As the 2008 presidential election comes to a close, I find myself wondering how Barack Obama's potential presidency will open the doors for minorities in politics who may look to run for president in the future. Particularly, I wonder, "What will the candidates of the 2012 and 2016 elections look like? Will the major party candidates become more diverse or will they return to the stereotypical white, older male candidate? Is this the last we've seen of Sarah Palin on a presidential ticket?
Historically, the major party candidates of the Democratic and Republican parties have failed to produce an Asian-American candidate, a Jewish candidate, a Hispanic candidate, an Atheist candidate, and the list goes on. I believe that the the diversification of candidates will depend on Barack Obama's potential presidential performance in the White House. In this way, Obama will become a symbol for all minorities in politics. If Obama can disprove all the rumors about being a muslim and get rid of his "outsiderness" while in office, it may open the doors for other minorities who may face the same troubles while trying to emerge into the American political system. Barack Obama however is a perfect example of hypodescention, or viewing a person thats mixed race as one race. Americans seem to neglect that Barack Obama is as black as he is white and was raised by his white mother.
The question that remains on my mind though is, "Will Barack Obama's presidency change the world's view of America?" If Obama is elected president, other nations will no longer be able to view us as xenophobic, or bigoted. The stereotype of the American as a southern accented, undereducated, racist person can no longer be held in the global community.
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1 comment:
There are some good points in here I agree with the Democratic and Republican parties failing to produce an Asian-American candidate, a Jewish candidate, a Hispanic candidate, and an Atheist candidate.
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