Barack Obama’s speech at Selma

Mar 5th, 2007 | By Ara | Category: 2008 Election, Barack Obama, History

Senator Obama speaks at Selma and galvanizes the crowd:

What happened in Selma, Alabama and Birmingham…stirred the conscience of the nation. It worried folks in the White House who said, “You know, we’re battling Communism. How are we going to win hearts and minds all across the world, if right here in our own country…we’re not observing the ideals set fort in our Constitution? We might be accused of being hypocrites.”

So the Kennedys decided we’re going to do an airlift. We’re going to go to Africa and start bringing young Africans over to this country and give them scholarships to study so they can learn what a wonderful country America is.

This young man named Barack Obama got one of those tickets and came over to this country. He met this woman whose great great-great-great-grandfather had owned slaves; but she had a good idea there was some craziness going on because they looked at each other and they decided that we know that the world as it has been it might not be possible for us to get together and have a child.

There was something stirring across the country because of what happened in Selma, Alabama, because some folks are willing to march across a bridge. So they got together and Barack Obama Jr. was born.

So don’t tell me I don’t have a claim on Selma, Alabama. Don’t tell me I’m not coming home to Selma, Alabama. I’m here because somebody marched. I’m here because you all sacrificed for me.

I stand on the shoulders of giants.

From that moment onward, they were eating out of his hand. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that this was probably the tipping point for the Senator from Illinois. Yes, Bill (and Hillary) Clinton are loved by the black community; but after hearing Obama speak, how can you resist him?

P.S. Now many have pointed out that, technically, the Selma march did not have anything to do with Obama being born. He was born in 1961 and the Selma march occured in 1965. But if you watch the video of his speech, you’ll see that he paints a picture that puts Selma in the foreground but also frames scenes from the Montgomery bus boycott. Seen in that context, his own family history fits neatly into the narrative — and captures the imagination.

And what a refreshing and inspirational contrast to the dark, gloomy, and homophobic rants at the Conservative Political Action Conference this past weekend.