not the final one. That is what I think half the white people in America were thinking when they chose to say that MLK’s vision has not been fulfilled.
This whole question has left me in quite a confused state. I do not believe that MLK’s dream has been reached. I feel that it is a step in the right direction to finally achieving some sort of unity across the entire United States, but the problem I see is that one man cannot change everyone’s views just like that. There will always be racism, hatred, and oppression against people of another culture or another religion in the U.S. I feel that with the election and inauguration of President Barack Obama, this nation is finally coming towards some sort of unity. However, it surely does not fulfill Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream.
Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." If Americans could only see past color, race, and religion then MLK’s dream would truly be fulfilled. I believe that President Barack Obama will do more to try and unite the many colors and religions across our nation, but to some, it will fall on deaf ears. History cannot be changed and we must try and live in the present and for the future, but for some people, the past is still defining their lives.
I feel that people are living in the moment right now and not taking a step back and looking at the big picture of the United States. Yes, we have our first black president, but that does not mean he has the power to change everyone’s views and persuade the entire United States to see everyone the same. I wish this were the case, but I don’t believe that it could happen this fast. Our founding fathers established this country on a basis of equality, but if they couldn’t achieve it, then how can we? I know we have come a long way from slavery and genocide, but in today’s world, there are still people who feel their skin color is more powerful than someone else’s; their religion is more correct than another person’s.
I find it very promising that 69 percent of the blacks and 46 percent of whites in America believe that MLK’s dream has been fulfilled, but I stand with the 54 percent of the white population of who say they don’t believe that the dream has been reached. It is not because I feel guilty; I just think that it will take a good deal of time to actually fully become a united nation with regards to race and color. President Barack Obama and the first family of the White House are a big step in achieving unity, but our nation has a long way still to go.
No hell didn’t just freeze over and the world didn’t forget about race either. The election of Barack Obama definitely broke some huge barriers though. The way people think about and view race has forever changed. This is by no means the end though, as mentioned in class the fact that his being black is such a huge issue means we still have a long way to come. When the day arrives that people of all races can see each other without colors we will have achieved Dr. King’s dream. When the day comes that race won’t even be in the discussion of our next president, then, we will have achieved Dr. King’s dream. It is great to hear so many people are optimistic though, I mean the happier the better, right? I’m am thrilled to be a part of this historic time in our country and in the world and think everyone, black, white, yellow, brown and red should be thrilled too. This period in time will never be forgotten and it’s not solely because we have elected a black man either. We are in one of the roughest economic times in American history and have two wars to worry about too. We don’t need a black man, or a white man, or a brown woman, we need a strong leader to right the ship. With these high levels of optimism things are already looking up. If we have faith in our president we can have faith in America, the world and life in general. When people look at Obama they do see a black man, but they see many other things too… a family man, a trustworthy man. You can’t say Obama was elected just because Bush had a low approval rating and Americans were looking to shake things up. There are many other reasons why Barack won the people of this country over and became our 44th president. Those are the issues we need to be focusing on, not his skin color. While I think it’s great more and more people are believing we have reached Martin Luther’s goal we still have a long way to go. This is not the beginning and it’s not the end. Race has been a part of human interaction since humans have existed and will continue to be a part of our interactions. Hopefully people we start to realize it shouldn’t have as much as an impact as it always has though. I think that shift is taking place too. Hopefully we will reach the day that blacks and whites are polled together on their optimism and not asked to check the box white or black, THEN we will have reached the dream.
Robert Henry
I was very surprised when I read the results of the CNN survey and that only 69% of black people thought that Martin Luther King’s visions had been fulfilled. I thought with all the commotion that has been going on since election time and the inauguration that the results for blacks would have been a lot higher. I also feel that this number rose so much since March of 2008 because not only is there a “half-black” president in the White House, but his campaign was so promising that all citizens, not just black citizens, thought that Obama was the best candidate for the presidency. The color of his skin may have drawn a lot of the blacks vote, but the results do not lie, Obama not only got a large number of blacks’ votes, but also a large number of whites’ votes.
