Barack Obama’s ‘Model Minority’ Problem
March 30, 2008
When I called Barack Obama’s race speech “The Liberal Side of Colorblind: Obama’s Post-Affirmative Action Politics,” a reader asked me to clarify what I meant.
Simply put, Obama’s speech marks a clear pivot on the discussion of race in America. When a surging black candidate for president gives an honest speech focusing on the complexities of the race problem in this country, it’s certainly a brand new day. A change, if you will.
It just may not be the change any of us who have long fought for racial injustice imagined.
Already some are suggesting that if a black man wins, that’s it. Game over. Race equity is achieved. Forget about slavery. Any racial debts are paid. The playing field is level.
Doesn’t make sense, of course. But tell that to the anti-affirmative action folks doing their share of hand-wringing hoping for an Obama victory.
Indeed, an Obama presidency may play right into the hands of affirmative action’s most ardent detractors, and leave us struggling without the proper tool to deal with racial inequities.
At the advent of affirmative action politics, the question about the need to move toward racial equity was never in doubt. Affirmative action didn’t just lift the guilt of a society dealing with a history of slavery, it lifted up qualified minorities in employment and education. Affirmative action was seen as the proper remedy for people of color and other minorities who never quite got that fair shake.
But as the civil rights actions of the ’60s were challenged over decades, the remedy has been seemingly extended to everyone with a lawyer. Indeed, increasingly in later years, recipients have included whites who have argued for their share of equity rights as aggrieved targets of “reverse discrimination.”
This is what has become of affirmative action politics. The ideal is bastardized. Affirmative action is mischaracterized. Dr. Martin Luther King’s colorblind society idea has been manipulated by the likes of Ward Connerly, the man who helped make affirmative action illegal in state hiring and education practices in California. He’s intent on going from state to state to make affirmative action illegal — everywhere.
That’s the world of post-affirmative action politics.
And now we’ve come to the tipping point, where the biggest tool to negate affirmative action may be one Barack Hussein Obama. He can’t help it. He’s the smartest guy in the room. And a person of color. He’s also where he is on merit, not because of his race.
If Obama wins the presidency, he becomes the embodiment of what afflicts every successful Asian American — he becomes the model minority. And a rhetorical tool for all those who want to see affirmative action die.
Connerly is so gleeful about an Obama victory that he has reportedly contributed $500 to the Obama campaign. Said Connerly in a Boston Globe report this week: “The whole argument in favor of race preferences is that there is ‘institutional racism’ and ‘institutional sexism’ in American life, and you need affirmative action to level the playing field. How can you say there is institutional racism when people in Nebraska vote for a guy who is a self-identified black man?”
But does one man who could ascend to the presidency level the playing field? Of course it doesn’t. Minorities still struggle to get by, and find themselves stymied by glass ceilings and discriminatory attitudes. They know the difficulties that remain.
Without some form of affirmative action, what is there? A bureaucrat staring you in the eye saying “deal with it” is not an answer.
That’s why when critics talk about Obama’s race speech and continue to focus on the proper denunciation of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, they miss the larger point.
When Obama talks about race, focus instead on how he seems to lean more toward class-based remedies rather than race-based ones. That’s going to rile those with a traditional civil rights bent and delight the Connerlys of the world.
As I said of Obama last week, he’s espousing the liberal side of colorblind, the ideal vision of Dr. King. But it’s still not going to be easy. When you’re the model minority, you’re society’s exemplar. You can do it all on your own, without anyone’s help. And so can everyone else. Equality? Create your own.
That’s what I call “post-affirmative action politics.” And it’s already under way.
emil@amok.com
Comments
12 Responses to “Barack Obama’s ‘Model Minority’ Problem”
Got something to say?
