That is a question.
Spence, on a Washington Post article I wrote off as redundant.
[H]ow blacks vote isn’t really the story. The story is really about the nature of democratic discourse within black communities now that Obama has a legitimate shot.
Now it certainly seems as if blacks are talking about politics much more often:
“All we talk about is Obama,” said Julie Griffith, the chief executive of a Houston public relations firm who attended a recent convention of black MBAs in Washington. “We talk about the campaign. We talk about Palin. We talk about a possible assassination attempt. We can talk about Obama all day.”
But, particularly in a variety of spaces from blogs, to barbershops, to talk radio, the talk about Obama has been limited to how can we help him win?
Yup. Black folks have voted issues since they could vote, while white Americans' votes have been driven by identity issues all along. I believe Black folks would have voted identity issues if we could have...sadly, we'd be pretty typical Americans if there were no racism.
These political campaigns are essentially rituals in the American civic religion. And the ritual is drawing to a close...it's time to consider what, if anything, is changed by the existence of an Obama administration.
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For certain, there is an
For certain, there is an implicit hope that an Obama administration would yield greater political efficacy for us which is what politics and government is about from a constituent-voter perspective. That is, however, the very conversation that's being avoided. Instead, some, if not most, Black folk seem to be satisfied by the symbolic and intangible aspects of Obama rising to the highest office in the land; that, and the prospects of a Democrat in office instead of a Republican.
So it's easy to see how talks of political efficacy get sidetracked. People appear to get their fill with the other possible benefits. Perhaps like you and Spence, with the Civil Rights Movements et al, I'm moved to say that Black people have taught the nation (or brought the nation) greater, truer democracy. I too lament the fact that "the nature of democratic discourse within black communities" seems to have lost a degree of issues-focus via Obama's candidacy.
Maybe we need to approach
Maybe we need to approach them from a different angle. If I had a massively pro-Obama audience I'd ask if they were expecting political, social or personal benefit if he wins. Let them take it from there for a while before deciding the next question. Apparently challenging their judgement does not incline them to share...