I think after watching the videos on Ole Miss and hearing the student in lecture talk about her mother crying on the day of the inauguration about how much the whole election of Barack Obama meant to her, one can say that the vision of Martin Luther King has taken a big step, but a lot still needs to be done for his vision to be fulfilled to the potential he dreamed of. In the video the man is being denied the right to register to go to school to further his education because of the color of his skin. The video shows how far African Americans have come because in this day in age blacks have the equal opportunity to receive just as good as an education as whites do. This is just one of the many things African Americans have been able to overcome throughout the years.
As a white person, I do not feel nervous about having our racial universe turned on its head. I think that having a "half-black" president plays a huge part in our country today when it comes to race. I feel that white people should not be nervous, but happier because I feel that with the election of Barack Obama, this will play a big part in allowing blacks and whites to feel equal to each other. I am hoping that by having Barack Obama as our president that the question of race will be no more and different races will be able to co-exist more.
I agree with Blake where he says that if all black people said that Martin Luther King's vision had been fulfilled and that the social movement would be over. I still feel that more has to be done in order for blacks to feel equal and that a lot still needs to be done for this to take place.
The contrast in the result of the poll numbers between blacks and whites, comes to me as the chance for blacks to feel truly great and equal in society as they should have felt for some time now. With all of the Civil Rights accomplishments and desegregation throughout the years, the black race had officially, in the public’s eye, gained equal footing. Not until now, as Obama takes the office of the President of the United States, does the black race feel truly equal in their own eyes. They as a race, that has suffered so much during the formation of our country, can now feel truly connected to the country, and know that everyone in the U.S. is looked at in equal vision, at least by majority.
The only problem I have saying this is that, we still have people who are growing up in situations where their parents, who have held long grudges passed down to them from the previous generations, are being taught segregated concepts regarding people of diverse cultures in society.
I strongly feel that as the white race within the United States grows older within the next fifty years, the country will no longer have to repetitively badger the idea of race as a problem. Growing up as I have, I have always looked at the situation one way, and the race issue is something that I have learned as history, not a topic of modern discussion. Saying this, I believe that the similar would be, and is, true, of most of my peers at Pennsylvania State University. The campaign that was run here in State College was so powerful and engrossing. People knew that they wanted to have some change and the time was right. The time when enough of the generation who has grown up truly believing that there is equality and that race is not a factor in determining a person’s worth and prestige, and they knew the vote was going to go in favor of Obama because we believed that it was truly the right thing to do. We had seen enough of George W. and we wanted to reawaken and enlighten the nation with this generation’s genuine sentiment of equality. When the college students went to vote and to choose a position in politics, we did not see the Obama opportunity as an opportunity to redeem our long held guilt of our country’s forbearing actions against the black race. Instead we knew, and several other slightly older generations knew, that Obama was the right choice and the most qualified and the most identifiable candidate we may have ever seen.
If not for our older generations who still hold these beliefs that a man may not be qualified because of a skin color, we would be over this issue of race. I will admit that even my white grandfather has often mentioned things to me about the race in sports and other various things. He never says anything discriminating, but he has made several comments to me about the more segregated aspect. The white and black differences or things that he used to believe in when he was a younger lad and things were different. With him, and his generation, I feel lays the remaining evidence that there ever was a divide.
I am speaking for myself in a hope that how I feel, in some way, echoes across the feelings of other white individuals. I have not personally felt the significance of Obama’s election into office probably because I have grown up in such a comforted and sheltered home and I haven’t witnessed much or any racial discrimination at all. Perhaps I have simply been too naive or ignorant of what is going on around me to see it. If I had ever witnessed racial discrimination my own white privileging has most likely guarded my mind from realizing exactly what was going on. Now I am not saying that I have never heard of such things happen but what I’m saying is that when you witness or experience these things you are then able to relate. Perhaps because of this inability to relate to racial inequalities I did not find Obama’s election into office as significant as a black person would. Maybe I am just too young or have not spent enough time with people other than my own skin color. When I look at Obama I do see a large step in the process of breaking down racial barriers, however when I think of MLK’s vision being complete I see I time in the future when anyone can become president and it doesn’t seem abnormal. I see a time when there is no need for laws supporting minorities and even the word minority has lost its racial implications. Perhaps this is how most white people are viewing this event. Taking a quick look back on what I had just been writing I realized just how incapable I am of relating to this situation. Because I can identify an inability to relate to racial discrimination goes to show that how my, and perhaps others, view of race is shifting. Racial discrimination is changing from physical tangible hardships to personal relational issues. It is becoming deeper I believe. For myself, since I’ve never personally witnessed any physical discrimination, Obama’s act of physically taking the step into the white person’s ‘last’ stronghold so to speak doesn’t make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside but brings up ideas in my mind that racial discrimination will be completely eradicated when a person of any color can accomplish something and its not significant because they were the first of their skin color to accomplish it but because the accomplishment was profound in and of itself. However, I am only speaking about my own feelings on the subject but in regards to the polls I do believe that white people are beginning to shift their views on race for one reason or another and hopefully whatever that shift is, is a shift to a more harmonious America.
