Your Jan. 17 editorial “Obama and the long run” calls the senator’s words “inspiring,” his tone “perfect” in his announcement that he has officially begun the process of seeking the presidency. Agreed. There is little if any question that the electorate is angry with the rancor of partisanship and the resulting lack of progress in solving the important problems that so dramatically impact all of us.
I particularly appreciate your ending statement, that he has the opportunity to test whether America has become color-blind enough to judge on the basis of character rather than race.
Earlier, in presenting the challenges to his candidacy, you state, “He will have to change the perception held by a good number of people, including many African-Americans, that a black man cannot be elected president.” Yes, reality suggests race will undoubtedly be an issue for some, both white and black. But I think that the senator’s biracial heritage should be emphasized instead of his being referred to almost exclusively as African-American. Barack Obama is not black only. The danger of polarizing people on the issue of race is only amplified by this narrow–and incorrect–characterization. It would be tragically ironic if race becomes a contentious and determining issue, given that the major event propelling Obama to rock-star status was his speech at the Democratic convention, in which he emphasized inclusiveness and unity, calling on America to rise above divisions, including, specifically, race. I hope we can get on with discussing the really important concerns, his relative inexperience and his specific policies to address the nation’s problems.
