George Obama: An Inadvertent American | NewsReal Blog

George Obama: An Inadvertent American | NewsReal Blog

In a self-conscious missive to the American People published in Newsweek, George Obama reveals the disparity between his life in a Kenyan slum and his famous brother living in the White House.

If there was a leading light in the Obama clan, he was it; and if there was a shadowed place that no one liked to talk about, then that, I guess, was me.

Obama generously details his own post-childhood rebellion, including a life-altering stint in prison for robbery. There, enduring punishment unheard of in comparably posh U.S. correctional facilities, he determined to change…and became an American.

Not in the literal sense, of course (although given our lax immigration policies of late, it appears all that is needed is a bit of determination and, um, legs). He, along with other slum-dwellers, organized an area soccer team for youth, eventually winning the Nairobi Super League. Modestly giving credit to his brother for the media spotlight he has earned, Obama details what humans can do in spite of circumstances and without government aid. This proves that American, no, human ideals of individual worth and perseverance can achieve success often antagonistic to their surroundings.

All personal achievement aside, George Obama poignantly notes the vast expanse between he and his brother, while indirectly highlighting President Obama’s own political platform:

I still live in one of Africa’s biggest slums, along with some 4.5 million others. We have little or no access to health care, no welfare, and no free schooling. The average income is less than $5 a day—and that’s for those who find work as servants, taxi drivers, or garbage collectors. For the rest, there is nothing. My brother has risen to be the leader of the most powerful country in the world. In Kenya I hope to be a leader among the poorest, most powerless people on earth—the people of the ghetto. (emphasis mine)