http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/04/01/clinton-backer-obama-will-probably-win-white-voters-attracted-to-his-articulate-side/
This article seems to show that in today's time it is assumed that African Americans cannot speak 'proper' English. When an African American takes the stage to give a speach, the first thought in many people's head is "oh boy. I wonder if he can speak correctly". What I did not understand about the article was the comment made by Missouri Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. He said, "If you put him on a level with a lot of other African American public speakers, he may not even measure up." What does he mean? Does he mean that Obama's English/speaking skills really aren't that good and considered not 'proper' or correct? This comment also showed that there are African Americans out there who strive to speak standard English and that they judge other speakers, of their own race or different, in the same way that a Caucasion would judge an African American. Another thing that I find interesting about this article is that it seems to be suggesting that white voters are voting for Obama because he is articulate. Do they think that he is representing the "change" because he is an African American who speaks properly? Do they think that white voters are voting for him because they think that just because he speaks properly he must have had a good education and therefore must be intellegent enough to run the country?
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Katelin, I like the way you're uncovering assumptions that may lie underneath comments like those made in this article. Many African-American scholars and pundits have commented on how insulting it is when a person of another ethnicity says something like "you're so articulate" because the underlying assumption is, exactly as you've pointed out, that most African-American aren't.
ReplyDeleteIt's also worth digging into your other question, about the rep's comment that his speaking might not measure up to that of other African-American orators. Does this person seem to be feeling that Obama is straying from "norms" of African-American oratory that are somehow different from that of other ethnic groups' oratory? Is he thinking of the church tradition? Of the civil rights tradition? And if so, in what ways is Obama not, in his mind, measuring up? Are we (or is he) using a different yardstick to measure Obama than he would to measure the oratory of a candidate who is of a different ethnicity?
Great questions you've raised here. I can't wait to see what other class members think about them.
I think that Cleaver's comments about Obama and the comparisons to other speakers deal more with the emotions and delivery of speeches. Many poets and speakers use their own cultural and regional dialect. This usage tends to really connect with those people better than correct grammar or a different dialect. I do think that Obama is a great speaker and uses his words very eloquently. These other African American speakers are connecting directly to their target audience. I think this is what Cleaver feels Obama lacks in his speeches and mannerisms.
ReplyDeleteI find myself after reading the article asking about Cleaver comments dealing with the race as a "boogeyman." Do people in the United States really see race in this manner? What does that say about our tolerance of people and true diversity?
Really interesting point, Scott, about the importance of audience and how all effective speakers alter their style to suit the audience. It makes me wonder what audience Obama is most effectively reaching with his style, according to people's responses in this article?
ReplyDeleteThe "boogeyman" comment is also very much worth looking at--thanks for raising it!
One thing I found interesting about this article was when Cleaver said future concerns about race “would be met with rejection because we’ve already demonstrated that we’re not a racist nation.” Yes, I do feel like our nation has come a long way in ensuring equality among all citizens. And I would love to say that we are not racist. But this very same article cites Sen. Biden's comment that Obama is "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.” What does this imply about the rest of African American culture? That they are illiterate, ignorant, and dirty? That is far from the truth, but it is an all too common misconception. The black community is full of effective speakers, especially in the church, as Cleaver suggests.
ReplyDeleteWhat I think Cleaver means by "articulate" is not "well-spoken" or "intelligent." Instead, like Scott said, he is stating that the way an idea is presented is more important. A speaker that appeals to the emotions of the audience is more significant than one who simply memorizes words from a page.
In Obama's position, he has to appeal to two different audiences - those who are looking for an articulate, composed leader and those who desire an effective, passionate leader. Anyone can be well-spoken if they are taught to read off a page, but it takes true commitment to convince others of the words one speaks - I think this is something that has been proven true to us several times throughout this semester.