Obama's Philadelphia Speech Rattles Nation

I am a white male. I have felt privilege when receiving certain opportunities in my life that I believe the black man standing next to me would struggle to achieve. I have often thought I am thankful to not have to go through the challenges a black male is forced to live in today's society. I can walk outside and stroll through any business, public event or neighborhood without the constant fear of harassment for the color of my skin. I am not immediately devalued before having a chance to suggest any insight into any particular situation because of racial ignorance. In our society, I can walk out into the general public and the color of my skin will generally have no bearing on the outcome of my day.

When I was 12 years old I traveled to New York with my family, and during a walk up to the corner store, noticed a group of black kids hanging out. I asked my cousin if we could go talk with them. He pushed me along, and referred to the group with the "n" word. I was confused and disappointed and in a surreal way felt as I would if visiting a zoo. I had never experienced black people before. We returned home and I told my mom I had seen "black people" up at the corner store. Her response was, "(I) saw people on the corner Thom, people." That was a life-changing moment my mother turned into a teaching moment.

Barack Obama took opportunity to create a teaching moment through the negative commentary of his longtime pastor, Reverend Wright. I listen to the commentary that has evolved around Obama's speech in Philadelphia and am awed by both the inspiration and derision that unfolds in the opinions of the American people. This opportunity, "The Speech" as it's being coined, is that teaching moment. Our society is ripe for words to be articulated in such a manner that we listen rather than disregard. If Obama gets up before the media and suggests that he doesn't agree with Wright's diatribe, than that becomes the spinning wheels of a political maneuver. Instead, a critical statement of hope and responsibility was made. People may now begin to understand that we do have a responsibility to better recognize one another's contribution to society rather than bury it with ignorance and small-minded thinking. Barack Obama's words demand that rather than keep it 'around the kitchen table' that we do begin to share our views openly. Open 'the barbershop and beauty salons' to the general public and allow everyone to recognize that compassion and insight are needed far more than ignorance and hate.

Three years ago, the movie Crash won an Oscar based upon its merit as a film that depicted several different societies converging in a twenty-four hour period of time. It was both highly acclaimed and panned by the public and media. What is important and related is that a speech delivered with such eloquence as Barack Obama did the other night, or a film that disturbs the routine of our lives and makes us think is invaluable to creating change. Much like I don't believe Obama supports every word that Rev. Wright delivers from his pulpit, What a movie does in making people think is exactly what Obama's may accomplish. We must pay attention to the issues that affect our society today.

Obama gives us that opportunity with such powerful ideals. His words aren't political as much as the speech exemplifies his responsibility for a man given such an opportunity to be the President of the United States, to make a clear distinction that his goal is nothing less than what MLK desired in the Dream March forty years ago, a dialogue of peace and non-violence. The only way to come close to that thinking is to continue to open our minds, and not shut them down. People continue to criticize Obama's words as political padding, and on the other side, people are suggesting the issue is overdone.

Overdone? We have made progress since Martin Luther King's dream speech, but we are not able to put the issue to rest. As Obama so intuitively states in the end of his speech, the issue will not go away.

I don't find it to be as much patronage as I would a desire to better understand and fulfill a promise to my mother that I could have an open mind when it comes to race relations and continue to look at people as they are today - people, and nothing more. I am that white guy trying to understand a black society without knowing my own. I am embracing the opportunity we have to actually think about listening to one another rather than telling each other what is right or wrong. I hope, rather than denounce an orator's ability to challenge a way of thinking and say what he believes in rather than taking the 'safe' road of political ambition, the people can recognize that Barack Obama has chosen to certainly take the road of a leader that will guide us along a new path of freedom. We as the people might perhaps take that minute to listen and dream.