While the presidency is one of the most celebrated positions in the world, it undoubtedly has its drawbacks. One of the most disheartening is the loss of privacy.
For the next four years President-elect Barack Obama will experience this to extreme proportions. Even before he will be officially president of the country, he will have to fight his way through reporters, barricade himself in a sea of security, and sacrifice time with his family. Obama has attempted to maintain a sense of normalcy for his family. He has attended parent-teacher conferences, frequented the same restaurants, and even taken his daughter trick-or-treating. But each act was altered by an ever-present third party- be it anxious media or zealous security.
These circumstances have frustrated Obama. According to an Associated Press report, Obama and his daughter Malia, jogged away from reporters on Halloween as they walked down the street. Obama said, “Come on guys, leave us alone.”
With the theme of “change” propelling Obama to office, it’s fitting that the nation changed the culture surrounding the oval office. Yes, Obama is the president. But he is also a husband and a father. It’s only fair he be allowed to put those responsibilities first. We love to see pictures of the president, and of course he must be protected, but the opportunity to see a functioning black family is one that merits a change in approach.
Akeem Anderson for the editorial board.