Today’s Philadelphia Speech, as it may become known, is a milepost in American race relations, approaching the significance of the “I have a dream speech” delivered in 1963 by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Just about everything Obama said in the speech was exactly right.
The carefully crafted speech is a landmark because it is was built around the premise that America can change.
“The profound mistake of Reverend [Jeremiah] Wright’s sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society,” Obama said. “It’s that he spoke as if our society was static; as if no progress has been made; as if this country – a country that has made it possible for one of his own members to run for the highest office in the land and build a coalition of white and black; Latino and Asian, rich and poor, young and old—is still irrevocably bound to a tragic past.
“But what we know—what we have seen – is that America can change. That is true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope – the audacity to hope – for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.”
This is no small acknowledgment. Recognition of great progress is something that both “sides” need to hear. It must echo through black churches that are enslaved on a plantation of never-ending recriminations against past wrongs. It needs to be understood and not ridiculed by the gaggle of bug-eyed, conservative talk show hosts.
For years, when those of us who have pleaded and cajoled and insisted that we have come far in our race relations, the response has been, well, anger and scorn. We don’t understand the “black experience.” We’re “racists.”
But, we were there at the beginnings—the bus boycotts, the Supreme Court’s voiding the “separate but equal” doctrine, the integration of the military, the legal fight for “open housing,” fair employment, and the end of black seating in theaters and black water fountains and black waiting rooms—and we know how far we have come. We celebrated those advances. We wanted to move beyond the entrepreneurs who made their livings by feeding the anger and hatred.
For more than a generation, we have seen not just legal barriers fall, but attitudes change. Interracial friendships, interracial dating, interracial marriage (the latter once outlawed in several states) no longer shock; they are valued as a sign of progress. The full implications of “equal citizenship under the law,” as Obama put it, no longer are routinely challenged; they are embraced as a cornerstone of our democracy.
It is why so many of us were delighted to hear Obama’s insistence that we focus on the progress. It is why so many of us who remember the ugly past were stunned by racist ratings thundering from the pulpit in the church that was the religious home of the candidate of unity, sharing and caring. It required a careful and comprehensive explanation for those of us who, because we expected better, “didn’t get it.”
Obama’s explanation was masterful. It cannot be paraphrased; it must be heard and seen in its entirety. It provided an explanation of Wright’s racism, without excuse or pandering. Such “ignorance” (as Obama labeled it) cannot be excused, but it can be understood, and it needs to stop.
Obama cannot be faulted for arguing in the speech that racial progress is to be achieved through his political platform—the menu of federal social programs that some of us judge counterproductive, even destructive. Nor should those who disagree with his menu be accused of rejecting his pleas for racial progress. Nor should we have to buy his assertion that our common enemy is corporate America. Nor should Wright find in it any veiled encouragement for continuing his despicable tirades.
For days to come, the media will focus on whether the Philadelphia Speech rescued Obama’s candidacy, about its impact on Hillary Clinton’s campaign, blah and blah. Who knows? Who cares? The issue is bigger than Obama or Clinton or a single political campaign.
It is whether we can continue the epochal racial progress that Americans, we Americans, have made in the past half-century.
donna says:
The very fact that Mr Byrne referenced MLK in writing about Obama's speech suggests that we as a nation are not ready to move past racial divisions.
I would also suggest that the third paragraph to the end, provide excellent reasons NOT to vote for Obama (how much will his programs cost? Can they be effective at ending racial intolerance?
And as for stopping "ignorance"? Hahahahahaha. Ignorance has existed, does exist and will always exist. It cannot be legislated out of existence.
Furthermore, if a person wants to believe something that is "ignorant" that person is absolutely entitled to that belief, in this country.
We are not (yet) a People's Republic of ___________(thank goodness).
Proud American says:
The most brilliant political speech I've ever read. Left me speechless, tear-filled for one reason - he is right. If this does not affect people, I dont know what will. God bless this brave man, god bless America.
Proud American says:
"I would also suggest that the third paragraph to the end, provide excellent reasons NOT to vote for Obama (how much will his programs cost? Can they be effective at ending racial intolerance?"
How much does a war cost?
Hypocrite Alert says:
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?
Mike in Sac says:
Barack Obama says it the way it is and makes us think about who we are as Americans and what we want this country to be like.
His addressing this issue in the way he has done really calls us to the business of making this country better and a more perfect Union.
He calls people to take up the empowerment that democracy provides and be a part of history, not subject to it.
He asks that we judge him on the strengths of his convictions, his judgement, and his character. How much conviction, judgement, and character does it take to stand up and tell America that it is a racist country, but can do better.
He took a huge risk and deserves huge respect for stating so well what other use to divide and conquer us.
katharine says:
A fantastic, groundbreaking speech. Many have embraced Senator Obama as a person who can unite our country. Now, some are dismayed to hear that the senator is equally at home and accepted in the US senate and in a black church that sometimes preaches a radical message, even when he himself has stood clearly for a more hopeful, conciliatory tone. How did we think Senator Obama was going to unite- by accepting only the sound-bites we feel comfortable with, or by accepting all, and then using his unique stature, vision, wisdom, intelligence, and charisma to help us all become the best we can be in this multi-racial, multi-class, multi-faith, multi-viewed country of OURS. The fact that Senator Obama has been able to clearly articulate his differing views and his strong condemnation of anyone who makes divisive or negative comments, whether it is his close friend Samantha Power or his former pastor, shows me that he knows exactly what he stands for and will not falter no matter what. His speech shows courage and leadership, and marks him as the only person in politics today who is willing and able to directly confront this most volatile of issues precisely because he embodies the unity himself. I commend him and urge you all to look beyond the media sound bites to the substance of this man.
