Both political parties recorded a groundswell in all states, but the Democratic Party is experiencing the lion’s share of new constituents. Philadelphia, last of the large delegate states, and according to some political analysts, “a must win state for the Clinton campaign,” 200,000 new voters have been recorded. Anecdotal information suggests that Senator Obama will win a majority of the Democratic Party newcomers.
The increase in voter participation is a healthy development to help mitigate abounding political apathy and a constricted electorate. Not since the high point in the civil rights movement has youth involvement in the political and electoral process been so energetic. Without question the historic nature of this season’s presidential campaign is the likely impetus for the election’s popularity in the Democratic Party.
Senator Hillary Clinton, potentially the first woman Democratic Party nominee, and Senator Barack Obama, potentially the first Black American Democratic Party nominee, are the only nominees left in the race. The eventual nominee will market a watershed in American presidential politics irrespective of the ultimate standard bearer. Hence, the final outcome of the party nomination process will amount to a social justice outcome, the popular politically correct refrain, as the issue of gender or race will prevail at the end of the day.
The social justice political concept has evolved into an umbrella phrase under which the breath of civil rights issues as well as issues of race, class, gender, and the special interests and peculiar needs of the Black and minority community issues are framed. Many in the civil rights Black leadership orthodoxy assert social justice as the over arching goal of the present day civil rights movement. In New York City, urban centers, and inner cities in particular, police brutality, racial profiling, the need for improved employment opportunities, quality education, adequate health care, etc., are positioned as issues requiring social justice.
Social justice has become a ubiquitous euphemism and a smokescreen that obfuscates a direct and coherent solution to problems and issues. It also perpetuates the theory of race and multi-racialism. What is social justice? What does it look like? How can it be achieved? Is social justice a political phantom? Is the goal of social justice a lofty objective that skims the political surface while the public is manipulated by political wedge issues, emotional hot buttons and code words?
The presidential nomination campaign between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for their party’s nod is an interesting case study of social justice and the so-called race question. This writer suspects that the issues associated with this case study will persist in the general election process. Accordingly, the general election will embody either the issue of gender or race as the social justice rhetorical imperative. Interestingly enough, the patent southern strategy of the Grand Old Party (GOP) will likely be applied in either case with a stereotypical gender or race pejorative subtext.
The issue of race has recently emerged as a tactical initiative in the Democratic nomination process with its’ traditional manifestation as an odious political machination. Personal invectives and invidious attacks against the character and judgment of Senator Obama, and longstanding racial prejudice and stereotypes are being superimposed in the public discourse. To his credit, Senator Barack Obama has managed to skillfully navigate the tidal wave of race-based political rhetoric and diversions.
In response to the escalating controversy surrounding the highly charged sermons and comments made by Senator Obama’s pastor, the renowned Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the Senator was compelled to answer a broad range of hyperbolic questions and inferences. Senator Obama stepped to the occasion and delivered what is viewed in many quarters as a brilliant and definitive presentation relative to that challenge that all Americans face in our collective obligation to move America beyond the false divisions associated with racial prejudice and multi-racialism.
The Senator’s presentation and accompanying admonition to Americans is compelling and persuasive and this writer is obliged to abide by this nobleman’s injunction.
We “uni-racialists” hold that multi-racialism is an imposed social construct that facilitates economic, political, and social exploitation of Black Americans in particular, under the auspices of racial superiority. The theory of race distinction was accommodated by the age of enlightenment, which provided the cover narrative for a world wide slavery system, based on racial inferiority.
Unfortunately, the pervasively well documented idea of racial inferiority has crystallized in the human nature consciousness and there is now a visceral and emotional component resulting from five hundred years of the popular history. But, to quote a world respected prophetic preacher, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “no lie lasts forever.”
Senator Obama may be on to something as he raises the point that we need to turn the page on race and political business as usual. In addition to the inspired Senator’s instruction, perhaps we should observe the emerging unity between religion and science on the issue of race.
The latest scientific data confirms that all human beings living the planet earth today as we speak can be traced to a single mother of us all that lived millennia ago in east Africa, in the vicinity of Ethiopian and Uganda. Whether this very distinguished mother responded to name Eve or some other name the similarity of these scientific findings with the Genesis Biblical proposition, of one human family is noteworthy. To again quote the great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “truth crushed to the earth will rise some day.”
Obviously, it remains to be seen how the Democratic Party nomination and eventual general election will proceed and end. Nevertheless, history has already been made on multi levels by this presidential campaign and it’s a certain bet that more surprises are in store moving forward. However, it may be safe to forecast that the issue of race is currently on the public discussion table and will likely remain there far beyond the November general election.
My suspicion is that the idea of multi-racialism and race-based electoral politics will ultimately move beyond the vague notions of the social justice political umbrella and take its rightful place in the human mind as the phantom that it is. Now that the racism gene is out of the jar, some are suggesting that race will be a dominant feature, despite Senator Obama’s attempts to elevate the political discourse. Should this be the case, the election will prove among other things that we have not yet crossed the Rubicon.
Gary James is a freelance writer and political analyst. His second book will be released this summer and his third book will be released in the spring of 2009. For more information contact visit www.garyjames.info.
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