Yes we can - no we can't

Barack Hussein Obama (b. August 4, 1961), the 44th President of the United States of America said in his inauguration address on January 20, 2009: “Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old.”

It would appear the world has been swept along in a tide of Obama-mania such is the global euphoria surrounding Obama, a former Chicago community organiser, civil rights attorney and three-term Illinois Senator, which is being celebrated after his inauguration as the first African American President of the United States of America.

Back in February 2007, after spending time in California with my wife Rhonda, I wrote in my fortnightly column that “Barack has the ability to embrace nearly whatever qualities he chooses,” because I felt he had rare intrinsic charisma and exalted intellect without the baggage of the civil rights movement that intimidated the fabric of American society in the past and still provokes suspicion today.

Barack at that time was capturing America’s full attention after he made known his intention to contest the presidential elections in 2008. He wasn’t a high profile politician with decades of public service behind him nor was he a renowned actor, sportsman or businessman. I guess in an ironic twist his anonymity back then was the feature that aroused interest from a curious national constituency who sought a fresh face after years of the usual suspects at election time.

At that time also, on reflection, I was heartened by and ambitiously cheering for this handsome, articulate, young, black political figure who I knew was up against challenging obstacles; principally the high level of racial intolerance that pervades public opinion in the US and poses the obvious question that lingered wilfully but seldom asked in public: “Is America ready for a black president?”

Another challenge for the Illinois Senator and father of two daughters, that I saw as being problematic, was gaining partisan support from ageing political power brokers from within his party on Capitol Hill who represent the vestige of white power that still dominates the political landscape in the US.

But as I continued to follow his election campaign throughout 2007 and 2008 while viewing the presidential election coverage on CNN I remained upbeat about his chances as he continued to ride on the crest of a political wave with his election slogan of “Yes We Can”.

And when I factored in the statistical incongruity along racial lines Obama’s chances of success looked slim. The African American population of 41 million accounts for only 13.5 per cent of the total United States population of 306 million. In fact people of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity have surpassed African Americans in recent years as the second largest racial group with 44.4 million (14.8 per cent) citizens - as taken from the US 2006 census. Many Hispanics in the crucial state of California were known to be active Republican card holders.

The Native American Indians, very much minority players in this statistical debate comprising only 0.68 per cent or 2 million of the total population, would not be enough to carry the day for Barack if it came down to their numbers.

To win the election Barack Obama had to be upbeat in his campaign and project an affable public profile allied with his charisma and intellect that would transcend race. He desperately needed to capture the confidence of a significant number of the 221.3 million white Americans who comprise 74 per cent of the total population.

And true to his motto of “Yes We Can” Obama staved off a concerted effort from rivals and after a very protracted and at times spiteful election contest he reigned supreme against the odds and assumed his place as the 44th President of the United States of America.

Many right wing commentators have argued that it probably helped Obama that the nation was experiencing two major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the economy had fallen into a major recession that would take years to recover - even worse than the 1990-91 and 2001 recessions which lasted eight months each.

But as I reflect on this historic occasion I also pause to consider the contemporary plight of Indigenous Australians and ponder in my lifetime the likelihood of ever seeing an Indigenous Prime Minister in Australia.

I guess anything is possible if Obama’s David and Goliath battle to the summit of America’s political mountain is anything to go by.

Let’s for a moment consider the odds: African Americans comprise 13.5 per cent of the total population in the US. Indigenous people in Australia are 2.6 per cent of the population. Since 1886, 123 African Americans have served in the House of Representatives and five in the Senate in America whereas we have had two Indigenous Senators in Australia (Bonner and Ridgeway) and none in the House of Representatives.

With a history so devoid of Indigenous representation at the federal level it would take an extraordinary individual to capture Australia’s interest and win over their confidence to the extent that they would offer their crucial vote. That person would also need to have similar attributes as Barack Obama that transcend race.

I’m not for a moment suggesting it’s not possible but it would be akin to a Native American winning office from a statistical low percentage basis point of 0.68 per cent.

And therein lays the problem.

Aboriginal people, in the eyes of most Australians, have a fatal image problem. Unless you’re a Cathy Freeman (athlete), Jonathan Thurston (rugby league), Lance Franklin (Aussie rules) Ernie Dingo (TV star) or anyone who comfortably falls into those celebrated categories, then your chance of gaining the respect of Australians generally is minimal.

I’m on public record as saying Australians are the most racist people in the developed world for their treatment of the first Australians and I make this claim comfortable in the knowledge that I am sufficiently supported by incontestable statistical data.

Sure there are a growing number of non-Indigenous Australians who continue to support Indigenous people in seeking a fair go and equal access to the wealth of the bounty that is reaped from our lands. But sadly they are still in the minority and with their cumulative political weight have not influenced our abysmal rates of social marginalisation: dying 17 years younger than our white counterparts, severely over represented in the criminal justice system, under represented in home ownership and having least access to employment and award wages, health facilities, education and rights to our land.

If the former president of the Labor Party, Warren Mundine, can’t get a number one Senate ticket in New South Wales or even a safe blue ribbon House of Representative seat, who can?

So, as much as I’d like to conjure up romantic notions of seeing an Indigenous man or woman doing the victory waltz on election night as Barack Obama did on inauguration night - I’m afraid they are images that will have to remain just that - romantic.

I’d settle for an Indigenous person being elected to federal parliament and being appointed to the Indigenous Affairs portfolio. If that’s not possible I’d like to see an Indigenous senior policy advisor to the Minister of Indigenous Affairs.

Now if that is still a little difficult to picture - then I’d settle for an Indigenous person holding the office of Secretary of a Commonwealth department responsible for Indigenous affairs. OK, perhaps I’m asking for too much, but maybe they might consider offering a Deputy Secretary role to one of our many qualified Indigenous graduates around the nation.

Now if that is a little problematic then why not skip the elected or appointed role for Indigenous people at the federal level and why don’t we have a far simpler wish that all Indigenous Australians be afforded equal rights: access to the same education, health, legal, housing and employment opportunities.

If that seems like a bit of a burden on tax payers to manage then how about providing Indigenous people with the same level of security, i.e. policing, in discrete Indigenous communities as that offered to comparable sized mainstream communities, to protect our most vulnerable members - women and children.

And if that is still asking for too much can I be bold enough to suggest we just settle for all Indigenous Australians having access to basic running water and a septic system.

Is that a “Yes We Can” on the last request?

Well if my utopia for Indigenous Australia is problematic and my vision of a black Prime Minister unattainable then I’ll just have to contend with periodically clicking on my recorded Obama inauguration speech for inspiration: “Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old.”