Obama’s inaugural festivities “of color” Honor? Festering racial division? Or both?

What could be more appropriate at this time than an inauguration that was truly integrated rather than segregated? What if we honored our men (and women) in uniform rather than our BLACK or our WHITE veterans?

Question: is it possible for the Obama team and the MSM to drop the focus on skin color and focus on Americans?

The people who marched and demonstrated to end segregation – and their heirs – will never stop reliving their triumph. It burnished their souls and elevated their self-esteem. And having won, and having transformed the country, they will never stop showing off their trophies. Not while they live and their can pass along their triumph to their heirs. Because for many their triumph is more important than the goal of a truly color blind society.

Is that what we are doomed to, because our new President may the most race conscious since Woodrow Wilson? Obama wrote an entire book the theme of which was race.

From Flopping Aces:

Obama thinks the discussion of race is long overdue in this country. That’s a discussion I don’t mind having. I - and I think most Americans - are appalled and embarrassed at this inequitable attitude in our history… one where we separated the value of mankind based on skin color, nationality or gender. And all are prominent in our past.

But since the middle of the 20th century, the US has made great strides towards correcting what was an undeniable wrong. As we look around and see the past and present prominent members of the Bush administration in positions of power held by those “of color”, one would think we have moved beyond race, and into competence and qualifications. Indeed, most of us thought nothing about Condi or Colin Powell being black. We thought most of, and admired them for, their competence. The same could be said for Alberto Gonzales as AG.

I have continually worried that this President-elect thinks of himself first as a hypenated “black American”, and second as an American. And that worry came not because of his mulatto skin color, but from his own words. Since his well received but (IMHO) disturbing “A More Perfect Union” speech on race, that nagging perception of mine that Obama - himself - has not risen above color increases. And if our President-elect cannot rise above race as an issue, how can we, as citizens?

Here is the cautionary note:

The Tuskegee Airmen deserve the honors awarded to every WWII veteran… and other veterans, for that matter. But why… in today’s times when race division is not, and should not be forefront… does our President-elect seek to honor a generation of men based first on color? What of the other WWII veterans of different nationalities (including Japanese) or the women?
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Does Obama see “America’s promises” - which apparently he believes needs “renewing” - as floundering for Americans of color? Is this what it is all about? And if it’s unity as a nation “as one” he seeks, why does he honor those of color, emphasizing our painful divisions that we so desperately try to leave in the past?

We’ve come a long way since the days of separating mankind. We are closer today to a nation of “one people” than we have ever been. Or at least I thought so. Apparently our President elect does not and believes it needs “renewing”… and does so in some very bizarre ways.

I could not agree more with celebrating WWII vets., and honoring citizens like Dr. King. But I also think they should be celebrated as examples of the best of America - all colors - that we’ve enjoyed. Not celebrated and singled out for their color.

But it's not about the country, and it's not REALLY about healing the races, it's about HIM.