March 5th, 2007
Democratic Party
If you follow politics,”Happy Days are Here again.”There is plenty of excitment on the democratic side. The republicans, Ann Coulter, Scooter Libby,Iraq, the Vice President, nuff said. We did not even speak about son of a Bush! A party in shambles! My friends at the Polical Grind and Media Lizzy have excellent political blogs and are on my blog roll. My thing is business and as blacks in business we must have an awareness of the polical landscape.
Yesterday both Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton were in Selma Alabama to speak at black churches. Hillary brought her better half,particularly when it comes to black folk, former President Bill Clinton. Bill has been mentioned as the first black President and Barrack is the first black main stream canidate.
The dynamics are best exhibited by the long line of civil rights veterans crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in the “Bloody Sunday” anniversity march. Sen. Barrack Obama arms linked with MLK disciple, Joesph Lowery and on the other end,Sen. Hillary Clinton held hands with MLK disciple, Rep. John Lewis. Rep Lewis had all but endorsed Barrack Obama, saying all along, he could not wait for the day when a black could be a serious contender for the Presidency. Then former president Bill Clinton called.
Many black democratic voters are having a hard time deciding between the Clintons and Barrack. It has to anger Sen. Obama, to have to prove he is blacker than a white woman for the hearts of black people.
I support Sen. Obamba all the way but I must admit, I do not like the fact that members of his family owned slaves. I would like to hear the Sen. address this fact.Bill Clinton’s family may have owned slaves as well but I expect that from whites. This is an issue of inter breeding but I am still in full support of Barrack. Please see the link below from the Baltimore Sun on the Obama family linkage to slave owners.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/politics/bal-te.obama02mar02,0,3453027.story
March 5th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
can you really hold something that he has no control over against him?
i’m obama in 08 as well, but this whole ’slave owner ancestors’ is silly. all of my opinions are on our website, but i think it’s worth noting that dna mapping and technological innovation will only expose the truths to all of us ultimately allowing NONE of us to judge others because we are all a part of history.
March 5th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Fredric, I have met Barrack on a few occasions and like, trust and support him. I see this as an opportunity to speak out regarding slavery and the many aspects of life that have held back many of our people. He can offer his plan for economic development for inner cities that will enhance employment and lower crime. I think he has an opportunity to make this stuff silly by offering a solution to release many from despair and benefit the US economy as a whole. True he had nothing to do with slavery but he can take steps to pull the country together because of his credibility. He can be a bridge between the white and black communties. think about it. thanks for the comment
March 5th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
That’s a lot of issues you’ve put on the table, Jim. How much do you agree with that statement, understandably metaphorical, that Bill Clinton was America’s first black president? I’ve always had trouble understanding the full impact of that comparison. I think you may be right about Obama’s opportunity to build bridges between races and communities, but it’s turbulent water, don’t you think? What could be worse than appearing to squeeze political benefit from a heritage of slave-holding? I wouldn’t know how to advise him on that one. Hillary didn’t sound black to me, but she touched a lot of bases in her bald appeal to black voters. I did think I detected new accents and language in Obama’s speech, too. You’re probably right: he’s feeling the pressure to compete for a voting block neither candidate can take for granted. Did I really hear him say Uncle Jethro had to get off the couch and get to the polls?
March 6th, 2007 at 11:45 am
David, thanks for the comment.First, Bill Clinton was a white southern governor who did little for blacks. His genius in race relations was he was and is comfortable with black culture.He aknowledged us as people and that gave us better self esteme. No other president in my lifetime have had a understanding of black culture.Building a bridge between the races and developing a econonmic plan to help the sons and daughters of former slaves is not about a political advantage, it is an opportunity to exhibit leadership.I did not hear the Uncle Jethro comment but it is fun to observe. Keep hope alive
March 6th, 2007 at 11:51 am
Thank you for creating a space where I could feel comfortable asking, Jim. I do have hope always, not so much in politicians, but in the culture to somehow make advances as simple humans find better ways of getting along.
March 6th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
David, you are a deep thinker and I encourage all vistors to read one of your short stories. Think about it, “What if Rosa Parks had given her seat to the white man” Would Barrack have been Senator or run for President?See David’s short story and you will think about it.
March 6th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
I think it is ridiculous to hold Obama accountable for the fact that his ancestors owned slaves; and use that to discredit him. This would not even be an issue for a white candidate, most if not all of them have slave ownership in their ancestry. The leadership opportunities you mentioned would still be there and important without the exposure of a heritage, which should be irrelevant as they have no bearing on Obama’s ability to lead the country. If we dig deep enough, many might find that many of us are related to slave owners. We should be careful not be easily derailed into expecting things we would not otherwise. Regardless of this unfortunate heritage, I think many minorities nation wide would expect Obama to use his position (if elected president) much in the way you described and would be disappointed if he failed to do so.
