President Obama: Lost Opportunity and Division | Teen Ink

President Obama: Lost Opportunity and Division

August 25, 2013
By Anonymous

It has been 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr. has marched on Washington, D.C. Fifty years since hardworking Americans fought for their right to racial equality. This begs a question: Why is there still such racial strife in this country? The answer is simple: President Obama has divided the country instead of unifying it.

Remember during the presidential election, when Stacey Dash, an African American woman, was crucified on Twitter for her support of Mitt Romney? President Obama could have taken that opportunity to remind everyone that what color skin you have does not, and should not, be a factor in whom you vote for. Yet our President did nothing, missing an opportunity to lead by example and tell supporters that he wants votes for his policies rather than the color of his skin.

Another example is the tragic case of Trayvon Martin. No one knows whether Trayvon or Zimmerman threw the first punch, so a guilty verdict could not have been reached. When the jury did not convict Zimmerman, did our President take a hard look at the facts and admit that the jury made a reasonable decision? No. “That could have been me 35 years ago” was what he remarked instead. This statement did not bring our country together in a time of great turmoil, but it further pushed the “issue” of racism in this country. Growing up before Obama’s terms, I did not see so much as an inkling of racism.

Even now, growing up in a strong community, I do not see as much racism around me as President Obama implies exists. I just cannot seem to understand why he would put emphasis on the things that divide us rather than the things that bring us together as the greatest country on earth. After all, he is half white. President Obama could be, and should be, using his heritage to show how we can all come together no matter what color our skin is.


The author's comments:
Thank you for reading! This is my first article on TeenInk and I would like to publish more in the future. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, as I want to improve my writing.

~Inspired by conversations at the dinner table~

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This article has 12 comments.


on Oct. 17 2013 at 7:06 pm
thinkingtoohard, Boston, Massachusetts
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The need for oil makes sense to me

Kindle GOLD said...
on Oct. 11 2013 at 2:01 pm
Kindle GOLD, Sudbury, Other
11 articles 0 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;There is no subject so old that something new cannot be said about it.&quot; -Fyodor Dostoevsky<br /> <br /> &quot;Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense.&quot; - Robert Frost

Actually, I figured out why he jumped the gun.   The U.S. seems to exhibit all of the characteristics of an imperialist empire; especially in terms of behaviour towards the middle east. It was never really about chemical weapons - it's about oil. The U.S. government wants to protect its source of oil. That's why you, the U.S., never did anything in Ruanda when there was a mass genocide happening. They don't have oil, therefore they are of no benefit to the U.S. government and its priorities.

on Oct. 9 2013 at 3:28 pm
thinkingtoohard, Boston, Massachusetts
0 articles 0 photos 9 comments
Thanks so much! It means a lot :)

on Oct. 8 2013 at 8:36 pm
thinkingtoohard, Boston, Massachusetts
0 articles 0 photos 9 comments
I totally agree with you on Syria. He kept drawing his "red line" and kept failing. In addition, damaging the Assas regime could lead to an Al Queda takeover

Kindle GOLD said...
on Sep. 25 2013 at 7:48 pm
Kindle GOLD, Sudbury, Other
11 articles 0 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;There is no subject so old that something new cannot be said about it.&quot; -Fyodor Dostoevsky<br /> <br /> &quot;Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense.&quot; - Robert Frost

I don't know... I still think Obama is a better leader than Harper (I don't know it you're following Canadian politics, but Harper is just plain awful). I don't know what it's like to be American either, but the thing I would critisize, if I had to critisize anything, is his immediate reaction to bomb Siria. Diplomatic solutions should always be attempted first. 

on Sep. 24 2013 at 4:57 pm
thinkingtoohard, Boston, Massachusetts
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He could unify the American people rather than stirring the racial pot. The point of my article was to explain that he should take oppostunities like those I mentioned to abolish what's left of racism.

on Sep. 17 2013 at 9:05 pm
rokkotothezee GOLD, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
12 articles 0 photos 44 comments

Favorite Quote:
I never sleep, &#039;cause sleep is the cousin of death

I agree with you, and well-explained :D

Kindle GOLD said...
on Sep. 15 2013 at 9:31 pm
Kindle GOLD, Sudbury, Other
11 articles 0 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;There is no subject so old that something new cannot be said about it.&quot; -Fyodor Dostoevsky<br /> <br /> &quot;Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense.&quot; - Robert Frost

But what sort of thing do you propose he should do? 

on Sep. 14 2013 at 6:52 pm
thinkingtoohard, Boston, Massachusetts
0 articles 0 photos 9 comments
We do learn about it in school. I personally believe that being a leader is not always about doing what is popular. Racism is wrong and it is the job of a leader to make the right decisions even if they are not popular.

Kindle GOLD said...
on Sep. 14 2013 at 11:05 am
Kindle GOLD, Sudbury, Other
11 articles 0 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;There is no subject so old that something new cannot be said about it.&quot; -Fyodor Dostoevsky<br /> <br /> &quot;Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense.&quot; - Robert Frost

Personally I think it's the job of the people and the education system. Because the U.S. is a democratic society, Obama is bound by what the people want. If the people are racist, to some degree or another he has to bend to those wishes to avoid stepping on toes. I'm not quite sure what your education system is like, but if the schools all independantly (of the government) decided to incorporate the history of black people and in English everyone studied Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech" or something, I think it would open a lot of discussion about racism and maybe the teachers could clear up stereotypes. But it is the job of the people do change things. Obama can't do it by himself. He can only provoke change based on the wishes of the people, since the U.S. is a democratic society and everything.

on Sep. 13 2013 at 8:35 pm
thinkingtoohard, Boston, Massachusetts
0 articles 0 photos 9 comments
Thank you for the feedback! I agree with your point about his focusing on the debt, but I do feel that it is his obligation as President to unify America's citizens. What I was trying to communicate in this article was that he is not doing a very good job. :)

Kindle GOLD said...
on Sep. 11 2013 at 9:12 pm
Kindle GOLD, Sudbury, Other
11 articles 0 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;There is no subject so old that something new cannot be said about it.&quot; -Fyodor Dostoevsky<br /> <br /> &quot;Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense.&quot; - Robert Frost

This was a really interesting read, but I don't think you can push all of the problems with racism on Obama. It's not really Obama's job to dispel racism, nor was it one of his promises. I think a more prominent issue Obama had to deal with was the billions of dollars of debt the U.S. was in when he first began his precedency.