Thursday, November 13, 2008

First Black US President - Lessons for Irish Republicans

Community Activist
Ógra Shinn Féin

I intend to write a number of articles relating to the election of Barack Obama, looking and commenting on different aspects of his social and foreign policies, but to begin I would like to explore what it means for the US, the world and for us as Irish Republicans, that the US electorate have mandated a Black President.



The votes have been cast, all 130 million of them, and the result has been announced!

Barack Obama, of Kenyan and Irish descent has been elected as the first Black President of the United States of America.

An absolutely groundbreaking and momentous result for a nation which was founded on slavery and racism.

Change indeed has come and over 40 years on from the electrifying emotive speeches of Martin Luther King, the million man marches, and hard fought struggle of the Black Civil Rights, a major tenet of that has been achieved, equal access and opportunity.

For a nation founded on racial bigotry, which grew rich from the degradation of a race of people through slavery, which wrongfully imprisoned thousands of Black Americans and murdered many more, the election of Barack Obama has indeed changed things utterly.

When I think of the African American treatment in the US, it is horrific and depressing, yet always resilient and ultimately inspirational. I think of Frederick Douglas, and Rosa Parks, I think of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, of Huey P Newton and Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, and Rodney King.

All are figures synonymous with the Black struggle against institutionalised racism, all repressed, some imprisoned, others murdered, they represent the Black American struggle for equality and all have played a part in ensuring that a new dawn has risen, not only in the USA, but also across the world.

A Black American now holds the top position in the USA, a Black American is now the most influential and most powerful person in the world, and if Barack Obama can be a President for all Americans, then he can challenge all the stupid ignorance that fostered racism in the US for so long. By demonstrating strong leadership for all, Barack Obama can suffocate the remaining vestiges of white supremacy that have choked US politics and its society from its foundation.

Of course Barack needs to ensure that the inequality that black and ethnic working class communities in the US have suffered are remedied, his strong forward looking message of change and demonstrating to the white community that the black people will never do what was done unto them, silences and marginalises the neo Nazi’s, the conservative bigots that have consumed America with fear and racism for too long.

I believe Barack Obama’s Presidency will have a positive impact for the US at home and abroad, and I think there will be many lessons and opportunities for Irish Republicans.

Not to mention Barack’s Irish ancestry in County Offaly (poor man), his Irish American Vice President, Joe Biden, and their courting of the Irish Diaspora, which are strong indicators that the US will have a clearer and positive focus on the Irish Peace Process, but equally as important to us will be the manner in which Obama conducts his Presidency and the lessons we can take from it.

I believe that the same misplaced, ill informed fears that white American’s had of a Black President, are the same that pollutes and consumes the mind of many Unionists, on their thoughts of a Sinn Féin First Minister or Sinn Féin Taoiseach in a United Ireland.

The same narrow minded agenda in the US that said Barack could not be trusted, that he would be a Black President for black people, and would discriminate against the white community, or just the downright racist view that a black man was not up to the job. The same ‘fear’ is floated on even the slightest notion that an Irish Republican would become the first citizen of the north of Ireland, or a United Ireland.

Barack Obama, by demonstrating a desire to lead for all Americans, and a will to overcome and heal past divisions through national reconciliation should be a beacon to the Irish people, green and orange. We should constantly refer to his example.

Sinn Féin has always said that we want to achieve an Ireland of Equals, that we stand by the Proclamation’s vow to ‘cherish all of the children of the nation equally’.

Despite nationalist and catholic subjection to second class citizenship, repression and state murder, we must move forward to an Ireland that is tolerant and respectful of all views and cultures, and attempt in an open and transparent manner to reconcile the ‘differences carefully fostered by an alien government’.

This is a big task, but there are lessons from the Obama campaign, and everyday of his Presidency will throw up more lessons. Barrack Obama’s election as President of the USA is only the beginning of that countries national reconciliation.

While the challenges are huge, if we continue to work for the betterment of all people, taking inspiration from Bobby Sands’ words ‘Our revenge will be the liberation of all!’ then we can achieve our objectives of freedom and equality for all.

Change will come!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

If we carefully build up a positive relationship with the new president then that can only be a good thing for Irish Unity, something we could not do with that bush bastard! We may now be able to obtain widespread support for our objectives among Irish America and possibly even from the president himself. Testing times ahead for our movement if we think wisely.

Anonymous said...

The incredulousness of Ógra Shinn Féin never ceases to amaze me. You bandy about terms like revolutionary, socialist, liberation et cetera when the wide world knows well you haven't the first notion what the same terms mean, but people have become immune to you absolute ignorance on these points and now tend to ignore your seemingly endless ramblings on those subjects.

