I don't know about you, but I have yet to encounter a President or presidential candidate who did not have a more than ample helping of confident drive wrapped in a very muscular ego.
Hello, people! If you believe you are qualified to lead the most powerful country in the free world (still) you had better believe that you know what is right, what is best and have the courage of your convictions. ...
I believe it was arrogant of George W. Bush to distort the power of the White House into a weapon that he used to execute countless end runs around the Constitutional checks and balances of our government; but I don't hear Pat Buchanan complaining about that display of "entitlement."
If you are wondering why people like me get so peeved when words like "arrogant" or "uppity" are thrown around with such velocity, it's because some of us understand that there was a time in America that black men and women who were deemed "uppity" were tortured and lynched for being proud of who they were and successful. Black people who "did not know their place" and who owned land and businesses and sought to exercise their American rights were slaughtered, entire communities burned to the ground.
And there's the rub. Even today, for some people, it's just too much to see a relatively young, self-identified black man who displays such composure and fearlessness. It makes them feel, oh I don't know, it makes them feel like "he just makes me nervous" or "he and Michelle just seem to think they are entitled."
Here's the kicker. They ARE entitled. Barack and Michelle Obama are entitled to every opportunity and benefit this country has to offer every citizen. No more, no less. They get to claim it ALL just like the rest of us.
Silly identity adjectives are unnecessary distractions in the current political campaign. We don't have a moment to let our focus drift away from the big issues our nation had better deal with.
Comments: (173)
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By: Stacey on 8/05/2008 10:04AM
And let the Church say....AMEN!!!!
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By: Tanya Spearman on 8/05/2008 11:13AM
Barack Obama gave the most detail energy policy and all the MSM can talk about is McCackelbarrel tire gauges stunt. Well I as a voter would like for them (MSM) ask some hard questions about issues. If they (MSM) what to report on trash. Then they need to have McCain to answer this claims: http://www.alternet.org/election08/90956/?page=1 and this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkUj9EIINIs
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By: Cindy on 8/05/2008 11:24AM
As a Black woman, I am fully aware of Black America's lack of trust in one another. Don't flinch at reading this because we all know it's true. It’s not an ideal state of existence, but for many it is reality. We are more often suspicious than not. We look at one another sideways. We don't speak if we see one another on the streets (particularly in the business districts). Many Blacks don't trust the person they are sleeping next to every night. So why is it that we are so trusting of this brown-skinned candidate who just told the world that he didn't believe Blacks needed or deserved reparations? It seems to me that Mr. Obama has done more damage to Black people in the past few months than George Bush has done in the past 8 years. He shows a consistent lack of integrity. His sense of loyalty is questionable. He is wishy washy on his positions -- they change when the wind blows. His wife disappeared when public opinion polls suggested that she was a hindrance to his campaign. Will she become the first, First Lady in absentia? When arrogance is backed up with a firm foundation of experience and expertise, it's healthy. When it is boastful lacking substance, it's called ego. Yes, one must have a healthy ego to run for president in the first place, but ego alone does not a leader make. It's perplexing that for some unknown reason, a great many Blacks have jumped on Mr. Obama's bandwagon. Are we really that desperate for an example of racial pride? I've heard Black people say things like "it doesn't matter that he doesn't have experience. Do any presidents have experience before they get the job?" or "I am not even registered to vote to tell the truth, but yes I support him." Or things like "well, why can't we have this? We never get anything." What exactly do these statements mean? We even go as far as "well, I want my children to see someone like them." If we don't choose to see ourselves as examples for our own children, what about Colin Powell and Conde Rice? Are they just slackers to be overlooked? What happened to the critical thinkers amongst us? Any others out there?
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By: Xantu Rx on 8/05/2008 1:24PM
Cindy #1. As a white male republican I am supporting Mr. McCain for president. The operative word here is republican. I view Mr. Obama as a phenomenon of the media, with little to recommend him for our highest office except for his own high flown rhetoric.
I frequently read BV because these blogs do offer some insight into the thinking of Blacks. I do find a lot of what's written in these blogs to be lacking in thoughtfulness, but there is certainly a lot of passion for Mr. Obama's candidacy because of his race.
I think that a lot of white Americans are leery of Mr. Obama because he is a bit of a cypher; unknown and perhaps unknowable. I think he will do and say whatever he thinks people want to hear, and I don't believe he has any firm beliefs about anything other than his fervent desire to be president. If he is elected, which I doubt, I think white Americans will be holding their breath waiting for some catastrophe to occur.
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By: Joyce Ladner on 8/05/2008 1:46PM
It is unfortunate that the mainstream media propagate images of Obama as lacking substance and "can only give good speeches," or he is arrogant/an uppity Negro who must be punished. What is the punishment? It is to challenge him on every front, raise doubts about his ability to lead, and continue to say he is too new on the scene for voters to know very well. Many of his critics will punish him because he defeated Hillary Clinton. Would they be as angry if one of the white candidate such as John Edwards or Chris Dodd had defeated her? Would they link Paris and Brittany with someone else? http://theladnerreportblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/paris-brittany-and-cindy.html
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By: Tanya Spearman on 8/05/2008 2:05PM
This just hit the blog must read: http://ostroyreport.blogspot.com/2008/08/right-wing-attack-machine-and-race-card.html and this http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/26/AR2008072601891.html?nav=rss_politics Why won't MSM put this out?
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By: Tanya Spearman on 8/05/2008 2:03PM
The MSM is very comfortful with accuse obama playing the race card, but in fact, it the other way around. must The Ostroy Report title "The Right Wing Attack Machine and The Race Card.
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By: Not So Fast... on 8/05/2008 2:07PM
@ Xantu, funny I read many, many predominately white conservative websites and find them lacking in thoughtfulness. But their anti-Obama passion and color arousal fueled rants are humorous albeit sad. If McCain wins, and I doubt that he will, many Americans and citizens of the world over will be holding their breath anticipating a catastrophe.
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By: joan on 8/05/2008 4:10PM
Hello to white male...I am for Obama. I am a retired white female not that that matters, but I vote first for who I think will be the best man for the job..I want my country better for my children and grandchildren. In fact I want it now as soon as can be for all of us..it's not Blue states, it's not all states , it's the United States! And that is what I would like like I had after the last several wars. He is an excellent speaker and to me I believe in him..we are all created equal under God...have a good day!
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By: Analyst on 8/06/2008 9:58AM
Cindy, I hear you loud and clear. I too was at first caught up in the Obama hysteria, even sending him financial support before my eyes were opened to the truth of Sen. Obama's willingness to sell his soul to the devil to become president. The man is a disgrace to the dignity of thinking black Americans and a danger to the United States of America. This is possible president calling for Jerusalem to be the undivided capital of Israel, something the most radical Israelis do not broadcast. Sen. Obama has gave notice that he intends to plunge the Middle East into a bloodbath like never before in history. He has stabbed close friends in the back and sold black Americans down the river with offenses and insults no white candidate in this day and age would even give thought of doing. You are not alone in your repudiation of Sen. Obama. The courageous and thinking black youth of Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg rose to the occasion to challenge the puppet Obama. Soon more blacks will come to their senses about the man. There will be a black president of the United States that will bring prosperity and security to this nation and it will not be Sen. Obama.
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