Pajamas Media

Obama’s Speech a Call for a Victimhood Coalition

Obama's speech seemed to advance the cause of racial healing, says Rick Moran. But at what price?

March 18, 2008 - by Rick Moran

Support Pajamas Media; Visit Our Advertisers

Barack Obama gave a powerful and uplifting speech in Philadelphia today, the immediate purpose of whch was to put behind him the issues raised by the hateful remarks of his pastor, Jeremiah Wright.

I believe he did so. But at a price that opens him up to a charge he has been trying to avoid since he began his historic run for the presidency: that he is a far left Democratic liberal who sees the government as the solution to most of the nation’s problems.

Overall, where Obama succeeded was in his interesting and incisive look at the state of race relations today. He said what needed to be said to both races in a way that didn’t come off as preaching, which it very well could have. Where he failed was in his prescriptions to solve the problem, which are nothing less than old fashioned liberal panaceas to be applied by government to cure society’s ills.

Obama began the speech with a reference to the Founding Fathers who wanted to form a more perfect union in creating the Constitution. He built upon this theme in a way that would have the Founders turning over in their graves; that the way to that “more perfect union” was through massive government intervention in the daily lives of American citizens.

More than at any other time in this campaign, Obama forcefully and without qualification endorsed across the board government intervention in every aspect of the lives of American citizens. This includes the prospect of joining whites and blacks together in a “victimhood coalition” to fight the enemy.

And who might that enemy be? Generally speaking, it is conservatives who are at the bottom of every problem enunciated by Obama during his 35 minute speech. Not once did Obama blame government policies for the problems of African Americans, low and middle income whites, or any other identity group he wished to bring into his victim coalition. Government is not only blameless, but statist solutions are the only way to fix what ails us, according to Obama.

Obama spent a considerable amount of time trying to explain that the rage expressed by Wright publicly is echoed in private by most blacks, and that whites cannot therefore understand how important it is for Wright to be allowed to spew his hatred to give voice to that anger:

That anger may not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends. But it does find voice in the barbershop or around the kitchen table. At times, that anger is exploited by politicians, to gin up votes along racial lines, or to make up for a politician’s own failings.

The fact that so many people are surprised to hear that anger in some of Reverend Wright’s sermons simply reminds us of the old truism that the most segregated hour in American life occurs on Sunday morning.

If it were only “anger,” it might be excusable. But venomous hate directed against whites and Jews cannot be explained away or excused, nor can Obama ask us to “understand” this hate-filled rhetoric any more than a white person should ask him to “understand” the rhetorical poison spewed by the David Dukes of the world.

Obama clearly rejects and condemned what Wright says. That is not an issue now. Obama wants us to understand where the anger is coming from. And to do that, he attempts to pull whites into his victimhood coalition by enunciating their resentments as well:

In fact, a similar anger exists within segments of the white community. Most working- and middle-class white Americans don’t feel that they have been particularly privileged by their race. Their experience is the immigrant experience - as far as they’re concerned, no one’s handed them anything, they’ve built it from scratch. They’ve worked hard all their lives, many times only to see their jobs shipped overseas or their pension dumped after a lifetime of labor. They are anxious about their futures, and feel their dreams slipping away; in an era of stagnant wages and global competition, opportunity comes to be seen as a zero sum game, in which your dreams come at my expense. So when they are told to bus their children to a school across town; when they hear that an African American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committed; when they’re told that their fears about crime in urban neighborhoods are somehow prejudiced, resentment builds over time.

Like the anger within the black community, these resentments aren’t always expressed in polite company. But they have helped shape the political landscape for at least a generation. Anger over welfare and affirmative action helped forge the Reagan Coalition. Politicians routinely exploited fears of crime for their own electoral ends. Talk show hosts and conservative commentators built entire careers unmasking bogus claims of racism while dismissing legitimate discussions of racial injustice and inequality as mere political correctness or reverse racism.

Shorter Obama to Whites: it’s not your fault you’ve been taken in by evil conservatives. You’re a victim too.

