Melissa Harris Lacewell penned "Why blacks are more optimistic about race" for Friday's Philadelphia Inquirer. As might be expected, the associate professor of politics and African American studies at Princeton University and author of the breathlessly anticipated "Sister Citizen: A Text for Colored Girls Who've Considered Politics When Being Strong Isn't Enough," is very, very happy with Barack Obama. But readers may be at least mildly surprised at what she considers the highlight of his inauguration:
But the best part of Jan. 20 was that Barack and Michelle got out of the bulletproof black Cadillac and walked the streets -- and no one shot at them. I know we are not allowed to say it, but one reason black people believe race relations have improved in America is because Obama lived through the primaries, the election, the inauguration, and now through 100 days.
She claims "we are not allowed to say it," yet then does exactly that. She goes on to cite various Obama acts that she deems accomplishments. Closing Guantanamo, signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, capping executive pay, and performing a "deft move of racial defiance by proxy" through attorney general Eric Holder's terming the U.S. a nation of cowards are some of the highlights. Others came when he "dapped up" Hugo Chavez, "hung out" in Canada, "fired the head of General Motors, something most people didn't even know an American president could do," and "established serious street cred."
But even all this wasn't enough:
Even though he was changing the world, he found time to play ball with his advisers, filled out an NCAA bracket, and had a beer at a Wizards game. This is what we call being on the grind but remembering to keep it real.
And if that weren't enough, Obama actually "kept his campaign promise to his daughters and got them a dog."
All in all, "it was a great 100 days. And did I mention nobody shot at him?"
Yes, you did, professor. Not all of America shares your wonder at that.
