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!