DEFINITELY NOT "POST-RACIAL" (WHATEVER THAT MEANS)

What does it mean to be post-racial?! I don't remember ever hearing the term before it was used to describe Barack Obama and his candidacy. Whatever it signifies, it's a concept that seems somewhat disturbing. Like Junius, the portrayal of Obama as someone who transcends race is something I have found intriguing and mildly upsetting. I felt the same way about how his campaign was depicted. Afterall, they used the race card to their advantage - it was cleverly disguised as change.

There was absolutely nothing post-racial about Obama's campaign, and try as they might to convince impressionable Americans otherwise, there is nothing post-racial about the man himself. He never framed himself as a Black candidate (unlike Clinton who repeatedly stressed her gender), but he didn't need to - that's already how he was seen by everyone. I'm not implying that people could not see past his race, simply that there is no denying the man is Black (even if he is half white).

While I enjoyed reading Marie Arana's piece, I was not convinced by her argument - this country cannot and should not move past race, at least not while some variation of the one-drop rule still applies; doing so would be like pretending all related problems don't exist. I could relate more to the piece Krissah Williams Thompson wrote on the subject, one most Americans are also sure to relate with on some level.

"Post-racialism is relatively easy to understand in a standing-room-only sports arena or at a campaign rally, and it will probably be evident at Obama's inauguration celebrations, where people of all different backgrounds will stand together and cheer. But post-racialism outside that political pageantry gets more complicated. It means the loss of so much that I cherish about who I am and where I come from. Is a colorblind America really what we are striving for? Isn't the point to live lives that are open to differences but still celebrate our unique cultural heritages, family traditions and religions?"

We come in all shades and we observe different traditions that should be embraced all around. Unfortunately, for the time being, hate still abounds. A color blind America would simply be a blind America. We need to confront racism in all its guises, not ignore it or step over it. A Black (non-White) president will help achieve that, but we still have a long way to go. I won't recite the laundry list of racial problems plaguing the US, past or present, but it's hard to deny the beast is still in our midst.

Like many of those Ms Williams interviewed, I too worried that racism would keep Obama outside of the White House. His victory does not make such concerns any less valid - while the number of blatant racists in this country may be relatively low, there are still a large number who have no desire to hide their hatred; some might even act on it.

Towards the end of the campaign, much attention was given to an Al Jazeera English report at a Sarah Palin rally in Ohio where ignorant people made one racist comment after another. Such minds may not represent the majority of Americans, but there are more than enough of them scattered around the country to keep the rest of us on our toes.

Race (at least the way it's perceived by most Americans) was a deciding factor in Obama being elected president. Many people felt compelled to vote for him because he was Black. It wouldn't surprise me if by voting for him, some White people thought they were absolving themselves of any racist tendencies they posses. In a country like the United States where Black people were still disenfranchised 40 years ago, when Barack said he was about change, it resonated loudly by virtue of his ethnicity and name. Change was an easy sell... and a little money didn't hurt either.

There is something about Obama's story that appeals to people of all races - he lived the American dream. He is the son of an immigrant father who wasn't around for long; he worked hard and ended up as the people's choice for president. Maybe he wouldn't have won if he had been a descendant of slaves with a typical American name, but there's not much benefit in such thinking. His victory is indeed one for all Americans, Black, White and everything in between. I'm happiest for the racists who will have no choice but to become used to the idea that their president is not White.

Unfortunately, we live in a society where things are oversimplified - race and racism are no exception. People are black, white, conservative, liberal, Christian or something else. It's easy to use labels, even when their meaning is vague or disputed. Maybe one day we can overcome racial barriers (by accepting one another), but for now, we have elected a Black president. Let's hope he doesn't disappoint too much.