Watch the video of President Obama’s March 18, 2008, speech at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia regarding the role race played in the 2008 presidential campaign. This speech, sometimes dubbed the “More Perfect Union” speech, can be found in several locations on the Web. Two suggested locations are provided below.
After viewing and reading the speech, write a two-to three-page paper in which you respond to the following questions:
President Obama chronicles the resentments of blacks and whites and states, “Just as black anger often proved counterproductive, so have these white resentments distracted attention from the real culprits of the middle class squeeze….” (Obama, 2008, para. 36.) Do you think the resentments of each subgroup are valid? Why or why not? Do you agree with his statement that the anger and resentments are counterproductive? Why or why not?
In the speech, President Obama quotes William Faulkner, “The past isn’t dead and buried; in fact, it isn’t even past.” (Obama, 2008, para. 27.) What do you think this statement means, and what implications does it have for race relations in the United States?
Do you believe a trans-racial society is desirable and possible in the United States? In your opinion, what changes would have to take place in our culture and/or our communications with one another for this societal change to take place?