By Lubna Abdel-Aziz Is the world in a trance? Is this a figment of our imagination, or is there really a black man residing in the White House? Is the son of slaves now the most powerful man in the world? It is indeed a wonderment! Hurrah for the people of America, who have come full circle since the early colonist days, and have now crowned their slave their king, so to speak! Barack Obama, President of the US is only symbolically, a son of slaves. He was born to a Kenyan and an American couple, who met as students, fell in love, married and begat a son whom they named Barack Hussein, loosely meaning "the blessed, the beautiful." He turned out to be both, and much more. He was smart, precocious, studious, intelligent, and ambitious. He was well-spoken, well- mannered, well liked, with charm and charisma by the bushel. Above all Barack Obama was lucky. Lady Luck became his constant companion as he moved from country to country, from school to school, from home to home. She helped him sail through calm and stormy waters, until she finally landed him in the highest seat of power in the world. Let us hope she will continue to remain by his side, for the sake of the American people who are busy congratulating themselves and each other for their historic achievement -- as well they should. It was not too long ago that their fathers would lynch a black man simply for the colour of his skin. In case we have forgotten however, the institution of slavery is by no means unique to America. Slavery is one of the ugliest words in any language and it exists in all of them. It was/is a human/inhuman practice, descriptive and demonstrative of the need for man to exploit his fellow man. Some scholars claim that the word "slave" was derived from the many Slavs who were captured by Turkic tribes in the 11th and 12th centuries. Beginning in pre-historic times slavery was common throughout the four corners of the globe, including the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Scandinavia, China, India, Africa, etc. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain the impoverished Eastern Bloc has become a major trafficking of women and children. An estimated 500,000 women from Central and Eastern Europe are working in prostitution in over 50 countries. It is estimated that up to 10% of the Russian female population has been reduced to sexual slavery. No continent can claim clean hands from slavery. From Christians to Muslims, from North to South, man has, sullied his humanity by continuing to use and abuse the weak. Class distinction is endemic to every culture. Not only was the slave trade profitable, but harvesting the New World made slavery necessary. In 1501 Spain became the first European country to use African slaves in the new territories, followed by Portugal. While the Church condemned the slavery of Christians, slavery of others was considered a necessary institution. It was inevitable that black slaves would soon be purchased for the US colonies, replacing native Indians whose numbers declined sharply. By the end of the 17th century, English traders had transported millions of Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to work on cotton and tobacco plantations. Therefore, more than 90% of American slaves lived in the South where their numbers continued to grow rapidly. American-born African slaves were responsible for important consequences. While opposition to slavery was non- existent, the moral questioning of their existence persisted. Still, slavery thrived, creating a diversity of labour, and slaves became capable in a variety of skills. Besides working the fields, they acted as nurses, midwives, blacksmiths, drivers, preachers, gardeners, and handymen. The slave uprising in French Saint Domingue (Haiti) caused resistance amongst US slaves and fears among US whites. Slaves in the South soon discovered that the ideology of slavery differed in the Northern states. While Southern states remained entirely rural, dependent on labour; the rapid industrial growth, of the North made them independent and prosperous. The North abolished slavery. Some Abolitionists developed in the South, clashing repeatedly with Southern politicians and plantation owners. In 1860 a Southerner was elected as the 16th President, and the first Republican, of the US. His name was Abraham Lincoln, and he did not believe in slavery. Born in the backwoods of Kentucky, in the deep South, Lincoln moved to Indiana with his parents when he was seven where he grew on the wild Indian Frontier. They moved again to Illinois where he established his notable life in politics. Illinois is the state where Obama resided before his election. Led by Abraham Lincoln a Civil War between the North and the South started in 1861, finally won by the North in 1865. Slavery was abolished officially. President Lincoln issued a proclamation on January 1st 1863, which became the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Slaves were freed at the end of the Civil War (1861 -- 1865), but there was still rebellion in the hearts and conscience of many Americans. Blacks continued to struggle against racism, segregation, poverty, injustice for decades, and the unforgotten bitterness of the years of slavery lingered. Although a Republican, Lincoln, who freed the slaves, has become the symbolic inspiration to the first black President. Obama sees parallels to their lives, struggles, beliefs, and convictions. A very religious man, Lincoln kept a Bible on his desk at all times, the same Bible that Barack used to be sworn in. Both Lincoln and Barack were lawyers, great orators, clever and forceful speakers, master politicians. Both Illinois politicians, Obama used the same train route that Lincoln took to reach the capital, where he was sworn in as President of the United States. Greeting the endless cheering crowds at every stop, the citizens took their first look at their new President, as they did in 1861. Let us hope that this is where the similarities end, for President Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865 by John Wilkes Booth, one of the most famous actors of the day. The world saluted Lincoln for his noble achievement, so did President Obama, at his inaugural, so do all the people of the US, who have finally avenged his death by choosing a black man as their new President. Prayers for his success are ardent, as a world in crisis looks to him for leadership, change and reform. Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. -- Abraham Lincoln (1809 -- 1865)
