David Wall Rice, Takeaway Contributor
David Wall Rice is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
David Wall Rice (Mikki K. Harris)
McChrystal spoke out of turn – again – was figuratively chin checked, and provides an interesting cultural marker concerning issues of race within the United States.
It could be argued that the “loose cannon” and former Commander of U.S. and NATO Coalition Forces in Afghanistan would have talked slick about any administration and civilian leadership that he disagreed with, black president or no. There has been made the easy parallel between the present situation and that of President Truman and MacArthur during the Korean War. And the comparison fits, but for the fact that they typify two powerful white men going at it and this is a white four star general pushing at a black president within a hyper-media sphere.
Surely many might suggest this a reach, going in on the issue of race – but it’s there.
The cultural historical instances within national politics where there is a consequence for disrespecting a black man are few and far between. There are, of course, the patriots El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz and Martin Luther King, Jr. who went up against the machine of political power in order to influence the long moral arc of the universe toward justice. But they remained outside of the body politic in their influence of it, and accountability was afforded them, and the human rights they fought for, after the sacrifice of their lives.
Relatively speaking, the melodrama that the Rolling Stone piece on McChrystal and his inner circle highlights is petty, particularly considering the gravity of the Afghanistan War against which it is painted. Nonetheless, there is a domestic significance and psychological affirming for many black people that is associated with President Obama’s recalling General McChrystal, and the subsequent acceptance of his resignation. The circumstance is a watershed because the President happens to be black and the General is white, and the fact there exists that dynamic is not to be lost. Because of the history of race relations in this country, the warrior-scholar four star general publicly questioning the abilities of President Obama can be construed as racist on its face. The President’s essential firing of the general because of that ridiculous misstep, then, becomes the righting of multiple wrongs – that of the fundamental disrespect for office, the fundamental disrespect for country and the fundamental disrespect for black people. This might not be a comfortable conclusion or interlocking of wrongs, but this is how it plays.
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Comments [6]
There is a historically and socially constructed racist understanding surrounding the concept of ability. The white man does not believe that a black man has the ability to make rational decisions. Therefore, it is irrefutable that racism does, and continues to be present in our communities, schools, government and work environment. Insubordination aimed at president Obama and his administrations by McChrystal and his aides was a clear indication. President Obama undoubtedly made a just decision to see to it that the buck stops with him and that liberty and justice resides with everyone. I do not believe our president, Barack Obama will ever have any intension of playing the race card. Rather, I believe that the president wants only to be treated as an individual and respected as the chief executive officer in the nation-just as every previous president ( who were white) were.
President Obama did precisely what was called for given the situation. Insubordination by blatent disrespect of superiors is unnaceptable and understandably intolerable.
To the extent to which race charges the scenario speaks largely to the limited scope through which mainstream america understands and defines the black male. McChrystal's remarks were informed by the "pop-star/rapper" archetype commonly used to frame the successful black man. MyChrystal is recorded referring to a meeting with the President as "a 10-minute photo-op". This insinuates that the President of the United States is no more than a Ludacris, a Tiger Woods or the like. It is this ignorance that allows for the persitence of such stereotypes to carry all the way into the white house...or...well, at least it was.
I found an interesting Video which I'll care Burger Obama. The POTUS may have seemed uncomortable when he first met his Military commanders but he certainly knows his way around a Burger Joint. I'll bet he even knows how a bar scanner works unlike a past president.
Barack Obama treated Dmitry Medvedev to lunch at Ray's Hell Burger yesterday, surprising its staff and diners. A photo-op of the two presidents munching on their burgers was the front page picture of the NY times. This is the long unedited version, over seven minutes long. The presidents signed cards, shook hands and posed for pictures with those who dared to ask. I find this fascinating, sort of like Presidential reality news. This was shot by Russia Today and it’s you’re only chance to watch the POTUS scratch his head as he decides what he wants for lunch and how he wants his burger cooked. It’s really like being a fly on the wall of Hell Burger.
http://www.newslook.com/videos/223483-burger-time-for-obama-and-medvedev?autoplay=true
The aspect to 'takeaway' from this incident is the public rebuke of the conventional wisdom that has existed for millennia that posits that the White man knows best. Until the rise of the nation's first Black president and the minority majority that will soon follow him in deconstructing and radically changing the collective consciousness of America, the historical viewpoint has always been about what White man should lead, not if he is the best to do it. McChrystal went on record to call out the president because he felt that he could because he was the experienced White man. What McChrystal failed to realize was that he is not the president, and that he - a White man - is not God. The world McChystal lived in no longer exists, and it was completely right for Obama to remind him of that.
Race is always in play because it is built into the foundation of every American institution. It is really the foundation of America.
These two men can no more sit aside their racial identities than they can their class identities or professional training. Whether or not McChrystal had the Black President at the forefront of his mind is still up for debate. It certainly wasn't out of it.
During WWII there was an entire area of propaganda aimed at stiffing "careless talk." I believe it was around this time that the phrase "loose lips sink ships" became popular.
The fact that a General would speak so carelessly as to undermine the authority of the Presidency and risk his job is still so unimaginable. That he would do so in a music magazine still has me scratching my head.
I have rolled the scenario around in my head and still have not been able to answer the million dollar question of what he was thinking. It couldn't have been carelessness. He's a General and was at the helm of a very expensive war because of his tactical abilities.
One can only assume that such a gross breach of military and professional conduct was personal (either due to ego or a supreme resentment of the President.)
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