You know. I'm really tired of folk saying,
"I don't know Obama. I just don't know if I can vote for him."
What?
What the hell does that mean? The man has been all over the country giving speeches like everyone else and has been talking about his platform and what his plans are for this country just like everyone else. He's participated in numerous debates and yet, people (read Black people) are still hollerin' how they don't, "know him."
Well, what the hell else do you want the man to do? Call all ya'll unknowing Black asses on the telephone and have a personal one on one chat? Were all these people talking about they didn't know Bill Clinton when they voted for him? What about those who support Hilary? Do they feel they know her and what she stands for? Or is Obama the only one who is subject to this "knowing" test?
If they don't feel like they know the man they can saunter on over to his website and find out all about Barack Obama. It's called research. It's such a novel idea. Hell with hardly any research I know that:
1. He's for the new changes in crack laws to be made retroactive.
2. He feels like when it comes to Iran that there are no "options" should be taken off of the table.
3. He doesn't believe homosexuality is immoral.
4. And that he has a middle income tax cut plan that would help 175, 000 Iowa families at least according to the Des Moines Register.
See. Little to no effort and I know four pretty important things about Barack Obama. Look. I'm not saying vote for the man because he's Black. But hell, there are worse reasons to vote for a president....like thinking he'd be the kind of guy to have a beer with or believing he has a direct line to God....yet Black folk seem resistant to admitting they will or want to vote for Obama.
I'm convinced Black folks don't want white people thinking that they're going to vote for the Black guy 'cause well he's Black and it would be nice change to have someone who looks like us ( and possibly have our interests at heart) to be leader of the free world. I think Black folk want white folk to believe they are more enlightened and politically savvy then that.
Funny though, 'cause I don't think all those white folk who are NOT gonna vote for Obama simply because he is Black are feeling the same level of trepidation about Black people thinking their not enlightened or politically savvy.
Newsflash: White folk could give a damn about who Black folk will or won't vote for. Well, maybe they're hoping we'd be so stupid as to buy into the hype about Obama and NOT vote for him so they're guy (or gal) will win.
Look. Black folks need to stop this crab in a bucket mentality. I guarantee that all these folk hollerin' they don't know Obama, don't know Hilary all that well either and are probably voting for her because of her husband and I guarantee they don't know him that well 'cause if they did folk still wouldn't be hollerin' about how Black he is.
So if you don't know the guy...find out about him. Go to his website, check out his videos on You Tube. Hell, Google him. But whatever you do stop whining about how you don't know him.
And before folk start hollerin' I'm just all about Obama and I'm just mad 'casue folk are criticiing him, know this:
I recognize there are legitimate concerns regarding Obama (his level of experience for one) and I'm not necessarily an Obama fan. Hell I'm not sure I like any of the current candidates for president but one thing you won't here from me is how, "I don't know him." I realize that that is an easy issue to fix. Besides, at the end of the day, when it comes to this election, I have a simple philosophy: When in doubt--vote for the Black guy.
Like I said...there are worse reasons to vote for a president.
6 comments:
Ikeep flip flopping about Obama and Bilary.
I like Obama but the lack of experince thing is throwing me.
Can he navigate congress to get his ideas in the door.
Bilary well what can I say, you know she knows the ropes. Even those who hate her have to deal with her.
And anything to get Bill back in there I am in favor for.
"He's for the new changes in crack laws to be made retroactive."
That right there is big for me, I posted about those laws alittle while ago.
Damn my confused butt. That is why I have not talked about this mess.
It is going to be a midnight hour choice for me.
I really appreciate this entry, and not just because you're dealing in fact about Obama, not just what you think about him.
The people who say they don't know Obama are copping out. I'd have more respect for them if they just said they don't want to vote for him. That's what this comes down to, not whether or not they "know" him. They don't "know" any of the candidates they've voted for, assuming they even vote.
Now, with that said, I do know Obama and I think he's slippery. He can't explain many of his "present" votes in the Illinois Senate except to say he was using some kind of "strategy." No he wasn't. He didn't want to commit to a position and have it held against him.
If I could vote, though, it would be for Obama. Why? He's AT LEAST as "qualified" as anyone else running and it's our damn turn.
2:47 PM
LOL @ "..it's our damn turn."
LOL.
Yeah I think he's slippery too. I think he's spent so much time crafting the image of "The Safe Negro" that he doesn't want to take a stand for fear of pissing off the White folk or being called on his "Blackness"
With that said I will probably vote for him for similar reasons. They all seem a little shady to me so why not vote for the Black guy.
He's a Black man, married to a Black woman, with Black children. For me, considering that he's qualified, that's enough to tip it for me.
But, since folks seem to need all these ' reasons', here are some of mine:
1. He's FOR retroactivity with regards to drug laws. HILLARY IS NOT, AND HAS SAID SO. So, she's willing to USE another generation of Young Black MEN to get elected. If there is anything that is bottomline grassroots, it's the JUSTICE SYSTEM and it's disproportionate effect on our community. And, she's already TOLD YOU that she's not only AGAINST retroactivity, but she's doing it to GET ELECTED. How much clearer does she have to be?
2. He respects the Constitution; she does not. There is absolutely nothing remotely in Hillary's history that could make you believe that she would DISCONTINUE THE IMPERIAL PRESIDENCY that George Bush began. And, if I believe it's WRONG for Bush, it would be WRONG for her. Obama would not do it; he has RESPECT for the Constitution; I know, an esoteric reason for voting for the man, but there you go.
3. I'm from the state that sent 13 men to DEATH ROW for crimes they DID NOT commit. HUNDREDS more were sent to jail for crimes THEY DID NOT COMMIT. A great number of those on Death Row got there because they were tortured, and yes, I mean AbuGrave kind of tortured by a POlice Captain named Jon Burge. Barack Obama got it passed that all police interrogations had to be VIDEOTAPED. Do you understand what that means?
I'm with you about folks talking this 3-6-9 about them 'not knowing him'...get your ass to a computer and go to his website. He has position papers on nearly EVERYTHING. Click, read, inform yourself. I've never heard this kind of bull when talking about numerous previous WHITE candidates.
And, I have to co-sign about 'our damn turn'.
Do Black folk REALLY comprehend this? Do they REALLY think that the stars will align this way anytime soon for this to happen AGAIN? They act like they've been Black in another country, instead of AMERICA.
When, in the HISTORY of this country, has 'Black' and ' THE RIGHT TIME' ever been put together in a sentence?
Happy Holidays!!
Post a Comment