While I focused on her novel for the Post article, I did ask for her thoughts on Obama and what the election meant for Americans, and black Americans in particular. There wasn't room for this in the Post, but thought I'd provide her answer here.
This book is set in 2001, and alludes to 9/11. I must admit being curious about what you think of a more recent event—Obama’s election and re-election. What changes has that made for Americans, and black Americans?
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| Terry McMillan |
"A lot of us were very very proud when he was elected the first time and the
second time, and it wasn’t African Americans who got him elected and
re-elected. There aren’t enough of us. I
feel very very sorry for him, because he hasn’t been able to do his job as well
as I think he would like to be able to do it.
Some members of Congress have made it crystal clear from the beginning
that they are basically anti-Obama, and I think racism has a lot do with
it. It has brought out a lot of racial
hatred and something that a lot of us – we sort of thought we were past
it. It’s frightening. It’s like we’re
going back in time to the 1950s, and basically there are a lot of people who
resent having an African American president. It almost feels anti-American,
what’s going on.
That’s the irony of it. "
That’s the irony of it. "
Gish Jen also talked about cultural issues in my interview with Jen in March.
And Anne Lamott, in an interview in November, talked about being a "progressive Christian" in America.
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