Conundrum Corner

I saw a Dream Come True on November 4th 2008

2008-11-05T16:37:00.000-08:00

History was made November 4th 2008. History that was over 40 years in the making. It was an amazing day for me, and for many people in this country. I really can't express the sense of joy and pride I felt when I saw Barack Obama our 44th president elect stroll out across the stage and stand behind that microphone. It was like I was sleep, like I was dreaming a beautiful dream. I actually questioned if I was awake while I was watching this, because it seemed unreal. I kept thinking this is a dream and I'm going to wake up, but I never did and I am so happy this is not a dream but is reality. As I watched Obama speak my sister cried uncontrollably with joy. All of the struggles my people have faced. Slavery the bondage of our people. Emancipation the freedom of our people into a country as hostile toward us as a wolf den to a rabbit. The terrorism enacted against us by whites, angry that we wanted to live with dignity. Jim Crow laws that kept blacks, and any minorities away from the polls. The segregation of whites and minorities or colored people. The lynching of Emmitt Till, and the lynching and deaths of untold blacks in the south. The civil rights movement that saw my people beaten down and trampled upon, while they fought to be seen as humans with rights. The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr, and the death of hope for so many, and the loss of one of our greatest leaders. Finally, the desegregation of America, allowing blacks to enjoy the same amenities as whites. Many people thought things couldn't get any better than this. They thought that being civil was all us blacks and minorities could ever ask for and expect. However, on November 4th all of that changed. On November 4th black people got a new hope, and a new stance, a stance of equality. Don't get me wrong we still have a long way to go, but the election of a African American to the office of president, in a country built on slavery, hate , and oppression is nothing short of miraculous. The emotion on me was so strong I could hardly sit still. Finally vindication for our people. Finally proof that we are no longer niggers, boys, gals, darkies, coons, spear chuckers, spades, Negros, or even niggas. We are now men and women with a bright future that can truly be anything we make of it. With hard work, determination, and ingenuity the world is our oyster. Black people as whole are going to have to rise to the occasion, and actually work for our dreams. I've hear some people say racial excuses will no longer be tolerated, and I say that's bullshit. One black president doesn't automatically erase 400 years of racism and oppression. What people need to realize is that people will exploit this to mask their racism. They will try to brush aside the truth by saying well the president is black, so there must some other reason your not making it. People need to realize that we are still going to have to work four times as hard to make it and to accomplish our dreams. That's the struggle of any minority in this country, be they black, Latino, or Asian. A black president doesn't give us the right to slack off. We need to get it together, because if you use Barack as an example you can get anywhere you want to be with hard work. Look how hard that man worked, and look at where he is. That's should be enough to inspire anyone, black white, Latino, and Asian to get off their ass and make their dreams come true. It's inspired me to work even harder in everything I do, because I know that now I can truly make a difference, and that I can truly achieve anything I set my mind to. I feel anything less would be a disservice to the struggles of my ancestors, and Barack Obama. This comes from a man who's Grandmother was an integral part of fighting for desegregation in Kansas. A man who when he was 8 years old was told I couldn't visit his grandparents because some local racists had sprayed my grandmothers house with racial slurs. November 4th was truly a grand day for me and the vindication I feel on behalf of my ancestors, and pretty much all the people of color who died to put me in the position I am in today. I can truly say that I live in a great country, and almost as important as being able to say it, I can also truly mean it.

The Real Problem

2008-10-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

For a long time now there has been something weighing on my mind, and I think that it's time for me to finally just get it out. I keep hearing a million and one reasons why people say that they won't vote for Barack Obama. He's to inexperienced, hes to vague, he was friends with these people, he a liar, etc. Now I'm sick of all these pathetic attempts to cover up the true reason behind people not wanting to vote for him. The real reason people just can't or won't connect to Obama or won't vote for him is because he's black. Now people will start that "Oh is he on that whole racial thing" but there is lots of evidence out there. First of all look at the groups who won't support him. The main group he's having problems with are whites, and to be more specific rural whites. Whites from small towns who don't have people of color around. See Sarah Palin likes to say We grow good people in small towns. I can attest to that because I spent my younger years in a small town, but at the same time as I got older I became very aware of the racial divide in that town. Especially after I had moved away to a larger city, with a more diverse population. You see many small town are in fact racist, not really by choice, but by circumstance. If you've lived in one place all your life, and your surrounded by only people who look like you, and you spend a majority of your time believing every negative view and stereotype of people that are not like you, what else could truly be expected. Which comes back to my point about Barack Obama. There are a lot of small town whites, who can't see past the color of Obama's skin color. No I won't put it all off on small town whites, or even whites alone. I'm sure their are a lot of people who won't vote for Obama because he's black. I even know black people who won't vote for Obama because hes black. There is a Korean man who works in a convenience store close to my house, and he said a minority should never be allowed to be president, Asians included. Now in all respect, I don't think that everyone should just love Obama. That's completely ridiculous to assume that everyone would support Obama. The main thing I have a problem with is that if you took Obama, turned him white, gave him the same policies, same plans, and put him up against McCain he would be leading him by 20 points at least. That's what bothers me. It bothers me how since hes black that the race is so close, that Obama can't get a double digit lead because of the color of his skin. It bothers me how Obama can lead every where else in the world in a world wide poll, except in his own country. See America likes to claim that they've made such great strides in race relations, and how blacks have all the opportunity to succeed now, and how whites aren't as racist as they once were, and things are a lot better between black and white. That is complete and utter BULLSHIT! America is still the most racist place on the planet. Americans need to be honest with themselves. They are doing themselves a great disservice by trying to conceal racism. If your racist don't hide the shit, and act like your going to go to the polls and vote for Obama, when you would never give a black man or anyone but a white person a chance. Just be honest, that way people won't be surprised when Obama goes into the week before the election, and has a 7 point lead, but still looses the election. People just don't realize the tension that will build up in this country.

