This is my first post and it's not a coincidence that am launching this blog on the day when a man of colour becomes leader of the free world. Though Barack Obama's remarkable achievement has prompted millions of column inches in newspapers around the world and hours of television commentary, there has been little discussion given as to how his presence has affected the everyday lives of ordinary people. On this week's Any Questions? on Radio 4, Christopher Hitchens commented that seeing Obama and his family as the First Family-to-be had become 'perfectly natural'. As a person of colour I can't disagree more. I am still pinching myself that this previously unimaginable event has actually happened in my lifetime. Tonight when I watch his inauguration I know I will have tears in my eyes.
It is a day of great hope and I don't mind, just for once, taking a holiday from cynicism. My personal hope is that Obama will symbolise the realisation of Martin Luther King's hope that, finally, a man will be judged on the content of his character, and not the colour of his skin (and make that women too!). For my family and friends I hope that this means we will finally be able to be ourselves, mixed in colour and character, and not be forced to choose between one or another, to deny our true multiplicity in order to find a place where we can really belong.
Posts
2 comments:
Hi KT - Sister Ekua's show this week should be an interesting listen:
Mixed-Race Britain : a “Cause for Celebration" or the signalling of African/Caribbean Cultural Extinction?
Africa Speaks with Sister Ekua
(aka Esther Stanford-Xosei)
Voice of Africa Radio
(VOAR)
94.3FM
8-10 pm GMT
www.voiceofafricaradio.com
Britain’s first licensed African radio station in the UK
4-6pm Eastern Caribbean Time
3-5pm New York Standard Time
3-5pm Eastern Standard Time
This Weeks Show:
Wednesday 21st January 2009
Does Obama’s Presidency signal the Realisation of Dr Martin Luther King’s Dream, or Nightmare?
and
Mixed-Race Britain : a “Cause for Celebration" or the signalling of African/Caribbean Cultural Extinction?
"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King Day (19/01/09) preceded the dawn of what many view as the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama. This inauguration is often lauded as the realisation of Dr. King's dream, a defining moment in the US race relations and a beacon of real change for the plight of the impoverished and racially oppressed. But for this world famous Leader of the nonviolent social revolution whose life ended so violently, the dream soon became a nightmare after the increasing recognition that America would not live up to its promise for all people and especially African Americans.
There are others who say that rather than being a fulfilment of his ‘Dream’, the conflation of King's name, likeness, intellect and legacy with the meteoric rise of Senator Obama being inaugurated as President represents a problematic shifting of the social construct toward a deceptive ‘race neutrality’ and away from social justice in real terms. Such commentators argue that to deny King’s own spiritual journey and intellectual evolution by keeping him suspended in a fossil like dream state is rather to betray the ‘Dream’, profit from Dr King’s sacrifice and that of a great many other leaders of the civil rights generation.
We will also be reflecting on the recent report produced by the Institute for Social and Economic Research reporting what is being referred to by the reports author as a “dramatic” rise in ‘mixed-race’ Britain . According to the feature about the report in The Observer (18/01/08), “mixed-race relationships are now so common that some ethnic groups - starting with African-Caribbean - will virtually disappear”.. The report also indicates that half of all men in Britain who have Caribbean heritage and are in a relationship already have partners of a different race. The same is true of one in five ‘Black African men’. This week, a decade on from the Macpherson report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence, Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, (ECHR) is reported to have said that the EHRC will "celebrate" this study's findings.
Our special guests to stimulate our thoughts and conversation are:
Ms Serwah, Ghanaian Born Barrister, Social Activist and Coordinator of BTWSC (Beyond The Will Smith Challenge).
Professor Gus John is a visiting Faculty Professor of Education at the University of Strathclyde and an Associate Professor at the Institute of Education. Professor John is also one of the UK's leading commentator on race relations.
Kwaku, Editor of Black British Music.Com and Founder of the Black Music Congress
Dr Kazriel Ben Yehuda, the Head Dean and Director of the Institute of Regenerative Truth, a unique academic institute of higher learning based in Dimona, Israel..
Since this is a dialogue in the African world programme, we are keen to hear your views on any of the following:
(REMEMBER YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW TO PARTICIPATE, WE WOULD APPRECIATE EMAIL COMMENTS IN ADVANCE OF THE SHOW)
Questions on Obama being the Fulfilment of-King’s Dream
1. Who are the leaders organisations or movements today that are truly honouring the legacy of Dr Martin Luther King?
2. Is the vision for a one America possible?
3. Is America the Promised Land, Land of Promise or neither of the aforementioned?
4. Will Obama’ presidency help or hinder the cause of African self-determination?
Questions on Mixed Race Britain
5. Do you agree that Britain is becoming increasingly mixed race?
6. Do you feel that a mixed race Britain is the fulfilment of Kings Dream?
7. Do you feel that the term mixed race is a white supremacist racist agenda to further divide Black Unity?
8. What do these reported changes in the demographics of British society say about the cultural advancement of African and African Caribbean communities in Britain?
9. Do you have any questions for our studio guests?
WHILST BROADCASTING SHOW:
Phone: 0208 497 4643
Text phone: 07961573 883
Email: studio@voiceofafricaradio.com
Skype:voiceofafricaradio
Remember if you are having difficulties picking up VOAR on the FM dial in your area you can listen to the show live on the internet go to www.voiceofafricaradio.com
you might find a blog post i wrote in november of last year of interest: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/nov/11/mixed-race
Post a Comment