The Hilltop Observer

SPOTLIGHT ESSAY

Country Feel Good
by Matt Cutugno

November 2008

I don’t know about you, but I feel pretty good about America having a black President. It took me a while to fully appreciate the implications, and I like them fine. Nice too to get rid of the “well, he’s half white,” or “actually, he’s biracial” qualifiers. Supporters call him black, the media does, let’s go with that.

I expect the new President to do a good job, and serve our country well. It speaks volumes that America elected Mr. Obama. For so long it has been said that we impose our “cowboy politics” on the rest of the world, that we are the Great Satan. Now we demonstrate that perhaps we are fairer-minded than that. The result of the recent election would be like seeing the following headlines anytime soon:

“China invites Dalai Llama to Beijing to assume power in an independent Tibet.”

“France announces cabinet level position for Muslim French Relations to better integrate the 12% Muslim population into French society.”

“Russia agrees to send $50 billion to the country of Georgia as war reparations.”

Not only can America feel proud of itself, there are real perks in having a President who is a member of a minority. In foreign affairs, other countries will respect us just a tad more, and likely be more polite. Imagine the following conversation between our new President Obama and, say, Ahmadinejad of Iran.

Their President: Mr. President, I must be frank.

Ours: Please do.

Theirs: My people, the entire Muslim world, is sick and tired of you people. . .

Ours: I’m sorry, what did you call me?

Theirs: You people have a bad attitude.

Ours: Hold it right there, Sir. My people don’t like to be called “you people.”

Theirs: Really? I didn’t know.

Ours: Now you do.

I think the President’s biggest challenge will be in distancing himself from those who like him but who he can’t like back. It’s a rather long list, since Mr. Obama has admirers like Hugo Chavez and Lewis Farrakhan. Consider this telephone call:

“Hello, Mr. President, this is your old friend, the Reverend Wright. I was wondering if you and the Mrs. will be in attendance at the church this weekend. My sermon will be “High Time to Demand Reparations for Slavery from the Terrorist Imperialists of God Damn America.”

Likely would follow a pause, after which the new President would announce in a monotone:

“Hi, I’m not here right now, but if, at the beep, you leave a message, I’ll get back to you as soon as the Secret Service allows.”

But all in all, I predict good things ahead. For me, this election was the culmination of an historical process that began at the end of World War II. The inevitable shrinking of the world has brought us all together, more in this country than anywhere else on earth. Think about it, America is the most inclusive, diverse society in the history of the world - Not bad for a country in crisis and a society in decline.

We have not been “you white people” for a long time. I hope the results of this Election will make more of us realize that.

Matt Cutugno is a freelance writer and award-winning playwright. He lives in New York City.