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• 1 2017-03-24T13:38:53-07:00 Chapter 2: Visualizing Obama's Post-Racial America 7 Nancy Le gallery 2017-03-24T17:38:25-07:00

  There is no doubt that Barack Obama’s presidency is seen as a beacon of hope for African Americans and a step in the right direction for racial equality. Although Obama became the first African American president, racial inequality remained deeply ingrained in our nation. Unfortunately, having the first black president in the United States does not undo centuries of injustices and discrimination suffered by African Americans, who continue to endure that kind of treatment today. Obama’s presidential election supported the notion that race was no longer a factor in determining the opportunities of Americans and further justified a post-racial and colorblind society.

  Post-racialism established its popularity during Obama’s presidency because he not only became a symbol of hope and progress for the black community, but his politics focused on the minimization of racism. Obama preached unity and promoted a colorblind ideology. His de-racialized platform during his presidency allowed white Americans to feel comfortable in supporting him. Despite promoting equality, post-racial ideology has adverse effects in ignoring racial and ethnic differences, while keeping discrimination subtle and institutionalized. A significant quote from Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” In reading this quote, it’s implications are similar to the disregarding of race as a factor in the ideology of colorblindness. However, it is also important to note that Martin Luther King Jr. did not imply the erasure of one’s struggles by ignoring their race.

  The visual representation of post-racial ideologies in popular media is significant in delivering the concept of a post-racial society to the audience. As argued by Bonilla-Silva and Ashe, “... it [the media] plays an important role in the production, reproduction, and transformation of ideologies.” Media representation of a post-racial America is accomplished through the ideology of colorblindness. Furthermore, the article argues that having diversity in casting of certain television shows or movies do not sufficiently represent race and racism in America today.  For instance, Shonda Rhimes is the creator, executive producer, and writer of Grey’s Anatomy and is African American. Rhimes stated she used “blind-casting” in developing and producing her show. There were no specific races during casting. However, ignoring race follows the colorblind ideology. Bonilla-Silva and Ashe calls this a superficial racial representation rather than exploring the racial reality of how people of color are represented. In having the platform to be able to tell stories through popular media, creators and producers are responsible for how the audience perceives the messages. Therefore, it is important to accurately tell stories through the struggles of being the racial other, rather than glossing over what it is like to be a racial minority in a post-racial society.

   Lisa and Sturken (2009) stated, “Images are an important means through which ideologies are produced and onto which ideologies are projected.” Take, for instance, the impact of the film, The Birth of a Nation, when it was released in 1915. The film reinforced the discrimination against African Americans by depicting them as uncivilized and menacing. It furthered the hatred whites harbored against blacks and even inspired the Ku Klux Klan. The Birth of a Nation projected the ideology that whites were the superior race and it justified the brutal treatment of African Americans. “Images and media representations are some of the forms through which we persuade others to share certain views or not, to hold certain values or not” (2009) .

  In comparison to past racial ideologies, post racial ideology justify the status of racial minorities as economic outcomes, rather than attributing it to racial inferiority. Similar to past racial hierarchy enhancing ideologies, colorblindness reinforces white privilege and the continuity of oppression within a power dynamic structure. One underlying factor of post racial ideology attribute African Americans’ economic position to the stereotype that they are unwilling to work hard. The concept of lifting oneself up from the bootstrap implies that hard work and individual effort influences mobility. Similarly, meritocracy is the belief that success and rewards are based on an individual’s own talent and capabilities. White Americans resist attributing inequality to inequity and have a tendency to endorse meritocracy because of their own concern with viewing themselves as personally possessing merit. In doing so, they reject the notion that their success has anything to do with white privilege.

  The bootstrap concept and meritocracy are in line with the American Dream and its values. Unfortunately, like colorblindness, they allow whites to justify the racial inequality and racism when they see fit. During the 1950s and early 1960s, racial ideologies were driven by the fact that majority of whites were not accepting of blacks and deemed them racially inferior. Virtanen and Huddy stated, “Opposition to the goal of racial integration came from those who expressed racial bigotry and believed blacks to be inherently inferior to whites” (1998). Jim Crow racism explained minorities’ social standing as the outcome of biological and moral inferiority. Furthermore, African Americans’ willingness to work were not yet part of the debate in past racial ideologies.

  In a post-racial America, everyone is represented as equals, regardless of their culture or ethnicity. The problem with this is that it does not reflect the realities of the lived experience as a racial minority. By reinforcing a colorblind ideology, we make the mistake of not giving recognition to the historical and social consequences affected by race and racism. While it has been stated that race is a social construction, Fields and Fields (2014) also argued that race is a product of racism. In order to combat racism and overcome discrimination, we have to acknowledge it, rather than opting to ignore it altogether. Colorblind ideology also does nothing to address or improve the racial encounters of the racial others.