What the new face of the white house may mean for you!

We have to make a choice. The best course of action would be to make an informed choice. We, in the United States are in the throws of a presidential election. Yet each day I am concerned that the chances of the electorate making an informed choice are very slim. On my daily commute on the MARTA, and no there was no Soulja Girl on board to harass anyone, actually there is rarely an incident of that nature occurring on MARTA as the news would have you believe it happens all too often, but I digress. I was reading an article on about Sen. Obama and a woman sitting next to me remarked that she is praying that he wins, because we need him in there to stop the war. When she said we, I inferred she was primarily speaking about Black people then the rest of the country. She said that “this is Bush’s war not ours.” I then responded that Bush did in fact want the war for his personal wealth, and the wealth of his financial backers. I told her there are a lot of businesses making huge amounts of money profiting from the war. I asked her if she had any idea who or what big business was backing Sen. Obama? She quickly retorted none it’s all on the people. We soon reached her destination, she got up glanced back at me with a look of “that man is crazy but I can refute what he has said” I felt deeply that we are in serious trouble if this is the common belief of the electorate.

Most of you that are running out to vote for “A change we can believe in” have not taken the time to ask yourself what the change will be. Will there really be a change? I have pondered one such change. Margaret Kimberley of Freedom Rider writing for the Black Agenda Report puts it this way “ A Barack Obama presidency would certainly be a first - the first time that "most black people will end their historic progressive politics and applaud this country's criminal activity just because the head criminal looks like them."

The world has given Black people a “pass” on the terrorism front (for the most part), but with the ascension of Sen. Obama as the “new” face of the United States it’s less likely we will continue that luxury. Its more likely President Obama will continue the “War on Terror” possibly intensifying the effort under the umbrella of ending the war sooner. Most often when these efforts intensify the non combatants suffer even more. This will not bode well for Black people since the one working the evil will have a face like us. So how will this affect us? Black people are voting to the tune of 90% primarily to see a Black face in the white house.  Have they considered the ramification? Since the “educated” are one of the other forces that are supporting the Senator from Illinois, I then ask what is the meaning of education? Is it to follow without question? Is it to “hope” without thinking?

Comments

[Khadija]

Ensayn1,

Thanks for posting this! The Black Agenda Report has been on the case about the reality behind "Hypnobama" from the beginning. If elected, he will complete the process (begun by Colin Powell & Condoleeza Rice) of destroying whatever solidarity 3rd world populations still feel for African-Americans. I'm old enough to remember the Iranian hostage crisis & the era when 3rd world combatants separated Black folks from White captives & let us go. Those days are over.

Peace, blessings & solidarity.

[[Victor Amenta]]

Khadija, thanks for coming thru. I agree with you I remember that same situation, where Black people were treated with a certain respect because our situation here in the U.S. I also recall the first assault on Iraq when Saddam worked the same way by releasing people to Jesse Jackson, Muhammad Ali, and Min Farrkhan. I Believe that is over. In fact I believe Obama is going to do more destruction to the so called third world, the world of melanated people than any white man has done since the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries simply because he has a black face, U.S. Black will dismiss this because they will be fed for the time being. We can expect deeper rape of Africa, the stripping of the Caribbean, Black Central & South America, which has already begun under the guise of "green" energy raising the price of corn and other staples since speculators have entered the food market. Barack Obama will render utter destruction to the Black world as we know it and the Obamabots will be anesthatized and numb to his particular venom. Yet, we the watchers and movers will have to work twice as hard.

[Hagar's Daughter]

Ensayn1,

I've had similar discussion with co-workers regarding "our" expectations of Obama and how much or how effective will the change we believe in be here and abroad. Most don't even know his platform or where to read it. (Obama's or the other candidates' platforms either.) I work with "educated" folks, most with Master's degrees and beyond. Even those who are informed and understand the politics at play, don't seem to care because it is now "our time." One person told me that Obama deserves the right to mess up just like any white boy has messed up.

I think that if Obama is elected "the black tax" will be in full effect - he'll work harder to prove himself, which could mean he'll be "tougher" on the "evil doers." And you are probably right in your assessment, blacks in the country will be grouped with majority and treated as such by others around the world.

[Ensayn]

Hagar's Daughter, thanks for stopping by. I was living in Los Angeles at the time of the 1992 rebellion, and let me say I am an original Southern Californian. I say this for a little background. The 1992 rebellion was the explosion of a volcano that had been brewing since the late 1970's. During that 1992 rebellion Colin Powell was the head of the Joints Chief of Staff, the Supreme Commander of the military. In his book he admits that when Bush the First was president, he (Bush I) gave a news conference stating that he would be sending in the military, and federalizing the National Guard in California to stop the "rioting", Powell said that was the first time he got "orders" from the president via the news. Powell infers he was disrespected as the Commander of the U.S. forces, yet he sent in the troops and set up military post throughout South Central, LA. This Black man says in essence he was disrespected but still did the devil's bidding. If you lived in L.A. at the time and remember that period it was a war zone, at the hands of a Black man in power. What then can we expect from Obama?

[Hagar's Daughter]

In '92 I was living in New Orleans and moved to L.A. the following year to work on phd studies in psych. I remember having clients who were directly and intimately impacted by the civil unrest.

Anyway, I have observed that many times blacks in positions of authority are harder on other blacks it seems in order to show that they are not showing favoritism or to make sure black folks aren't slacking in the eyes of others. I'm just saying...

[Ensayn]

Harar's Daughter, Agreed!

[Alisha9]

Hey Ensayn! I absolutely LOVE the new look!!! I missed you, man! Anyway - interesting post here. . . I guess my question is, then, what do we do?

[Khadija]

Ensayn1,

The new look for the blog is great!

Peace, blessings & solidarity.

[Ensayn]

Alisha, Glad to have u back!

Thanks Khadija!

[[Victor Amenta]]

@Alisha, I think no matter who we choose we should be informed and not fall for the "snake oil", and just be clear that he is no different as he markets himself to be.

[BHC]

Hi Ensayn!

It's very troubling to me how many people (our people) I see following him blindly. Most are not thinking, they see a black man...and they won't look any closer than that.

Love the new look Ensayn! I thought I was on the wrong blog! ;-)

[[Victor Amenta]]

Thanks BHC for stopping by, I think at this time we may be past the point of color when it comes to some elected offices. I feel its more important to see that Black face as the DA, or Judge, or your local sheriff. But, the president of the U.S. may or may not have an immediate affect on our lives but a judge, DA, Sheriff can impact us tomorrow!

I had to change up the look, had to lighten it up a bit...:-)