Sunday, November 02, 2008

Not Black President Obama, Just President Obama




Earl Ofari Hutchinson


The instant that Barack Obama tossed his hat in the presidential rink nearly two years ago the twin mantra was that he could be the first black to be president and if that happened America had finally kicked its race syndrome. The twin mantra has been repeated ad infinitum, and it’s dead wrong about Obama and the presidency. The early hint that race was overblown and over obsessed came from Obama. He didn’t talk about it. For good reason, he was not running as a black presidential aspirant. He was running as a presidential aspirant. He had to make that crucial distinction for personal and political purposes.

The ritual preface of the word “black” in front of any and every achievement or breakthrough that an African-American makes is insulting, condescending and minimizes their achievement. It maintains and reinforces the very racial separation that much of America claims it is trying to get past. Dumping the historic burden of race on blacks measures an individual’s success or failure by a group standard. That’s a burden whites don’t have. They succeed or fail solely as individuals.

Obama’s personal history--his bi-racial parents, his upbringing, his education, and his relative youth-- defies racial pigeonholing. He was influenced by but not shaped by the rigid race grounded civil rights struggles of the 1960s as older whites and blacks were.

The institution of the presidency, and what it takes to get it, demands that racial typecasting be scrapped anyway. Obama would have had no hope of bagging the presidency if there had been the slightest hint that he embraced the race tinged politics of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. His campaign would have been marginalized and compartmentalized as merely the politics of racial symbolism.

He could not have raised record amounts of campaign cash. He would not have been fawned over by legions of Hollywood celebrities, corporate and union leaders. He would not have netted the endorsements of Colin Powell and packs of former Reagan and Bush Sr. administration stalwarts, and prepped by W. Bush political guru Karl Rove on how to beat Hillary Clinton. The media would never have given him the top heavy favorable coverage, endorsements, nor relentlessly hammered Republican rival John McCain. If the media had so chosen, it could have torpedoed Obama’s campaign by playing up his connection with his race focused former pastor Jeremiah Wright. It bought his protest of racial bewilderment at the Wright race revelations, and dropped the matter.

Obama had to cling closely to the centrist blueprint Bill Clinton laid out for Democrats to win elections, and to govern after he won.

It meant during the campaign and will mean at least in the early days of his presidency emphasis on strong defense, the war against terrorism, a vague plan for winding down the Iraq War, mild tax reform for the middle-class, a cautious plan for affordable health care and for dealing with the sub-prime lending crisis, and a gentile reproach of Wall Street.

The old axiom that you can tell a president-elect by his staff and cabinet picks will very much apply to Obama. A cast of governors, senators and ex senators, former Clinton and Democratic party operatives, and even a few token Republican mavericks have been floated for Obama’s staff and cabinet picks such as Al Gore, Tom Dachle, Tim Kaine, John Kerry, Larry Summers, Robert Rubin, Paul Volcker, Chuck Hagel, Robert F, Kennedy, Tom Vilsack, and yes Arnold Schwarzenegger. The list reads like a who’s who of the Beltway and Heartland America establishment.

Obama’s cautious, center-governing non-racial, likely staff and cabinet cast and policies is plainly designed to blunt the standard Republican rap that Democrats, especially one branded a liberal Democrat, inherently pander to special interests, i.e. minorities, are pro expansive government, and anti-business. They will be watching hawk like for any sign of that from Obama.

As president Obama will be pulled and tugged at by corporate and defense industry lobbyists, the oil and nuclear power industry, government regulators, environmental watchdog groups, conservative family values groups, moderate and conservative GOP senators and house members, foreign diplomats and leaders. They all have their priorities and agendas and all will vie to get White House support for their pet legislation, or to kill or cripple legislation that threatens their interests.

An Obama White House will of course be a historic and symbolic first. However, it will be a White House that keeps a firm, cautious and conciliatory eye on mid-America public opinion, and corporate and defense industry interests in making policy decisions and determining priorities. All other occupants of the White House have done that. Obama would and could not have attained the White House if he didn’t do the same. This has nothing to do with race, or the nonsense of being tagged a black president, first or not. It has everything to do with the requirement of White House governance.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His latest book is The Ethnic Presidency: How Race Decides the Race to the White House (Middle Passage Press, February 2008).

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jason Fullam
US Law Enforcement Park Ranger
Dept. Of The Interior
National Park Service
made these comments about President Obama in the policelink.com website

"I dont think it should come as any surprise to anyone that the POTUS will turn his back on Israel. Remember ALL muslims must answer the Jihad.
Just saying........"

http://policelink.monster.com/topics/81961-obama-tells-israel-to-go-back-to-1967-borders/posts?page=1This

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梁爵 said...

