Hold Up, Wait A Minute, Time Out

I was not really ready to further evaluate the going ons of the Presidential race, particularly the treatment of late of B. Obama. There has been soooo much media going on as it pertains to him. But what concerns me is the large amount of hating that's going on not from from racists, but from the black community.

There appears to be some interesting dynamics at play. But, since I am so undecided, I'm going to try and be as opened minded to the criticism as possible. But...

Why are the old heads hating? I figure it's because Barak is the first to rise up not having to go through the "Civil Rights Hazing Process." What I mean is he did not come to prominence by rising through the ranks or by the blessings of those who did come through that era. Yes, I'm talking about the Jessie's and Al's. For the most part I think these cats are just hating cause they never garnered the support per se that Barak has enjoyed from particularly whites voters. These dudes aint win a primary or nothing. So naturally they are gonna hate. That doesn't make it right though. They are probably like, how this dude gonna come out like this with all this success and we aint even give him "our blessings." The problem with that thinking though is that there will never ever be a quote on quote black leader if the litmus test is what he did during the civil rights era.

Then there is the political angle that I think the Clinton camp is about to take up. Allowing Clinton to praise Barak, while contracting the bashing of Barak to other black folk. Whether it's Andrew Young asserting he is too young or Sellout Johnson, oops, Bob Johnson, former owner of that wack azz network BET, raising questions about Barak's admitted drug use during his younger days. Ok, I just did the same thing Johnson did by calling him a sellout because of rise and fall of BET, I mean who is he to even try to tell me who to consider when a few years back he was licking BuckFush's boots, yes admittedly, I digressed. But I find this type of politics to be hazardous to the black voter. Black folk can be quite trendy and at times victims of manipulation. Meaning, if we hear one or two or three other colored folk going in one direction, we will follow, not taking the time to figure out why they're going that way, and not looking to see on our own whether there is another alternative. Further, it will be quite disgusting if we see more and more black folk speak out negatively against Barak. That's the kind of shit we see everyday in the inner cities, brothers gunning down brothers over petty shit. I'd hate to see politics get played out like that. You know, allowing the white community to sit back and watch us tear down one who I consider our own.

And yes, I said one of our own because there are those who won't quite say, he is a brotha. Way I see it though is his granny and his grandaddy (deceased) still living in Africa, that prolly make Barak more of a brotha than me. I mean to even question his blackness is just dumb. As I previously asked, what, are the Clinton's or Edwards more black? That's the dumbest damn thing any other black can ask? Although, if you asked me if say Tiger Woods was black enough, I might give you some leeway with that one! When you look at it, one would think that once black folk realize how potentially close Barak might be to taking the White House, it would drive black folk into a voting frenzy just to be a part of such history. Clearly though, for him to win he will need the support of both black and white voters. I just cringe at the thought of him being destroyed by his own, you know? I think the test will be how well he does in the South Carolina primary. Like I said, I'm undecided.

Here are some of the articles on the above issues, http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/bet-chief-raps-obama-in-sc/index.html?hp , http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/11/AR2008011102000.html?referrer=emailarticle , http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=491&Itemid=1

Mind you, this criticism is coming from other Democrats. The right wing has not yet placed him in their scopes. But they are warming their engines, starting with Karl Rove writing an article in the Murdoch Street Journal. Here are a few excerpts from Alternet.org, analyzing the article,"Rove's race-baiting isn't subtle, but here's a translation for cloistered liberals who have "never met a racist": When he says Obama is "lazy" (what he means to say is "shiftless"), he's reinforcing a racist stereotype. When he claims that Obama "bluffs" and makes "misstatements" or "exaggerations," he's appealing to bigots who believe black people are inherently dishonest. Here's a classic code-talker sentence: "His trash talking was an unattractive carryover from his days playing pickup basketball at Harvard, and capped a mediocre night." "Trash talking" is perceived by white racists as both a black slang phrase and a common form of minority behavior, while whites have seen African Americans play "pickup basketball" in a thousand ghetto movies. (And bonus points to Karl for "cap," which is hip-hop slang for shooting people. Is he that smart? We report, you decide.) When he adds that Obama looks like a "vitamin-starved Adlai Stevenson," the portrait is complete: Obama's a shiftless, uppity, fancy-speakin', trash-talkin', basketball playin', anemic white-boy wannabe. Throw in a talking point or two from the Clinton clan and the pitch to white racists is complete." To read it all, http://www.alternet.org/story/73651/