Picking a President doesn't make you more or less Black

This is a repost from VASS, my political blog - where I have followed the Presidential election since 2006. I think it will be helpful to those that my still be making up their minds on this election. You can find a ton of information on Senator Obama and Senator McCain, and the election there.

I find it interesting as we come upon the 2008 election to reflect on what has occurred in this year. From the surprising Democratic Primaries up til now there has been a shift in politics that will never be undone. I never thought I would see this in my lifetime, and now I look forward to the fact that it will happen again and again.

Obviously I am speaking about Senator Obama, his rise in prominence, and the potential of his becoming the First Black President.

It’s a proud moment for every African American. Especially for those of us that have lived decades without the chance even being a glimmer in possibility. This in many ways is the culmination of the struggles of the 1960’s.

To bad that I won’t vote for him.

And that is the big thing. I have been slammed by associates, readers, and too many others on this one point. The non-acceptance of my decision to not vote for Obama has been a sledgehammer in my blogs and my personal life. You would think I was stabbing someone.

This has been a very personal election, unlike any other in my life. I’ve been questioned, insulted, disputed, and more often than not cursed. Were it not happening to me I’d even say it was sort of funny.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve been told I’m not Black. That I’ve done something wrong. That writing about the issues, and noting the problems I have with Obama’s policies is somehow a disservice to my race. I’ve even been told I’m un-American. And of course there have been more than a few racists that have misused my words and thoughts for their own twisted ends.

But tonight I was just sitting back writing and listening to my MP3 (I bought my first one just this year) and James Brown’s Say It Loud came up. I listened to the lyrics several times and then read them.

Uh! With your bad self!

Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!

Some people say we've got a lot of malice
Some say it’s a lot of nerve
But I say we won't quit moving until we get what we deserve
We have been bucked and we have been scorned
We have been treated bad, talked about as just bones
But just as it takes two eyes to make a pair, ha
Brother we can’t quit until we get our share

Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!
One more time!
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!

I worked on jobs with my feet and my hand
But all the work I did was for the other man
Now we demand a chance to do things for ourselves
We're tired of beatin' our head against the wall
And workin' for someone else

Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud

We're people, we're just like the birds and the bees
We'd rather die on our feet
Than be livin' on our knees

Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud

I’m Black Puerto Rican and I’m Proud. I’m also insulted that I have to make such a statement because of my political beliefs.

I have worked hard, lived through fights, slurs, been denied jobs, and been homeless twice. I’ve gained an education, never been hooked on drugs, lived overseas, been part of the military, and helped more than a few on my path to where I am today. And every day I’ve lived I woke up as Black Puerto Rican as the day before. I have no illusions, and no problems with that.

But to try to discredit my lineage and birthright because of a political position is just absurd. It pisses me off.

This election is not about righting the wrongs of racism, segregation or any other race based issue past or present. Obama is not Malcolm X, Martin Luther King or any other civil rights activist. Electing Obama will not suddenly make police forces in L.A., New York, Philadelphia or anywhere in the nation treat Black, or any other racial and ethnic group, any better than the day before. And racists won’t wake up with larger minds or a better understanding of humanity.

I respect and admire Senator Obama. He’s accomplished things I wouldn’t try to do. The fear of being murdered, especially before I could enact positive change on some issues is too strong in me. He is going for it anyway and that takes balls.

But that does not mean I must follow blindly and accept his every word and policy as best because he said so. His path was no less difficult or extraordinary than my own, and that of millions of other non- and White Americans. As such he is subject to the same critique as anyone. In fact I would consider myself much less of a man, and less of a Black Puerto Rican, if I did not judge him in the same way I would anyone else.

Listen to that song. James Brown didn’t ask for any corners cut. He didn’t demand obedience to a color, in fact he demands the opposite. He demands that we empower ourselves and live by the standards we create. That everyone that meets us shows the same respect and dignity that we exemplify individually and as a group.

And when I have lived a life of just that, how dare anyone try to denigrate me for that.

