I would say that if we are to pigeon hole Obama as an American president of African descent, I would score him a D. My considered opinion is that Obama is playing politically correct with the African American community while what is needed is tough love.
Donald Trump insisted that Obama hasnt done much for African Americans, while I wouldnt be voting for Trump because he is not my ideal candidate, he has raised a conversation we ought to be having in the African American community.
I would say that if we are to pigeon hole Obama as an American president of African descent, I would score him a D. My considered opinion is that Obama is playing politically correct with the African American community while what is needed is tough love.
While we must acknowledge that there has been a lot of psychological violence meted out to the African American community as a result of slavery, we must also come to terms with the new American society that has afforded a person of African descent to emerge president. While the state of the American union can definitely benefit from more equality, I will admit that the new American society is more tolerant and opportunities for self advancement are more readily available. However, the ghost of the past and its attendant social ills are (in my opinion) holding the African American community back in this new American age. What is needed is for American leaders like Obama (who are of African descent) to take the revitalization of the African American community as a personal venture and make it a goal to eradicate African American poverty and social problems and set benchmarks like those of the millennium development goals. This is achievable if all African American leaders see the high rate of African American high school dropouts, incarceration, and adult /juvenile homicide as not only a social problem but an economic problem as well.
it seems to me that much of African American socio - economic problems in the U.S are associated mainly with social problems and again this can be traced to the psychological violence of slavery, segregation and apartheid against African Americans which has also led to the collapse of the African American father and mother family unit and in many instances - has also led to pronounced social delinquency.
The only way to solve this problem is for leaders like Obama to not necessarily bemoan the past but confront the menace. Solving this problem also does not mean throwing government financial assistance money at the African American people or any other ethnic group for that matter because that would not solve the problem but aggravate it.
Some of the ways to solve this problem may require legislation demanding that all American kids complete at least 12 years of education. Those who are not capable of the rigors of reading and writing may have the option of learning a craft or a trade in some sort of a structured environment. This will not only benefit African American kids, it will benefit all American kids, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian and everyone else. There is also the need to take a second look at the Welfare system and make sure that those who really needs the help gets it so that it doesn’t end up being a disincentive to work. I believe there is enough gainful employment in America to go round. If you are not too choosy, you can always find something to do here and perhaps transition to your ideal job later.
And finally, there is a need to look at the criminal justice system and how it affects American ethnic minorities. Unless in the case of murder, rape, child molestation or any other outrageous criminal behavior, the American criminal justice system has to be reformed to make better persons of the criminals that go through their system - because it is in all of our interest that these former criminal elements become better persons whenever they return to society. It is important that they become better fathers and mothers which in turn lead to an improved society. The present situation whereby the prison has become a revolving door for repeat offenders is dangerous for all of us as members of the society. More often, these repeat offenders without getting adequate help ends up committing even more egregious crimes before been finally locked up for the rest of their lives.
In summary, education, craft, trade, job assistance, a reformed welfare system, and a reformed criminal justice system will not only benefit African Americans but all Americans as well.
While Obama has done well on many fronts such as the economy and the administration’s Affordable Care Act has increased access to healthcare for all Americans, the Obama presidency may indeed be a missed opportunity for African Americans to move beyond where they were.
Just in case some are interested, I am an American of African descent.
“Our lives are a battlefield on which is fought a continuous war between the forces that are pledged to confirm our humanity and those determined to dismantle it; those who strive to build a protective wall around it, and those who wish to pull it down; those who seek to mould it and those committed to breaking it up; those who aim to open our eyes, to make us see the light and look to tomorrow [...] and those who wish to lull us into closing our eyes”
― Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o