by publius
Somewhat ironically, race has been the great unspoken story of the 2008 election. The Obama campaign avoids discussing it like the plague (though for understandable reasons). And the pundits have generally been quiet too – other than in the aftermath of the Pennsylvania speech Obama grudgingly gave.
As the reality gets closer though, it’s worth pausing to recognize what a tremendous milestone Obama’s election would represent in America’s long and complex racial history. Jack Shafer will probably think this post uncool, because it’s borderline sappy in places. But who cares. It’s a moment of enormous racial significance – and one that’s worth reflecting on.
At this point, I suspect some conservative readers are rolling their eyes, “here they go again on this race stuff.” In these readers’ defense, I know precisely where they’re coming from. In fact, many moons ago, I used to be one of them. My goal, though, is ultimately to make these very readers sincerely appreciate the racial significance of the election — and to persuade them why liberals are right to focus on it. Accordingly, I will first explore why I think conservatives are often skeptical of liberals’ perceived obsession with race. Afterwards, I’ll explain why this “obsession” is actually a noble and worthwhile effort. (Just to warn you, this is a long one).