Obviously I am speaking about a few people. Many have sound reasons for believing in Obama. Many never considered race and they came to a separate decision than mine. And I respect that.

But that’s not who I am talking about.

I’m talking about the people that loved me when I supported Senator Obama over Senator Clinton in the Democratic Primaries. They also ignored my support of Fred Thompson and Senator McCain at the time. They ignored my strong Republican views. They only saw my race and that of Obama. Some where White, and some where not.

It’s those same people that have abandoned my blogs, or attacked them since. And I have to wonder how they came to see me as any less of a man, no matter my color.

When America comes to a point where race is more important than the man or the message, the nation is in trouble. Just as the nation was falling in the late 50’s and 60’s the same threat still exists. And when that same color-focused blinders are on and any deviation is attacked we return to the same dangers that existed a mere 40 years ago.

Maybe I’ve followed this election for too many years, been too involved in trying to cover the facts that too few have the time to see. Maybe I’m up to late every night and day for you my readers. Maybe I need a vacation as my skin is getting a bit thin.

So yes I’m venting. But as that may be, I’ll get some sleep and be back at it tomorrow like I have for years now. I hope to see you all then.

Response to 'Average American' comment on comparing news coverage Part 4 - 9.28.2007.4

Concluding from Response to 'Average American' comment on comparing news coverage Part 3...

You go on to say that OJ was freed, actually he was found innocent by a jury of his peers which included Whites. He did nothing more than what other rich men have done. Afforded a great legal team. How much time did Senator Ted Kennedy spend for Chappaquiddick?

The D.C. Mayor was elected. Drug use or not. And how many politicians are duplicitous in their actions? Perhaps you might also find fault that Senator Hillary Clinton took $850,000 from a man (Norman Hsu) that had a warrant for his arrest, evaded prosecution, and scammed people for that money. Even after the fact of his past was revealed, the Clinton campaign spent weeks before mentioning how much money he had given. They even initially tried to give away only $32,000 AFTER they knew of his record. You want to speak about questionable political figures; a Presidential candidate may be where you want to start.

And the Duke Lacrosse team. Those innocent boys, that hired strippers for a drunken party with minors. Whose actions prior to this event gave pause to their credibility and claim of innocence. That had every media outlet defending them from day one. That received justice, fame, and monetary gain for their troubles. Do I feel bad for them? No, they are richer today, several having graduated, and have no long term problem.

“How is it that so many black people care so little for truth? With the turnout at the Jena march it suggests there is a huge disparity in understanding that exists between the black population and the rest of America.”

Truth? I think I have clearly stated the events involved. What part of the events in Jena do you see as a lie? You disagree that there were nooses hung? You already said they were. You dispute the honesty that the White boy was attacked? No one has said he wasn’t. That all of this was started because of remnants of the segregation that was rampant in the South in your youth? While no one has said it exactly as I just have, everyone agrees that the source of all this was Blacks sitting under a tree that was considered Whites only. So what lie have African Americans assumed as truth?

I agree there is a disparity, but not in the manner you suggest. If you are the ‘Average American’, which I severely doubt having read your words several times, then there is a large disparity between Americans living in the 21st Century and yourself. The rest of us are willing to say a law or action is wrong. White, Black, Hispanic/Latino or any other minority. The average person I know in America wants a rule of law that is fair and equal, in execution and meaning. Those I know would not only write in protest, but march for what they believe. An even smaller portion, and no less or more loyal, have taken an oath, as I have, to defend this nation and ALL her people.

I have given an oath, as did my father, both grandfathers, and a sister. I believe in the Constitution and the Amendments. I have and those before me, and many today, have sweat and bled for this nation. That means I believe in your right to have your opinion and voice it. I further invite and encourage commentary on the posts that I make. But that does not mean that either of us has to agree.

