On November 4, 2008, the good lord willing and the creek don't rise, history is going to be made and many of us will go to the polls to vote for the first African American in this country. I no longer have the mixed feelings that I once did for the simple fact that I have made my decision on what to do and am at peace with it. In the beginning I was quite angry with the way things went during the primaries and at the convention, but I've gotten over that. Besides, what good would it do me to hang onto those feelings?
I must say that I never thought I would live to see such a thing in my life time even though during the year that eighteen year olds gained the vote Shirley Chisholm ran. The Rev. Jesse Jackson has run, and during the last election cycle a whole slew of African Americans ran, and then came Barack Obama. Within fifteen seconds of hearing him I made up my mind and I haven't changed it yet. He has proven to be all that I thought he would be, but this isn't going to be a discussion of those feelings. Rather, it's going to be about what I had hoped would be accomplished but hasn't been, and probably won't be.
One of the things I always remember that voting is as much a privilege as well as a right, as well as remembering that since this country was formed and right up through the civil rights movement, people died to protect my right to do so. I also think of people who are unable to vote but might need the services my candidate says they are going to provide for all the people. With the rise of Obama I had thought that finally, here was someone who might put the consideration of reparations for the descendants of slaves on the table. The way he has people eating out of his hand I just knew that he could usher in a better era for African Americans, especially after Katrina, and hadn't we the right to ask for anything?
Reparations. Just the mere mention of the word seems to send some people into a tizzy, almost makes them lose their minds. With Obama's rise we are at a crossroad as far as reparations are concerned, and I already know how he feels about this; something to the effect of not throwing money at people. Strange, considering his background with money, but I'll let that go here. Here's the problem; if you're African American you know the deal with race relations in this country. You know that they're far from all that they could be, very far. But you might also have noticed that white America no longer wants to deal with black America and feels we should have gotten over all that had been done to us by now and should no longer need a handout. I've seen that story and the one of the lazy Negroes sitting on the stoop in one white blog, so it isn't hard to think that much of white America feels this way. But there is one dark problem to not wanting African Americans to have reparations. How will whites feel if Obama is not elected, or worse yet, if his presidency is less than stellar?
I will say that when most people even think of reparations they wonder could such a debt be repaid, which is mildly nice. That really isn't the question because it can never be repaid. The real problem for me is not why blacks are supporting Obama, that's easy enough. The question is, why are whites? Racism. It's as plain and simple as that, and yet they claim that those of us who don't vote for him are the ones who are racist. Of course, as a black person I am not racist. An aunt Thomasina? Hardly. Not wanting to give my support to one who I think isn't qualified to be president isn't being a turncoat against my own race. I think I'm trying to support my race against someone who I don't think has their best interests at heart, if at all. It's as simple as this;
first and foremost, whites are tired of the "black problem". they're tired of supporting us, carrying us, as it were, and they are ready to be rid of us, and what better way than to elect a black man? particularly, this black man. Barack Obama has it all, they think. He is bi-racial, first of all, born of a black man and white woman. He was not born on this continent, nor was he here during one of the most crucial times in our history, the civil rights movement, so that means that he is not an angry black man. His coloring and appearance are just right, nothing threatening there. His background, schooling and post secondary education are just right. He did all the things whites think most blacks should be doing, in spite of the fact that they have poor educations and affirmative action has been practically stamped out for us.
most whites think that with the election of Barack Obama their obligations and guilt over anything they might owe blacks is done with. They no longer wish to feel they owe us anything, and in fact figure that their obligation to us was done with the civil rights act and the death of Dr. King. They want us to stop whining and crying and begging for welfare(the majority of which is received by whites), and most of them don't see anything to our complaints of racism. Once Obama becomes president their obligations to us are essentially over. They will no longer feel the need to extend a helping hand to blacks, thus sinking us further into a hole. I call it the desire for benign racism, although I've already come to the conclusion that this is practiced by most whites today anyway, yes, even liberal whites, actually, them most of all.
I wish I felt differently about Obama but I don't. I don't believe that he is competent enough to be running this country or dealing with foreign politics. At this time I'm having some other thoughts and I'm not even sure he really cares what the people of this country think or want. If Obama really cared then not only would he have had a definite agenda and set policies, he would have taken this time to address the needs of "our" people, once and for all. Just think, a black man is in the driver's seat and we are still without power. Blacks, who are giving this man their votes, have asked nothing for them, have not asked what Obama's plans for the black community as a whole are, how he plans to use his leadership role to help his fellow Americans, as well as the white community, which I'm sure he will serve well. Hope, change, and audacity don't equal education, health care, jobs, decent housing. Just ask the people of Katrina, three years later. That is what our votes are worth, that's why we ask candidates can they pay for our votes, and it's why we look at their records, ask questions, try to listen to all the bs they will try to sell you, trying to discern who should earn the biggest payday of all, your golden vote. I hope everyone gets what they think they are about to pay for, I really do.
Now, I'm going to tell you the truth about how I really feel about Barack Obama. I think this man is going to do greater harm to the African American community than was ever done by any racist in this country. First, he managed to do with precision skill, what he needed to do, and that was convince blacks that the Clintons were the devil incarnate. He played the race card with all the skill he could muster, and as the race continued so he continued to play his race card hand, and both blacks and whites bought into it. No questions asked. The price that we are about to pay for this action is going to be incredibly high, make no mistake about it. If Obama is elected everyone will be satisfied for the moment. If his presidency is as mediocre as I think it will be, even less so, then the back lash on blacks will be enormous. If he is not elected, then we will wind up with four more years of republican rule, something none of us wants. Blacks will sink even further into economic dire straights and neglect because whites are tired of our black asses. Race relations hinge on this election, something no one acknowledges, but believe me, it's there. Read some of the major white blogs out there such as Huffington Post, No Quarter, The Confluence, and quite a few others, and you will catch the tone of how whites feel about this man. Are they racist? That's a kind of shady thing, lol. That is another blog post.
Once Obama had separated black folks from his hated enemy, it was easy. Putting up fingers at women, calling them bitches through the music of the great women haters of hip hop, and beating black people like a drum. All the while promising whites that not only will blacks not become a problem, but that reparations are off the table and possibly dead forever. Think. $12, 000,000,000 lost on a pallet in Iraq. Who's white hands did that money land in? Bush's? Cheney's? Wolfowitz's? $12, 000,000,000 of the people's money lost on a pallet and yet Katrina is still undone? Do you think that Obama could have gone to New Orleans and helped the people in the aftermath of Katrina? Jena? You do know that the CBC(Congressional black caucus) supported Clinton in the beginning don't you? What happened to them? Obama put the knife to them! He found out all their dirty little secrets and then threatened to expose them if they didn't support him. Just ask Charley Wrangell, who's little tax secrets were exposed until he started squealing like a stuck pig for Obama.
There are so many more reasons not to vote for this man, but each individual must make his or his own decision. This is an historic event for all black Americans, especially those of us who are older and never thought to see this day in our lifetimes. I know it can't be passed by for some of us because who knows when we may get the chance again, so I can understand why most of my brothers and sisters are going to cast their votes for him. But I, for one, will not. In all good conscience, I cannot give my vote to this man who I don't think has our best interests at heart. I wish I could feel differently about him, but the truth is that this man scares me, along with his puppet masters, the Chicago machine who is working behind him. This year, I will not be voting for any presidential candidate.
I could have put many links to this thing, but I think it's important that everyone do their own research before voting for the candidate of their choice, so do your homework!
