It wasn't exactly like casting Sidney Poitier as Rhett Butler but it was close. It was the timing in our social progress that made the real difference. I maintain that Will Smith's acceptance as Jim West paved the way for Obama's acceptance as a public figure beyond his racial identity a few years later. It made it possible for Obama to move beyond his racial identiy in the public mind as well as his own.
I think it's an interesting dynamic. Sonnenfeld (about as white as it gets) dismissed Smith's race as an issue. Smith (the black guy) thought at least at first it was an issue. The public as a whole, didn't care. Just remember your lines. There wasn't any backlash and I've seen no mention that black folks made a special effort to see the movie. Black folks did make a special effort to vote for Obama but the idea that they voted in some greater percentage for a Democrat over a Republican doesn't seem to be supported. As near as I know Obama only said one thing about it. He said it was surprising a black guy with a funny name could be elected President. He did use the position to elevate minority members to deserved positions of responsibility. That, most certainly, was an acknowledgment of race and gender. I'm not sure if that was good or bad. Sometimes we don't do well when we try to jump start natural, social evolution. I certainly do understand why Obama knew it was an issue to be addressed and he did jump in with both feet. My concern is that it added to a backlash. I think my concern can be answered with a simple question: If not now, when?
One dynamic that was exposed is interesting. A lot of white folks and black folks saw a black man as President or as Jim West. What I and a lot of people saw was an accomplished, talented man who just happened to be black as President and as Jim West. You could make the case that both Will Smith and David Duke looked at it from the same original position. To me that proves there is more work to do.
I don't think it serves anyone to see a person as minority or a woman; least of all the person so perceived. You have to put the qualifications first. I'm reminded of the vacancy on the Supreme Court left by Thurgood Marshall. The seat was seen as a "black" seat by, well, everybody. The Bush 41 people were at a loss to find a qualified black guy to appoint. They toyed with the idea of an Hispanic candidate. They seemed to be saying, ' Black, brown, what's the difference? We ain't playin golf with any of ya.'
They finally settled on Clarence Thomas . He was completely unqualified but he was black. His qualifications made Abe Fortas look like a world statesman and there is the little fact Anita Hill was given a polygraph by the FBI before she testified. It turns out she wouldn't make a good Jim West either and Thomas has been no more than a cipher. Michael Steele was a major embarrassment and Ben Carson is a bad joke. At least that's my "state of mind."
We've reached a point in our society where opportunity for advancement is truly available to all. That's a major accomplishment. The trick now is to preserve that against the backlash from the wrong side of the dynamic. Maybe someone will cast Halle Bailey as The Little Mermaid.
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