I saw tears fall like the leaves of the seasons changing. I saw faces express joy and relief. I saw the answer to the simultaneous equation as to who is of the improbable, the impossible and the impeccable person to defy the odds? I saw a family man be acknowledge as the person who will become the most powerful man in the world. I saw pictures of people from around the world rejoicing in the confirmation that “Yes You Can” as Barack Obama won an election. A Black man in America will be the next President.
Obama waiting to enter
Richard:
Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this son of York;
And all the clouds that low’r'd upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.
Richard The Third Act 1, scene 1, 1–4
All the stereo types of the limitation of skin color over substances have to be reexamined. The rise of Barack is no accident, more of a coronation of a long journey of hope, ambition and hard work. There are many who did not live to see this day, and were not sure if it would ever come, but against the backdrop of not knowing when they still gave their lives in the struggle so that the day could be possible.
Built to lead or ambition misdirected? The race to the White House provides the canvas to psychoanalysis of America. The 2008 election process and proceedings have followed the prescribed routines; predictable with lots of unscripted episodes. The ambitious to lesser known, the dark horses all come to the spotlight seeking to galvanize a movement. Banners carry names and slogans, many miles traveled, many handshakes, scripted by teams molding the protagonists to spew propaganda to the mass, all seeking the keys to the Oval Office.
Barack Obama in Colorado
Has America matured to accept the fulfillment of its own stated model shaded in darker hues? We want our leader to be “tall, dark and handsome, intellectually gifted, dedicated to wife, family, church, and the nation.” If these are the guidelines for leadership, if all are equal under the Constitution, should the rejection of Barack Obama on the grounds of race be anticipated?
The virtues of a nation will be questioned. Win or loose, let it be on the grounds of his presentation of the issues and platform for future governerance.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish.. Preamble of United States of America Constitution
The eyes of the world are watching to see if this is personal or engineered. For America, our best defense against those that seek to harm our nation may lie in the perception of how we elect a President.
The model maybe not be flawed, just in need of a few engineering tweaks, but I may really be delusional!
Finding your niche and staying consistent takes a discipline all on its own. Once mastered, the sky is the limit. I am thankful to have the chance to portray to others what I see. I only see so much from my perspective, (the good, the bad and the truth), but brave enough to share it with the world in this column. Having recently celebrated my birthday, a year gone by, a little wiser and smarter, I’m still getting better with time. During Black Music Month, Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World was playing in the background; “I see skies of blue, and clouds of white, the bright blessed day, the dark say’n goodnight, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world. “That Armstrong classic reminded me of how music has shaped society.
TI - King of Da South
“It’s ironic kind of shit that we buy man make us iconic; Threat to corporate America, that why they runnin’ from it; How could they be so ignorant look at what Hip-Hop done done; It’s allowed us to run a business, legitimated our moneys; Got us out the ghettos, relocated our mommies I made it all the way here, ain’t no way you takin’ it from me; So excuse me Oprah honey; I’m sorry really I promise; But niggas, bitches, and hoes do exist I’m just bein’ honest” T.I. feat Eminem – Touchdown.
Know What I Mean
In a day and time where rappers are legitimating (not a Jesse Jackson ebonic-intellectual creation; check the dictionary: in accordance with established rules, principles, or standards) money and getting wealthy off selling water, when most black men don’t make it to their 30′s without a criminal record, Michael Eric Dyson has a new book chronicling the challenges to be successful in today’s America. Georgetown University professor Michael Eric Dyson has called on two of hip hop’s biggest names for his latest book entitled “Know What I Mean? Reflections On Hip Hop.“
According to the author, the book focuses on hip-hop’s international exposure, use of politics and gender relations, among other topics. Dyson’s book opens with an introduction by Jay-Z and an outro written by Nas. “Know What I Mean? Reflections On Hip Hop” hit stores on July 2nd.
Gil Scott Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
I must admit that it was a pleasure stirring up emotions and ideas with my article “Why Barack Will Win“. I was not surprised that readers who disagreed would turn my words into a racial rhetoric and fail to consider my stride towards Black empowerment and the evolution of politics. I am reminded of the lyrics by Gil-Scott Heron
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,
Skip out for beer during commercials,
Because the revolution will not be televised.
The revolution will not be televised.
The revolution will not be brought to you by Xerox
In 4 parts without commercial interruptions.
The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon
blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John
Mitchell, General Abrams and Spiro Agnew to eat
hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary.
The revolution will not be televised.
Skip to last 2 verses
The revolution will not be right back after a message
bout a white tornado, white lightning, or white people.
You will not have to worry about a dove in your
bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl.
The revolution will not go better with Coke.
The revolution will not fight the germs that may cause bad breath.
The revolution will put you in the driver’s seat.
The revolution will not be televised, will not be televised,
will not be televised, will not be televised.
The revolution will be no re-run brothers;
The revolution will be live.
I encourage all to embrace the dawn of change and look forward to these monumental events taking place in our nation next year. The front runner will be different than what the American voting public is accustom to, you will have either a Black man or a White woman representing the Democratic party, more than likely. Are you ready for Revolution? This will be no rerun; the revolution will be live.
The two Democratic front runners Obama and Clinton have more money to spend than any of the other candidates. As we get closer to the primary elections, a great deal of the amassed war chest will be spent on advertising. Is this informational or propaganda? I will again reiterate my call for unity amongst the Black community. Our time to change the face and tradition of our nation is upon us. We will have the opportunity to open the doors for ourselves, our youth, and the offspring to come. We can say that we have made our way to the top spot in government, and march toward greatness in all else that we do. Imagine how much more confidence and motivation our young Black children will have knowing that they are not hindered by race or gender. Vote Obama in ’08.
