Proof that Dispite All Our Progress, Racism is Not Dead

Most people who really know me, know that I highly tolerant and accepting even. I used to be militant and wear my blackness on my sleeve. This was a result of being accused by my black peers of “talking like a white girl,” and feeling like I always had to prove I was black enough. I know it sounds silly, but where I grew up proper English was a black kid’s kryptonite and so I just got used to either being alone and eventually building a multicultural group of friends.

But back to my point, I was terribly disappointed to find out a picture sent out by a local mayor, depicting the lawn of the White House as a watermelon patch. Are you fucking kidding me?! How is this appropriate in any way shape or form?

I’ll let you decide for yourself and even if you think I’m wrong you are more than welcome to let me know in the comments:

I was disturbed to find that there are actually people who really do not to get why one might be offended by this image. They say those of us who are offended are looking for reasons to be so. Just for the record, there is historical context and reason for the offending in this case. What with our new African American president, the caricatures of the black minstrel with the big pink lips eating watermelon…Seriously? There’s no reason to be upset or be disappointed in a public official who circulates something like that around his office?

There is actually a term for people who think racism is dead: enlightened racist. Yes, I know its harsh and I’d hate to think any of my friends (virtual or otherwise) are racists, but the fact is that’s what you are, if you can completely ignore racism and accuse the target of overreacting…sigh

Like I said, I don’t look for reasons to be offended. I was actually more bothered by the defense than the actual image itself. By the fact that people said that it should just be ignored. By this standard, this racist mayor would have been allowed to stay in office and that city would have reverted back to 40 years ago.

Seriously, 40 years is not that long folks…my grandmother was only a teen-ager during the desegregation civil rights movement. Her grand parents had been slaves and like so many African Americans, we have no way to trace our ancestry because we don’t know where we come from. Obviously we have made huge progress between then and now, so I don’t want to harp on the negative history. At the same time, the dismissive attitudes can take their toll.

Fine, don’t be offended. But don’t tell me I should just get over it, or ignore it. Don’t pretend that it can’t be racist because there are no racists anymore. Its not true and it makes you seem even more racist and ignorant than the person who created the image or circulated it. You, dear enlightened racist, are a barrier to progress with your turning a blind eye and denier syndrome. Racism is still very real and depicting the white house – currently inhabited by our first black president – is proof that as far as we have come, we still have a long way to go.

Reflections on President Obama’s Inauguration

This morning I watched the presidential inauguration; the first I have ever bothered watching. For the most part I thought it was all pomp and circumstance, but there was definitely a sense of excitement about the new president being sworn in.

I keep thinking about the amount of pressure Obama must be feeling. So much of our hope for change has been projected onto him. I’ve even heard a few of my neighbors talking about how so much was going to change for blacks…

Its kinda sad that on the day Obama was elected, the passing of Prop. 8 cast a dark cloud over the celebration and this time, apparently, it is the stocks that continue to plummet…that and the unfortunate Kennedy seizure during the inaugural luncheon.

These are not the things I’ll remember though. I’ll remember the palpable excitement and anxiety…That moment when I thought I saw just a glimmer of nerves when Obama was making that walk towards the stage to give his oath. He was so cool though, focused…I saw it though, a slight glimmer of “Oh my GOD! This is it!”

Ask me if I remember what he said and I’d have to admit that I haven’t processed it all yet. I haven’t gotten past the inflections in his voice, the way Obama speaks with such sincerity…

Hope indeed.

In many ways I’m just waiting to see what shape Obama’s presidency will take. The problems he has inherited are massive and in my mind, practically insurmountable. This is the perfect environment for Obama to show what he’s got; do the job he was hired to do.

It seems so strange to think of it that way, as a job…truly it is one of the gig of a lifetime, but it is after all a job. The office is said to age people incredibly quickly. With so much work to do, it will be interesting to see what Obama looks like after his second term.

I want to see what he’s going to do, see how the American people respond to his leadership.

I am…hopeful.

Tags: Barak Obama, Hope, Presidential Inauguration, Reflections, Stream of Consciousness

Why I Don’t Sign Petitions

They always catch you as you’re walking out of the grocery store. It seems like a good idea in theory; people need food. But the plan fails because most people are in a rush and those who do stop, do so out of some sense of obligation to listen to the solicitor’s pitch.