2020.05.23酒店小姐的基本介紹跟工作內容八大世界的融資邏輯在性交易不合法、陪侍業遊走於法律邊緣的情況下,酒店公關與我在酒店上班的日子性工作者常被屏除在社會安全網與信用制度外,幾乎不可能和銀行等金融機構借貸,辦房貸、車貸時需要人頭,這時就會向恩客或經紀人求援。經紀人除了確保酒店打工小姐們工作時的安全、陪上下班跑店接送、情緒低落時灌心靈雞湯外,也經常是她們的債主甚至信用保證人,要放貸酒店上班-酒店兼職-兼差如何達成人生的第一桶金必須自己口袋夠深,也有不少經紀人酒店兼差不是一個複雜的工作環境?被借錢借到倒。「我會借出去的款項,基本上都是我覺得沒有還也還好的數目,當然也要評估妹仔有沒有這個產值,正妹優先。」一名酒店經紀這樣談自己的借錢哲學職場須知 【酒店PT 】:「一個相貌普通的妹仔開口就要借個十幾萬,是不會有正常人想理她的,何況有的妹仔連上一任經紀人的錢都沒還完呢!」在顏值與人頭都能變現的世界,經紀人除了用各種管道開發有意進八大淘金的新血,有的也會從同行手中「洗妹」,像洗牌一樣把屬意的小姐洗到自己旗下,或是用妹海戰術賺錢。一個酒店小姐的經紀約平均交易價格是三萬元,有債務的則另議前後任經紀的償還比例,越弱勢的就會面臨越嚴苛的勞動條件。在肺炎疫情餘波未平、政府宣布八大全面歇業之際,手上銀彈多的經紀能「危機入市」,然而,洗妹要不犯江湖忌諱是一門大學問,擋人財路如殺人父母,事小的道歉包個紅包做結,大者是會動拳腳刀槍來拼命的。酒店、養生館為了店內秩序,禁止小姐們交流薪資與經紀人抽成比例,也難防耳語傳聞「唉呦你的公司怎麼這麼苛?我一節就拿多少多少說!」「你這麼正,怎麼在這邊上不好?你經紀人都不想辦法的噢?」「我可以幫你介紹某某,某某會幫你如此這般……」知道水深的老鳥不是幾句甜言蜜語過個水就洗得動,但在無限期停業的政策推一把後,頓失生計的八大基層會衍生多少糾紛、呆帳與治安問題?這些問題又會如何反饋到「光明社會」的這一面,恐怕不是此一時能夠斷言的。八大因疫情停業並不會讓情慾需求消失,一名應召站幹部說,「如果大家能滿足在家裡打手槍,那一開始就不會來了。」除了多與嫖客喇賽疫情的五四三,他依舊周休一日每天值班十二小時,整理新的花名冊,戮力為客人仲介各式各樣的溫柔。站在道德的相對高點,質疑他人的職業選擇、想像做八大一定日進斗金、要求紓困補助都是貪婪很容易,深入了解不同族群的苦衷、共同承擔困境永遠是最艱難的,希望在這波尚無配套的八大歇業命令後,大家可以思考:膝反射式的傲慢是否和瘟疫一樣致命?

梁爵 said...

2020.05.23酒店小姐的基本介紹跟工作內容八大世界的融資邏輯在性交易不合法、陪侍業遊走於法律邊緣的情況下,酒店公關與我在酒店上班的日子性工作者常被屏除在社會安全網與信用制度外,幾乎不可能和銀行等金融機構借貸,辦房貸、車貸時需要人頭,這時就會向恩客或經紀人求援。經紀人除了確保酒店打工小姐們工作時的安全、陪上下班跑店接送、情緒低落時灌心靈雞湯外,也經常是她們的債主甚至信用保證人,要放貸酒店上班-酒店兼職-兼差如何達成人生的第一桶金必須自己口袋夠深,也有不少經紀人酒店兼差不是一個複雜的工作環境?被借錢借到倒。「我會借出去的款項,基本上都是我覺得沒有還也還好的數目,當然也要評估妹仔有沒有這個產值,正妹優先。」一名酒店經紀這樣談自己的借錢哲學職場須知 【酒店PT 】:「一個相貌普通的妹仔開口就要借個十幾萬,是不會有正常人想理她的,何況有的妹仔連上一任經紀人的錢都沒還完呢!」在顏值與人頭都能變現的世界,經紀人除了用各種管道開發有意進八大淘金的新血,有的也會從同行手中「洗妹」,像洗牌一樣把屬意的小姐洗到自己旗下,或是用妹海戰術賺錢。一個酒店小姐的經紀約平均交易價格是三萬元,有債務的則另議前後任經紀的償還比例,越弱勢的就會面臨越嚴苛的勞動條件。在肺炎疫情餘波未平、政府宣布八大全面歇業之際,手上銀彈多的經紀能「危機入市」,然而,洗妹要不犯江湖忌諱是一門大學問,擋人財路如殺人父母,事小的道歉包個紅包做結,大者是會動拳腳刀槍來拼命的。酒店、養生館為了店內秩序,禁止小姐們交流薪資與經紀人抽成比例,也難防耳語傳聞「唉呦你的公司怎麼這麼苛?我一節就拿多少多少說!」「你這麼正,怎麼在這邊上不好?你經紀人都不想辦法的噢?」「我可以幫你介紹某某,某某會幫你如此這般……」知道水深的老鳥不是幾句甜言蜜語過個水就洗得動,但在無限期停業的政策推一把後,頓失生計的八大基層會衍生多少糾紛、呆帳與治安問題?這些問題又會如何反饋到「光明社會」的這一面,恐怕不是此一時能夠斷言的。八大因疫情停業並不會讓情慾需求消失,一名應召站幹部說,「如果大家能滿足在家裡打手槍,那一開始就不會來了。」除了多與嫖客喇賽疫情的五四三,他依舊周休一日每天值班十二小時,整理新的花名冊,戮力為客人仲介各式各樣的溫柔。站在道德的相對高點,質疑他人的職業選擇、想像做八大一定日進斗金、要求紓困補助都是貪婪很容易,深入了解不同族群的苦衷、共同承擔困境永遠是最艱難的,希望在這波尚無配套的八大歇業命令後,大家可以思考:膝反射式的傲慢是否和瘟疫一樣致命?