An opportunity missed to be sure. He could have condemned all forms of political correctness and what it leads to including campus speech codes, an inability to discuss race or gender issues in any meaningful way. Instead, he used the liberal definition of the practice to legitimize it.

The racial divide aspects of the speech were also fascinating in that Obama combined an extraordinarily brave and honest assessment of the state of race relations in the country (using his own remarkable life as a backdrop) with an appeal to support him based on his perceived ability to transcend his race. But how can he do that by not repudiating his hate filled pastor? Obama attempts to plant one foot firmly on either side of the divide but ends up failing because in the end, he must be who he is: a black man who, while not agreeing with Reverend Wright’s toxic words, nevertheless understands and agrees with the underlying reason he spouts them.

Above all, Obama sees the solution to the divide as whites and blacks united in asking for government help:

For the African-American community, that path means embracing the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past. It means continuing to insist on a full measure of justice in every aspect of American life. But it also means binding our particular grievances - for better health care, and better schools, and better jobs - to the larger aspirations of all Americans-the white woman struggling to break the glass ceiling, the white man whose been laid off, the immigrant trying to feed his family…

In the white community, the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination - and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past - are real and must be addressed. Not just with words, but with deeds - by investing in our schools and our communities; by enforcing our civil rights laws and ensuring fairness in our criminal justice system; by providing this generation with ladders of opportunity that were unavailable for previous generations. It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health, welfare, and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all of America prosper…

No one begrudges poor people the help they need to survive. But to what end? Obama’s one nod to a non statist solution to the problems of Black America echoes his Pastor and other Black leaders — including Louis Farrakhan:

And it means taking full responsibility for own lives — by demanding more from our fathers, and spending more time with our children, and reading to them, and teaching them that while they may face challenges and discrimination in their own lives, they must never succumb to despair or cynicism; they must always believe that they can write their own destiny.

Ironically, this quintessentially American — and yes, conservative — notion of self-help found frequent expression in Reverend Wright’s sermons. But what my former pastor too often failed to understand is that embarking on a program of self-help also requires a belief that society can change.

A mixed message from Wright to be sure. Take responsibility for your own life, but blame Whites for whatever goes wrong.

I am glad Obama gave this speech. I think it advanced the cause of racial healing. As a teacher to White America, he is the perfect candidate — non confrontational, cognizant of white concerns, and interested in moving beyond the current climate of fear and mistrust.

But ultimately, the speech — at bottom, an act of political necessity — raised issues Obama had been trying to keep in abeyance. His belief in a society of victims — both black and white — as well as his clear intent to radically invade the space of individual citizens will be picked apart by his Republican opponent John McCain. He could very well lose the support of some independents as a result of this speech.

As far as filling the immediate political need to lance the boil of Wright’s poisonous words, it succeeded. At what cost is yet to be determined.

Rick Moran blogs at Right Wing Nuthouse.

32 Comments

Rubicon:

The speech solved nothing. His words simply were used to distance himself from Wrtight, while still embracing the rhetoric of racialism.
He still has not accounted for his denials he ever heard these words from the pastor, yet there is ample evidence he was present at many of the sermons.
Government solutions to human emotional issues, is a pathetic attempt to regulate how & what people think. Such solutions will do nothing whatsoever to solve any of the angry emotions over racial divisions.
Dragging middle class whites into it, is simply patronizing to the extreme. We have our problems & do not wish to associate or combine them with the problems of anyone else, including the guy down the street, regardless of skin color or religion.
Anger over racial issues is the problem of the person expressing that anger. Just as problems with lovers is a problem for the lovers.
Unless & until people drop their victim status & start to work on a better life for themselves & their children, these problems will continue to exist. That is the problem of those who cannot just “get over it, look past it, deal with it, or ignore it.”
Barack just proved to me & millions that all he wants is a government that controls every aspect of our lives. That kind of collectivist socialist nonsense, is NOT America past, or present, & better not be our future if we all want to live in freedom!