However, in more recent times you have begun to flirt with terms such as feminist, anti-racist and progressive, and your utter ignorance has again made a fool of you.

You blindly follow the mantra advocated by Sinn Féin - 'an Ireland of Equals', thinking that this is an equivocation of your 'revolutionary' credentials, but when you so robustly advocate the policy of 'positive' discrimination, and make meet the election of Barack Obama with such fanfare as: "First Black US President..." you again boisterously re-iterate your blatant sexism, and racism, and remind the outside world of what a disappointment you really are to the Sinn Féin leadership, and why time and again, they snub or ignore you for real political priorities.

If you truly were advocates of (and understood) the concept of 'an Ireland of equals' you would greet the election of Barack Obama SHEERLY based on the fact that we will soon have an end to the abhorrent policies of Bush, and that for the first time in a long time the US has a president who has worked his way up from the grassroots and actually seems to be advocating real change, not because he is black.

be honest lads...

Anonymous said...

To tut tut, firstly the author has indicated they would write further articles on Obama, but the reason that a Black President becoming President is such an important and relevant issue, is because it demonstrates the massive progress that the Black people have made and how much civil rights have been achieved.

150 years ago, the black people where slaves, 100 years ago they where being lynched, 50 years ago they where being beat of the streets of Kentucky, so it was just a simple matter that Obama woke up one morning and decided he wanted to be President.

Only now is that possible because of the Black Civil rights movement, and because of that and the history of repression of the black people, is it very worthwhile mentioning that Barack is the 1st Black President.

Hopefully this can smash any remaining racism, and heal the deeo wounds created by slavery.

And whats with the 'incredulousness' words, please speak like normal grounded people. Come down from the clouds.

Barra

Anonymous said...

I don't think tut tut has read the original piece, which was drawing the similarities between Black Americans and Irish Republican's,about the oppression they faced and the prejudice they face.

The piece was about how Irish Republican's can draw lessons from Obama's election victory as a Black man, overcoming all the prejudice and discrimination, the same way in 1960's,young Irish people took inspiration from the Black working class,

Very positive piece and i am disappointed by tut tut's remarks.

Michelle

Anonymous said...

Seriously tut tut, what a load of garbage, don't let your hatred of Ogra SF blind you from what is a very good piece.

And it is from one contributer, Community Activist, who knows if they represent all of Ogra's view?

The blog is meant to act as a forum for debate,representing wide views.

But what was supposed to be a retoric of this piece turned into a rant against Ogra.

Leeanne O'Neill

Anonymous said...

Tut Tut,

Please get of your high horse.

Acknowleding Obama is black is nt wrong. Its a huge event in world history.

as for the rest of your comment. i can near guess what point of view your comin from....................those who talk, talk, talk, talk and talk some more.

wise up

From
PROUD to be Ógra!

Anonymous said...

ha tut tut
just made an arse of himself
by not reading what the article says
now by trying to be smart
i dont think he ll be back to defend himself because he has nothing to say to defend himself

Anonymous said...

congratulations anonymous 1-5 you all managed in your childish, responses to my original comment to verify further what I had already said. not one of you actually bothered to refute what I said in my comment instead you replied with what people have come to expect of you;

"ha, ha, ha, you don't agree with us and thereore your point of view and what your saying is irrelevant..."

seriously grow up lads and lassies. this time try reading my comment and actually offer some intelligent responses.

Anonymous said...

tut tut, seriously are you really that arrogant and ignorant.

Read the actual reponses, each dealt with your point.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but your point was that we should not make an issue of the fact that Barack is black, and by doing so we have inherent racism.

People disputed this saying that the fact that USA was founded on racism, and the fact that Black Civil Rights struggled against this, it is indeed of huge significance and importance to highlight the fact that major progress has been made that there is now a Black President.

Many in the Black Civil Rights, and in progressive movements across the world have said exactlt the same, so are we all racist.

Also 3 of the anonymous as you called them actually give their name, and so will I, what about you?

I think you started to dig a hole, and you just can't stop. I look forward to further digging, if you continue at this rate, McAlpine might have a job for you ;)

Sean McCann

Anonymous said...

It was a great article and I think we can all draw some inspiration from his victory.. I only hope that he can create the change he has promised.

To 'tut tut': Don't join a debate without an argument, all your doing is ranting!

Anonymous said...

Well done. Hes closing Guantanamo Bay. Lets hope he isnt swayed by ould Zionist conservatives.
Daithi

Anonymous said...

Just to clarify, while 'tut tut' finished his contribution with the phrase 'be honest lads' which is also the name of a contributor to this blog, it was not written by me.

the real be honest lads...