I'm going to go on record as saying that I DO NOT believe that Chris Matthews is a racist. By now, you must have heard about Chris Matthews' comment after the State of the Union address that he "forgot he was black for an hour." Matthews simply pointed out a reality, albeit a troubling one: quite frankly, there are many (blacks included) who still see being "black" as an impediment to one's perceived competence in America.
Check out this piece in the NY Times entitled "Analysis: Do Blacks Truly Want to Transcend Race." The gist of it is that many say that a figure like Obama has successfully "transcended race" when we reach the point where his competence and presidential nature shine through and can be taken for granted, despite their race (appearance, cultural behavior, etc.). Dr. Imani Perry, a professor at Princeton captured how I personally feel about it well when she says, ''As a black American I want people to remember who I am and where I come from without attaching assumptions about deficiency to it."
So while many wish for a color blind world, I merely wish for a day when blacks and other people of different backgrounds can maintain aspects of their culture without fearing that it will diminish their credibility as a competent individual. This is why I think Obama is such an important figure. He:
1. is a baller. he plays basketball well and often
2. eats greasy burgers and fries from places like Five Guys
3. is a pimp. Look at his walk. He hasn't shed that south side of Chicago bop
4. slips into black vernacular English in informal settings
5. can dance
In short, he is proof positive that you can be who you are and be viewed as excellent on your own terms. I think he's helping us move in the right direction. Why should people have to shed their culture to be respected, trusted and embraced by the mainstream as a competent leader in any field?
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5 comments:
I agree with you about Matthews(not being a racist). However, as a white guy, I do feel(unfortunately) that you have to stay away from the topic of race in public. I think the unfortunate part of white people not being able to discuss race is that we never have a real dialogue about race.
Conversely, it's kinda sad that we need to ask every black guy how they view/feel about race.
I just want to say that I agree with both of you.
That's all.
I understood what Matthews was trying to say, but he worded it really poorly. He made it sound like for every hour of every day he goes around in his head thinking, "geez, this guy's black."
And I guess I understand that there's still ground to break, but this race issue is really old for me. Maybe I'm in a unique position, but....well, I guess I'm just in a relatively unique position. I don't have anything enlightening to add.
PS - I can do all the things on that list.
I agree Chris Matthews isn't racist, just kinda ignorant and on TV. I can't really say anything better than what Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote on his blog, which you should all read, if you're not already.
ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com/archives/2010/01/i_remembered_chris_matthews_was_white_tonight.php
But I respectfully disagree with the notion that white people "have to stay away from the topic of race in public." Sure, there are potentially going to be some misunderstandings and hurt feelings, but it's nothing that can't usually get worked out by people who are well-intentioned and acting on good faith. And of course it helps to recognize and identify one's own ignorance before saying the kinds of uninformed things that tend to get people in trouble when talking about race in public.
I agree that those conversations are tough, especially in unfamiliar environments, but not impossible and I think they're worth having.
Having grown up in the rather unique educational and community environment that was Teaneck, NJ in the '80s and '90s, shouldn't it be incumbent upon us to join in those discussions about race, especially when they happen (as they most often do) in the context of people of all one race talking to one another about people of another race?
I checked out Coates' blog. That is one bright dude. It's so rare these days that we get to read journalism that is purely INSIGHTFUL. I consider it a gift. Thanks for the link, Goldy. I subscribed to his blog and I'll have to pick up his memoir.
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