Having said all this, I would still say that on the level of social semiotic, Barak Obama is a black man. The mere color of his skin functions symbolically in our culture such that regardless of his white mom and middle to upper middle class upbringing, any Anglo who is prejudiced would not embrace him as one of his or her own, and in fact would consider him a transgressive figure as he would be the product of miscegenation. So, the fact that he is now our president says a lot about how far we have collectively come regarding the nature of race and race relations in our country.

Beyond this, for the longest time in the history of the United States any man who was half white would have been marginalized and therefore culturally disqualified from any chance at the presidency, and so in light of this alone Obama’s presidency is significant. Also drawing from history, and here I hope I am doing so in a manner that invokes poetic justice, the one drop rule certainly identifies Obama as a black man. Finally, since we in American culture uphold the notion of self determination, and because Obama in some measure or manner identifies with black culture, he is America’s first black president… Other than Bill Clinton, I mean.

And of course Tony, I’m the other half of our Caribbean brotherhood so coined some 20 years ago. In my case most will assume by looking at me that i’m white, which technically I am, but I am also 50% Cubano/Hispanic, which I have chosen on official records since the 3rd grade.

So…..Barack Obama the White president? I don’t think it’s inappropriate to suggest that since at a 50/50 shot, we as Americans have a choice and well……I guess so does he.

Hope all is well bro

John

As an interesting point of tension in all this, my dad’s family on his mom’s side were land owners, which would indicate a lineage going back to Spain. As the story goes, when his mom married his dad, she married down, and afterward had to use the servants entrance when she came to visit her parents. And so, though my dad is an ethnic minority, he actually had the blood of colonizers in his veins.

Regarding my dad’s experience, it was almost a classic immigrant: he was raised in humble means on the island of Puerto Rico, migrated to New York, fought in WWII, returned to the states and went West, married, had kids, and lived a decent middle class life. He did tell me that through all of this he did face some prejudice, but it didn’t seem to affect him too deeply, or at least he did not talk of it much.

Finally, it was my Mom’s influence that dominated the feel of the household. My mom’s maiden name was Chandler, which is to say that my English heritage has had a more profound influence on my sensibilities and sense of identity. And so, I do see significance in Obama’s presidency in relation to my heritage, but I also, perhaps tragically, feel alienated from it as well.

Tony, as someone of Puerto Rican descent, does this election have any special significance for you? I would also be curious to hear from any minority readers of this blog what special significance this election has for them.

This is, I belive, where faith and politics intersect.

The rules by which Christians govern their lives is and should be reflected in their governance. And to a great degree, I believe it is, particularly with regard for laws which espouse justice for the widow, the orphan and the stranger among us. They are part of the so-called “least of these my brethren.” There are more.

One only need observe the movements which have transformed this nation to see their founders’ Christian convictions and ideals.

We also are to be “about (our) Father’s business.”

What is that business?

“Occupy till I come.”