What does the election of Barak Ohama as the next president of the United States mean to you? How does his election relate to themes we have studied in our course, Hollywood's Rebels and Justice Seekers? Post any comments you like.
Image from: New York Times, Oct. 28, 2008
8 comments:
I was ecstatic when Barack was deemed President! I thought both candidates would have been fine for the white house, however my vote went to Barack. I think he can offer the change America needs right now, especially with the economy the way it is headed. Barack is bring fresh ideas to the table, something that America desperately needs.
I get a little mad (not alot because I know people are joking) but alot of Republican members of my family have been joking about going to Canada, or saying the country is in trouble, one crazy uncle even said he thought Barack was a terrorist! I couldn't believe it! You would think that in today's society people would be smarter, they would know the difference between a complete fabrication and the truth.
Overall, I have a feeling that the country is in good hands. I support Barack and am so excited that the country is able to overcome some of the obstacles that we faced less than 50 years ago! We have seen what race has meant to this country , we know that people have been killed in the name of race. And in less than 50 years America has grown and elected a BLACK president. We as a people are growing, those with their backwards ways are fading and a new light of hope is shining through. (I promise I'm not crying!)
I know there are some in the class , that didn't want to see Barack in the oval office, but I'm going to tell you what I told my father:
Just give it a chance...
That's all i got for now. No one's going to read all this anyway! :)
I agree with Jackie that Obama will provoke change. In government class we often discussed the role of race in this election and it was believed that Obama would only win by a slight margin. Therefore I was really happy when he won far more than the required 270 electoral votes. I think the state of the economy and the nation provoked many voters to put their views on race aside and vote for the candidate who would best fulfill their needs.
To be honest, I wasn't crazy about either candidate. But, now that Barack has been chosen, I'm really curious to see what he has up his sleeve and what he'll do for the country. God knows we need some idea of how to fix the mess we're in.
His election is getting a lot of media because he is the first African American to become President. With this comes a lot of references to how far the country has come in terms of racism and prejudice, as we can see from the movies we have been watching.
But, I also feel like constantly discussing the issue today and making a tremendous deal over the fact that he is black just continues to emphasize the racial differences. It, in my opinion, keeps the prejudice alive in our minds. He is a man, with a family, with ideas and education backing him, who has been elected as President of the United States, just like many before him. It should be left at that. Constantly talking about his race only puts emphasis on how he is different, and keeps the flame of prejudice burning. So, with that, I end my discussion here.
I agree with Kelly about continually bringing up race in this election. Of course, it was historic that a black man finally was able to break the racial barrier and achieve the nation's highest office, but that should not be the focus. The election was about change, something that Barack Obama is certainly bringing to the table. I was pleasantly surprised that he won the presidency by such a large margin of votes, especially popular votes, which he claimed to be more concerned about than electoral votes. I am excited that our country seems to be heading a new direction and after hearing his acceptance speech, felt hopeful about the country's future for the first time in quite a while.
here is a video kelly and i have come across in our journey's exploring youtube:
From Kelly:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65I0HNvTDH4
and from Me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY
Thanks for sharing. The Yes We Can one created in 2/2008 is moving, and powerfully done. Notice the editing, soundtrack, and movie making features. As the saying goes, "the medium is the message," from Marshall McLluhan, and that was way before youtube, in 1964, in his work, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
I was very excited and proud when Barack Obama was elected president. And I am not afraid to say that one of the main reasons I am so proud is that he is Black. I think it is saying a lot when we elect a president who is another race besides Caucasian. I also believe he was a great candidate and is a good president so far. I will admit that I was very disappointed when Clinton wasn't selected in the primary. I would have supported Clinton ten times over Obama. I appreciated her political policies and her experience. I also think it would be more monumental for a woman to be elected. People seem to forget that women are often looked down upon as well. I feel that it is sometimes forgotten because people are so used to a man-driven society. Many people don't even know that Black men were given the right to vote before women were. Now this is not saying anything against Black people but simply to show how far women were oppressed as well. I would have supported Clinton, but now that Barack is our president, I support him as well.
History! That is what was made on that faithful night. I still remember exactly where I was when Barack Obama was named the 44th president of the United States. The election of Barack Obama to the presidency was a momentous step foward in our countries history. A governmental program that proclaims to be built by the people for the people over the last 200 years certain people have felt silenced. In just one night an overwhelming voice could be heard by people who for a long time felt that their voices fell on deaf ears. For people like my mother and father, my aunts and uncles, grandfather and grandmother who lived during the civil rights era and before many tears were shed and shouts of excitment could be heard. They never thought they would live to see the day that a black man would be elected not just by popular vote to the White House. Throughout the campaign my family memebers would tell my sisters and I stories of the treatment of themselves growing up in a legally racially segregated United States and this election meant more to them then it could ever mean to me. However, the election of Barack Obama demonstrated to me that the sacrafices my parents made, and their parents before them, and so on were not in vain. From that point foward, I truly believed that as a black youth I really could accomplish anything with the right mindset, determination, and focus. Until that point there were still opportunities that I felt were closed off to me but now literally the sky is the limit. If a black man can hold the highest position in the country after centuries of oppression then in fact anything IS possible. On the heels of MLK JR. day I am really thankful to have been witness and an active participant in this historic event. Even if he is the only black president from this point foward the bench mark has been set and has given many children of color a real attainable goal they can strive for.
Thank you Barack Obama...Thank you American People... Thank you U.S. Constitution
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