The more things change, the more they stay the same
Last night I jumped into a taxi on my way home and was delighted to notice that the driver was listening to a political talk show. The results of the Democratic Primaries in DC, Virginia and Maryland were due to start coming in so it was nice to know that I could stay up to speed. As he wove his way through the Manhattan rush hour traffic like a lunatic high on speed, he began to offer up his opinions. It is such a rarity for a New York taxi driver to have a conversation with someone with someone other than his hands-free, that I welcomed the distraction and began to chat to him.
He started off by asking me what I thought about Barack Obama. I told him that I really liked the guy and thought he had the potential to be a great POTUS. He agreed with me, and instead of stopping while was ahead, chose to go on and wax poetic about why he loved Obama so much. "Obama is a great man because he is not like all the other black people in this country. He doesn't go about causing trouble, he is a good man and I hope he wins."
As much as I like Obama, and as much as I hope he wins, I was incredulous at the nerve of this taxi driver, chauferring me, a black woman, telling me that he likes Obama because he isn't like other black people. Cheeky bastard. Never one to back down from a confrontation, I asked him "What exactly do you mean he isn't like other black people in this country? What are black people in this country like?"
He sputtered and stuttered as he rushed falling over himself to explain, "I wasn't talking about people like you, I was talking about the rest of the African-Americans, they are all trouble makers."
I gritted my teeth at the sheer obtuseness of this idiot, "So let me get this straight, in this whole country, Barack Obama and I are the only decent black people, and everyone else is to be classed as a troublemaker by virtue of the colour of their skin?"
He then began to feign ignorance claiming that he didn't understand what I was talking about. Luckily for him we pulled up outside my house and the conversation had to be cut short. The damage was already done though, and there was clearly no tip in his future. I considered reading him the riot act, but felt too weary to even bother engaging. I paid the man and waited for my change down to the last red cent. He told me how he didn't mean to offend me and apologised for any incovenience, but I was still saddened. Saddened by the fact that an Asian man, an ethnic minority in this country didn't know better than to make sweeping assesments of an enitre race of people. Saddened by the fact that he seemed to assume that his commentary on how Obama and I were okay was some sort of compliment.
Mostly though, I was saddened that at a time like this when history is being made and perceptions are being reshaped in ways we never thought possible, all this man could see is that Obama must be some sort of anomaly, some sort of fluke that does not represent the reality of what it is to be black in America. I was saddened to see that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
He started off by asking me what I thought about Barack Obama. I told him that I really liked the guy and thought he had the potential to be a great POTUS. He agreed with me, and instead of stopping while was ahead, chose to go on and wax poetic about why he loved Obama so much. "Obama is a great man because he is not like all the other black people in this country. He doesn't go about causing trouble, he is a good man and I hope he wins."
As much as I like Obama, and as much as I hope he wins, I was incredulous at the nerve of this taxi driver, chauferring me, a black woman, telling me that he likes Obama because he isn't like other black people. Cheeky bastard. Never one to back down from a confrontation, I asked him "What exactly do you mean he isn't like other black people in this country? What are black people in this country like?"
He sputtered and stuttered as he rushed falling over himself to explain, "I wasn't talking about people like you, I was talking about the rest of the African-Americans, they are all trouble makers."
I gritted my teeth at the sheer obtuseness of this idiot, "So let me get this straight, in this whole country, Barack Obama and I are the only decent black people, and everyone else is to be classed as a troublemaker by virtue of the colour of their skin?"
He then began to feign ignorance claiming that he didn't understand what I was talking about. Luckily for him we pulled up outside my house and the conversation had to be cut short. The damage was already done though, and there was clearly no tip in his future. I considered reading him the riot act, but felt too weary to even bother engaging. I paid the man and waited for my change down to the last red cent. He told me how he didn't mean to offend me and apologised for any incovenience, but I was still saddened. Saddened by the fact that an Asian man, an ethnic minority in this country didn't know better than to make sweeping assesments of an enitre race of people. Saddened by the fact that he seemed to assume that his commentary on how Obama and I were okay was some sort of compliment.
Mostly though, I was saddened that at a time like this when history is being made and perceptions are being reshaped in ways we never thought possible, all this man could see is that Obama must be some sort of anomaly, some sort of fluke that does not represent the reality of what it is to be black in America. I was saddened to see that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Labels: decision 2008, obama, race
posted by Monef at 7:40 PM
9 Comments:
You see why I say he won't win? If he does manage to get the Democratic nomination, y'all would have a front row seat in what would in all probability be the biggest case of character assassination since the Crusades.
I know what you are saying, but I can't help but hope differently. I mean, I'm sure someone once said the same thing about civil rights, and look how that turned out:)
If he gets the nomination, then he will have overcome the biggest hurdle. I never thought people would actually vote for him in the parts of the country that have, so things really are changing. The real problem at the moment comes from attitudes that ethnic minorities have towards each other, the whole me first mentality.
Ah, to be young and idealistic.
In movie terms, you've just experienced what is known as a 'reversal.' Don't feel too bad though, there's more in your future.
As for your taxi driver, understand one thing: he probably knows more about race relations in this country than you do. Shocking, but true. He may have framed his premises obtusely, but look at what the so-called 'black community' has for its 'leadership' today: Sharpton, "Shakedown" Jackson and his ilk and you can begin to understand his conclusions. Cheer up though: like you, he actually loves Obama.
Let me remind Chxta that in order to have one's character assassinated, one actually has to have character.
Is Uncle Fred suggesting that Hussein Obama has no character?
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Obama for life! haha. funny enough the much i know about him comes only from internet reads :-(.
@Fred - Idealism freaks you out doesn't it:)
I get what you are saying about the so-called 'black community leaders', Sharpton and co., but their day is long gone. Their influence and relevance at this current juncture just isn't what it once was. Besides, that argument is so selective. In addition to observing Sharpton and his ilk, th taxi driver has also observed Colin Powell, Condi Rice, Oprah..(I can practically see you smirking!)
I have heard the same said by a few Asians. With reference to what he said about Obama, I guess there are more folks that also think along those lines. Its the classic racist line, second to "Most of my friends are black". Good you didn't let him get away with it. You may have lost Obama one vote, but you won a bigger fan in me.
Gr. This makes me so mad. WTF is worng with this guy why he can't see the potential of the man. Does Obama have to walk around with a flag saying "Ignore my hue" until this thing is over?
If he doesn't win I know that his race and peoples ignorance will have been a major part of it because they don't relize that we need someone like this right now to make change in this country.
Why don't people cuss Clinton for being the queen of cheap digs who's feeding off the popularity of her husband. If there wasn't a Bill Clinton would she still be in the running candidate?
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