Now I’m all for people being encouraged to participate in the civic process. The only problem is that the average citizen is not informed enough to make snap judgments about politics – let alone legislation – as they walk into or out of the grocery store. Combine lack of information with the fact that signing these petitions is one of the places that our voting power is real, and you have a recipe for disaster.

When I think about the last few voting cycles and the proposed legislation, and how when I read the text and analysis, most of these proposed bills were very poorly writen. They often focus on some lofty idea, but when it comes to planning, implementation and fiscal cost, the initiatives are seriously lacking.

And how do these bills end up on the ballot? Because people sign while rushing out of the store. Having done no real research, and only reading the tiny summary presented on the petition. It’s sad that one of our most powerful political decisions is, more often than not, made in ignorance. Then we wonder why…

I don’t sign because I know that at the time of presentation, I usually don’t have the information to make such an important and simple decision. I want to make sure that I use my power wisely, and wish others would be equally prudent.

Next time you’re walking out of the grocery store and someone asks you to sign a petition, pleading with you to perform your civic duty…Before making a decision you don’t fully understand, just write down the name of the bill and go look it up. The solicitor won’t get his commision for your signature, but if you should decide to sign later, you rest assured knowing that you are truly an informed voter.

Tags: petitions, Voting

What’s This Shit About? A Rant on Prop 8

I can’t believe Prop 8 actually passed! I’ve been so out of the loop as far as keeping up with the news that I got my election coverage from Ireland (via a phone call)…But when I got the text message from my sister asking me how I voted, I just assumed it had failed. Apparently folks are far more concerned about the personal lives of others than I expected.

And you can imagine my surprise when I reply to my sister’s text that I had voted against the proposition and she shoots back, “What’s up with that?”

I’m thinking duh…Isn’t it obvious?

Apparently it wasn’t to her. “Don’t you believe in marriage the way God intended?”

Oh wow…here we go…

I felt my anger rise at her bigotry, and even more so because I remember a time when she was tolerant, if not accepting of alternate lifestyles. Now she’s voting to write discrimination and hatred into the Constitution and getting angry at me for not doing the same?

She sent me some shit about the sanctity of marriage being under attack from “the enemy” (read: the devil) and that it had nothing to do with religeon but God.

While I do understand the distinction, my understanding of what God intends varies slightly from what so many, more indoctrinated Christians believe. I’ve read the Old Testament; the stories of waring tribes, the laundry list of ritual, tales of tragedy and hope…

I’ve read the New Testament…The gospels tell of a man who had fully embraced the God within and all of the power that came along with that, while encouraging others to do the same. He and his followers performed miracles, raised the dead, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind…but it was really about the faith…We could all do these things and greater if only we embraced the power of God within.

Jesus…this son of God – spirit made flesh – also refused to judge people. Well, that’s not completely true. He did toss a few tables and chairs in the temple in frustration with the clergy…But when those self-righteous busy bodies wanted his permission to stone an adulteress, he ignored them, instead doodling on the ground. When pressed, he challenged them to examine themselves first.

What does all of this matter? Because it’s about the compassion and love for others regardless of their lifestyle choices; regardless of whether or not you agreed or thought it was right in the eyes of God. And people, Christians, seem to forget this compassion in their quest to save the souls of the nations. Instead of focusing on their own lives, and being an example of God through the way they lead their lives, they wish instead to impose their doctrine and dogma on others.

Well, my vote against Prop 8 had nothing to do with being Christian. It had nothing to do with whether or not I agree with same sex marriages or the redefining of marriage. It was purely about freedom and compassion. It was about tolerance and acceptance.

What business is it of mine to deny two people the right of being legally married; of validating their love with a promise of forever? This kind of dedication to love does not erode my sense of commitment, it had no baring on my right to marry. The ads against the proposition talked about kids learning marriage in schools; a bogus scare tactic. Fear is the enemy, not the validation of love between two people.