Mar 18, 2008 - 12:05 pm Florida:

It’s interesting that Obama can stand in FRONT of 8 American flags, but he can’t even ’stand’ BEHIND one (lapel pin) flag. What kind of hypocrite is this guy???

Mar 18, 2008 - 12:06 pm RE:

Obama brought his children to that church week after week, instilling Mr Wright’s poison into the next generation.

Actions speak louder than words.

Obama is a fraud. And I am not a victim.

Mar 18, 2008 - 12:18 pm Amos:

If this “Jeremiah”-Obama has any religion, it’s the religion of Hate. If he has any god, it may be only Devil. But the absolute perversion is of folks who vote a man that hates them and desires to destroy their country.

Mar 18, 2008 - 1:33 pm Ed Wallis:

Obama failed across the boards with this speech. Whether he saved a few super/delegates MAY have been a higher priority for him, but he only confirmed the worst expectations, as the author well describes.

I can only hope that Americans see more clearly what a charlatan Obama is…what a hypocrite…AND WHAT A DANGER to the UNITED States of America.

Mar 18, 2008 - 1:35 pm rasqual:

A substantial proportion of Wright’s church consist of folk on welfare.

I can appreciate Wright’s frustration that government is not solving everyone’s problems — because it can’t, nor should try. But there’s something weird here.

To the extent that the government DOES help, apparently his flock has been great beneficiaries of it (welfare). But to the extent that he’s angry that they’re still stuck on welfare, how can it be the government’s fault — at least, the Fed’s? Where are the local jobs in Democrat-controlled Chicago? That seems either a local government issue (Cook County just hiked taxes such that Wright’s parishoners pay the highest sales taxes in the country), or one for the private sector (employers).

The government is doing what it can to ostensibly help (thus “succeeding” in that respect), while employment for these welfare folk just doesn’t seem available.

I can appreciate Wright’s frustration (but not his liberation theology impetus to elevate victim consciousness), but it seems singularly stupid to blame Washington for problems with Chicago jobs.

Mar 18, 2008 - 2:40 pm CMK:

There is one important question that Mr. Obama’s speech failed to answer- if you would not, or could not confront the issues of racism and anti-Americanism within your own parish, or with your own personal friend, Pastor Wright, why should I believe you have what it takes to effectively confront these issues on a national level, as POTUS?

Mar 18, 2008 - 2:49 pm Richard Jansen:

Speeches that miss the mark are not great speeches. Political speeches cannot be judged great without considering the content which in this case was far from great.

Mar 18, 2008 - 3:15 pm P. Ami:

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

Now that was a Democrat giving a great speech.

Mar 18, 2008 - 3:55 pm Mike:

The best analysis of the speech I’ve seen.

I would add that Obama has used the hell out of Pastor Wright. He used him to get ahead in Chicago faith-politics, and he’s using him now, portraying him as a sad old man driven mad by racial injustice, and saying: ‘But I’ve evolved beyond that; I’m better than him.’ The cynicism is breathtaking, and frightening. He’s taken 20 years of race-hate and divisiveness in which he acquiesced, and leveraged it into a call for unity.

Mar 18, 2008 - 5:33 pm L Demas:

From Obama’s speech:

I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother - a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.

And did Obama cringe when Wright uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes?

Mar 18, 2008 - 5:57 pm Larry:

Demas - you just created a bumper sticker:

“did Obama cringe?”

Mar 18, 2008 - 6:11 pm *shakes head slowly:

Moran, you’re not listening. At least once Obama blames government policy, directly:

“A lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration that came from not being able to provide for one’s family, contributed to the erosion of black families - a problem that welfare policies for many years may have worsened.”

And Wright’s is not the only call to personal responsibility that Obama references. (Btw, how the hell did you read Obama blaming whites for everything in that bit?) He begins the speech by pointing out that even the words in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution–government policy par excellence!–don’t do a damn thing without Americans making the policies/ideas real…fighting Civil Wars, fighting for Civil Rights, etc.