MLK’s vision will always remain a goal, something to strive for, everyone is different and people will never be equal. Race like gender, age, hair color, eye color and religious point of view are just several ways that humans differentiate themselves. Since everyone is unique there will always be ways to discriminate against others. Discrimination has always been around and isn’t going anywhere soon in my opinion. Although I feel we are not and will never be at the “promise land” this is definitely a big step in the right direction for all races. Obama becoming the most powerful man in America will always remind the white majority that they are not a shoe in to powerful positions, or anything in life, because of their race. Obama also gives hope to more than just African-Americans; he gives hope to all minorities in every situation showing that anything is possible. African-Americans are very optimistic for the first time in the history of the United States and have great reason to be. 69% of black’s feel that we have reached this “promise land”, while only 46% of white’s feel this is true as well. This is not a surprising statistic to me; black people should be proud and optimistic as we head for an exciting four years under Obama’s presidency. White people, while not as optimistic as the black’s, but are still more optimistic than they were, they realize we need change and that Obama is a great candidate. After all white people are still the largest race and they too helped vote Obama into office. Black’s pessimism did take a huge swing, but you have to take everything in to realize why. Not only did a black man become president but look at the crisis that this nation is in. Obama is an inspiration to minorities especially African-American’s, and he has the opportunity to be a hero for the United States, and economically maybe even the world with his presidency. He’s the first black president and nation is in a terrible state. Optimism is needed to get through tough times, and keeps people hoping for the best and working very hard to get there. Blacks, whites and all races are more optimistic than ever, because they need to be. MLK’s vision is still being aimed for to this day, and will remain a goal for ever. All races should have equal opportunity, be equally treated and should view everyone equally. The treating and viewing of everyone equally is a goal that will always be there. Races will clearly always have their differences, but over the last hundred years or so we have been trying to make it work in this giant melting pot of the United States. Black people and white people are more optimistic than ever and we are still working toward MLK’s vision.
The face that sixty nine percent of blacks believe that MLK's vision has been fulfilled is pretty shocking to me. The number of whites who think this, forty six percent is a number that I can agree with. Maybe it's just because of where I am from. In Philadelphia, many of the blacks I know or see on the news do not think this way. Maybe this is the media's fault for the way they portray blacks on TV, I don't know. In my opinion, as a white male, I do not think MLK's vision has been fulfilled. There is simply just too much racism, stereotypes, and hate crimes going on in this country today to make a statement like that. I just feel that unless those percentages reach 100%, or at least 95%, the dream has not been fulfilled.
Depending on the accuracy of the poll, it is a good thing to see that many blacks are optimistic though. Having the first black president of the United States is a very big deal and important event. It's hard to try and put myself in the situation of being a minority, but I know it would be a huge event for me. I think it is pretty obvious that these recent numbers are due to the whole Obama factor, especially when looking at the numbers from as early as March. I think a big question now however is if people voted for Obama simply because he is half black. I voted for Obama, not based on anything racial, but based on his campaign and determination for change in our country. It would be nice to know just how many minorities voted for him simply based on his race, and how many simply chose McCain because he was white.
If I had to take a guess regarding this poll, I would say that in two or three years down the line, the numbers will go back to the way they were several years ago. The Obama hype is going to die down sooner than later. One half black man being elected as our president isn't going to change hundred's of years worth of racism. To be honest, I don't see today's problems with race going away in our lifetime. It's not going to be an overnight process, especially with some of the views on minorities still alive in the south today.
To conclude my blog post, I do not think in any way that "hell has frozen over". Blacks all over the country may be optimistic now, but soon enough the hype is going to go away. Things will be just as they were. MLK's vision is far from being reached in my opinion and will not be reached for a long time.