As usual, Amok writes too much in broadstrokes without any proof of hard research being done. One example: “When Obama talks about race, focus instead on how he seems to lean more toward class-based remedies rather than race-based ones. ” The latter and other such broadstrokes in this writer’s latest ramblings shows that he writes just like the average person sees the news: just reads the headlines and does not digging in other media beyond the S.F. Examiner or the Chronicle. How about reading Mr. Obama’s web site Mr. Emil? How about e-mailing him and asking him? At the very least, a columnist should do such things as part of the research for column. You clearly didn’t do this for all those other Obama-attack pieces where you just quoted those 80-20 fools. Hopefully, you will accept this criticism and be a real columnist. Otherwise, you will continue being what you are: a hack artist who only wants to gain popularity by fueling controversy. The Ice Cube of Asian America!
Amil E
Atlanta, GA
Very strange country indeed.
All those talks about racial equality, “affirmative” actions, etc. seem to have been designed to target the blacks only while the Asians, Latinos seem to be not included. This funny word “minority” seems to be interpreted only as blacks. Banking institutions, for example, are required to lend certain pre-set percentages of their loan portfolios to “minority” meaning blacks.
Chinatown banks, for example, are also required to lend to blacks which is classified as “minority” while their lendings to Asians which constitute most of their loan portfolios would not count as lendings to “minority”. Are Asian majority ?
NAACP seems to say “coloured” is defined as black only.
Yellow, brown, pink are not coloured.
Good old USA is conceived as a black/white country, in a political sense for sometime. Now the Laatinos who are fast increasing in numbers and the Asians who are rising fast as high-income groups finally caught some half-blind political eyeballs.
Obama is half-black and he identifies himself more with the blacks, but not the “coloured”. When and if he finally gets into the White House, we can all hold our breath for a Super Affirmataive Action, in favor of the blacks.
Aaians and Latinos and native Americans, you just got to wait, for your turn, if ever.
Emil”
I am almost confused about you and your opinions as I am perturbed by Art Hu’s.
Not that either or b0th 0f you are not entitled to said opiniions. To each his?her, her/his?, own.
I can’t quite fathom this piece, but, of course, I’ve been assigned to the dunce corner more often than I would like to admit.
BUT, exactly whose side are you on?
Ward Connerly belongs along with Step’nFetchit and Butterfly McQueen in the ranks of ye olde “house slaves” and, as such, are beneath the contempt of their betters.
And that includes, in my estimation at least, both Colin Powell, who could almost “pass,” and Condi, who couldn’t, with or without her Pradas on.
And I would place Art Hu in said constellation of “sell-outs,” the hired, mercenary, contemporary “Hoplites” of neoconnings, may their tribe decrease.
In my time, the likes of Paul Robeson and that black contralto? the Daughters of the American Revolution saw fit to bar from their deaf hearing, Marian Anderson, that is, stood true to their heritage.
Is Obama in that image”
Who knows? until the actual test.
It is NOT race, or creed, or color, nor even “class,” as some assert, it’s even simpler:
It’s the EVERY(wo)man in each and every one of us AGAINST those who profess to be “superior,” like the Nazi “Aryans,” and, also, very especially, those who profess to be “chosen.” By whom, pray tell. By Dubya’s direct line to “God”?
Enough. Enough bullshit. Enough idiocies. Enough bombing and killing and murdering and maiming and destruction, especially of the “self.”
Frank Eng
Are we. indeed, “human”?
Sometimes I have my serious doubts.
You are out of your mind. If anything, Asians should be running, not walking to the polls to vote for the anti affirmative action Civil Rights Initiative. Any prudent journalist doing an even cursory review of the data on affirmative action will see that Asians get screwed to the tune of 50 SAT points vs whites, 235 points vs Hispanics, and a whopping 280 points vs Blacks. In addition, many students who get into a school through affirmative action drop out or rank at the bottom of their class. Perhaps these students have been told all their lives that they would not have to work as hard to reach the same level as Whites or Asians. Next time you write an article for an Asian publication, you would be better served by including information relevant to your readers than by trying to score points with your liberal buddies.
Dear Reader Amil E. :
I presume that’s not your real name. Still, please feel free to hide behind your screen name and wail away in your unfounded criticism and personal attack.
Not my style.
But this forum is intended to welcome all comments. Even from those who just read Obama’s website and accept it as gospel truth. By the way, I’ve written and requested several interviews with B.O. and have never heard back from his operatives.
