Hiiraan Online

by Abdihakim Haji Saeed
Wednesday, November 05, 2008

 “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will they be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judge by the color of their skin but the content of their character”, this is the moment.

 Ever since Obama announced his candidacy for presidency, his race has been called into question. You’ve seen the headlines: “Are Americans Ready for a Black President?” More than 10% of Americans were suspicious and believed that Obama was a Muslim, Obama has some Muslim roots but does it really matter what he believes in?  His father was once a stanch Muslim, then apparently became disillusioned with the religion. What if he was a Muslim? As Collin Powel frequently avowed at Meet the Press, all religion should have equal access to the Oval office.

The old guard is taken by surprise, because of Obama’s movement of optimism, hope inclusion and his new way of doing things. Obama has reached across racial and party lines to appeal to the broadest – rather than the very narrowest base of supporters. His candidacy for the Presidency has energized, excited and motivated millions of Americans and people from around the world. Delivering immense speeches fixed to a popular message of hope and change, Obama’s raising candidacy inspired record – breaking campaign contributions and record turn out. The unprecedented Obama’s campaign has dazzled Americans from all cultures and age groups.  His campaign has been an Icon of Hope and you can feel the electricity, see the enthusiasm and the inspiration his campaigns have created.

“ That veil of impossibility that keeps us down and keeps our children down- keeps us waiting and hoping for a turn that may never come” said Michelle Obama lot of African Americans are still skeptical their turn may never come. It’s the bitter legacy of slavery, discrimination and oppression that makes us skeptical, I always have a doubt that a black man could be ever be elected president of the U.S.A as one of my friend stated.

His sister Maya remembered that day when Obama returned home at Christmas in 1980, and there he told his mother and grandparents: no more Barry, that’s when Barry became Barack. He was born in Hawaii in 1960 and is the son of black man from Kenya and white mother from Kansas.  His father left for Harvard and never come back except on Christmas in 1971 which he stayed with the family for a while.  He never saw his father again. Deprived of father’s love Obama chose to build his world. After graduating from high school, Obama went to Occidental College at Los Angeles, for two years before moving east to Columbia University, before attending Harvard Law School; he worked as a community organizer at Chicago. Obama has altered the dynamics in American politics, re wrote Karl Rove’s campaign manual, reshape political map and has set expectations higher.