The Hegelian Dialectics of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Barack Obama
Austin C. McCoy
We opened today’s class discussing one of my previous journal entries, “Martin Luther King, Jr.: Wedged Between Two Nationalisms.” While, earlier, I argued that Dr. King found himself caught between the doctrines of Black Nationalism and American nationalism (more specifically as historian Thomas Jackson argues in his new book, From Civil Rights to Human Rights, cold war liberalism) towards the end of his life, Dr. Williams posed a similar question about the presumptive Democratic nominee, Barack Obama.
The politics, and identity, of Senator Obama seem to fit the characterization. Many political analysts have deemed Obama as the quintessential “post-racial” candidate because of his willingness to develop a political platform that emphasizes the cultural common ground between diverse racial/ethnic/cultural/religious/spiritual/gendered/sexual/etc. groups. Instead of running as the “black candidate,” Obama offers an American nationalism that is more substantive (emphasis on public service, ethics, strong diplomacy abroad). But his candidacy has, at times and albeit gingerly, challenged the insecure and superficial nationalism that the United States, and the world, has come to know (perpetual flag pin wearing, culturally/socially/politically exclusive, militaristic, consumerist and materialistic, straddling intolerance, nativism, and xenophobia). Consequently, Obama has left particular groups perceived to be occupying hard-line political territory (civil rights generation leaders, far left elements, far right elements, conservative fundamentalist Christians, etc.). And with his “rush to the center,” many individuals within these groups have begun to characterize him as ideologically inconsistent (I refuse to use an ad hominem—and rather fake-term like “flip flopper”) and a political opportunist.
While one could see the logic to some of these arguments, I argue to look at Senator Obama’s candidacy in a different and more complex light. Let’s think of him in light of Dr. King’s politics towards the end of his life. Through his critique of Black Power politics, the Vietnam War, and the excesses of black and American nationalisms, Dr. King burned political bridges, thus alienating a number of individuals and groups on both sides of the spectrum. However, one should not observe his situation in simple terms of “trying to stay relevant” (which is an argument people are applying to one of Dr. King’s pupils, Reverend Jesse Jackson), Dr. King’s politics should be seen as the result of his evolving thinking process predicated by German philosopher, G.W.F. Hegel. Dr. King, and scholars of King, has often referred to how Dr. King studied and applied Hegel’s dialectical method to his personal and political circumstances. This is what Dr. King did for both black and American nationalism. He took what he thought to be the best attributes of the two perceived opposing philosophies (thesis and antithesis, one would substitute liberal integration and Black Nationalism in one of the categories depending upon one’s own standpoint) and used them to critique both and forge a radical synthesis.
Could this be what Senator Obama is seeking to do? Right now, he finds himself in between a variety of constituencies. Could he be finding a way to take the best from every viewpoint in order to create the “new kind of politics” and use it as a means to critique the various status quos? This assertion could and should be the subject of debate. Now, this is not to excuse every single decision that he makes. His decisions should be scrutinized, because if they are not, then democracy remains hollow. However, his decisions should be gauged against other transformative presidential figures (Reagan, Clinton, and even Lyndon Johnson) and Obama’s decision-making should be judged through nuanced lenses rather than by knee-jerk reactions. Why? Because with constructive criticism, American citizens—from every constituency—could help construct the progressive synthesis this country sorely needs.
