I guess I missed the bus.
Yesterday was the day everybody took time to reflect on what it meant to the world that a black man named Barack Hussein Obama became the Democratic nominee for President. I decided to put up a post about a mythical law against racism.
Yeah, I effed up.
When I wasn't working, I spent Wednesday just trolling black sites looking at the love folks have for this moment. Because no matter how you feel about Obama and Hillary and Democrats that's what this was.
A moment.
Damn y'all, a black man is the nominee of a major American political party. A man with skin that wouldn't have allowed him to ride next to the driver back in 1962 is now in the running to be the leader of the Free World. The same cat who at one time would have had to be home before darkness came in Mississippi could be running shit come January.
Am I high?
Actually, I thought this whole exercise would seem a bit more surreal than it actually does. I mean, one part of me is shocked that Obama did the damn thing, but on another level, after all the bullshit he endured, this just seems right.
My pops was telling me how Obama eloquently praised Hillary in his acceptance speech (yeah, I missed it because Grand Theft Auto IV is the devil) and my dad was amped at the level of professionalism and humility that Obama displayed. All he could say after a while was "that boy got some charisma. He knows he got it."
It's true. Some conservatives have tried to ridicule Obama as an empty suit puffed up by rhetoric and Affirmative Action, but they are so out of touch with reality that could be George Bush's conscience. If you listen to Obama speak, if you watch how he pivots from issue to issue while handling most political wildfires with an aplomb that belies his years, and you still aren't moved, well homie you need to check your fucking pulse.
You're lost.
This is a moment because I didn't just see a black man accomplish something I never imagined, but I saw him do it while avoiding the very pitfalls that I often thought were insurmountable. Sure, Obama is a safer black man than most of us, but he is without a doubt a black man, and I never thought a real one of us could achieve true power in this country.(I know I'm jumping the gun, but I'm caught up.)
Not only did he snatch him some power, but he did it while hurdling a horde of racists and hatemongers desperate to prevent him from getting to where he is.
Big homie got skills.
Anyway, I guess I finally made it to the shindig, even if I was on CP time. Shoot, I might even take the wife out even though I already cooked for this week and hate spending money when I've got food fixed. We need to celebrate, we need to acknowledge that an important step in black life was taken last night. We need to have some sort of party.
Like it's 1999.
Pay Attention
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12 comments:
True; it's a Good Thing. :)
And -- unless someone **really** messes up -- J. McCain will alienate ALL but a small minority of Americans.
My dad -- also a Vietnam Vet; also a Caucasian male of about the same age -- pegs McCain as a "bitter old man".
Whereas Obama just comes across as a GOOD guy. His race is actually secondary. (But maybe that's just me.)
--GG
At least you came to the party. Hillary didn't even show up.
The way Obama handled her lack of grace the other night speaks volumes.
Hillary is going to finally endorse him on Saturday.
This is going to be a tough general election but I think McCain has many weaknesses. He not the same guy from eight years ago with the Straight Talk Express.
He not the same guy from eight years ago with the Straight Talk Express.
I hope you weren't fooled in 2000. His "straight talk" was bullshit back then, just like it is now. Only difference, perhaps, is that now more people have computers and can find out these things for themselves since the corporate media keeps us in the dark. Back in 2000, with few exceptions, anyone who wasn't reading alternative print media was pretty much in the dark.
Yes, yesterday I was so overwhelmed all I could do was post the Vibe cover that says it's Obama time. I am always late on providing my Obama blog usually way after the hoopla.
Hell I was early in believing I blogged about this being a true possibility when there was first talk. Many comments were he can't "they" won't let him. Oh the mythical they. I love that he did it, that he didn't listen to what was allowed but did what was his God given right, to do what the hell he WANTED to do, to try.
I'm with you!! Somebody queue up that Prince and get this party jumping We are living history!! WOO HOO!!
BTW I love the new pic my BFF said she got warm fuzzies up and down her body when he and Michelle gave each other the pound!! Now lets finish this history off! As my friend who is a new mother said about her daughter Rosa (who is named after Ms. Parks) said "It is a possibility that Rosa will know a world where there has always been a black president." That's DEEP!!
Have a good one... two thousand zero zero...party over oops out of time. This weekend I'm gonna party like its...
-OG
No harm No foul Big Man!
Tuesday evening, June 3rd, 2008 was an evening that I’ll never forget, as I watched "History" unfold in real time_it was simply an incredible experience! The truthiz, I'm still on a natural high_lol!
But just a note about McCain and Hillary:
While McCain’s speech was so pathetic on Tuesday night that I was embarrassed for him_to say nothing of the fact that it was widely panned by liberals and conservatives alike__at least McCain had the decency to congratulate Barack on his historic win.
H*ll even George W. Bush had enough sense to congratulate Obama!
But Hillary decided to piss on such a historic moment _which insulted and Angered many Americans (Black and White)!
She not only angered and embarrassed the Democratic hierarchy_she even pissed off many of her own friends and supporters. In fact, it’s because of them that her narcissistic thuggish azz has decided to “suspend” her campaign this coming Saturday.
Narcissism is a terrible disorder! But I digress.
It’s a NEW day in America_ “Change” is in the air _
_and Obama IS the man!
Ooops I meant to say Tuesday, June 2nd_lol!
Yeah, Hillary finally caved, but then I heard last night that she wouldn't mind it if her name were submitted as a candidate at the convention.
This heifer is crazy!
She is the ultimate BeBe's kid.
bald fist dap
is all im gone say folk
Big Man, sometimes it pays to let the rush wear off before talking about something so momentous. Nothing wrong with doing it the day after.
My post was the day-of, but it wasn't anything near as special as your piece.
;-)
I paused for a moment, waiting to feel the excitement I was sure would bubble up at some point. But, it never came. It wasn't that I wasn't happy, proud or aware of the monumentacity (yeah, monumentacity) of this stitch, this bold, redblack&green (or at least black) stitch in time.
But, it ain't over yet. And the real test will be how things turn out in November. History was made. But, we need to keep this in perspective. I'm not going to get too excited. Anything short of him elected as president would serve us no good. It would be like, imagine if the first time a black actor/actress was nominated for an academy award, and they lost in the end, to a white actor in D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation or some shit.
OK, that's not it..lol.
Anyway, it's a feel good moment, but I'll be waiting till November to see how much change this country really wants.
But, indeed, brother, this is definitely a step in the right direction.
(Bet you didn't know I be checkn your joint, huh?)
Peace, big homie.
Don't feel bad, I missed the event Live as well. MY mother was high on painkillers from a tooth extraction earlier that day and my dad had fallen asleep on the couch.
But damn, you're right, it was just a moment.
Granted I remember in high school following Bush's first election I was quite sure that I wouldn't see a black MALE even nominated for the presidency until I was like 70 years old, but definitely for those of us native South Siders of Chicago, we're suffering from battle fatigue. Between the Jeremiah Wright crap earlier this year and watchin the pillar of the community that was Fr. Pfleger get taken down for such bullshit, I'm not even gonna lie, this presumptive nomination party, particularly in light of "the Queen of Darkness" as you so eloquently named her, was VERY much anti-climatic.
I just hope the n***a pull it off in November...
JLL
What up Trymaine?
And yeah, I didn't know you were lurking. Good to know that you still got your ear to the street in the Ivory Tower.
LOL.
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