March 9th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Kimberlee, thanks for the comment, I support Senator Obama,he will help more black business people and young people reach toward the sky. The election is a fight and it is good some controversial matters are being discussed early. Now we can get to issues, the candidates may be close on issues but leadership is where Obama will shine. The question is America ready for a black President. Even more compelling is, looking at the blacks in Hillarys camp, IS black America ready for a black President.
March 10th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Obama’s link to slavery should not be an issue. African Americans who research their family trees are likely to discover they have black as well as white ancestors who onwed slaves. In the United States, thousands of free blacks owned slaves. Some of them were simply purchasing relatives out of slavery, but others bought slaves for the same reason white plantation owners bought slaves. One of the South’s biggest slave owners was a free black man who was notorious for his harsh treatment of slaves.
Modern-day Americans may equate the world “slave” with the word “black,” but that is true only because of a lack of historical knowledge. The word “slave” derives from the word “Slavic,” or Eastern European. Eurpean slaves were still being sold in slave markets in the 1800s. There were also white slaves in colonial America. These are not to be confused with indentured servants (indentured servitude was actually a pretty good deal). These white slaves and their children were wholly owned by their masters the same way black slaves were owned. There were not nearly as many as white slaves as there were black saves because white slaves were in high demand in the Muslim world. This made them too expensive compared to black slaves that could be purchased relatively cheaply from the African slave markets.
Most Europeans are the descendants of slaves as well as slave owners. The fuedal system began replacing slavery in Northern Europe during the Middile Ages when landowners discovered collecting rents was easier than owning slaves. Even the Irish’s beloved Saint Patrick was a fomer slave.
Native Americans also practiced slavery, before and after the European discover of American. The largest slave market that ever existed in the Americas was the one the Aztecs operated in pre-Colombian times. The Native Americans raided European settlements to capture white slaves, who were bartered between the tribes. The Spanish enslaved Native Americans as well as blacks. The American Civil War did not end slavery on tribal lands. The U.S. goverment ended slavery following the Civil War by buying slaves from the tribes. The Cherokee were the last to give up their slaves. The Cherokee Nation recent voted to ban the descendants of Cherokee slaves from the tribal rolls.
March 12th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
I find it hard to believe that African Americans are most likely to find we have black ancetors that owned slaves, some yes. As far as white ancesors, any births via rape are not included as true ancesors. I do not think any of the other slaves examples you cited , have suffered as much as black american slaves. I support Senator Obama and will vote for him.
Your comment is rich with fact and should be of value to my readers. Thankyou for your thoughtful contribution. I still do not like the fact Obama’s family owned salves. If my familt did as well, I do not like that either.
March 12th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Well Jim, I’m finally able to visit this site. Unfortunately, once I get home I have even less time to surf around as it’s the only time I have to spend with my family.
Barack Obama and a historical link to slave ownership? Sorry, I could care less. This shouldn’t be an indicator of who he is; if it’s true he also should not be held accountable for that which he has/had no control.
Is America ready for a black president? I would be ashamed if it were not; the same goes for a woman. That said, I do not think Obama is ready to be president, nor do I think he has put in enough time to deserve/warrant it; that is if anyone deserves or warrants being president as they all tend to be pretty full of it.
Hillary as first woman pres? No, there as well. I believe that deep down inside this woman is a power hungry politician that put aside various interests in the interest of seeking power herself one day. I do not believe for one instant that the marriage she and Bill share is anything but superficial. ‘Alright Bill, it’s your turn to pay back what you owe.’ She honestly scares me. The fact that she can suddenly pull off the various lines she has thrown out, ie. Selma of late, smiling and warm. Those were crap examples. I just cannot miss the change she has gone through in just the past year, let alone the past 15. She is dangerous.
I wish I could spend more time here and visit some of your other posts, but unfortunately I cannot get through to the site from work. Lunchtime is always a good time to peruse. I’ll be back though. Site looks great and I’m sure your other posts are thoughtful as well.
March 14th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Blandly, thanks for the comment. I have to agree with most, experience, George W Bush, Bill Clinton, John Kennedy, 3 presidents with little experience. The race for president has become one of salesmanship. The best salesman wins. Think about, Bush, Clinton and Kennedy are all good salesman. Salesmanship or lack there of is what may bring Hillary down
April 5th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
Sorry if I am an intruder in the conversation. I am white, young and european, from the Basque Country.
