A Black Man in the White House

Yesterday, people all around the world watched a black man win a historic election to become the next president of the United States. This event had seemed little more than a whisper of a dream to those who remember the oppression faced by black people throughout American history and the struggles of the Civil Rights Movement only a few decades ago. Now, the New York Times declared, "Obama: Racial Barrier Falls in Heavy Turnout," and Kevin Sack wrote an inspiring article about how far the movement for equality has come since the 1960s (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/us/politics/05civil.html?scp=1&sq=kevin%20sack%20%22after%20decades,%20a%20time%20to%20reap%22&st=cse). Of course, Obama's election is historic. However, the NYTImes and the nation as a whole must not fall into the trap of thinking that racism is a thing of history.

Obama might be the first black president, but some would argue that he did not run as a black candidate. He made a concerted effort to run a post-racial campaign and only addressed race when he was practically forced to because of the media's incessant discussion of Rev. Wright and other race-related issues. Had Obama dealt with the very real but insidious issue of race throughout his campaign, he might not have been as successful. He refrained from addressing issues that are inextricably linked to the marginalization of black people and other minorities, such as the astonishing number of incarcerated Americans. Race was a factor in the campaign, but both sides tried to deny the facts. For example, the media were reluctant to discuss the racist motivations for people who avoided voting for Obama, despite the frequency of racial epithets being yelled at McCain rallies. The media brushed the issue of race under the rug and pretended that racism no longer existed in the United States--after all, how could a racist nation nominate a black man for president?

Obama's election certainly shows that the U.S. has made tremendous strides in race relations, since only a short while ago many black people were prevented from voting through discrimination and literacy tests. However, we must simultaneously look back at how far we have come and look forward at how far we have to go. There is still segregation, discrimination and violence against minority groups, and we cannot allow Obama's victory to let us slip into complacency. Racism is still alive in the U.S., but we cannot end this horrific legacy until we admit its existence. Obama is a testament that some black people can achieve the American Dream. Our next task, as a country, is to make that dream a reality for all of the population.