Columnist Jamala Rogers
African Americans (and maybe other ethnic groups) are circulating prayers through the internet for President Obama. They’re buying prayer cloths, fingering rosaries and including a photo of the president in their meditation alter.
And while white ministers like the Rev. Wiley Drake, former leader in the Southern Baptist Convention, openly pray for Obama’s death, black ministers bestow blessings for the president from their Sunday pulpits.
The once-criticized sermons of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright now seem to vindicate his views on race and politics in America. Yes, black folks are genuinely worried about President Obama’s safety.
In my columns after Obama’s election, I talked about an impending white backlash. The health care reform debate has ignited the fuse, and it has not been pretty and will only get uglier. When these folks can’t get to the president, any black person will do. (Stephen Johns, rest in peace.)
According to the Secret Service, the new president receives about 30 death threats a day. That’s up 400 percent from the George W. Bush days. The situation has strained the resources of the Secret Service whose primary job is to guarantee the safety and security of our presidents. But we have examples that there are no guarantees.
Right-wing talk radio has advocated the president’s demise. Fox News commentator Glenn Beck got a bitter taste of what fair-minded citizens can do after he called Obama a “racist” and a “Nazi.” A campaign spearheaded by The Color of Change is responsible for over 20 advertisers pulling their financial support from Beck’s show.
Openly-armed citizens attend rallies in places where the president is appearing. Political satirist Dick Gregory reminded us when he was in St. Louis recently what would have happened to him had he came into former President Bush’s perimeter armed to the teeth.
The Southern Poverty Law Center tracks hate groups. The center has reported a significant rise in militia groups because the government is now headed by a black man, tapping into the latent rage of white supremacy.
Gun sales have surged since the November election, and gun shops can’t keep ammo on the shelves. These aren’t just militia men; these are ordinary white citizens.
Racist, fear-poking remarks from white politicians to political analysts provide the fuel for those angry, white folks who believe they are losing their country.
I admit I am perplexed when I hear that they want to “reclaim” their country from a president who has been in office a New York minute. I really want to ask them where were they when Bush gave the country to the Wall Street thieves, shredded the U.S. Constitution, took us into an unjustified war and increased anti-U.S. hostility around the world.
The economic, social and foreign policies of the Bush administration literally bought this country to its knees without much opposition from the birthers, the teabaggers or deathers.
During these hate-filled times, I go back to a poignant statement from Obama’s acceptance speech after the election. “To those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president too.” That’s some of Obama’s audacity to hope.
Inheriting the most challenging situation of modern times, President Obama will need a lot of help. Most of us are more concerned about his safety and the country’s racial divisions than the president’s dropping poll numbers. We struggle to reach out across the aisle, across the street, or across the pew to citizens who think differently from us.
Our actions will either contribute or detract from getting through this racial quagmire. We know this country’s moral and financial prosperity is not just the responsibility of a singular president or its elected leaders but also in the ability of citizens to be actively engaged in the struggle for democracy, peace and justice.
We got some reclaiming to do. It is our country, too.