Obama: black like me

Stanley Crouch makes an interesting observation re: Barack Obama:

... Obama's mother is of white U.S. stock. His father is a black Kenyan. Other than color, Obama did not - does not - share a heritage with the majority of black Americans, who are descendants of plantation slaves. ... So when black Americans refer to Obama as "one of us," I do not know what they are talking about. In his new book, "The Audacity of Hope," Obama makes it clear that, while he has experienced some light versions of typical racial stereotypes, he cannot claim those problems as his own - nor has he lived the life of a black American.

In the case of Obama, the phrase "African American" actually makes sense. In the case of most blacks I know, it does not.

In any event, it is unfortunate that Obama's skin tone is significant in making him a rising political star (rising political star: a phrase which some of us equate with "falling moral clarity"). He probably realizes it - at least I hope so. If not, he'll possibly think more highly of himself than he ought (as I am wont to do). You can argue his upbeat persona and forceful speaking style are also important - but I counter that these are present in others in the Democrat Party. Obama's skin color is very significant in that it allows him to stand out - surprises some even, somewhat sadly. But what's particularly interesting about Obama is that his skin color is, as Crouch explains, not emblematic of the set of experiences one might expect. In a way, it would be no different were I, a white man, born with a genetic anomaly which caused my skin to be black.