Obama and O.J Simpson: Two Men; Same Race; Different Destinies
JL Shash
October 05, 2008
The predominant news headlines this week, whichever border of the globe we represent, has been the $700 billion cash injection into Wall Street, the financial headquarters of the world by the United States Government. The rationale behind the bill which was fronted by US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and George Bush is aimed at buying up bad debts- or 'toxic debts'- from the mortgage books of distressed banks in order to free up credit for various financial institutions. On paper the initial three-page proposal looked good but in practice there were sceptics within the House of Representative, hence the reason for the first rejection of the bill leading to chaos and panic in the global stock market earlier on in the week.
However, by Friday, the bill was passed into law after a vote of 263 to 171, so the world can once again hold its breath and watch the fallout of the financial 'bail-out' or 'rescue', whatever terminology we wish to adopt-all dependant on what side we´re on in the debate: pro or anti. Amid the furore one individual who is currently riding the crestwave of this financial impasse is none other than Barack Obama whose latest opinion poll rating conducted by CNN as we speak is 49% to John Mccain´s 43%.
One attributable reason is the fact that the American people who were once suspicious of Obama are now beginning to identify his opposite number, Mccain, more and more with the current Bush administration. Beginning to see the Septuagenarian Republican and his 'hockey mom' sidekick as part and parcel of the failure George Bush´s administration truly represents. The catastrophe in administration which aims to reward CEO´s at Wall Street, at the expense of the hardworking taxpayers, whose Dollars it is will be used in revitalising or 'bailing-out' a financial system already in shambles.
Against this backdrop, the only way forward come November 4th is 'change'. And in attaining this much sought after change, the only ray of hope in the horizon appears to illuminate from the direction of the man some Independents, alongside Hilary supporters initially saw as the pariah of politics; not to be touched with the 'barge-pole', but now the last man standing, the 'messiah', Mr Barack Obama.
However, as Obama edges closer to the re-writing of American history, as a worthy ambassador for Afro-Americans and his entire race around the globe, it seems for some reasons, African Americans won´t be allowed to eat their cakes and at the same time have it so fast - Not without another twist of irony in this whole drama . Because while it is all but certain Obama will be heading to the White House-barring unforeseen 'dirty tricks' and bigotry by the Republicans- once the votes are cast on the 4th of November, another African American; an iconic figure; a symbol of all things racially divisive in America, O.J Simpson, will be heading in the opposite direction: Jail.
Thirteen years after being exonerated, discharged and acquitted for the double murders of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and her friend Ron Goldberg, O.J Simpson in his inimitably negative style has once again graced our headlines, when last week he was found guilty on a 12- count charge, which included serious offences of firearms possession and kidnapping. Over a decade on from this troubled man´s first brush with the law, Kharma it seems, never slept. Once an American hero; an accomplished football (NFL) star and actor, celebrated by all races in America, now a much despised figure, ostracised by all sections of the country.
What is O.J´s crime this time? Breaking into a memorabilia auction with his accomplices armed with weapons, in O.J´s words "to get back" what was rightfully his property- With a gun?
The eleven white jurors and one Hispanic, unfortunately, begged to differ on this occasion, some of whom would have been appalled and traumatised with O.J 'getting away with murder' thirteen years ago. He has now been found guilty on all counts by and come December 5th, Judge Jackie Glass will be passing her sentence on O.J Simpson - a month from the time Barack Obama might be elected President.
We can draw opposite parallels between these two men: One accorded the status of a political 'saviour', who will shake up the status quo in Washington. The status quo that rewards 'fat cats' at the expense of middle-class America. At the forefront of this political revolution stands a 'messiah' who against all odds will unite America at home and launder it´s tarnished image abroad.
And whilst the democratic loving spectators of the world anticipate 'genuine change' at Washington´s helm of affairs,( mind you not the Mccain/Palin kind of 'change'), they would still be haunted by the 'Ghost of Christmas past' in the mould of Mr. Orenthal James Simpson, another African American whose destiny is far from the keys to the White House. A man, unlike Barack who won´t be flying on the US presidential plane (Airforce One). A man who won´t be addressing the nation in a presidential acceptance speech come January 2009. A man who will be given a prison uniform, a prison number. And to cap it all up, the only attention he will be getting won't be from voters but from fellow convicts. Yes, convicts. Some of whom might even feel justice wasn´t served in the Nicole/ Goldman case thirteen years ago - Let us not be surprised at the likelihood of convicts exercising inner consciences of their own when O.J's 'new friends' seize the opportunity to hand down a taste of 'jungle justice' on him in his tenure behind bars, before serving out what is increasingly likely to be a life term sentence for the already 61 years old controversial figure.