I think Obama’s problem should not be whether his ancestors were slave holders or not. He has no responsibility on that. He should be judged by the way he has built his career, his way of living the black identity and the way he deals with the past (ancestors). He can be ashamed of what some of his ancestors did in the past, for instance. I think it should be him, who with deeds and words should clarify “his” position. If he has not yet, that could be a reason to critizice him.
April 5th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Felix, thanks for stopping by and making a comment. I love a diversity of opinion and I support Senator Obama’s run for President. My worry regarding race is like how you open, why would you feel like an intruder? Is because you are white, or young or European? You are welcome and the demographics do not matter. Race is even a bigger divider in the US. I agree with your comment
April 16th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Say What, Barrack?
By Paul R. Hollrah
Tuning in to C-Span recently, I found myself listening to a speech by Senator Barrack Hussein Obama, Jr. He was standing in the pulpit of a black church in Selma, Alabama, and as I studied the body language of the dozen or so black ministers standing behind the senator, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the little head-bobbing dolls that people used to place in the rear windows of their 1957 Chevrolets. If their reactions are any indication, the new Schlickmeister of the Democrat Party is actually a pretty accomplished public speaker.
However, as he spoke, I found my bull_ _ _ _ alarm going off repeatedly. But I couldn’t quite figure out why until I actually read excerpts of his speech several days later. Here’s part of what he said:
“..something happened back here in Selma, Alabama. Something happened in Birmingham that sent out what Bobby Kennedy called, ‘ripples of hope all around the world.’ Something happened when a bunch of women decided they were going to walk instead of ride the bus after a long day of doing somebody else’s laundry, looking after somebody else’s children.
“When (black) men who had PhDs decided ‘that’s enough’ and ‘we’re going to stand up for our dignity,’ that sent a shout across oceans so that my grandfather began to imagine something different for his son. His son, who grew up herding goats in a small village in Africa could suddenly set his sights a little higher and believe that maybe a black man in this world had a chance.
“So the Kennedys decided we’re going to do an air lift. We’re going to go to Africa and start bringing young Africans over to this country and give them scholarships to study so they can learn what a wonderful country America is.
“This young man named Barack Obama got one of those tickets and came over to this country. He met this woman whose great great-great-great-grandfather had owned slaves. But she had a good idea there was some craziness going on because they looked at each other and they decided that we know that, [in] the world as it has been, it might not be possible for us to get together and have a child. There was something stirring across the country because of what happened in Selma, Alabama, because some folks are willing to march across a bridge. So they got together and Barack Obama Jr. Was born. So don’t tell me I don’t have a claim on Selma, Alabama. Don’t tell me I’m not coming home to Selma, Alabama.”
Okay, so what’s wrong with that? It all sounds good. But is it?
Obama told his audience that, because some folks had the courage to “march across a bridge” in Selma, Alabama, his mother, a white woman from Kansas, and his father, a black Muslim from Africa, took heart. It gave them the courage to get married and have a child. The problem with that characterization is that Barrack Obama, Jr. was born on August 4, 1961, while the first of three marches across that bridge in Selma didn’t occur until March 7, 1965, at least five years after Obama’s parents met.
Obama went on to tell his audience that the Kennedys, Jack and Bobby, decided to do an airlift. They would bring some young Africans over so that they could be educated and learn all about America. His grandfather heard that call and sent his son, Barrack Obama, Sr., to America.
The problem with that scenario is that, having been born in August 1961, the future senator was not conceived until sometime in November 1960. So, if his African grandfather heard words that “sent a shout across oceans,” inspiring him to send his goat-herder son to America, it was not Democrat Jack Kennedy he heard, or his brother Bobby. It was Republican President Dwight D.
Eisenhower.
Obama’s speech is reminiscent of Al Gore’s claim of having invented the Internet, Hillary Clinton’s claim of having been named after the first man to climb Mt. Everest (even though she was born five years and seven months before Sir Edmund climbed the mountain), and John Kerry’s imaginary trip to Cambodia.
As one of my black friends, Eddie Huff, has said, “We need to ask some very serious questions of the senator from Illinois. It’s not enough to be black, it’s not enough to be articulate, and it’s not enough to be eloquent and a media darling. The only question will be how deaf an ear, or how blind an eye, will people turn in order to turn a frog into a prince.”
It appears that Senator Barrack Hussein Obama, Jr. is not a ‘fresh face,’ as media sycophants like to describe him. He’s just another in a long line of Democrat snake oil salesmen.
October 16th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
While not really following American politics I think African Americans should not only vote with their hearts but also their heads, everyone makes mistakes and we should look at the political agendas of the electorate today and not when he was in his twenties. Over here in Australia we are about to go through an election it is frantic over here at the moment!
All the best, Ken.