Essay Final Draft

"Super Obama"


It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, its president Barrack Obama here to save the world from devastation and destroy all evil! Photographer Stefan Falke took a picture in early November of a poster on a brick wall in Brooklyn, New York. The poster portrays Barrack Obama dressed as superman standing in front of an American flag striking a classic superman pose. This poster portrays how many Obama supporters feel about their nominee. He is hope. He is change (for the better). He is a role model for the rest of us to look up to. The citizens of the United States currently face some rough times. The economy is in a major slump, jobs are getting harder and harder to come by, the country is in a war that a majority of the people do not want to be in and are completely sick of, and almost everyone is in a state of discontent or disgust in regards to the current president (speaking of President Bush). And like humans do in times of darkness, the people look for a source of light. Obama came in during the American peoples’ time of need, presenting himself as a source of hope and an icon for change. Stefan Falke has captured the people's desire to believe in someone who is capable of saving them

Is Barrack Obama really comparable to Superman? Is he really a man of steel with super powers that can save the world from any and all evil? The obvious answer is no, but people know that. What people really want is something to believe in. With George W Bush managing to to gain titles along the lines of 'incompetent', the people of the US became desperate to choose a new icon; a new hero to believe in who can save them from devastation. Barrack Obama running for presidency in a time where the approval rate for the current president was so low, combined with his great skills in oration resulted in the creation of an image for him as a hero to the people. He became an icon for change, shining a ray of hope in the minds of United States citizens when they needed it most; a people's hero. This is what the picture I have chosen symbolizes.

I think in all reality, many people do not even know what exactly it is they want. They don't know how to fix the economy, or how to create more jobs for themselves, or how to end the war, etc. This is why they are so desperate to appoint someone to be their 'hero'. They need someone who understands all these problems in our country and is capable and willing to fix them. Above understanding them, the person needs to be in a position to be able to do something to solve these problems. So of course the charismatic man speaking powerfully of great changes for the better and hope for an improved future for our country is going to quickly become popular with the people. They want to put this man in a position of power where he can the impliment all the changes he so speaks of. Obama is a hero to people in more ways than his promises of improvement, however.

Looking at this photo from another point of view, I see how else Obama is a hero to a particular group of people in a specific way. This group is the minorities of the United States, particularly African Americans. By winning the presidential election, Barrack Obama has done what no other non-white person has ever acomplished before. Up until recent years, the mere thought of a minority becoming president of the United States would be considered preposterous. Even today most Americans, if asked what race they thought the next president would be; I bet nine of ten would guess white. This, however, did not slow down Obama. Obama put race aside and instead related with the people. He expressed his thoughts and ideals for what they were without making the color of his skin a factor. In doing so I believe he gained the respect of millioins of Americans of all decent, resulting in his charismatic reputation that so many recognize him by. The same charismatic reputation is shared by superman, which I would agree is one characteristic that Barrack Obama and superman do share in common. His appeal to people and his skin color set Obama apart as a hero to the minorities. As heros are, he is someone to take pride in. He did not let stereotypes or racism deter him from achieving the presidency, and in doing so he has set himself up to be a hero to American people.

Despite all the hype many Obama's supporters express for him, I believe it is too early to call him a hero. The presidential campaign and winning the election was just the very beginning of the road for him. Having been in office for such little time, Obama has not done anything great enough to mark him as a 'hero'. What pictures such as the one portraying Obama as superman really depict if you ask me is the people's desire for help. They want someone like superman to hope and believe in. Someone who will save them from their struggles, or at least lighten the load. That is where the comparison comes from. And whether he really is a hero or not, Barrack Obama is at least that person. He is an icon that millions of people look up to. He brought improvment and change to the table, which is exactly what the people want, and that is why you can find images of president Obama marked with superman's signature "S" on his chest, posing valiantly like he is here to save the day.