梁爵 said...

新北市土城警分局一名偵查佐於3日與酒店打工女性友人到台北新兒童樂園玩,6日晚間採檢確診,據台北市衛生局公布的足跡來看,確診女性友人是酒店上班制服酒店小姐,有老司機就大曝這家制服酒店的新鮮玩法,比照澳門桑拿做出「櫥窗大魚缸」噱頭,將坐檯小姐放在櫥窗內,供上門的客人挑選。指出,這名現年31歲的土城分局偵查佐,主要擔任鑑識工作,在夜店認識這名自稱大體化妝師的女子卻在6日雙雙採檢確診,事後該名女子也被起底,發現她是中山區的酒店工作制服酒店坐檯小姐,,據表示,該酒店的坐檯小姐上班時身穿火辣性感服飾,吸引客人上門消費。有老司機透露,原本疫情前這間酒店底單為1350元,但是疫情後調整為1500元,另外還需要支付少爺小費1千元,加上疫情停業影響,店家也開始加收包廂費,如果是單人的包廂費用為500元,平常包廂費用則收取約1千元左右,營業時間從傍晚5點開始至隔天上午7點多左右結束。熟知酒店文化的酒店經紀表示,制服店的酒店小姐沒有便服店或禮服店的坐檯小姐外型亮眼,必須靠大膽作風吸引客群,治裝上也以「稀少布料」為主,這位確診的酒店小姐店家,甚至推出新的選妹方式,俗稱「櫥窗大魚缸」,就是讓酒店公關坐檯小姐全部在櫥窗內讓客人挑選,有老司機表示,素質不比便服店、禮服店小姐外貌來的好看。這間酒店業者店接獲消息後也自主停業3天,針對店內環境進行清消,甚至還要求所有酒店應徵員工快篩,若出現不適症狀者,也立刻到醫院進行PCR檢測。 除此之外,高雄也爆出酒店上班群聚疫情累計112人確診,除了雅閣、金芭黎、帝堡等3家娛樂場,幾乎老司機常去的場所全部淪陷,其中,苓雅區的典璦SPA會館對外以婚紗會館的名義經營,私底下卻是業界知名的「半套店」,頗受年輕老司機的歡迎。根據高雄市府昨天公布新增59例的海量確診足跡,上頭驚見「酒店上班名單」,包括雅閣會館、金芭黎舞廳、帝堡101會館全中鏢,根據統計,這波娛樂場所染疫事件,累積至8日已造成112人確診。另外,今天新增58個確診個案中,又有50例屬於娛樂場所,根據公布的足跡,除了已有群聚事件的AGO雅閣私人會館、帝堡一零一會館之外,不少網友注意起足跡中包含大帝國舞廳、王牌精品會館、金色養生館以及紅樓夢男模會所、典璦美容美體會館等。其中,苓雅區的典璦SPA美容美體對外以婚紗會館名義經營,私底下卻是業界知名的「半套店」,2020年曾被警方查獲從事半套性交易被判罰,根據當時的判決,半套的「消費」是1600元。會館還有經營臉書、IG等社群媒體,內容可看出店內小姐都穿著女僕裝、旗袍、水手服、黑絲白襯衫OL裝等,制服控的客人可以隨意挑選,是頗具知名度的娛樂場所。