I feel that you have a mind that is closed to some aspects of life. I believe you cannot accept that things happen in this nation that you would never allow to happen to a White American. I believe you think that life in America is fine as is, and because I believe you are White and have never faced any of the events and problems I, my family and friends have encountered they don’t exist in your mind.

If rose colored glasses could work in reality, the world would be far better. But they don’t. Slavery was real, as was Jim Crow laws. Segregation lasted longer than the 60’s, and racism persists today. That doesn’t mean I will blithely accept these things. I am successful and strive for better.

At the same time, I am constantly reminded that I am an African American Puerto Rican, and that everything I have made can be lost quickly. I am reminded that for every obstacle I surmount there is another waiting. And I am reminded that people that share your views will make my life difficult, sometime without their own conscious intent, to live.

I leave you with this thought. Life is fluid and in constant motion. The moment you stop trying to improve you start to decay. This is true of Justice, Equality, and personal actions.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Response to 'Average American' comment on comparing news coverage - 9.28.2007.1

This is in response to a comment from Average American on my post Compare White and Black news coverage Part 2 - 9.25.2007.2. My response was so long I felt it was better as a post of it's own. Please refer to the link to see the comment that lead to this post.


Thank you for responding Average American.

I too feel I am an Average American. I’m 39, of Black Puerto Rican decent and grew up in the Bronx going to public schools. As I state in my bio, I did not grow up in any special way and wealth was never a factor in my young life.

Given that, I do recall how the N-word was used back in the 70’s and throughout my life, including recently. I can recite multiple events, in New York City and the Northeast, where race and law enforcement directly collided against me. Oh, let me add another fact of my life. I’ve never been arrested nor involved in any crime. Yet off the top of my head I can recall several incidents where I have had police draw guns on me, while at college or driving on the parkway, or driving down Hollywood Blvd with friends (White and Asian). I have lived with the knowledge first-hand and through observation that race is a MAJOR factor in how the law and justice are applied in America.

I also have spoken with friends of mine of other races and found that consistently White Americans are not faced with these same events and outcomes. To deny the fact of how race affects issues in my decades of life is to ignore facts that exist. You may not have experienced them, or not recognized when they happened, but that does not change that they happen.

While I agree that if, in the Jena 6 case, race is not considered there is no question that there was an attack made. There is no question that there were 6 against 1. There is some dispute, as stated by Rev. Jesse Jackson and others, whether or not the victim was kicked and/or when he became unconscious. That makes this a crime and prosecution is justified. No one has questioned that.

The question is the application of the law. The victim was not seriously injured. He attended a dance, or some other social event, later that same day. If murder was the intent, 6 people are more than enough to accomplish this, especially if he were unconscious. This was a fight, lopsided but a fight all the same. To charge attempted murder is over the top.

In comparison, days earlier a White student brought a shotgun to school to intimidate one or several Black students. That student, in a nation that has endured Columbine and college shootings, was not charged or reprimanded. Is not a firearm attempted murder when used in this manner? Where is the justice and equal treatment under the law?

While you might say this is a hate crime, I disagree. Were this a random White male selected you might be right. But this student was part of a group of White males that attacked one of the Jena 6; I believe it was Mr. Bell, the day prior striking him allegedly with a bottle. The attack by the 6 Black males was an opportunistic attack in retribution. If the first attack the day earlier, and the shotgun being brought to school, are not hate crimes, then neither is the Black males fight. In fact because this was retaliation on other violence it can be easily argued that race was never a factor.

Continued in part 2...

Andre 3000 as Sammy Davis Jr - 6.21.2007.1

On some lighter news I wanted to mention I saw a little while ago. A movie will be made soon on the life of the multi-talented entertainer Mr. Sammy Davis Jr. The film will be a portrayal of his news making relationship with Ms. Kim Novak. The key starring role will be going to one member of the music group Outkast, Andre 3000.

Andre 3000 has been getting a lot of attention and work in film and television lately. He has a children’s television show on the Cartoon Network, was in the re-make of Charlotte’s Web, had a supporting role in 4 Brothers, and starred in the movie Idlewild. The question of course is he capable of pulling off the role.