What tactics will be used to convince voters? How will the marketing campaigns differentiate their candidacy? Let the polarization begin. I caused a stir in my previous blog, because I said Obama will win and the notion that all Blacks should vote for Obama. Like Shirley Chisholm, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Allen Keyes; Barack Obama has the courage to step out and lead change. It has been beaten into the minds of Americans that Barack Obama is inexperienced, naïve, and untested in the world of politics; all may even be true. Barack Obama is challenging the position of many Americans who have long, unconsciously, believed that the presidency is intended for a White male. I would not attempt to write what Whites are thinking about Obama or this upcoming election. I have ideas and opinions, but they are just that. Though, I will say that not all are ready. The thought of a black face in the White House will bring many of the hidden and shunned issues to the table to be confronted. So my encouragement for voting for Obama employs the same kind of marketing strategy and technique that will be used by the other candidates, polarization as a means of distinguishing difference; where you agree with the propaganda disguised as platform, vote likewise. Are you ready for revolution?
One article on the net mentioned that Blacks felt Obama would not relate to the Black experience because he has a White mother from Kansas and a Black father from Kenya and was raised in Hawaii. That’s why more Blacks are leaning toward voting for Hillary Clinton, for the Clinton name has deep roots in the Black community. The latter statement is true. Bill Clinton made certain that Blacks felt counted and considered during his administration. Because of that, Hilary has much support from the Black community. But to say that we will not go for Obama because of his mixture and where he came from is pure ignorance, and undermines the intelligence of Black voters. Are they saying Hilary Clinton does relate to the Black experience because she is a White woman from Arkansas?
My goal is to get Black people to recognize our opportunity. There is sufficient trust that the accumulated votes for Obama will give him greater influence in defining the Democratic Party platform. Which is in turn means that a voice that more closely represents my voice will be heard. I is less of a vote for a Black man and more of a vote that of my choices, Obama will more likely put forward programs that will improve my life. For Blacks in particular; please don’t base your decision during this election on your perceived trust for Hilary Clinton and your lack of knowledge of Barack Obama. This is where we as a race fail every time. We were taught from the beginning to not trust each other and to love the master who feeds us. This is 2007:
The revolution will put you in the driver’s seat.
The revolution will not be televised, will not be televised,
will not be televised, will not be televised.
The revolution will be no re-run brothers;
The revolution will be live.
Thanks to “NottHeads – Writings On The Wall” for letting me use its blog for this dialogue.
He is a Black man.And all black people should vote for him.Even if he does turn out to be a bad president, we will have broken a barrier.Have a kick in the door mentality during this up coming election.What have we not lived through?As Blacks, this will be our victory regardless.
I wonder if people are looking to Hilary Clinton as a political leader, savior, or a woman.I wonder the same for Obama.Are they seeing that he is Black first, male, or a political leader?I believe Hilary would be a great president.Without having to reference numbers and articles, I can say that the Bill Clinton years were some the best financially and economically for Blacks and Americans as a whole, adding this is strictly perception.I would almost assume that Hilary Clinton would exceed her husband in providing that same American image.
With Obama, it is clear that he still has a lot of proving to do on the political front.With only a few years in politics, and almost 4 in Washington, he will have to develop an image for himself first (which he is currently doing very well), then get approval from the American people, the world, and eventually the Universe if you believe.The eye on America is a disapproving one at the least, and to turn that around would take superb diplomacy.I believe in Barack.That he will be creative in changing the course of the nation.I believe he will withdraw troops from Iraq; what he does after that is an important question.One that will not be answered in this article.
However, regardless of Obama’s background, the fact that he is a Black male is enough for me to place my hopes for this next election in his confidence.For me and my peers, this will be a stepping stone for us to leap from.I have tried to look at this from a political spectrum, considering the future of our nation and its’ residences.I have also come to the conclusion that our country is in dire need of strong and methodical leadership.No matter the outcome of this next presidential election, the nation will be defined and the world changed upon inauguration.If a woman becomes president.I’ll leave it at that, though I know it would be a great thing for our nation.If a Black man becomes president, the true motives of the White Americans who have held power for so long will be revealed.If a Republican becomes president, people will realized the true procedures of politics and no one will trust the government again.When the losers are announced, voters will see were other Americans stand.
If Obama does not win the Democratic nomination, he will be recognized as one of America’s fastest growing millionaires, a political power player as a few Kennedy’s have become, and an unbeatable candidate for the 2012 and/or 2016 elections.Blacks will also recognize their strength and influence on America, and step up to change the cycle that has kept up oppressed for so long.Barack Obama will win regardless.
Fade – Soul Plantation, Colorado
NottHead thoughts:
Every person is entitled to their opinion, I am glad that Fade took the opportunity to share his thoughts through the “Writings On The Wall” blog.The African American (Black) community makes up about 15% of the US population.The Democratic Party has always presumed that in the Presidential Election, Blacks would vote in mass for their candidate.The Black 15% won’t get Barack the nomination, but it is evident from the campaign contributions, that Barack Obama’s popularity extends far beyond a single racial preference profile.The race for the White House in 2008 will be remember as earth shattering and ground breaking because in all likelihood either a Black man or a White woman will be the front runner for the office.Either situation is new in American politics.I encourage all adults of voting age to find a way to enter the dialogue.Change starts first between the ears; the 2008 Elections will bring about changes that affect the world.Revolution and Renaissance for the masses.
The name is an expression; the words and messages are an extension of me.
NottHeads Inc. is my company (http://www.nottheads.com), I want to use this space and time to create connections that endure. The connections do not have to be personal, but the responses should be. I hope that my blog enlightens, inspires and encourage people to communicate.