Yes, hell did just freeze over. For the first time in United States history, a non-white person has made it into office. The majority of the most diverse and flavorful country in the world has elected a multi-cultural as their very own president. The world was turned upside down when Obama was elected into office and will remain that way for at least the next four years.
As I read over the polls, I think these numbers have more to say about blacks in America than whites in America. (Why did you choose not to mention the Asian-American, I think the fundamental reason why the percentage of blacks who think MLK's vision "has been fulfilled" has raised significantly since March 2008 and several years back is due to Obama's achievements since those dates. In the past few years, the rise of Obama has given the black American community an audacious hope that we are nearing MLK's vision.
You may be able to infer that whites are desperately Now with Obama in office, blacks in America are probably even more optimistic that MLK's vision has been achieved. The reason to my knowledge why white Americans are not nearly as optimistic is because the community is more critical of Obama's achievements (but remember that the majority of white folk did vote for Obama). The point I am attempting to make is that black people have more of a reason to rejoice, more of a reason to be optimistic. Sure white Americans are sharing and rejoicing in the fact that we have a "half-black" president, but most of the white community probably does not have the "400 years of mistreatment and second (or third) class citizenship". I don't think it's unfair to say that blacks are more happy to see Obama in office than whites, because it is generally true.
The poll numbers say little about the white American community in contrast to the black American community. Yes an 11% increase in white folk looks much smaller when compared to the 35% increase in black folk, but the fact is that both sides feel that we have come closer to MLK's vision. As stated in the article, these numbers in the black community will probably go down, but are high for the time being. The numbers are a fair testimony to the amount of work Obama did to get to this point. While I agree we still have a ways to go to get to MLK's vision, we are sure a great deal of steps closer with Obama in office. We might as well rejoice in that fact.
Did I mention the poll only asked 1,245 adult Americans (798 whites and 332 blacks)? That might be worth taking into consideration...
When I read this bloging assignment I chose to read the first entry about whether hell has frozen over and I thought to my self what does this really mean to me. I read the blog once and was at a loss for what to write about so I decided to read it again to see if I missed any key elements. After this second read I discovered I was at a loss of words and could not think of a reasonable answer that would answer this involved question. So I decided to read some responses by my fellow classmates, these helped me to put together some sort of response for this question.
I discovered from different classmates responses that I myself have not been doing what I can to help advance our ‘race-relations’ in my community. To discover that 69% of the black community believes that MLK’s vision has been fulfilled was not all that surprising because Obama’s presidency has had a huge impact on this. While having a partially black president is a leap in the right direction I do not believe it is the solution or even fulfills MLK’s vision.
Although a majority of the black community sees this vision to be fulfilled only 46% of the white community feels this way. The only way I can describe this weird chain of events is to say that the white community is unsure whether a black president really fulfills MLK’s vision. And in my personal opinion I do not believe that president Obama’s success out weighs all the racial comments, crimes, and prejudice that happen daily throughout this country.
At the beginning of this assignment I was unsure what would be achieved but now I have discovered that MLK’s vision has not been fulfilled in my eyes. And now that I have discovered this I think that is up to you and me to fulfill this vision. ‘Race-relations’ in the US will continue to get better every year but I still believe that we are generations from MLK’s vision being fulfilled. So to answer your original question, I would have to say that hell has not frozen over because 31% of that black community still feels today that we are short of MLK’s vision.
Did hell freeze over? Hopefully it did, that would prevent me from going there for all my sins. In the case of this country, I believe the freezing really has occurred. I think it is an incredible accomplishment for everyone in the United States to have elected a black man as our president. It makes me have a renewed sense of hope for all of us and makes me believe that progress has been made.
I’m sure Martin Luther King sat up his grave when he heard the news about Obama. It is unquestionable to me that MLK’s dream really did come true in the late hours of November 8th, 2008. The black community had not received a bad check marked with insufficient funds when Barack Obama was announced as the President Elect. For indeed, Obama was judged not by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character and he has fulfilled the dreams of the legendary Martin Luther King Jr. All men have been proven to be equal in some capacity.
I personally remember standing in line for over an hour to vote this past fall. This was the first election I have actually had enough passion to get out there and put my opinion down on paper. It makes me proud to think I had something to do with Obama being our president. Looking back, I never actually thought he was the more qualified candidate for the position but I thought his drive, passion and views would be more beneficial to this country in the long run. McCain couldn’t hold a candle to Obama.