He is not, in this speech or this campaign, saying that government is the solution to all our problems. Obama has more than a million individual donors and hundreds of thousands of volunteers because he’s been calling on individual Americans to take matters in to their own hands all along.

Mar 18, 2008 - 6:48 pm JJ Dedalus:

A Teacher of Whites? Hmmm. Not so sure about that one. Well, actually, on second thought, perhaps yes. He could teach them how NOT to shoot yourself in the foot, ie; The comparison he made between his Grandmother and Reverend Wright was embarrassing.

Also: Mr. Moran said more than once that as far as distancing himself from his SPIRITUAL TEACHER’s remarks, he succeeded. But I disagree. He did not even offer to return his tax deductible contribution to Rev. Wright. That would have gone a long way toward convincing those of us, Jewish and Gentile, who deserve to be convinced, that he was sincere in his denunciation of Wright.

And even if he wasn’t there when the remarks were made he knew darn well that Wright has been talking like that for as far back as his trip to Libya with Farakhan. If he is trying to act surprised it means he is lying to us. Finally, why a speech? Why not a Press Conference? I thought that was not only a missed opportunity for a Presidential Canidate to be a Power of Example for Freedom of Speech, it was downright cowardly, and ignoble.

Mar 18, 2008 - 7:02 pm james:

I dont believe him
shame on him using his grandmother as an example
not very presidential

Mar 18, 2008 - 7:48 pm Kejda Gjermani:

I think you’re being overgenerous with Obama. His speech was meant to distract: so much fluff that all issues bleed together in a mellow mess.

Disgusting was his sell-out of his grandmother. In any case, one cannot choose one’s family and has to cope with disagreeable family members.

He can very well choose his pastor, his church, his friends… and choose he did.

His speech was bullshit, a whole lot of smoke and mirrors, and it was mighty arrogant of him to not go all the way with his condemnation of Wright. It felt very half-hearted and manipulative to me.

Mar 18, 2008 - 8:00 pm Tony:

You purposely left out this passage from the speech, which knocks down the entire basis of your criticism:

“A lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration that came from not being able to provide for one’s family, contributed to the erosion of black families — a problem that welfare policies for many years may have worsened.”

Mar 18, 2008 - 8:39 pm Donna:

It’s amazing to me how two different people can listen to the same message and hear something totally different. I’m a black woman who voted with the republican party for the last two elections. I’m not sure why, but I felt that the republican party was more connected with the church, and that was a good thing to me because I’m a christian. But in this election, I’ve heard such vendictive speech coming from the republican party. I have to say I’m a little embarrassed to say that I voted that way in the past, although I have a great deal of repect for George Bush. At the time he ran for office, he was so unappologetic about his religious convictions that I could easily leave the democratic traditions of my family and vote for him. I didn’t vote for Jesse Jackson when he ran because I felt he did not represent the present day african american. I felt that he did not challenge our african american community to reach higher. He seemed to focus so much on the injustices that were committed against the black man, that too many black men didn’t recognize the injustices they were committing against themselves and their own community;but, Mr. Obama seems to speak a better message, inspite of the clips played by Rev. Wright; a message that chalenges us all to do better for ourselves and for our community. He seems to be challenging the country not to excuse our actions but to understand them. I think that’s a good thing. He also seems to be able to do this without being as bitter and vendictive as his critics. The republican party as well as some democrats and indepents, seem to almost hate this man. I understand that every party wants their repective candidates to win, and I can understand not wanting to vote for him for various reasons; but I think my former party has gone a little to far. I hope some good comes out of all of this. As for now OBAMA has my vote.

Mar 18, 2008 - 9:21 pm whoframedrudy:

“As far as filling the immediate political need to lance the boil of Wright’s poisonous words, it succeeded”

I’m just curious. Do you know how many times Obama lied in the past week about not knowing of Wright’s remarks? Just barefaced lies. Just two weeks ago he falsely accused Hillary of leaking the photo of him in African dress. He said he would have fired Imus, while embracing Wright for 20 years. This is so not over.

