Well Well Well He did it!!! Barack Obama is the President Elect of the United States! There is joy and euphoria throughout the world. Are you hearing me, throughout the world. Apparently American citizens weren’t the only ones who were suffering under this Bush regime. New Years Day may be January 1st every year but I can tell you this for most folks November 4, 2008 is our official New Years Day!! If my writing could come to words you would truly understand how happy I am or maybe not. My voice is so hoarse from screaming last night that it will take me days to get it back, oh well I’ll live. And live I will do as a witness of one of the most historical times in this nation as I join my fellow compadres who know first hand what our suffrage has been just because of the color of our skin, which brings me to another topic, the media and the general American (white) public.
Throughout the barrage of commentary I’ve noticed that many analyst, journalist, politicians and anyone who feels they can lend an opinion to this historic event have all been sympathizing with the black plight we’ve been experiencing since the first slave ship landed in Jamestown. I’m hearing CNN, MSNBC, FOX even Karl Rove say things like this win is historical for the African American community who have suffered so many atrocities and injustices. MSNBC even had Tavis Smiley on as the resident Black man sufferer talking about the whole Civil Rights movement, Jim Crow, Martin Luther King the whole shebang and all along these white commentators are saying how this was only 40 years ago and how hard we had suffered. Something is a bit amiss about this!
I somehow recall that whenever we shouted discrimination, inequality, racism, we were always told for the most part we were whining or we’re lazy or the best of them all we’re just making excuses. How many times have you heard a white person say their grandfather came over as an immigrant and worked his way up to own the family business, blah, blah, blah and in the same breath it’s usually mentioned how black people make excuses for their dilemmas. The real cause of the dilemma is never mentioned. And when it comes to dilemma I’m talking about basic human rights, the right to use a bathroom, a drink of water, the right to vote! Nope this was our dilemma that prevented us from doing almost anything at all. And as these commentators say it was just yesterday, I’m like REALLY?!?!?! – are they just waking up to this. Most of us already know this was just yesterday. When you still have the same people who were beaten and denied their basic civil right still living to talk about it, guess what yes it was just yesterday! But for today what’s different? The difference now is the face (symbol) of America. Our new leader looks like us, therefore his problems are the same as ours and now those problems are amplified and become all of America’s problems. As I hear this newfound sympathy and understanding I wonder is this all it took, was for one of us to become President to get America’s understanding of what we went through? Or is it because as a society we embrace the ideology of our leader? If that is the case then no wonder why we’ve been in peril for 230 plus years. All of our Presidents have been white men and for the majority racist white men. This means for centuries we as a people have lived under a rule an ideology that does not include us and in no way ever benefited us and amazingly we SURVIVED!
One good thing has come out of this election besides Obama and that is endurance and strength. As I said yesterday no other group of people can compare to our ability to combat injustice and grow stronger with every battle we encounter. Every group except for us has been compensated for their atrocities, yet We Have Overcome all of the garbage that has been in front of us! I know we’re proud of President Barack Obama and we should be damm it!!! But we should also take a minute and be proud of ourselves. We may not be at a point where we’ve completely overcome but Lord knows we’re on the right path to doing so! Once again God Bless You All, Stay Safe and Keep Progressing, Nothing can stop us!!! Love, Blacktina