The fact that black people are more optimistic then white doesn’t surprise me much. I’m white and I'm ecstatic about Obama being in the White House. I can’t even imagine how happy I would be if I was of the black persuasion or even any other race. Just imagine if Hillary had been elected! All the women in the US would be going crazy (myself included)!
My hope is that this optimism doesn’t die. We need all the hope and encouragement this country can muster up to save us from ourselves. Obama has a long and hard journey in front of him and I hope we can all retain our faith in him and not dismiss him if things don’t go as plan.
In closing, maybe we should all consider sending George W. a big thank you card for all is efforts in the past 8 years. We should thank him for sending us into an unsupported “war on terrorism”, we should thank him for plunging our country into a wonderful recession, and thank him for being so terrible that we finally realized what a good president should actually do.
Christine McMeekin
The poll results presented by CNN following this past election are no surprise to me. Since the election began, the American public began to see the reality of having a minority acting as the leader of our nation. With that situation now realized, the significance has affected the condition of race relations for millions of Americans, most of whom are black. This “spiritual high” idea was presented by Dr. Richards as well as several of my peers in their responses, and I feel it serves to explain the phenomenon observed in these statistics. I predict that after the hysteria surrounding Obama’s campaign for change dies down, the black community will lose most of their excitement, and in turn, their optimistic views.
After reading several other responses to this article, I have noticed that many are presenting their opinion on the poll. So I am a white male. While many white people claim to understand the struggle and sympathize with black people, I don’t believe it’s fair to make this claim. I haven’t endured the oppression that black people have faced throughout history, or anything close. Who am I to comment on whether their dream has been fulfilled? Despite this, I believe that Martin Luther King’s dream has not been fulfilled. MLK dreamed of a world free of racial inequality, and through his many speeches, and work for the movement, he made the dream world he imagined known. Sadly, I don’t believe that world can ever exist as there will always be differences between cultures. With these differences, comes the subconscious prejudice which is part of human nature. This is not to say that there will never be progress towards racial equality, but that all humans will never be completely equal in the sense described by MLK.
Personally, during this election, race was one of the less important details I considered. In fact, I didn’t really consider it at all. Deciding which candidate to support was simple, as Obama seemed the better choice in every respect. He was intelligent, honest, and eloquent throughout his campaign. He shared more of my personal political views. He was the more qualified candidate in nearly every way. Most importantly, however, he made me believe in him. His campaign inspired me and caused me to follow the election, something I probably would not have done so closely without feeling the cause for change. For the month before the election, I felt that a large majority of my fellow Americans were sharing the same experience, and it was at that point that I felt it was fated for Obama to win the election. Now that he has been inaugurated, I am excited to see if he will act on the promises he made. After a presidency riddled with decisions and actions I did not agree with, it will be a welcome change to see a president who acts in my own interests, and returns progress to our nation.
I myself, am not from America, I am from Bulgaria. I can tell you that everybody there, and almost every other nation, is absolutely ecstatic to see Obama in the White House. It shows to the world how far we as a nation have come to put a black (even if only half) person in charge. And it’s not just the blacks in other nations that feel this way, but it’s everyone, blacks, whites, and everything in between. Because of this, it is easy to see that only in America are the whites pessimistic. I do believe that Martin Luther King’s dream was partially fulfilled. It definitely shows the world that we have taken a great leap towards equality in the country. But we have yet to put a non-Christian, a woman, an Asian American, and everything else but a white Christian. I am very proud of the nation that I live in for overcoming the barriers of racism and inequality and electing the president that is really right for the States. As for the approval ratings…just like every president, they start high…of course they start high. The president hasn’t had a chance to do anything wrong or right yet, so if you ask me, it’s all-downhill from here. I really hope I am wrong and the president will do all that he says he will do, and change the crisis of today’s economy, environment, the war, and many other pressing issues at hand. As a white person, I do not have the same ancestry as all the black people, so I’m sure that I do not feel the same feelings of new hope, and relief, and everything else that can not be put into words…but I do feel some form of those feelings. To think that our nation was a nation of slavery less than 200 years ago, let alone a nation of extreme racial discrimination less than 50 years ago, and now has a president that would be on the bad side of both of those time periods just gives me a wonderful warm fuzzy feeling inside. If you ask me, no matter what your skin color, ancestry, anything, you should believe that we are going through a great time, nothing like this has ever happened before. A barrier like this, at this magnitude has never been broken. As Sam said in class, just 40 years ago, the blacks and the whites would not be drinking from the same water fountains, they wouldn’t be attending the same schools, Obama’s father would be greatly discriminated against because of his color, and now, the family in the White House, some would consider it the highest seat in all of America, is a black family.
