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Obama and Air Force One

From NYTimes.com:

The year began with a harmonious glow at the inauguration of the first black president, as America marked a stunning victory over its racial demons.

”That lasted about a day,” President Barack Obama said two months later. He attributed that to the economic calamity threatening all Americans, but his statement also applied to the notion that all our racial problems had been solved.

The dynamics of race were transformed in 2009 because the most powerful person on Earth was no longer white. But despite that potent symbol — and sometimes because of it — race remained a volatile and often divisive subject.

”It felt like an evolution to me, something that created a paradigm shift,” says Dr. Joy DeGruy, a black author and speaker who focuses on racial healing. ”We moved a quantum leap forward.”

Conservative radio host Mike Gallagher calls the change ”profound” and says there were fewer racial controversies last year than in almost any other during his 30-plus years of radio.

”I get the sense from my audience collectively that there is a sigh of relief, that we’ve made progress this year,” says Gallagher, who is white. ”Because I truly believe that good people don’t want to be mired in racial conflict.”

One sign of that progress was Elwin Wilson. Inspired by reaction to the inauguration, he sought out U.S. Rep. John Lewis. They had last met in 1961, when Wilson and other white racists brutally beat Lewis during a Freedom Ride civil rights protest in South Carolina.

Wilson apologized, and Lewis accepted.

”I think it will lead to a great deal of healing,” the black congressman said.

Click here to read more.

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Tags: Barack Obama, Racism
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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CaliFemme23/ CaliFemme23

    “”It felt like an evolution to me, something that created a paradigm shift,” says Dr. Joy DeGruy, a black author and speaker who focuses on racial healing. “We moved a quantum leap forward.”

    What the fukk planet is she on? A ‘paradigm’ shift?! She needs to flip a little slower through her newspaper/online articles and read some of the shyt I do..Better yet, she needs to step her azz outside and take a good look around. 2009 did NOTHING for racial harmony/dynamics…I dont know why people think because there are MORE interracial couples and mixed kids runnin around,the president is pseudo (yeah I said pseudo)black, and the poor little black kids can eat lunch next to the white kids that shyt has changed. This article is circulating in the same news reel where the black sgt was harrassed/beat up by the white cops, a black church ordained a Klan member (no that shyt is NOT progress!), white folks are hailing a black man for dressing in drag (madea), Rush Limbaugh STILL exists and is more influencial than ever, and it took a black woman over 5 years to be vindicated for being sexually harrassed by her white co-worker….GET THE FUKK OUTTA HERE WITH THIS BULLSHYT!

  • http://www.blackinfo.net/?p=10048 Analysis: 2009 Transformed U.S. Racial Dynamics | Black Info.Net

    [...] more here: Analysis: 2009 Transformed U.S. Racial Dynamics Posted in The 411 Tags: article, barack obama, concert, money, nation, obama, president, racism, [...]

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/lakerdude19/ lakerdude19

    Mike Gallagher is the man. I’m really suprised NewsOne ran a quote from him.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/WestsideCartelAtl85/ WestsideCartelAtl85

    I disagree. Racism will always be here. There has been incidents of Black men and women being assaulted by racist Whites all over the country. These go along to get along Blacks don’t wanna put up a fight and just want the money besides selling their own race out. Southern Whites hate President Obama with a passion and it’s out in the open. The media is full of bs anyways. They just wanna show what they wanna show and refuse to show unbiased information.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/_A_/ _A_

    This is a crock. I noticed the two people quoted were full of hyperbole and short on actual facts to support their claims (at least the quotes used didn’t do so). Mike Gallagher says there were fewer “racial controversies” than in years past. I would love to know what constitutes a controversy in his mind. Again, these racists want to define what is and isn’t racist, and then want us to fall in line with there definition. We really need to stop asking what whites feel about racism anyway, because it doesn’t really matter what they think. The time for us getting on a course of self determination has long past, but its never too late. Up you mighty nation, you can accomplish what you will!

    I have a challenge for you Lakerdude19. If you are truly concerned about repairing race relations in this world, I want you to make a commitment for 2010, that you will work tirelessly at trying to change the minds of some of the white racists in this world. In fact I will make a deal with you, you go and try to “raise awareness” of whites with respect to their racist attitudes, and I will do my best to get my people to become less reliant or concerned with white folks and concentrate on uplifting us. Deal?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jazzwatch/ jazzwatch

    I know one thing; the OTHER minorities are coming to the U.S and getting help with homes. cars. buisnesses(who owns that corner carryout or filling station in YOUR neighborhood? not your uncle!) They also say that things are better between the races-yeah, right! If so, why can’t the goverment gives African American jobs and pay them a FAIR wage as oppose to give OTHER minorities lower wages and not to pay ANY taxes and get help when Blacks are still struggling (like me and you) and cannot get any assistance at all? Another set of lie I heard since the first grade!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Eolufemi/ Eolufemi

    I’m not impressed with “post-racial” America. Still seems pretty racist to me.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/lakerdude19/ lakerdude19

    _A_, deal.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sylkiifeather/ sylkiifeather

    riiight…wont catch me slipping up by believing that bullsh*t

    they will use any type of propaganda…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CaliFemme23/ CaliFemme23

    _A_, Now you know there isnt enough time remaining in this universe to change a racist white persons mind…You tryna send the lakerdude on a WILD goose chase!

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