Just like the seashore I’m calm… but wild, with my monotone style

Let me step into the cipher, now long overdue and glad to be here. To start, Ghostface is in town tonight. I had thoughts of going, but nothing quite makes me feel my age now like going to a hip hop show. And, as you may know/imagine, a hip hop show in Boston lends itself to a unique brand of white youth proving they’re down. Of course, in this day and age, they are – everyone is. It almost makes me miss the whole debate about wiggers and Young Black Teenagers.

But this post is ultimately about Obama, and my musing about how we assess his tenure thus far. David and Todd’s debate hit on key points, none of which I’ll repeat. And the question about his passion immediately brought me back to Guru, who, in spite of his self-described monotone, brought incredible passion to the game. Of course, his game was elevated (and some would say made) by Premier, his essential partner, foil, perhaps muse. Who is Obama’s Primo? The one and only person that comes to mind is Michelle – who, though, as well as she plays it, is still expected to maintain as primary her First Lady status (but did you catch the picture of her jumping double dutch on the White House lawn last month? It truly brought me to tears of joy). I’ll leave the question out there… in the dual realms of politics and leadership, who is Obama’s pnc?

Back to the realness: how do we judge Obama’s presidency? A few things come to mind. First, I have been involved in some form of urban youth work during every election from ’92 until present, and last year’s was the first one in which I saw young folks of all ages be engaged in an election. Children as young as 3, 4, 5 knew and know who Obama is. In fact, our soon-to-be 2 year old son says “Obama” at random times each week – and means it. And while the initial euphoria of victory certainly has dissipated, the inspiration and impact of Obama (and really the Obamas) being in the White House remains. We all know that nothing in the way of this country’s  entrenched and pervasive structural racism has changed, but the sense of what is possible for young people across the country has shifted dramatically. As the father of a biracial son, I can actually look to the White House with pride. I never expected that I would be able to say that at any point in this lifetime… if not beyond. As Erykah said, “I guess I’ll see you next lifetime.”

Aside from the beer summit (not to mention his choice of beer), Obama’s initial statements both about the police officer’s overreaction in making the arrest and then about the Secret Service’s hypothetical response to seeing him (Obama) trying to get in the front door of the White House provided powerful affirmation that Obama can bring the realness. I am almost amazed that there was not more backlash; he ostensibly named the racist elephant (fox?) that festers in the US, and it goes well beyond the Republican Party. When the now somehow (in)famous Joe Wilson shows his true colors, Obama can play it cool and allow others to call foul; say what you will about Jimmy Carter, but I absolutely trust that his Georgia roots allow him to judge racists fairly.

And, I have to say, I like having a couple in the White House that I can relate to. I mean, damn, Obama plays ball. Michelle is cultivating organic foods. Albeit on a different level, he and Michelle negotiate marriage, parenting and work as we do. I would actually want to hang out with them, and not on some “Who is a person, living or dead, that you would most like to have dinner with?” tip. But I am also realistic: A health care bill without a public option would be abysmal. Lack of significant reform AND regulation of Wall Street seems a real possibility. There is still minimal relief for homeowners facing foreclosure. I have no love for Arne Duncan and I am disgusted with the lack of substantive education reform. Guantanamo may not be closed by January. Kanye may still make public appearances. And on and on and on and on….

How am I judging Obama? I ultimately intend to hold Obama accountable for the lasting change he is able to effectuate. Yet just as no leader should be put on a pedestal or falsely idolized, and certainly no black leader should be held to any lower standard than our wonderfully competent cohort/cabal of white presidents, we also cannot fall prey to leadership oppression. As much as people tend to like the idea of change, they resist when asked to act on it. That reality, along with the social, political and economic context in which we are living, all make the challenges facing Obama that much greater. I harbor incredible hope that conditions in the US will improve for the majority of people and that Obama will help lead the charge. The politricks in this country are such that he cannot and will not do it alone – and we know he has a lot of folks rooting for his demise: “In the arena, or rather coliseum, there’s people gathering by multitudes to see one
perpetrator fall to the dust after the other…”. As long as he brings the realness, I’ll have his back.