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  • DMV
    With regard to responding to this question of supporting Barack Obama or not as a black person, I think it necessary to address many of the reasons given by so many blacks as to why they are supporting him; first, there is the position that blacks should support him simply because he is black and his campaign is “making history.” In response to this position, I must say that this makes absolutely no sense or in other words, is non-sense.
    Black people in America have got to start developing some real political intelligence and voting based simply on the basis of race is unintelligent. This is why we wind up electing black people who consistently work against our interests, because instead of examining their stances on the issues of the day that concern us and their past record, we look only at their skin color as opposed to that of their opponent. Thus, we vote for the likes of William Jefferson, Sanford Bishop, Harold Ford, and Albert Wynn to name just a few who have used “black” skin to serve white interests.

    The majority of the Congressional Black Caucus has been exposed as being more committed to serving corporate and other “special” interests than those of their black constituencies. As a whole, the CBC has not taken any stand in the interest of black people in America, Africa, the Caribbean, nor any where else. But they are “black” in our minds, therefore, their betrayals become excusable. This is the same tact that many blacks supporting Obama take when presented with his non to anti-black stances and responses to white racism of America…”Well, he has to say that,” or “take that position because he is running for the White House.” And to me, it is like excusing the black cop that goes out and abuses black folk worse than white cops, by saying that he has to do so in order to be a cop. I have even been told by some black folk that they would rather have a black oppressor than a white one, which is absolutely insane, for it means that we are willing to accept oppression, especially if it comes from some one looking like us.

    The next argument put forth by black Obamanites is that “our parents fought and died for the right to vote” and by implication, Obama’s almost certain victory in the fall amounts to a victory for black people. This position is an emotional reaction, not responsive, and really has absolutely nothing to do with Obama. Our “parents” did not fight and die for us to waste the vote on people who although “black,” are not in some substantive why committed to representing and asserting our need for social equality and justice. Obama, keep in mind, has made it clear that he is not “Black,” he just happens to be the product of a white mother and black father, he says that there are “no black or white Americans, there are just Americans.” However, we know and are constantly reminded by America that that is simply not real, it is not “race neutral” and has no intention of ever being such because after all, this is “America.”

    Then there is the argument that not supporting Obama and ultimately the Democratic Party, is to support McCain and the Republican Party. This is another baseless argument since in reality, there is very little difference between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, with the latter having a long history of pimping black folk and then turning on us with crime bills and failing to protect our purported “civil rights” from Republican attacks. Remember how in the 1990s many black people were running around proclaiming Bill Clinton as the “first black president,” because he seemed to be kindly to us darkies with the appointment of certain blacks to positions in his cabinet and what not, while at the same time pursuing policies and supporting legislation aimed directly at inflicting greater harm on our families and communities such as the “welfare to work” and the “War on Drugs.”

    Lastly, I say that our participation in the presidential elections serves no greater purpose than the provision in the U.S. constitution that included us only for the purpose of apportionment…that is we count for them, not for ourselves. I believe that we need to focus more on local politics, building local power to obtain political accountability, and Obama is telling black folk that he will not be held accountable to us, he is committed to “America” and the “middle class,” both positions ignoring and denying the factor of race.
    Keep in mind the “America” is a concept of white nationalism no different from that which served as the basis for the apartheid states of the former Rhodesia and Union of South Africa, and that of Israel and Australia. All of these were and are the product of European invasion, conquest, and occupation of other people’s land…their entire existence is based on perpetuating that invasion, conquest, and occupation.

    No, I am not concerned with and do not support Obama’s run for da’big house, I am sure that Nat Turner and Harriet Tubman would not have changed their minds simply because the house negro became the massa’ of a particular plantation or somehow, the slave aristocracy began to allow HNCs to start managing the plantations. And for us to be all excited and supportive of such a notion runs counter to everything for which some our most revered ancestors such as Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X stood and died. WE need to get out of the backwardness of race politics, oppression is oppression, and the color of the oppressor should make absolutely no difference to us. I see where many black folk are claiming that they support Obama and do so along with writing his campaign and the Democratic Party to remind them of our concerns…as if they really give a damn after they repeatedly tell us that we really do not matter in the end and then we cry “they take us for granted.” Well, who makes that possible as you rally around their black face on the perpetuation of a white scheme?


    Kwasi Seitu, Washington, D.C.
  • South
    Barack has expressed his opposite to Reparations for the decscendants of enslaved Africans, whose human rights have been and continue to be violated. Therefore, he does not deserve the support of people of African descent. However, Cynthia McKinney and the green Party has a Reparations Platform and are sensitive to the type of social changes African want and need. I say African people should support Cynthia McKinney.
  • South
    Barack has expressed his opposition to reparations for the crimes against the humanity of African people by america, wherefor, he does not deserve the support of people of African descent. The Green Party and Sista Cynthia McKinney have a reparations platform. I support her based on that platform and other social views her expressions.
  • For all those who keep on "hooked on phonitics" without political education of what the capitalist democracy in the United States has been about since 1776, I have supported Barack Obama since October 2007 and paid my $25 and challenged Democrats and Republicans on their records all failed to give concrete proof that, including Hillary and many popular black veterans, that they have done better in shaking them system thatn the young Barck Obama who is facing "institutional racism and organizational white power structure" that has blocked his message, but he is sstill kicking!