While there is no question that Andre 3000 can sing, his acting is questionable. He isn’t a stellar actor, though I place him head and shoulders above virtually all those rapper-think-I’m-an-actor actors out these days. So at worst he will be able to convincingly do the singing portion. In terms of look they are similar so that will help as well. The main problem I think is that Mr. Sammy Davis Jr. was not a tall man. Andre 3000 is taller and so that might throw things off a bit. Unless I am mistaken on their heights.

For those too young to remember Mr. Sammy George Davis Jr., you really missed a great performer. This World War II veteran, could sing, dance, play instruments, do stand up comedy and impressions. He came from a family (dad was like me, Black and Puerto Rican, his mother was either Cuban or Puerto Rican) that did vaudeville and thus like many of that time could do it all. Today’s entertainers may be good, but few of them can do more than one thing, Mr. Davis did it all.

Not only did Mr. Sammy Davis Jr. rise to be a renowned entertainer, he broke racial barriers while doing it. During most of his life segregation was not a word, but a fact of life. It’s been reported how he often performed in Las Vegas, filling the house, but was not allowed to stay in the hotels he worked at. [That changed when Mr. Frank Sinatra took his side.] Interracial dating may be a common practice for those under 30 these days, but in the 60’s it was a reason why he was removed from the inaugural party for President Kennedy. Yet he surmounted this, and a car accident that nearly killed him and cost him an eye.

That’s an entertainer. I only hit a few of his accomplishments, and struggles. So when I saw I wonder if Andre 3000 can pull it off, you have an idea why.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Concluding 39 years of reflection - 4.3.2007.3

Continued from Part 2...

Perhaps I can sum it up by saying this, the culture today believes in dying like you live. I, and many that are my age, believe in living until I die. The difference is hardly subtle.

I think that the Black community shares my view. I think many want to strive for more. I think we can be more. But I think far too many are stuck on distractions. There is a desire to have bling, and other such nonsense, because someone else has it. There is a desire for a leader to arrive and make things better. There is a desire for justice to take hold. In 38 years it hasn’t happened, and I don’t see that attitude helping it get there.

A cell phone, cable tv, designer clothes and high priced sneakers will not get you a better life. It won’t make you smarter, give you healthy children, or improve your job. Waiting for someone to lead will only make you sheep. Following the trend because that’s what you see around you just makes you a lemming. Doing drugs because they are available and cool only makes you an addict.

There is no excuse for not increasing your knowledge. The computer this is on is a gateway for that. You can gain anything you want; you just have to go after it. I can attest to that fact, I am doing it now. Don’t wait for someone to lead you, lead others if they will follow. Don’t accept less than you are worth. If you would pay for better clothes, what would you pay for a better life? Why accept less? Don’t settle for what you are given. You get what you pay for and if it’s free it’s not worth much. Don’t get caught up with what the Jones’ have, it’s not yours. Everyone wants something someone else has, someone wants what you have. Accept what you do have, plan for what you don’t, and then strive to get to the level above that. Do that and you will be the Jones’. How do you think they got there?

If parts of this upset you, good. It’s not meant to be nice. It’s a wake up call. It’s a slap in the face of complacency. It’s a call to action, and only you can answer it. I’ve spent almost 39 years going for what I think I want and deserve. In ways I’ve succeeded, others not. Yet I’m pleased that I can get where I want to be. I’m hopeful I can get others to follow my lead, and if not I won’t stop going. I have knowledge and that fuels my life, but I’m not special.

The difference between me and you is perhaps that I’m going to be 39 and you are not. The difference is that I don’t care about bling, because I have lived without it with no complaint. The difference is that I made a choice, and accepted the responsibility and consequences of that choice. I am a MAN, 39, African American Puerto Rican and my own.

Maybe, just maybe, when you are my age you can say similar things. But perhaps you will say far more.

This is what I think, what do you think?