Lie Detector says:
Too little, too late. Had Obama come clean on Jeremiah Wright and Tony Rezko months ago, it would be a different story. If he had made these remarks in Iowa rather than Pennsylvania, I could admire him.
The truth if Obama was prepared to gamble that he would have passed the finish line before these controversies would have surfaced. He would have kept his silence through the election, but the story got printed.
Barack showed himself to be another politician. He did not address this issue in a full speech until he was caught and his first responses failed to extricate him from this obvious mess. He was also forced to admit that contrary to his earlier denials, he was familiar with Wright's hostile rhetoric. Too many persons have placed Obama in church when the fiery sermons were delivered.
This was not a unifying speech comparable to MLK's (partly plagiarized) "I have a dream" address.
This was Obama's equivalent of Nixon's "Checkers" speech.
Steve says:
The speech, and the praise of it, all strike the same theme in me -"fluffy".
It's red meat for the Obama supporters, in that it has soaring rhetoric that inflames their best emotions. But how much substance?
Blaming all the black community's problems on inequality hits the mark for white liberals, but is it a complete picture?
I think back to JFK's 1960 speech on his religion to a group of hostile Baptist ministers. That was a masterpiece, in that it was grounded in history and used careful logic to bring the listener to an inescapable conclusion, not a bunch of rhetoric. Can we say the same of this speech?
While Obama certainly spoke to the topic of race, I for one was left with the impression that he said little beyond catchy sound bites on what we are to do about it.
Robert says:
For those who dislike and will not vote for Obama for any reason will find fault. For the rest of us we witnessed History. The Beauty of words to begin perhaps the furthering
of our perfect union. Thank God for this time and this country.
Anon says:
Robert,
I don't plan to vote for Obama, but I still think it was an OK speech. He did not break much new ground, other than for a confusing usage of the word equivocal.
Jim says:
Barack is the best con man I have ever witnessed, even better than Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter. His words do not match his actions. Remember, you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time!
Steve says:
Robert,
"History"? Oh, my.
It is historic in that he is the first serious black Presidential candidate, so everything he does is historic. But to put that speech on a par with MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech of 1963, as some pundits are doing, strikes me as somehow gross.
Our world has become so shallow - all that glimmers is gold today.
Denise in OKC says:
Some folk will never Get it...and Obama's speech gives them another reason to dislike him..you don't want to give him credit for trying to bring this country together across racial, political and economic lines....enough of your lame excuses (indicative of people who love to complain, enjoy being victims and who does NOT want to work to make this country what it was intended to be-a more perfect Union. Shame on you! First cast the beam out of your own eye-then you can see clearly to remove the mote from your brother's eye. Matt 7:5
Pat Hickey says:
John McCain or the Democratic National Committee’s Candidates?
John McCain calls on all Americans to work with him.
Hillary and Barack ’speak to - nay, talk at - demographics.
The choice seems real clear work together (and still be Captains of our Fate) or become further balkanized.
Look at the Philadelphia Dodge yesterday; Obama tried to weld up the gap in his quickly disappearing demographics:
1. White Ethnic Blue Collar Voters, whom he identified with a deft Progressive wave of the fingers as ‘resentful.’ Like it came write out of the Sun Times.
2. Hispanics - ‘I’m here for you! Si, Se Puede!’
3. Jews, but are Jews not also white ethnic and blue collar ( Paul Heller the pipefitter from local 597 and married to the former May Crowning Queen Bridget Cooney sure thinks so)
bill says:
That sealed it for me. What's next
America? Liberals and Conservatives are to blame for the sad state of this country. Obama can't do it alone.
We as Americans,black,white,red,brown
etc. had better stop bickering before
it's too late. Start the change and
become more involved in our country
which is being reduced to a 3rd world
status because of the politicians and corporations, all of whom have
sold us out. How come no one has
mentioned the airbus contract which will send more jobs abroad? Silence
makes me sick.
Fresh says:
Socialism does not work people!!!!!!!! It has been proven time and time again. The only thing that works is a free enterprise system in which entrepreneurs can take risks, work in their own self interest (Adam Smiths Invisible Hand = Efficiency) and create real profit of which they ultimately deserve. This also creates jobs and helps the economy grow and prosper. It is counter-productive to tax these people who are waking up in the morning and actually doing something. What a shame to see enterprisers slowly get outnumbered by those who are just looking for hand-outs and look to the government to solve their problems. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A HAND OUT VOTE FOR OBAMA, HE PLANS TO GIVE THE COUNTRY AWAY. BLACK OR WHITE DOES NOT MATTER. THERE ARE PLENTY OF CAROSMATIC PEOPLE; IT DOES NOT MEAN THEY SHOULD BE PRESIDENT.
Raj says:
Uniter BARACK took his kids to hate filled sermon. Now he wants to unite this country.
I guess someone tell Barack that Charity begins at home.