Watching them watching us

Inauguration day was interesting to watch from the our side of the pond. We started the day by getting a copy of the English language paper, the Namibian. The cover was filled with a photo of Mr. Obama, and the paper included a large insert about the inauguration. We can buy a copy of the paper from guys on street corners as we drive to school and work, for N$3 (30 cents US).

As I went through the day, my colleagues continually talked about the transition and the new president. They certainly follow American politics, and the general feeling was that he has a big row to hoe. Agreed.

Obama has certainly sparked a light in many Africans, who are extremely proud that an African-American is now president. Interestingly, some discussions I overheard in the past week focused on whether Obama is really African-American. The context for these comments is found in a country where "black" means pure African and "colored" means a product of a mixed marriage many generations ago. From that perspective, Obama is not even colored, as many generations are required to fit that category. But, the majority of the people I talked with and listened to were very excited about one of their own making it big.

The culmination to the day came with an invitation from the US Embassy to attend a celebration of democracy. The event was mostly for Namibians, but the Embassy also invited the Fulbrighters and some other select Americans in Namibia. Spouses were not invited, so Kelly hosted a kids/spouse party at our house (our cable TV with CNN was the drawing factor). At the Embassy function it became clear pretty soon that the focus was for the US to do a little "democracy evangelizing" as one of my Fulbright colleagues labeled it. The event was held on a soccer field, under some very large tents erected for the occasion. There was a free bar, free food, and the Prime Minister of Namibia attended. The US Ambassador spoke, and she made a point to emphasize, repeatedly, the "peaceful transition" that is our tradition in the US. She congratulated Ghana on their recent elections and transition.

Again, context is important. The honest truth is that Namibia exists as a democracy, but under the 'veil' of democracy there are the same "powerful African male" syndrome problems that plague other countries. Powerful guys who do not want to lose power. There is one political party in Namibia (SWAPO) that holds power, although there are perhaps 40 or more smaller parties. Currently, SWAPO (which is the party that led the country to independence) is undergoing an internal division. There are reports from the northern part of the country that some of the 'problem members' of SWAPO are encountering some resistance (mild word) from SWAPO. It will be interesting to see what goes on as the elections in November draw near. The reality is that there is a large lower class and a small upper class in Namibia, and no real middle class. One of the only ways to get into the upper class is through political gain. On the flip side, if your party loses, it may mean going back to lower class status (income, etc.). So, you can see why SWAPO members want to remain in power.

What all that meant tonight was that the US Ambassador's speech repeatedly made the point to the folks in the room (I assume many SWAPO elite) that peaceful transitions were important to democracy. I'm not sure if they went home thinking, "Wow, maybe we'll try that." But, they were there and the message was delivered.

The attendees of the function enjoyed Obama's speech, and any reference to Martin Luther King or African relations got big applause. The biggest applause and laughter during the evening came during Dr. Lowery's incredible benediction. I personally hope Rev. Ricky Warren was listening and taking notes...! But, I digress. The Namibians really enjoyed the "red man can get ahead, man" and "yellow will be mellow" and "whites will do what's right". As one of my Fulbright colleagues pointed out, we were some of the few white people in the audience. Good point.

For me, the most poignant moment of the night came during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. Years ago, I was a member of the Creston High School Anthem Singers, who sang at basketball games and such. It's been over 20 years, but I can still remember that bass part--at least for the last few bars--and it's fun to hum along. But, tonight, as I listened to the words and heard the music of my national anthem from afar, it was a touching moment. Not sure I've ever felt as American as I did right then. I tried to sing, but ended up having to listen. It was probably just a piece of chicken that was stuck in my throat...