Jun.16.2008 Obama to black dads: “Yo. What up?”
Now that he’s won the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama is letting loose on some interesting issues. First on the docket: Absentee black fathers.
Barack Obama celebrated Father’s Day by calling on black fathers, who he said are “missing from too many lives and too many homes,” to become active in raising their children.
“They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it,” the Democratic presidential candidate said Sunday at a largely black church in his hometown.
Reminding the congregation of his firsthand experience growing up without a father, Obama said he was lucky to have loving grandparents who helped his mother. He got support, second chances and scholarships that helped him get an education. Obama’s father left when he was 2.
Obama urged black parents to demand the best from themselves and their children.
He compared it to his own presidential campaign and early comments from black voters who said they liked him but didn’t think a black man could ever be elected president. He said they were admitting defeat before the competition had even begun.
“That was when I wasn’t black enough. Now I’m too black,” he said in a joking aside.
Hmm, now I love Obama. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out how unfair it is that he can make these comments. Whenever anyone else mentions race it’s like “Whoa whoa you can’t do that!” But when he does it’s like “Haha oh you.” When I start talking about the failures of black men, and granted it’s a different “er” word being bandied about other than “father,” all I get is glares and occasional fists to the face. Which just seems unfair.
Jokes aside, I think this is kind of bold on his part to talk about Black issues. There are few things that make white people, both liberal and conservative, feel more icky than black people candidly discussing racial issues. They feel excluded and uncomfortable and, unfortunately, might be too close-minded to understand that Obama is trying to improve the country by lifting up one of its weaker segments. Shrug. On the plus side for black people, the NBA Finals are pretty entertaining! And I hear there are some “ill” sneakers available for sale! We are truly living in a new era.
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