The vote to pass this horrible discriminatory bill has chipped away at our collective freedoms, in favor of religious fear and bigotry. Way to go folks…

I’m truly disappointed…

Tags: Bigotry, Prop 8, Religion, Voting

Choosing Change

Forget white or black, male or female, young or old…I know that part of the reason the US is currently an international joke is because our leaders, have abused their power. They sent our youth to fight a war based on lies, deregulated everything in the hopes that greedy capitalists would police themselves, and preyed on the xenophobia and fears of the populous. When will the American people grow tired of politicians who are nothing but a collection of sound bites, who tell bold face lies to gain our trust and who do the opposite of what they say they will?

When I decided who my presidential candidate was, I took several things into account: principle, character, heart and policy. I chose Barak Obama because I see that he truly has a heart for the middle class, working person. He believes in the American Dream because he is living it. He knows and understands that we workers are the nation’s economic wheel. That the reason for the current economic collapse is because the middle class has been bled dry by weasels in the finance industry who were allowed to run amok by the Bush administration. He will not let the country continue disregarding its people in the name of faux national security. And while there are points on which I strongly disagree with Obama (namely his support of Israeli Zionism), I will vote for him because I still think he is the right person for the job.

When I watched the debates over the last couple weeks I noticed that neither of the candidates really said much with substance. I was however, disgusted by John McCain’s "I’ve been around for a long time" cadence combined with his co-opting of the "campaign for change." On top of this, he selected a running mate who doesn’t know the office she’s running for is part of the Executive Branch or what the Bush Doctrine is, who makes up lies about the other candidate’s financial plan because she doesn’t know that only 3% of the population makes over $200k annually and whose idea of a debate is sticking to the talking points given her by her campaign managers (regardless of the question asked). I’d say we, as a nation, are screwed if team McCain/Palin gets elected to the White House.

It frustrates me that there are people who will vote for them. Who actually believe the bile that came out of Palin’s mouth last Thursday and are comforted by old man McCain. It saddens me to think that there are people who will vote for McCain just to vote against the black man and that there are people who will vote for Obama for the same reason. Although both positions are symptoms of ignorance, the later at least indicates some sort of hope on the part of certain sectors of the population, while the former is a symptom of racism. Hopefully the educated, silent majority to exercise their voices come Novemeber and allow Barak Obama to be the catalyst for change this nation is in dire need of.

Obama/McCain Presidential Debate: Round I

Wow, never thought my inaugural post here would be politics. That’s what’s on my mind, so that’s what I’ll talk about.

Last night’s debate was rather disappointing. From the very first question, I waited and waited for Obama or McCain to say something substantive, but it was all fluff. Despite my general disenchantment, I still thought Barak Obama was the overall winner of the debate, for several reasons.

The cornerstone of John McCain’s arguments was Barak Obama’s lack of experience. Over and over, McCain reminded us about his war history and that he had been around for a long time. He also said Obama did not understand in response to Obama’s disagreement on almost every issue.

Besides the fact that disagreement is not the same as misunderstanding, what threw a wrench in McCain’s plan was when he said that Obama didn’t understand the difference between a strategy (the overall plan to achieve a goal/objective) and a tactic (specific implementation of a strategy). Not only was it pedantic, but if you paid careful attention to the examples used, McCain was the one who got the two mixed up.

In terms of the war, individual battles and such would be a tactic. McCain had the terms reversed, calling a specific battle a strategy. I probably wouldn’t have paid attention to a little detail like that, but McCain harped and harped on the fact that Obama just didn’t understand and then in his example, he was wrong. Unfortunately, most people don’t know the difference between the two terms (overall plan vs plan implementation) and missed that slip up; especially since even the analysts didn’t pick it up.

The other thing that really tilted the tables in Obama’s favor was McCain’s effort to blame people who didn’t want to invade Iraq in the first place, for the failure of said invasion. He called the current condition a “fragile victory,” saying that Obama’s lack of understanding and insistence on pulling the troops out of Iraq, would lead to Al Qaida setting up camp once the troops were gone.

So let me get this straight: The whole point of invading Iraq (or how it was sold rather) was because that’s where Al Qaida was hiding out, stacking weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). Since the invasion, we’ve learned that not only were there no WMDs but there was also no Al Qaida. Toss on the fact that the Iraqi people obviously don’t like American occupation of their country, and it becomes apparent that the failure was in deciding to invade Iraq in the first place. It was based on lies and a large reason for why our national spending is out of control.

What do you think?