I think the ‘perfect teacher of white America’ would be someone not so easily exposed as a self-serving liar — probably not a politician.

Mar 18, 2008 - 10:04 pm Mylai:

I think Barack Obama would be better served having a sit-down with another important member of Black America - who also speaks about black/white America, albeit not so divisively, Bill Cosby.

http://www.massagedepot.com/pointsCosby.htm

Mar 18, 2008 - 11:10 pm BigD:

And yes America “The Ball is in your court” as spoken by another Black Pastor to tell Americans to come out and denounce racism. Actually, he meant come out and vote Obama. As to why Obama is not quiting his church…the new sorry excuse from Obama, his supporters and many black pastors is that he will not run away from the problem because to solve the problem you must face it to try and change it. Well, Obama had 20 years to do so and he did nothing. Instead, he only decided to do something now because he had been caught with his pants down.

So, any of you who was formerly a supporter of OSAMA BIN LADIN, please go back to your fellowship and try to change OSAMA & GANG…let me know what comes out of it. …Time for America to move beyond words. Seriously, we are deciding who our leaders should be based on great speeches.

The idea that the Black community is poorer of in America is rather far fetched. I know of several Black singers, actors, entertainers, sportsman, lawyers, doctors and businessmen who have made it big in America…dun see any racism there. Racism & Discrimination are not for the blacks to own or claim only.

Mar 19, 2008 - 2:31 am elixelx:

I’m of the opinion that, as a boy, youth, young man Obama DID NOT cringe when he heard his Granma make racist remarks against blacks!

If anything, half-breeds hate the half that makes them victims, the black, rather than the half doing the victimising, the white.

I wonder, as a boy, did Obama think of himself as white or as black? I have known anglo-indians, anglo- chinese, anglo-japanese, all of whom, without exception, preferred to identify with those who wouldn’t spit on them rather than with those on whom they wouldn’t spit!

So! Let the man not dissimulate! He wanted to be white; he probably hated his half-blackness; and then, at age 25, he met a man who told him that it was Ok to hate the white part while loving the black part. Indeed, embracing the black part REQUIRED hating the white part!

And Obama was finally permitted, even encouraged, because it gave him a long-lost identity, to hate and use Granma for political advancement.

That, my friends, is the significance of Granma in this speech; it is her he got even with today; today he made Granma cringe!

“The words of children at play are the words of their parents at home” (Talmud)

Mar 19, 2008 - 2:57 am Bob:

Pleople use to be worried about white conservatism…well black conservatism is no better and is equally dangerous for America.

Mar 19, 2008 - 3:05 am Bob:

The black community do not own the claim on racism & discrimination.

Mar 19, 2008 - 3:06 am JJ Dedalus:

Bob :
Pleople use to be worried about white conservatism…well black conservatism is no better and is equally dangerous for America.

Mar 19, 2008 03:05 AM

Yeah Bob, I guess the danger is equal, what with all those White Conservative Gang-bangers out there.

Mar 19, 2008 - 5:56 am william:

Obama missed his WHOLE point.

He absolutely blew it in his speech by not removing himself in absolute terms from the so-called Rev. Wright. (WELL HE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT YEARS AGO). He is the product of the healing of the racial divide, and yet he can’t admit it. He is not the healer. He is the result of how much healing there has been.

We here at stronger than death have separated ourselves from the hate of groups like the KKK and groups like James Wrights church. Obama has not. He could have been a leader. He is not! He is pandering to hateful people. Look past his skin and see the heart!