Thank you for reading my columns. It shows how open-minded you are.
For other views on the news, visit my blog at http://www.amok.asianweek.com
–Emil Guillermo
NON-BLACK VOTERS ARE SICK OF EVERY BLACK POLITICAN/SO-CALLED RACIST PREACHERS DEFENDING THE RACIST OBAMA AND WRIGHT. THE MEDIA CAN TOUT ALL THE BOGUS LIES THEY WANT…ITS VOTERS WHO MAKE THE DECISION AND WE ARE MORE EDUCATED THAN YOU GIVE CREDIT! OBAMA IS NOT WRIGHT TO LEAD OUR COUNTRY AND WE WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM!!!!
Democrats NEED Clinton to stay in the race. OBAMA IS UNELECTABLE IN GENERAL ELECTION. “Obama marched with Farrakhan”Obama AND OPRAHS Pastor Slurs Italians in Latest Magazine (CNSNews.com) Wright continues his Obama supported attacks on non-blacks now slurring Italians in issue of Trumpet Newsmag. Wright states, Jesus enemies had their opinion, Italians looked down their garlic noses at the Galileans, and Jesus death on a cross was a public lynching Italian style! This government runs everything from the White House to the schoolhouse, from the Capitol to the KKKlan of white supremacy who is clearly in charge. Every issue published Wright’s rant against white people in which he covers a world that is controlled by white supremacy, a country that’s on its way to hell in a hand basket because of lying politicians, in a culture that still thinks ‘white is right! He said young African-American Christians are more concerned about ‘bling bling’ than about freeing their minds and still Obama says I could no more disown him than I could disown the black community. According to his federal income tax return for 2006, Obama gave the Trinity United church $22,500 in contributions. Trumpet Newsmagazine started 80s, Wright is CEO and Wright’s daughter, Jeri Wright, is the publisher. Requests for comments Obama camp of course not answered. Trumpet Nov/Dec edition, featured Louis Farrakhan, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement “Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter” award. Farrakhan has called Judaism a “gutter religion” and said Jews are “bloodsuckers. Many of the biased cable news pundits try to make viewers believe Obama’s speech limited damage of Wright controversy, but the general election will show voters strongly disagree, especially non-black voters. Obama refuses to explain to the public why he would have someone as such a close spiritual advisor and mentor and why he would expose two young daughters to such hatefulness against fellow Americans. The problem Wright’s comments are not theological views, but political statements. This is a serious issue for Obama in general election. As with each new utterance on the topic of Reverend Wright, Barack Obama confirms his own moral obliviousness and he seems to have disdain for those who are troubled by his own unwillingness to break with Wright, even worse Obama still insists Wright is a brilliant man, So brilliant, apparently, that he has uncovered the plot by white America to kill African Americans, so insightful to perceive the 9/11 attacks caused by American terrorism and his discerning observation Israel is a “dirty” word, and still in Obama’s eyes, Wright is brilliant. This, we are told by biased cable news pundits like CNN Obamaphiles, is not supposed to affect voters’ view of Obama’s judgment. Perhaps voters are embarrassed to tell pollsters they are privately offended. General election Republicans as well as independents and democrats are irked by this moral obtuseness even though media like CNN or Hardball cover it up with bogus Clinton attacks.
I agree with the author that affirmative action has been mischaracterized. White women have also benefited from affirmative action, as have Ward Connelly and Clarence Thomas, of whom the latter two after reaching the pinnacles of their careers are intent on denying such opportunities to others. Obama (and Michelle) also benefitted even though his story is also that he (they) made it on his own, especially when he impersonates Bill Cosby. (Unlike Obama, Cosby actually supports higher education for blacks with his pocket book and actions in addition to his talk.)
