In “What If Obama Loses?,” Newsweek writer Allison Samuels examines the black community and its fear that Obama could potentially lose the presidential race. Samuels states that most are optimistic that Obama can win; however, people are still asking themselves “what if?” Many supporters share “a common concern that the election will somehow be stolen rather than won,” Samuels said. The fear that racism will keep Obama from winning is sure to become a belief if Obama does not win; yet, if he does win it will be clear that the color of someone’s skin is no longer a deciding factor.
Though not all African-Americans will be voting for Barack Obama on November 4th, it is clear that he has energized young black men like never before. “’People that I know that have never cared about politics are registering to vote this time: gang members, ex-cons, you name it,’ says rapper Snoop Dogg.” Other hip-hop musicians have also supported Obama, whether it is by encouraging voter registration or giving Obama a shout-out at concerts.
In the Oxford community last week, there were two diverse example of the black communities view of the presidential race. At the barbershop on Jackson there was a huge Obama-Land sign hanging from the roof. A few feet away, underneath the Civil War memorial, was an African-American with two signs, one an official McCain-Palin sign and the other homemade. His homemade sign said “Not a white man or a black man, but the right man.” Perhaps we should not put groups of people into convenient little voting boxes…..all blacks are not voting for Obama, and all white women are not voting for Palin.