File photo of United States President Barack Obama. Source: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kevin S. O'Brien/Released
In his effort to help Hillary Clinton to become the next US President, President Obama has appealed to the African-Americans not to vote for Donald Trump. It appears that President Obama has forgotten for a moment that he is still the President of the USA and has the duty to keep all Americans stay united emotionally.
Unfortunately, it appears that the politician in Obama has gained upper hand over the statesmanship in President Obama.
Even the pledged admirers of President Obama cannot approve his appeal to the African Americans to stay united as “blacks” and vote for Hillary Clinton. One cannot be blamed if he would think that President Obama has thoughtlessly tried to divide the American society into whites and blacks, by appealing to all the blacks to support him because he is black and asking them to vote Hillary Clinton, as he supports her.
Really, President Obama has insulted the African-Americans by asking them to vote for a particular candidate enmass staying together. Does he think that African-Americans living in USA would not think for themselves about the policies and programs of the Presidential candidates before exercising their franchise but would vote for the candidate, based on their perception of the candidate as supporter of the blacks or otherwise.
What is even more shocking and unbecoming of incumbent President of USA is to have reminded African-Americans about the arduous struggle it took before the community could free itself and gain civil rights. President Obama said that those gains of African Americans are now at risk. Can there be a more chauvinistic, sectarian and divisive strategy to get votes in the Presidential election?
It is true and well known that there is sort of divisive politics in USA by some self-centered leaders of various groups wanting to keep a division between the blacks and the whites, to meet their personal, political interests. It is really necessary that USA has to fight against such divisive forces. President Obama’s speech exhorting the African Americans to vote based on their color only make one suspect that President Obama is really strengthening the divisive forces in USA.
Today, in the USA, African-Americans enjoy rights and privileges that is available to every citizen of USA. A large number of them hold lofty positions in academics, business and government. While some of them may still face economic disparities, it is not due to the policy measures of the US government. Therefore, there is no justification for President Obama to argue, which he has done for all practical purposes, that the blacks in America have to stay together to protect their interests and vote against Donald Trump.
Perhaps, no other past President of USA have been careless enough to ask the Americans to vote on the basis of their color. President Obama has brought the election debate in USA to a low level.
President Obama started as President talking great philosophy about the need for peace and harmony around the world. He deprecated divisive tendencies and was awarded Nobel prize for peace for his postures and advocacy. Unfortunately, his Presidential term is now ending with President Obama asking the section of Americans to vote on the basis of their color.
N. S. Venkataraman is a trustee with the "Nandini Voice for the Deprived," a not-for-profit organization that aims to highlight the problems of downtrodden and deprived people and support their cause. To promote probity and ethical values in private and public life and to deliberate on socio-economic issues in a dispassionate and objective manner.
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