Two Speeches

I am currently teaching a Sociology/Anthropology course called Ethnic Groups in Contemporary Societies, so I've been watching this election with a rather special lens. Yesterday's historical election offers much to consider in light of concepts such as "race," "ethnicity," "minority group," "stigma" and "social change."

Because I am most interested, as a constructionist sociologist, in how people speak about the election, I was intrigued by Obama's acceptance speech and McCain's concession speech.

It was quite easy to pull out an excerpt from McCain's Speech regarding the historical significance of breaking the racial barrier to the presidency:

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight. I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Sen. Obama believes that, too. But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound. A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters. America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States. Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth. Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise. Sen. Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

Interestingly enough, Obama's speech was no so direct:

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.  It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled –- Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of red states and blue states: we are, and always will be, the United States of America. It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America. 

Obama, as he has throughout the race, seems hellbent on not making his canidacy or now his success a matter of his racial or ethnic background.

As gracious as McCain's speech was, I find that he may have missed a mark that Obama hit head on. The ceiling wasn't just broke for African Americans. I saw a great analysis on CNN last night as to why this election is important to Latinos and why many of them crossed party lines to vote for him: Obama is the son of an immigrant. I also heard a brief analysis on MSNBC that pointed out that Obama represents a younger generation ascending to power. There seems to be many ways that Obama has tapped into life experiences of persons beyond the African American experience.

I am going to be giving an assignment to my soc class today. I am going to be asking them to consider how they would change the world. I didn't make up this assignment from scratch, but I can't think of a more appropriate time or place to try it.



We'll see how it goes.