My long delayed Barack Obama post

March 27th, 2008

The first 2 times I voted really meant something. I was a few months past 18 when South Africa had a referendum on whether the country should continue down the path of dismantling the apartheid state. This was largely symbolic – the vote was overwhelmingly yes and the world knows the results of the process that followed.
The next time round was the first free election in South African history. Nelson Mandela was elected and proceeded to do the impossible. South Africa today has some significant problems but their neighbours are doing far worse.
These votes mattered! What happened has and will affect Africa for decades and ushered in a new era.
I believe Barack Obama represents a similar opportunity.
No, not because him and Mandela are both black – I think Obama’s blackness is almost completely irrelevant. What inspires me is that he’s the first politician in a long time to have an actually vision and be real and practical. The controversy over his preacher I think exposes what we could expect from the man. I’ve never seen a politician admit that you need to take the whole measure of the man and simply by association you cannot give credence to bad opinions. I disagree with Wright’s comments but there are many people I know who I disagree with but would never disown.
Obama seems to be trying to actually do something and sensibly understands that you need to get the best out of people like Reverend Wright – not vilify them. This was the most honest admission I’ve seen from a public figure (possibly aside from the rather amusing confessions of the new New York Governor about his sexual history) and I think it reflects how he’ll govern.

Entry Filed under: Politics, Uncategorized