The color of the vote

“The forthcoming U.S. elections, with McCain and Obama sitting on the opposite sides of the fence, will also be an opportunity to assess the social and cultural situations in the United States. Let us not forget that a colored candidate to the White House is a fact that bears enormous historical significance, that extends far beyond the question of prejudice”. Joseph B.Ballong Wen Mewuda is among the most internationally renowned scholars in the history of slavery. Indeed, he is the reference person of the UNESCO project that goes under the name: “La route de l’esclave”. Mr. Mewuda was born in Togo. He is a priest, university professor and journalist (he is in charge of the French language services of the Vatican Radio for Africa). He is an expert in racial integration in the US and religiousness in the “new world”. Gianni Borsa has interviewed him for SIR Europe.Professor, let us start with Obama. Do you believe he will be the winner of November’s elections and take the lead of the American Superpower? “I am unable to establish who will win the race for the White House. However, the fact that one of the two competitors is a member of the black community is already unique, and extremely significant. We mustn’t forget that Afro-Americans were granted civil rights only at the end of a very long and painful process. While a few years ago we could still hear the echo of the words of Martin Luther King’s wonderful speech I have a dream…”. Ma Barack Obama is not just any Afro-American.“Indeed, before entering politics he was already an esteemed professor, he had the possibility of completing his studies and become engaged in the political sphere. However, he then succeeded to run as Democratic nominee and win the competition with another highly charismatic opponent, Hillary Clinton, a woman of great stature who enjoyed the support of the party establishment. The electoral run with the Republican candidate, also a man of value, is still open. I believe that the US vote will be affected by the citizens’ sentiment regarding the true equality between white people and the other minorities living in the Country”. Hence the racial question is not yet out of the picture? “American society is open, full of opportunities. It enables talented people to stand out, to reach important objectives at social and professional level. A large number of Afro-Americans have gained prestigious positions in recent years. These include: Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, and also the sister Williams (Venus and Serena) in sport. However, prejudice against minorities still persists, especially within specific areas of the population. A lot still needs to be done before full equality in the working environment, in the education establishment and at social level will be fully achieved. Those living in a ghetto who attend the school of a poor suburban neighborhood don’t have the same chances of people with a rich family background who can afford the expense of good education and health assistance”. You are a scholar in the history of slavery. Do you believe that contemporary society still bears the marks of the slave trade, which brought generations of Africans in the Americas by force in the past centuries? “The United States has already come to grips with the past. However, a number of problems or specific traits of American society still survive today”. For instance?“I’m referring to the battle for civil rights. All considered, not much time has passed since the courageous testimony of Rosa Parks (in 1955 she refused to give her seat on a bus to a white man, triggering the Montgomery bus boycott. She eventually became a symbol of the black Community, ed.’s note). The religious question must also be taken into account. For a certain period in American history, Islam was viewed as the religion of people of African background, who in this way stood out from Christianity, that was considered the faith of the white masters. In this perspective, we cannot overlook the story of Malcom X. Nowadays American Islam is a different. It is mostly tolerant and socially integrated. It no longer poses a threat to the U.S”. Talking about religion, what’s the situation in the United States? “In the United States religiousness is an integrating part of life. The average American is expected to follow a religion, be it Christian, Jewish, Muslim or Buddhist makes no difference. Each person feels the duty to belong to a Church, or, as often happens, to a sect. Faith however doesn’t pertain to the individual’s private sphere. Religion is declared by practicing it. This isn’t often the case in Europe. I also must admit that the faithful communities are rather vibrant. The largest is certainly the Christian one in its various denominations: Catholic, Protestant, Methodist and so on. I wish to point out that traditional African religions are presently engaged in a dialogue with Christianity. As I said, in America there always is something new going on”.