Actually, if Obama is elected President, it would be a good case for the original affirmative action (as opposed to Connelly’s mythical version)… and therefore should be reintroduced in Obama’s policies and actions for his “new” America. Although Obama dismisses President Clinton and the “old politics” of the 90’s… Clinton set about to strengthen affirmative action and he reflected his commitment with his qualified appointees. (Yes, one does not have to be a white male to be qualified… they instead only need the opportunity to prove their merit.) Clinton was walking the talk of Martin Luther King, but then again Bill Clinton grew up poor in the south and (unlike Obama) observed and interacted with the real lives of black families over his lifetime. Obama was raised in Hawaii and does not have an authentic experience of growing up black on the mainland.
Obama’s very limited worldview is couched in his 20 years in Chicago influenced by his pastor (Wright) and his political allies like Rezko. Maybe Obama should first acknowledge that South Chicago is a very insulated experience (instead of using it as his basis for identifying with others) and he should set out to learn more about the plurality of America. How many Indian reservations has he visited? Does he even know anyone from any of the multiple diverse Asian communities? Good grief… the guy has not even been to Mexico, and his travails into Mexican-American communities has been so brief as to be inconsequential.
When I listened to Obama’s “race” speech as well as his campaign stump speeches… I think to myself how out of touch he is with the “real” America and race relations AND ethnic identity.
He often uses his “list” of names (African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, etc. ) as if he is speaking to the concerns for all. WHAT??? Obama does not have a clue… First he throws us all together into one pot (his stew pot? The same stew pot that he says the Washington crowd is trying to put him in…) and is assuming we all have the very same issues (Now the melting pot? The not-sodisguised term for eliminating cultural identity). Yes, many of us have some common issues, but denying the unique problems of various ethnic groups is going the way of Ward Connelly.
Advice to Obama… you need to get out more to be able to recognize the ethnic/cultural diversity of America and get rid of that “white-washed” Pollyanna version of the liberal elite.
Barack is classic example of the “massive over-representation” of children of African immigrants. His mother was smart enough to get a PhD, and his African father was good enough to do grad work at Harvard before affirmative action was formalized, I’d imagine Barack’s SATs were better than McCain’s. An early form of AA may have played a part when admitted to that super elite Hawaiian school that only had 4 blacks at the time, they probably jumped on the chance to pick up a bright one that showed up on their doorstep. By the time he and michelle went to college in the 80s, AA was in full swing, Asian quotas and all, with blacks generally being admitted in proportion to their census population at undergrad and law schools levels regardless of SAT averages. My position has actually been I could live with that as long as they actually disclosed who got preferred by how much and for what reasons, the actual policy of basically lying rubs me the wrong way, in the case of the Obamas it certainly looks like they produced the star-quality leadership talent they were looking for, certainly the hordes of Asians that flooded the campuses at the time have produced plenty of democratic voters, but nobody at the level of either Obama (except maybe our ex gov Gary Locke, who has effectively retired from politics, I might actually support that Democrat if he were to run for prez) Whatever we might think of the Obama’s ethics or integrity, you can’t argue with his star power and ask “why the heck can’t we do that??”
Now that last comment - except for the first overly provocative line - was Arthur Hu at his best and most eloquent.
not a prude - thanks not everybody thinks i’m a rightnut. MIT had the same problem in the 80s, they wondered why they didn’t produce more LEADERS… so they ended up just admitting more people with lower test scores, resulting in more people flunking out. Leadship is a social niche that the African Americans seem to have figured out better than the Asians, we’re frustrated that hard work, high tests scores and grades can only get us so far, but not really deep into the so-called “white power structure”. Need to work out some sort of deal to trade high test scores for high social skills and charisma with those folks.
Model Minority ?
Who are they ?
The blacks ? Oh my God.
The Asians ? or the “invisible” Americans who are neither black or white ? They are thought to be “permanent aliens”, correct ?
Americans are so racist, deep in their psyche, but they do not dare to say it, because it is “politically incorrect”.
What a farce.
Obama is like a lot of people of color of his generation who were given a chance to shine.
To take true advantage of affirmative action you needed to be a minority and good. It wasn’t a free pass to the unqualified.
How many talented people get stuck because they are not the right race, period? Only with affirmative action can that stifling bottleneck to the top be corrected. Oh, and you need a little luck too.
For other views on the news, visit my blog at http://www.amok.asianweek.com.
–Emil