It is true: Obama seems to have shifted the universe. The election of a Black President is a major step for not only the United States but the world as a whole, as other countries tend to watch our every move. Electing someone of color, half color as it may be, still signifies that America is overcoming huge racial barriers that have been present for much too long. Is that what the song ‘We Shall Overcome’ means? Maybe.
In relation to the question of whether Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has been fulfilled, the positive response has drastically grown from blacks. It went from 20% pre-Obama, to 34% last year, to 69% this year! Why was it only 20% in the years past? I guess you were right, blacks were being pessimistic and just could not see a change in society from MLK jr.’s time. Really, though? In that time, there have been countless blacks that have crossed racial barriers and reached positions of power no one thought a black person could hold. Like Thurgood Marshall, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, and Oprah Winfrey, to name a few. But I guess it’s true, no one has done it quite like Barack Obama.
I think the better question to ask is, if Martin Luther King were alive today, would he feel that his dream has been achieved with a man of color in the White House? In my opinion, not that I can really speak for a man like King, I think he would say we’re almost there. To reiterate what someone had said in class, I feel as if King’s dream will be fulfilled once we can look at one another and look past color, race, and stereotypes, and see one another just as human beings. If one day we can achieve seeing each other as human beings without labels of white, brown, black, gay, straight, or whatever you may be perceived as in society today, then we have achieved MLK Jr.s’ dream.
Having a man of color in the White House symbolizes that America has chosen a man not based on race but rather, based on his thoughts and ideas and what he can do for this country. So, sure, a black man is in basically the most powerful position in the world, and he is a symbol of hope (yes, I just exploited the word used way too much by the Obama campaign). Sure, this is a historical and momentous time in America but I think you are right about that “spiritual high” that black people are riding right now. I voted for Obama, and I, too am excited about his upcoming presidency, but for me it is more of a cautious excitement, because I would hate for something to be too good to be true.
What the poll numbers mean to me, is that black people as a whole finally feel respected, and that the saying “anything is possible” finally rings true. In their opinions, and rightfully so, being President of the United States is the epitome of power and success…and a “black” man, by appearance at the very least, now holds this position by election of both white and black Americans. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, at least in my opinion, was that whites and blacks would be equal with regards to everything in our country. Therefore, the 69% of blacks that think that this dream has been “fulfilled” think just that.
I think that the reason for the significantly lower percentage of whites whom think this is that maybe white people finally realize how unjust things have been between blacks and whites, and hopefully realize that there is still work to be done. I don’t think that white people still feel as though blacks can do anything that whites can do, I just think that they are seeing that in everyday life, blacks are still often looked at in a stereotypical fashion.
As a white person, I think that the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King will truly be realized once Affirmative Action ceases to exist entirely, because we as United States citizens no longer see skin color as the first noticeable thing on another person. Just like when Professor Richards put up a picture of the new first family on the projector screen in class, and then asked what the first thing people noticed was, most responded that they saw a black family. Some said they first saw a family, but in the way we have grown up in the U.S., I find that unfortunately hard to believe.
The Obama’s are the epitome of class, and are being treated that way. It is so refreshing to see the amount of respect given where it is due to a truly amazing family. The Obama’s will have helped to perpetuate a sense of respect towards blacks that some whites may not have given before. They show how far an education can take you, and I believe foreshadow the future for the majority of blacks in America. So many young black people are furthering themselves by attending places of higher education, and although it creates more competition for my fellow students and me, it is something that I truly LOVE to see. Before, during and after the election and inauguration, I couldn’t help but smile seeing how excited so many people, both black and white, were about this groundbreaking expedition that all Americans are about to embark on. The trail may be hard to navigate, but I am so glad that it is finally here, and being captained by a man I respect as much as Barack Obama.
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