Just Say No to Coronation!

In America we don't do coronations. At least until 2009. The inauguration insanity has gone from tacky, to over the top, to down right imperial. From the Daily Beast:

Put a man on a pedestal and suddenly it's hard for the press to drag him through the political wringer. It happened in 2003 in the run up to the invasion of Iraq and risks happening again.

Gee, ya think? I've said for months - soon to be years - that the media treatment of the run up to the war in Iraq and its cheer leading for the Obama campaign are remarkably similar. Even Fox News was on the bandwagon until their core audience got collective acid reflux last Spring. The current Obama orgy is not so much anti-American as it is just un-American. There are no kings in the United States. We should not treat anyone royally. It is a bad idea on many levels. We are still, in name at least, a republic.

The overplay is grotesque and will produce a backlash. 140 million for this Obama installation, while millions are losing jobs? Lordy. As I wrote Saturday, a reasonable celebration is certainly in order. W is headed back to Texas, for good. THAT is OVER. I am not overly happy, but I am relieved. There were moments in the last 4 years I did not think we'd make it to 1/20/09.

Let me add quickly, an OVER THE TOP celebration among Black Americans is absolutely in order. A half black President (sorry, I know of no other way to state that fact. I will not indulge the "one ounce of black blood makes you black" sickness anymore. It is dismissive of Obama's Mother and Grandmother.) is a big deal. I work hard to avoid seeing the world in racial terms, and don't really care much that Obama's father was black. Harsh but true. This does not mean I am a historical ignoramus. A non-white President is a real (but ultimately limited) change. This is - and should be - a joyous moment in the Black community. (The word "community" in reference to 12% of the population is, of course, nonsense and condescending. Irish-Catholics celebrated JFK for similar reasons - so you get my drift.)

However, it does mean that many tenured victomlogy professors will have to work double time to stay relevant. But that's another post.

Maybe because I am white, or maybe because I just don't trust the man, the current Obama celebratory eruption leaves me as cold as ever. What do these people think is going to happen on January 21st? Obama is a President, not a saviour.


For what it is worth here's my advice for all those who wish to remain engaged -

Old school Leftys like me: Return to your roots and question everything.
Right wingers: Do what you do best - get out in front of the Obama gestalt and rip into it. For the first time, many of us - whether we agree or not - are looking forward to opposition with teeth.
Fangs, actually.
Everyone else: Pay attention. Support and dissent as you see fit. In other words, do your jobs as citizens of a republic.

But, everyone, just say no to coronation!