George W. Bush brought a lot of minorities into his administration, which was a positive thing, and they had some issues that they wanted to press, but 9/11 really gave them direction. It gave them a purpose.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Of strong importance to me is the defense of minority rights, not just racial minorities, but ideological and religious minorities.
In a post-9/11 world, diversity has become even more important.
Some people in this nation believe that race is a significant factor in the constant attacks against President Obama. Others believe that these attacks reflect only the normal level of criticism aimed at the occupant of the White House.
It was necessary, as a black historian, to have a personal agenda.
The symbolic value of having an African-American president has certainly eased some racial tensions in America, but they're not gone.
Much of America rooted for Mr. Obama simply because he is black.
The absence of diverse voices leads to policies and programs that adversely impact African-Americans.
Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from white cultural groups that had also suffered in socio-economic terms from the Civil War and its aftermath.
I think 9/11 affected everybody in one way or another.
After Obama became president, I realized that black people could not have put him in the White House - it had to be a collective effort of everybody in the country.