Image by way of Poplicks

By guest contributor Noesis

Barack Obama’s Presidential Victory, is a victory above many small victories for the history of people of color in the US.  ”Yes, We Can!” is not only one of many Obama’s campaign rally slogan, but echoes the many sentiments of people of color and non-people of color alike in search for change.

I want to comment on the possible change or challenges Obamania road to the White House has on the level of strictly discursivity and provide critical inquiry on the “Obama Effect” on Racial Discourse.  Media and people now can see that “if an African American can be President, anything is possible in the US!”

Now this Obama effect on racial discourse something which can uphold the beliefs of multicultural colorblind talk/meritocracy or does this Obama effect, more Ethnic Studies jargon.

I would say coming from an Asian American perspective, that this Obama effect MAY result in Model Minority discourse, for example, if Obama or Oprah can do it why can’t you do it!  If Asian Americans can succeed why can’t you succeed?!

Do you see the parallels here?  How about McCain’s concession speech “America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.”

Now, that 1 has achieved the great success of becoming President, is this it? Are issues around racism an afterthought or will racism still be an relevant issue to world.  I wonder now that Obama is President, what does the “Obama Effect” have on racial discourse or better yet issues of racism at all levels, institutionally and culturally?

In the end we cannot forget the work of Omi and Winant and understand the institutional mechanisms that seep in to the world of racial formation. 

Hopefully with Obama as President there will be a racial (trans)formation for the betterment of people of color and non-people of color alike, both on the level of discourse and more importantly at all institutional levels.

-Noesis

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 6th, 2008 at 12:06 am and is filed under Politrickin', Race. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.