Who is Barrack Obama, and why do so many Americans have a problem with him?

On the night of his election many Americans celebrated the election of the man, Barack Obama, the gifted orator, the man for all seasons. Some celebrated the unique historical significance of our electing, the first minority, President.

While those celebrated the election of Barrack Hussein Obama, many others had a problem not with the man, per say, but with what he represented. He was different, a black man in a white man’s world. He was from Hawaii. For some Hawaii is like a foreign country, exotic and different. A few had a problem with the election of Barrack Obama because they knew that he was a serious man, who was serious about changing the country in ways that worried them. Barrack Obama intended to prove that government could be and was a force for good in the world, particularly our form of government our Republic.

In our racially charged and biased world it is ignorant and astounding that we even consider him to be a black man. The fact that he is considered to be a black man and from of all places Hawaii, gave the press reason to hone in on how different he was, to our detriment and to the dishonor of the press.  We had commentators stress, not the content of his character nor his astounding educational background but rather they highlighted other perceived imperfections.

I am reminded of a quote from the renowned reporter, Cokie Roberts, on August 10 of 2008, during the heart of the Presidential campaign, when the then Senator, Barrack Obama, went home for a vacation. Gee wiz what audacity he had to go home for a vacation. Who would have thunk it?

She said the following: ” I know his grandmother lives in Hawaii” and “I know Hawaii is a state, but it looks foreign, exotic,” it has the look of an exotic place,” “He should be in Myrtle Beach.”

I cannot remember another historical example of any candidate or President, being criticized for going home on vacation.

I guess in order for us to understand who Barrack Obama is, it might be helpful to understand his background and what it means to be imbued with the Aloha Spirit. The Path of Hana is a way of life. The following quote defines the deeper meaning of the word Aloha, a word that has many meanings.

“Aloha is being part of all, and all being a part of me. When there is pain- it is my pain. When there is joy- it is also mine. I respect all that is part of the Creator and part of me. I will not willfully harm anyone or anything. When food is needed I will only take what is needed.——–THE EARTH, THE SKY, THE SEA ARE MINE TO CARE FOR, TO CHERISH AND TO PROTECT. THIS IS HAWAIIAN. THIS IS ALOHA!

A. ala, watchful, alertness.

L. lokahi, working with unity.

O. oia’i’o, truthful, honesty.

H. ha’oha’a, humility.

A. ahouaui, patient, perseverance.

These words seem to define who we see in our President. The words define his character, watchful, alert, working to unify people around the world, truthful and honest, humble, and especially patient with us, and persistent.  If people have a problem with Hawaii being a state, it is there problem and not his. We should wish to be imbued with the Aloha spirit. Mankind would be better off it that were so. President Obama is a very calm person and if you visit Hawaii more than once, you realize that calmness seems to come from living in paradise. To understand Hawaii is too understand our President.

Hawaii is not some foreign country. Our war, World War II, began there at Pearl Harbor. Many men from all parts of America are permanently interred there on the ship the Arizona. The Punchbowl National cemetery is where many veterans of that war have their permanent resting place.

It is curious and awful how we view race. Barrack Hussein Obama is a son of Hawaii but he is also who his mother and his grandparents were.

His maternal, grandfather, Stanley Dunham was born in Kansas. He married Madelyn and he went off to be part of the army in World War II, His army group provided ordinance and supplies for those who fought. He was in the thick of it from D-Day until the end of the war. His daughter, Stanley Ann, became Barrack’s Mom. Mr. Dunham could trace his relatives back to a Jonathan Singletary Dunham who was an early influential colonist from Plymouth and then New Jersey.

Stanley’s wife Madelyn was also from Kansas. She worked for the Bank of Hawaii in 1960. These were Americans who lived in Hawaii, they were there for the opportunity it presented them for a better life. You can not imagine a more American family, so why has their grandson, Barrack, had such a problem? It couldn’t be because Stanley Ann married a black man, could it?

When you are of a racially mixed background, life does not come easy. It is hard to be accepted be either race, when your parents have a child of a mixed heritage. Identity issues often crop up. But let’s face it, the problem lies not with the children of a mixed racial parentage but with many in society who have a problem with racism. Since the Civil Rights Acts of the 60’s, it was no longer politically correct to make racial slurs public. But what child has not heard racial slurs? The fact is that our society is becoming more and more multi-racial and multi-cultural. It is becoming the face of America.

The haters of the President come from those who do not like the new picture of America, they liked the old picture better when the face of America was a picture with only white faces. Michele Bachman, a one time candidate for President, spoke to this change in America in an unfavorable way, a year ago, when a Coca Cola commercial showed a diverse picture of Americans enjoying a Coke, she complained. She did not approve of the picture.

Many have never liked the picture of Barrack Obama, sitting in the Oval Office. They did not like it before he even took the oath of office. They made no pretense about it, they were intent on insuring his failure as President. They did not care if the country suffered as a result of their blind allegiance to their hate and bigotry.

In spite of all of the challenges he has faced, the President has shown his character, his values and his determination to do what is right, not for his party, but for his fellow Americans. He is the son of Hawaii. He is the son that his Mom, and his grandparents helped guide to be the gentleman he is today. Through his humanity and his upbringing he has shown more class than we deserve. He has withstood the slings and arrows of outrageous ignorance and bigotry to become one of the most significant President’s in our history.