In other news the McCain campaign is trying to make racial swipes at Obama. They have a very interesting three prong approach to it also. First is to try to tie him to William Ayres who was a member of a terrorist group called The Weather Underground back in the 60's, and is now a reformed man, who is highly respected in the Chicago education system. The second prong is to use Obama's middle name Hussein as a way of connecting him to Saddam Hussein. Third is to try to somehow turn Obama into some kind of man of mystery who is obviously lying and trying to keep secrets from the American people. This is their latest tactic to try to turn this into a racial issue. Some people might try to say, well how is this racial. Well allow me to explain it to you. By painting Obama as a terrorist, by connecting him to Bill Ayres, and invoking Obama's name trying to imply that he's some kind of Muslim terrorist, and finally by trying to raise the trust issue, because one of the many stereotypes about blacks in general is that blacks aren't trust worthy, blacks are liars, blacks are criminals. The problem is that they are trying to imply that Obama is a dangerous black man, who is sleeper cell terrorist, who will destroy the US. Pretty sick if you ask me. However, I wouldn't expect any thing less from a loser like McCain and his campaign. Also I would put anything past the people who live in this country. If strange fruit hanging from the trees in the south didn't bother many people, why would something like what the McCain campaign is aserting.

This Week In Politics

2008-09-29T07:44:00.000-07:00

This past week we had the presidential debate. I thought it was OK. Nothing special really, but I do think that Barack Obama was the winner based on his overall performance. The difference between Obama and McCain was respect, decency, and finesse. McCain had no finesse to anything he said. The man has no style, and doesn't know how to connect to ordinary people. I'll give him a few points for his supposed knowledge of foreign policy. However, his approach to it seems to be not to different from our current president. They seem to think that they are punishing other countries by not talking to them, but all they are really doing is putting us in more danger. I mean you have someone you don't like living next door, and because your not talking to them does that mean you have less of a chance of them jumping on your ass, no it doesn't. In terms of a country doing that it makes the whole country look like a bunch of pompous assholes, who think they can control everyone, and everything. That is not a good prescription for America, or our image around the world. However, a lot of people sure thought that it made McCain look like a genius on foreign policy. I don't see how, but hell I can't see how someone could actually agree with McCain so much so that they vote for him. Anyway, I won't get hung up on foreign policy. I'll get on to the major important issue at the moment, not just here but abroad the economy. The economy is in the toilet, and John McCain has no vision or even any policies to improve it. I was actually appalled when he had the nerve to suggest we freeze spending for every government program except defense, veteran affairs, and entitlement programs. He's completely out of his mind because he can't see anything past the war, which is already complete nonsense. I'm glad Obama set him straight, even if it was a tame response to McCains completely idiotic idea. From my vantage point Barack Obama is the only one who has a clear cut vision, and a plan to lead us out of this economic crisis, and take us anywhere positive in the coming 4 years. I really hope that a lot of the people that are having a problem with Obama based on the color of his skin, will actually pull their heads out of there asses and listen to the man. He's smart, hes confident, and he know his shit when it comes to the economy, and a lot of other things that have to do with running this country. I hope people really wake up, and quit letting racial prejudice, and bias affect their better judgement. Oh well, one can only hope.

In other news the Republicans in the House of representatives put the kibosh on the 700 Billion dollar Bail Out deal, apparently as a screw you to Nancy Pelosi for saying something they didn't like. Which is pretty messed up since the country is in financial turmoil, and they basically punished us to punish her for blaming bush and his policies for getting us in this whole mess in the first place. I guess the truth hurts sometimes. Unfortunately, in this case the Republicans acted hastily and left their constituents out in the cold in the process. I mean politics are politics, but this is some serious shit that were in and for them to act like little babies and basically tell the American people fuck you in the process it just asinine. Since the Republicans are so hot on putting country first they should have showed it today. I guess you really can't expect anything less from the people who have constantly put themselves first. Just look at the policies of the last 8 years. If that what they call putting your Country First looks like it's time to think about moving to another country.