Obama's Game

When African-American Barack Obama was born in 1961, John Kennedy submitted the bill “7512” about civil rights of black people. He used the army twice to protect colored people which were discriminated in the Deep South. Anyway later on, after his death, racial tensions were still frequent. A series of riots have plagued black ghettos for years, from Harlem Riot in 1964 to Los Angeles revolts. Today Obama’s candidacy, whether he is elected or not, shows how different the condition of the most successful multi-ethnic society as well of its black people is. In troubled times, this is how French historian Fernand Braudel has forecast upcoming events: “In spite of all, it will be seen that American Africa is the most advanced black community in the world, both physically and intellectually”.

Obama’s success is due to being a talented public speaker in a society that tends to go over prejudices after the historical experience of the melting pot. But is the “new man” really going to win the presidential elections on November 4? His backing is also measurable by the amount of subscriptions raised in his campaign: 300 million dollars up to Denver convention. Besides, by tradition a candidate of the party in charge in a period of economic crisis – just like John McCain now – is generally defeated. Also, public opinion is affected by Bush’s war in Iraq: “The three trillion dollar war”. Nevertheless, opinion polls swing between disparate controversies about economic and social subjects. In front of international perspectives, there are those who suspect Obama of pursuing a reticent and uncertain policy and there are those who fear a risky intervention policy by the old soldier McCain, even though sometimes soldiers are against war, like Eisenhower, who was able to end the Korean War.

Obama allows: “I could lose”. Everything is possible in spite of the anticipation of a new politic scenery, grown within the last generations. Of course, for the many Americans who don’t want to look affected by prejudices there is always the secrecy of the polls. Some lower classes received with diffidence the candidate with the strange name, son of a Kenyan, from a Muslim family, with an appearance never seen in presidential portraits on U.S. notes.

The new president will face a lot of tests: he will have to cope with the economic crisis, to get to the solution of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, to fight jihadist conspiracies in Pakistan after the resignation of Musharraf, to make up for Bush’s political hazards in Georgia, to deal with Putin’s challenges. At this point, it’s better to not hope for Obama’s election if it’s going to be an act of generous and unprejudiced kindness towards the Afro-American, even if talented. Likewise, it’s better not to hope for an election of the “wrinkled” McCain if it’s because of a residual and latent discriminatory mentality, even if it is the result of a rejection reaction to the “Obamamania” spread until now by elite and media.