Obama wins: How do you explain this day to your children?

[morningpaper]

How are you explaining the news to your children?

Do you mention race and if so, how?

well exactly fennel - look at Angela Merkel...

I completely disagree with this idea that you shouldn't introduce the idea of Obama being black to children because they don;t see it as an issue yet. Surely no-one would suggest that you don't talk about ethnicity to a non-white child - tell them about their heritage etc so they are proud of it. What is the difference with a white child?

Rhubarb - it is already an issue - would you rather we didn't tell our children about slavery and aparteid? Surely it is our duty as parents to educate our children to try and eradicate racism

"If you make it into an issue it becomes one. "

Nope - there is discussion about it because this is the turning point between it having been an issue in the past, and now, it seems, is no longer an issue. that is something to celebrate, not carp on about.

Of course voters voted on things other htan race - his portfolio of election issues ad promises, presumably. The point is that in the past, whatever that portfolio contained he would NOT have been voted in. That is why his race is a notable, tangible, milestone in the history of America.

Why is it bad to comment on that, or disuss it?

Oh I know it's an issue and I know we have to educate our children. I'm just saying that it's a shame it has to be so.

"If you make it into an issue it becomes one."

No. 400 years of slavery and oppression made it into an issue.

He has done astoundingly well. America has done astoundingly well. That is something to celebrate.

Which I intend to do thusly

sorry rhubarb, x posts

agree its crappy that it matters

but its also wonderful that, bit by bit, it is mattering less

Oh stop misunderstanding me! I SAID I KNOW IT IS AN ISSUE BUT IN AN IDEAL WORLD IT WOULDN'T BE AND IT'S A SHAME THAT STILL, AFTER EVERYTHING WE HAVE DONE, THE ANTI-APARTHEID MOVEMENT AND ALL, THAT'S IT'S STILL AN ISSUE TODAY.

The black people have a lot to be proud of, but when people cannot see the person beyond the colour of their skin then yes, it's a shame ok?

And now I've x posted with filly!

filly- that looks like a very tame kind of celebration
this is more what I had in mind

Fennel, you're absolutely right, and that was the point my grandmother was making... .

Well, Rhubes, let's turn it round: having Obama in post is a major step forward to the time when it isn't an issue

i was totally i expecting him to win.

i was totally not expecting to cry like a baby when he did win.

as a black women this is a momentous day. my dd and in fact every member of my family have been rejoicing today. racism is a daily reality for many black people in this country and very little progression has occured for us ordinary folk. and seeing obama and a black women as the first lady of the most powerful nation in the world is on par with the emancipation of slaves. europe is so far behind the US i just hope we don't have to be here for over 300 years before we get the same progress........

I have just talked to my 5 year old about it. She learned about Rosa Parks at school as part of Black history month and was very interested although can't really understand why it's an issue since she has black friends and a couple of her 'uncles' are black.

I guess her approach is the like the one Rhubarb is talking about. I think it is extremely important to learn about history but I hope a generation grows up without race being an ongoing issue - and a black president will help that.

There was an interesting interview with Toni Morrison on Newsnight where she talked about the context of slavery and how many non-black people were also bought and sold - skin colour wasn't always relevant - children, women, poor whites. It's important to remember that slavery wasn't only about race and that humans are still used as a commodity especially women in the sex trade.

I was wondering how many parents also point out triumphs in our country - like Patricia Scotland - first female black QC, the Attorney General - first woman of any colour to hold the position - and from a working class area - up Walthamstow! Not as glamorous as the showbiz of US politics but not to be ignored while the presidential success is celebrated.

Completely failed at explaining this to my DS aged 3. He is mixed Indian/white British race but is pale-skinned so I'm not actually sure how he sees himself. Although I am 'brown' of Indian origin I sort of hesitated to emphasise the race aspect as he has little friends of all colours at nursery and didn't want to upset him too much really. So we explained about red and blue places and how people had chosen him as the 'leader' because he is clever and kind and brave-DS 'but I like red mummy not blue' May have another go this w/e. We have been singing 'Go Obama go' to the tune of Go Diego go for a few months now. Didn't watch the acceptance speech with him either as I blub every time....

Some of my dh's (black) colleagues who are normally uninterested or feel excluded from politics, stayed up all night to watch the election. That in itself says a lot imo.

Our local shops were full of people talking excitedly about it too - fantastic!

But of course (to athenaNocturn below) some of his success in the election is down largely to race. If previous elections have been remarkable for the very small turnout of African Americans, this one was marked by a huge turnout.

Which tells us something about the extent to which African Americans have felt represented by previous candidates ands presidents. (except Clinton - who I gather was very popular with black voters / citizens.

If race was an issue in the result, it's because it was an issue for American citizens.

x-posted with Mercy

Fillyjonk we are doing peanut butter chocchip cookies to celebrate!

well i have made the muffins

I adjusted the recipe slightly to better meet my chocolate needs

my god I recommend it

enjoy the peanut butter cookies ladyG

It is a huge issue partly because for so many people it wasn't an issue! He was a black man named Barack Hussein Obama - and now he's President! He didn't get there with black votes alone.
I don't think I'm at all old, yet American was an Apartheid state in MY LIFETIME. My mind boggles at that.
I disagree that Europe is 'behind' on this issue though. Europe has always been far less racist than America ie we did not make black people sit at the back of the bus. Plenty of 20th Century black celebrities came to Europe because of this. But we have a different black population in the UK because we don't have the massive,long-established black middle class that the US has.

I agree Mabanana.

It's important for those for whom it is all about race...and important because of all those for whom race was not an issue!

And historical because the two have co-incided.