The Haters Still Love Obama

Friday, 27 January 2012 12:10

Written by Edwin Martin

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Full disclosure: I am an ardent Barack Obama supporter. I was awash with pride when he was elected in 2008 and have watched daily with curiosity, the past three years, as he has experienced the ups and downs of his presidency.

What I am NOT is someone who shows blind allegiance. Obama has made many moves that I disagree with and some that have even angered me. But I believe at his core he’s a good man, a well-intentioned man who has seen the systematic way that the middle class and poor have gotten a raw deal. By all indications he’s a great husband and model father, a quality his conservative detractors should admire but not for their disdain for the man.

 But here’s my main disclosure: I worry deeply for Obama because there is a subculture of Americans that really hate this man for several reasons. They hate him because his name is Barack Obama, not John Wilson, or some other “presidential” name. They don’t deem him worthy of residing in the same residence once occupied by Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. And yes, many hate the fact that he’s not the right colour.

For these extreme right-wingers and Tea Party folks, Obama is like the son-in-law they never liked and never wanted to marry their daughter. Every day they look for evidence to validate why they don’t like him. Every little thing he does annoys them. If he parks his car a little slanted in the driveway, they get upset. They complain about the way he dresses, the way he speaks, and even they way he drinks his soup.

Obama bashers insist their differences with him are rooted solely in ideology. Really? Then why a protracted campaign in order to get him to produce his birth certificate? And then when he does release it, they say it’s a fake. Now they want Obama to release his college transcripts. Why, so they can say those have been falsified as well?

Remember Rep. Joe Wilson calling Obama a liar on the floor of Congress during an Obama speech? Now the latest: a photo of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer pointing her finger in the president’s face during a contentious meeting on an airport tarmac. Conservatives have praised Brewer for her act of defiance toward the president despite the overt disrespect to the man and the office of the presidency. This is what hatred does: It clouds our judgment and impedes our objectivity.

Why do you think Newt Gingrich won the recent Republican primary in South Carolina? He was lauded by the locals for cursing out a journalist for having the temerity to ask him about a claim made by his ex-wife, and he accused said journalist of attacking him while protecting Obama. South Carolina, not the most progressive state in the union, rewarded Gingrich with a primary victory. Yes, a state full of Evangelical Christians supported a man who is twice divorced, was unfaithful to at least two wives and is currently married to his former mistress. Why, because they saw a vote for Gingrich as a vote against Obama.

Now, let’s be clear: I do not believe by any means that the majority of Americans are racist. Obama could not have gotten elected without a big portion of the white vote. Actually, I don’t believe whites have gotten enough credit for helping African Americans escape the abyss of racism and discrimination that was the norm in the U.S. for centuries.  But for all the progress America has made, there are still ugly remnants of a sordid past. And they have been revived since Obama’s election.

My family and friends often ask me why I watch Fox News. How can you watch a network that is obviously so biased against Obama, they say. My answer is: I like to listen to all points of view so I can decipher fact from fiction. And despite Fox News’ fallacious “Fair and Balanced” slogan, I watch because they often make valid points amid the Obama bashing.

Yes, I agree with many things conservatives preach. I agree that entitlement programs have led to many people becoming dependent on government, turning the safety net into a hammock. Yes,  I do believe immorality is at the root of many of society’s ills, especially among minorities. I consider myself a moderate when it comes to ideology. I try to analyze all issues before reaching a verdict. And there are issues I still struggle with such as gay marriage and abortion.

But when I weigh the issues and I’m forced to choose between Democrat or Republican, I choose Democrat because I believe despite all the party’s faults, it’s the one that looks out for the little guy. By the way, Obama is often accused of being a Socialist by many conservatives who are devout Christians. Just once,  I would love to ask them: If Jesus – a man who preached tolerance and helping the poor -- were a politician today, do you think he would be a Socialist or a Capitalist?

I voted for Obama in 2008 and I plan to vote for him again this year, God willing. The son-in-law is not perfect, but he took office for better or worse. I’m not sure if the country will renew its vows with him come November, but I would love to see the faces of the haters if it does.

Edwin Martin is a native of Montserrat who now lives in Miramar, Fla. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1994 from Florida International University, where he majored in journalism with a minor in political science.