    I challenge any one who that they or any chose candidate can do better than Obama while McCain is given a "FREE RIDE" by both white and black press given his 35 years in Congress including the sacndals of the Keating 5 in the 1980's.

    Politics like religion has its own contradictions, hence politicians are just like preachers who happened to humn beigns and not angels.

    I am talking about Barack Obama in the bus, to blacks, young, old, white, hispanics etc friends and strangers and explain the corrupt history of Black and other lobbyist who are with the McCain Camp who have worked for dictators in Africa, Latin America!

    White supremacist in the media are not going to allow any Afrocentric articulation of American politics and young and old blacks should wake becuase this is not about Barack Obama as person but what kind of democracy we have in America that does allow full disclosures about white candiadtes but the 60% they spent on McCain or Clinton negatives they overblow Obama's 1% negatives into 100% and they will publish stories that will make Obama less Black to Africam Americans and TOO BLACK and MUSLIM to whites!

    Now if you want a perfect Black LEADER not even Colin POwer is as progressive as Barack Obama! Politics is about winning! And it is a dirty job!

    Obama does not control the racists even in the Democratic Party or media or your own research!

    If you want Mcain to win its OKAY!

    We are going to explain why and the ifs in terms of current and historical facts and what we wish Barack Obama should do, we know this system and how it works.

    I have been accused of things I have never done in my life, spent in jail as apolitical prisoner, so beign told that "Black" fathers are no good is nothing knew, I am 56 raised college educated kids who are not even mine biologically!

    So again, if the hat fits you, you can wear it! Those blacks who do not who they are in the American system are just naive to believe in everything they hear beign said by any politician, including black and white preachers!

    Keep the eye on the prize! To me Barack Obama is far from those who use to demonize our martyrs like Malcolm X and MLK in the black community of the 1960's! Go to the books and read what certain leaders said said about Black Power then! If you do know black grassroots history and do not depend on non-white bourgeois press and non-white pundits you will some of those elders dissing Obama today, are not even worth beign called leaders in the 1960's when things were rough, and there was no OPRAH WINFREY and TAVIS SMILEY!
  • DMV
    I will definitely be voting for Obama and doing whatever I can before the election to show support for him. I get a little frustrated by the things Obama doesn't address, but my frustration isn't with him as much as it is with the system. I understand, and he is certainly smart enough to know that if he addresses certain issues, white folks will be afraid and not vote from him. That's the value of people like Al Sharpton. Sharpton knows that he will never get elected, so he can stay on message. Black people need to understand this and stop insisting that he speak to issues that will loose him white votes and make himself unelectable. If these folks think that politics is one of the avenues we can use to improve the conditions for our people, they we have to understand that we can't make our politicians unelectable by requiering them to address issues that frighten white folks.
    He was not, like Bush and McCain, a legacy to Harvard, he earned his way. First black editor of the Harvard Law review, yet rather then take the 6 figure salary his resume would have earned him, he worked for pennies in the hood helping everyday folks. He married that women, and he stayed in that church. When the phone rang at 3am, he answered it and it was Rev Wright. He came out in Philly and talked to us as if we were adults, and he refused to do the politically expediant thing and throw Wright under the bus.
    When the things I know about a black person suggest he is a good man, I will never assume facts that suggest that he is not. We have to stop making the perfect the enemy of the good! Do we love one another or don't we?

    mike
  • West
    Akwaaba

    I will not be supporting Senator Obama's candidacy! I have not heard Obama say what he plans to do to help Black America! I've heard ad nausaem about how "he's not running for president of Black America but president of all of America"! Yet Obama has met with Jews, Asians, Hispanics, Feminist and Gay and Lesbian groups to discuss how he plans to help their respective groups but he's done nothing of the sort with respect to Black people! The only thing Obama has done is criticize Blacks by making comments like "Black people need to stop feeding their children Popeye's chicken"! You've got to be kidding me! Black people have given their overwhelming support for Obama and this is how you repay them by disrespecting them? I don't care that Obama's biological father is a Black African! That's superficial! I'm concerned about his domestic and foreign policy as it relates to Black people. There has to be a quid pro quo where Obama or any other poli-tricksters are concerned with respect to Black people.

    Abibifahodie
  • DMV
    Ah salaam ahlaikum
    Well, my sisters and I are planning a huge blck party for Aug 2008 in DC to support our brother/BARAK OBAMA. Inshallah!
    I am constantly writing his campaign office to let him know what the black family needs and lately, I have been pushing on a grassroots level that he choose Colin Powell as his running mate! I dont see anyone else more qualified for the position. He is an Elder who knows the Reagan/Bush Admn and the GBush/Cheney Admn as well as the in & outs of Iraq/Middle East debacle. It would be true bipartisanship! Plus, Colin Powell bows to no man! He is a warrior and know foreign policy.......He could disect and reconstruct the White Supremacist Ideology of the Bush Admn and the America Government!
    He is also and elder!
    BLACK POWER!
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