For Obama and O.J Simpson, be it as it may, one thing remains for certain : Of these two men, one will be present at the dinner table, as a president-elect or better still a free man, enjoying a Christmas roast with his family come December 25th, and the other? Well then , your guess could only be as good as mine.
However, by Friday, the bill was passed into law after a vote of 263 to 171, so the world can once again hold its breath and watch the fallout of the financial 'bail-out' or 'rescue', whatever terminology we wish to adopt-all dependant on what side we´re on in the debate: pro or anti. Amid the furore one individual who is currently riding the crestwave of this financial impasse is none other than Barack Obama whose latest opinion poll rating conducted by CNN as we speak is 49% to John Mccain´s 43%.
One attributable reason is the fact that the American people who were once suspicious of Obama are now beginning to identify his opposite number, Mccain, more and more with the current Bush administration. Beginning to see the Septuagenarian Republican and his 'hockey mom' sidekick as part and parcel of the failure George Bush´s administration truly represents. The catastrophe in administration which aims to reward CEO´s at Wall Street, at the expense of the hardworking taxpayers, whose Dollars it is will be used in revitalising or 'bailing-out' a financial system already in shambles.
Against this backdrop, the only way forward come November 4th is 'change'. And in attaining this much sought after change, the only ray of hope in the horizon appears to illuminate from the direction of the man some Independents, alongside Hilary supporters initially saw as the pariah of politics; not to be touched with the 'barge-pole', but now the last man standing, the 'messiah', Mr Barack Obama.
However, as Obama edges closer to the re-writing of American history, as a worthy ambassador for Afro-Americans and his entire race around the globe, it seems for some reasons, African Americans won´t be allowed to eat their cakes and at the same time have it so fast - Not without another twist of irony in this whole drama . Because while it is all but certain Obama will be heading to the White House-barring unforeseen 'dirty tricks' and bigotry by the Republicans- once the votes are cast on the 4th of November, another African American; an iconic figure; a symbol of all things racially divisive in America, O.J Simpson, will be heading in the opposite direction: Jail.
Thirteen years after being exonerated, discharged and acquitted for the double murders of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and her friend Ron Goldberg, O.J Simpson in his inimitably negative style has once again graced our headlines, when last week he was found guilty on a 12- count charge, which included serious offences of firearms possession and kidnapping. Over a decade on from this troubled man´s first brush with the law, Kharma it seems, never slept. Once an American hero; an accomplished football (NFL) star and actor, celebrated by all races in America, now a much despised figure, ostracised by all sections of the country.
What is O.J´s crime this time? Breaking into a memorabilia auction with his accomplices armed with weapons, in O.J´s words "to get back" what was rightfully his property- With a gun?
The eleven white jurors and one Hispanic, unfortunately, begged to differ on this occasion, some of whom would have been appalled and traumatised with O.J 'getting away with murder' thirteen years ago. He has now been found guilty on all counts by and come December 5th, Judge Jackie Glass will be passing her sentence on O.J Simpson - a month from the time Barack Obama might be elected President.
We can draw opposite parallels between these two men: One accorded the status of a political 'saviour', who will shake up the status quo in Washington. The status quo that rewards 'fat cats' at the expense of middle-class America. At the forefront of this political revolution stands a 'messiah' who against all odds will unite America at home and launder it´s tarnished image abroad.
And whilst the democratic loving spectators of the world anticipate 'genuine change' at Washington´s helm of affairs,( mind you not the Mccain/Palin kind of 'change'), they would still be haunted by the 'Ghost of Christmas past' in the mould of Mr. Orenthal James Simpson, another African American whose destiny is far from the keys to the White House. A man, unlike Barack who won´t be flying on the US presidential plane (Airforce One). A man who won´t be addressing the nation in a presidential acceptance speech come January 2009. A man who will be given a prison uniform, a prison number. And to cap it all up, the only attention he will be getting won't be from voters but from fellow convicts. Yes, convicts. Some of whom might even feel justice wasn´t served in the Nicole/ Goldman case thirteen years ago - Let us not be surprised at the likelihood of convicts exercising inner consciences of their own when O.J's 'new friends' seize the opportunity to hand down a taste of 'jungle justice' on him in his tenure behind bars, before serving out what is increasingly likely to be a life term sentence for the already 61 years old controversial figure.
For Obama and O.J Simpson, be it as it may, one thing remains for certain : Of these two men, one will be present at the dinner table, as a president-elect or better still a free man, enjoying a Christmas roast with his family come December 25th, and the other? Well then , your guess could only be as good as mine.