Mar 19, 2008 - 8:03 am White Bear:

I could never stay half an hour in company of an anti-Semite, fascist, racist, like Jeremiah Wright, who hates his country and everyone who doesn’t share his ideas and skin’s color, without feeling reject. Obama stayed in company of this repugnant man during 20 years without feeling the least disgust because he completely shared and continues to share Wright’s ideas. The “victimhood coalition”, that Obama preaches in his demagogic speech, in reality is a criminal’s coalition of the terrorists and Islamofascist dictators that pay his electoral campaign. This “coalition” is a dream of his Muslim father and of his diabolic teacher with a biblical name. I think his true name should be Behemoth.

Mar 19, 2008 - 8:37 am Missy:

Wow. I’m so happy when i happen upon blogs such as this. I understand now that internet blogs will never be the marketplace of ideas because like other tangible locations: church, barbershops, clubs–people will flock to things that just validate their own point of view. This whole blog entry is a justification of that speech. Truly whatever came out of his mouth or whatever he did would be “of the devil.” And whatever Bush did, or anyone who shared your skin color, political beliefs, religion, would be golden. Some people will validate themselves at any cost–if it means belittling others, casting aspersions “that person is the devil,” or starting wars and killing people to do it. Are people merely animals who just react to sight and sound and animal instincts? It really pushes me to the cynicism that you all seem to share here, but i refuse to let my hope that one day people can get past it and use the intelligence that is god-given to make intellectual decisions and reach a higher level of consciousness–not based on race, gender, prejudice or what-have-you, but achieving what you claim is a principle of your Christian religion(its mine too)…Righteousness(not self-righteousness) and peace. I enjoy people in the world who can look past themselves and see things from other POV than the one they share. They make for good leaders. The rest of the people, many who must be visitors to this site, are a bunch of scary sociopaths. You’re all the “bewildered herd” too, okay? As I’m writing this, i’m thinking I should delete it because I understand that it will not be well-received and is totally pointless except for a venting moment for myself. But I did contribute to this marketplace so i have done my civic duty and accomplished what i learned in college. Thanks PajamasMedia for opening my eyes.

Mar 19, 2008 - 10:02 am Ed Wallis:

Tony wrote: You purposely left out this passage from the speech, which knocks down the entire basis of your criticism:

“A lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration that came from not being able to provide for one’s family, contributed to the erosion of black families — a problem that welfare policies for many years may have worsened.”

Mar 18, 2008 08:39 PM

What isn’t mentioned here, Tony, is that a damn politician is saying this. Which means…

On its own, this quote means NOTHING. Without any context, it could be a justification for either

A) eliminating welfare, OR

B) increasing welfare to the point of nanny state.

Mar 19, 2008 - 10:22 am Euphrades:

Do you believe in everything your pastor/priest/rabbi/iman/dali lama/

voodoo priest says ? Of course you don’t and why should you. You go for the fellowship not the leader/ She/He is not God.

If you think Bush is the worst wait until you see how dumb McCain is or how vicious HillBill is. Open your minds and realize the whole country has a chance to look and be intelligent for once.

Mar 19, 2008 - 4:21 pm Donald:

“I could never stay half an hour in company of an anti-Semite, fascist, racist, like Jeremiah Wright, who hates his country and everyone who doesn’t share his ideas and skin’s color, without feeling reject.”

Hyperbole is one of the more common fallacies in argument. It was a flaw in Wright’s case, and also in your own. I hope neither of you truly mean what you say.

Mar 19, 2008 - 5:02 pm redqueen:

Mr. Obama fails to persuade me that he rejects Rev. Wright’s anti-American message, because his wife, albeit with less (public) vituperation, clearly agrees with Rev. Wright. Until the handlers got hold of her, she made it quite clear she has always been ashamed of this country. Perhaps I have just missed it, but I have yet to hear him say that he does not share her feelings. His refusal to wear a flag pin, to put his hand over his heart for the flag, indicate that in fact he agrees with her. If he doesn’t agree with her, his failure to appreciate the symbolism of those actions is remarkable in a man of his vaunted political astuteness. Meanwhile, the speech on Tuesday appears to have the desired effect of being all things to all people, judging from the multitude of interpretations present even in this small sampling.

Mar 20, 2008 - 11:38 am