Orville W. Taylor

He is in the race of his life. In a few hours we will know if he has made history to become the youngest and first black person to gain this title. Of course, when he was first selected, many thought that he was not ready and had too little experience. After all, how could a rookie be thrust into the main driver's seat in such a historic competition, when there were far more experienced persons to lead the team? Needless to say, that is another 'race'.

With a lead of seven points, it looks like this half-white, half-black enigma will have to crash or deliberately underperform in order to lose what seems to be what we in Jamaica call a 'soup race'. No! I am not talking about Barack Obama just yet; this discussion is about Formula 1 race-car driver Lewis Hamilton, although there are some interesting and obvious parallels between the two.

Hamilton, the son of a Grenadian-extracted father and an English mother, literally burst on the scene a year ago, getting one of the best cars to drive, the McLaren Mercedes. Like Obama, he had paid his dues but fast, graduating from the kart ranks to Formula 3, until debuting in Formula 1 last year.

Obama became a US Senator in 2005. When he was selected to give the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in 2004 over other more prominent and seasoned bigwigs, many felt slighted and much bad blood developed. In the final competition between 'heiress apparent' Hillary Clinton and him, little love was lost and some anti-black sentiments emerged, although she distanced herself from them. But some wounds heal slowly. After all, it is just 50 years since the Democrats have shifted away from their racist roots.

Originally racist

But sometimes history turns on itself, because Mercedes emerged in Untertürkheim in post-Nazi Germany in 1945, ironically, in the same city that produced the Luftwaffe, Germany's aircraft that dominated the European skies during World War II. Significantly, a car manufacturer, that originates from the same place as the most racist administration in modern history, now having a black driver. What a comparison! The Democratic Party, that now carries Obama to within one race of the White House, was also originally racist and pro-Ku Klux Klan. The Republican Party that today is ironically typified as racist and anti-black, was the one that Abraham Lincoln led against slavery and freed blacks in 1865. It was formed in 1854 specifically to counter the racism and pro-slavery stance of the Democrats.

Some unbelievable things took place last and this year. His stablemate, Spaniard Fernando Alonso, was always uncomfortable with him and obviously in a different 'race' did nothing to help him win as he made a beeline for history in becoming the first rookie to win the Formula 1. Worse, Alonso betrayed his team, McLaren, whose car he was driving, by reporting to the Formula 1 authorities that McLaren had spied on rival Ferrari and received critical information about them. This led to McLaren losing all of its constructor's championship points.

This year, Alonso, who is now driving for Renault, said that he would do whatever it took to make Ferrari driver, Brazilian Felipe Mass, win. For the record, Brazilians and Spanish speakers are considered Latinos, a group that has supported the Republican Party more than the Democrats in recent years. In Latin America and Brazil, the worst forms of racism survive. After all, slavery was abolished in the former Spanish empire in the late 1800s and in Brazil in 1888.

Brazil is a case in point. It has never had a black president, although its population is 90 per cent of African descent. This is the same Brazil that despite being the largest black country, could only field four black players in its starting line up in the 2006 FIFA World Cup of Football. Compare this with France having only six per cent black citizens but eight of its eleven being black.

White 'lightening'

Mysteriously, Hamilton had two incidents with the same wheel on two occasions last year. Inexplicably, he had tyres go flat at critical parts of races and lost valuable places. It was just too coincidental that white 'lightening' struck twice. My suspicion is that someone in the pit crew cracked a nut.

Last year, Hamilton was in almost exactly the same position that he is in now. In the final race in Brazil, with a seven-point lead, he developed "gear-change trouble". Imagine! One of the most reliable of motor vehicles, a Benz, developing such problems. Call it what you will, but my gear is also stuck on RRRRR ... racism!

Similarly, Obama has had his fair share of blows, even more than Bill Clinton. And with just a few days to go, there is many a slip twixt the cup and the lips. He slipped the link with Reverend Jeremiah who, obviously was not in his 'Wright' mind. Speaking as some overly exuberant Jamaican pastors recently, he prove a potential bugbear. Thankfully, the white racists were not able to make Wright a 'lynch-pin' of Obama's persona.

Now an alleged 'King'-size tape supposedly has Obama at a 2003 function with a man who is accused of, but denies, having terrorist ties. Yet, an organisation headed by Republican candidate John McCain has contributed half a million dollars to him. What rubbish! They'll stop at nothing.

Since our religious leaders love to take on the roles that are more akin to secular leaders, I am going to take on theirs. Therefore, here is my 'prophecy:' If Hamilton wins later today, treat it as a 'rake,' because it will mean that Obama can't lose.

Dr Orville Taylor is senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at UWI, Mona. Feedback may be sent to orville.taylor@uwimona.edu.jm or columns@gleangerjm.com.