Editor’s note: We here at DP Dot Com believe in the democratic principles of equal time for any and all presidential campaigns. RON KUCINICH, get at us. With this principle in place I turn my space (no RUPERT MURDOCH MySpace) over to fellow blogger Average Bro for his description on how BARACK OBAAMA plans to represent for issues concerning Black folks. Personally, I’m more impressed with Average Bro’s writing than I am with OBAAMA’s platform. You folks tell me what you think…
Barack, Hillary, Black America, and The White (Wo)Man’s Colder Ice
An often noted criticism, whether in the blogosphere, black talk radio, cable news, or the barbershop, is that some black folks are hesitant to vote for Barack Obama because they don’t feel he’s “addressed specific issues of interest to black people/black women”, and that this is cause for skepticism. I guess I could buy this argument if those very same people could effectively articulate the “issues” that Obama’s competitors have addressed. When you ask this question of those same folks, you either will get Standard Negro Excuse™ #271 (“What’s that got to do with anything? Answer MY question!”) or a meritless defense of another candidate (“Bill Clinton was the first black President anyway.”). Both responses smell like ass to me, especially when it’s so much easier to search for the answers to these questions with a simple Google search, as opposed to being lazy and expecting Obama, or any candidate, to come to your house and explain their stances over DiGiorno Pizza. Not that that would be a bad thing. I love DiGiorno Pizza. Cause, you know, it’s not delivery, it’s DiGiorno.
Just in case you’re interested in what Obama’s done, or is planning on doing for black America, you simply need to visit the thorough but nonthreatening well organized Civil Rights section of the official Obama website. Everything you need to know about the candidate’s stances on issues pertinent to black America is right there, spelled out in layman’s terms for people who need to be spoonfed. I’m not going to bother doing all the legwork for you when all you need to do is click the friggin’ link that follows this post and read for yourself, but here’s a few highlights of Barry’s Plan To Save Black America™. In his words, not mine.
For every $1.00 earned by a man, the average woman receives only 77 cents, while African American women only get 67 cents and Latinas receive only 57 cents. Obama will work to overturn the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that curtails racial minorities’ and women’s ability to challenge pay discrimination. Obama will also pass the Fair Pay Act to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work.
The number of hate crimes increased nearly 8 percent to 7,700 incidents in 2006. Obama will strengthen federal hate crimes legislation and reinvigorate enforcement at the Department of Justice’s Criminal Section.
African Americans and Hispanics are more than twice as likely as whites to be searched, arrested, or subdued with force when stopped by police. Disparities in drug sentencing laws, like the differential treatment of crack as opposed to powder cocaine, are unfair. Obama will ban racial profiling by federal law enforcement agencies and provide federal incentives to state and local police departments to prohibit the practice.
Obama will create 20 Promise Neighborhoods in areas that have high levels of poverty and crime and low levels of student academic achievement in cities across the nation. The Promise Neighborhoods will be modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone, which provides a full network of services, including early childhood education, youth violence prevention efforts and after-school activities, to an entire neighborhood from birth to college.
Obama will sign into law his Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Families Act to remove some of the government penalties on married families, crack down on men avoiding child support payments, and ensure that payments go to families instead of state bureaucracies.
Obama has worked to promote civil rights and fairness in the criminal justice system throughout his career. As a community organizer, Obama helped 150,000 African Americans register to vote. As a civil rights lawyer, Obama litigated employment discrimination, housing discrimination, and voting rights cases. As a State Senator, Obama passed one of the country’s first racial profiling law and helped reform a broken death penalty system. And in the U.S. Senate, Obama has been a leading advocate for protecting the right to vote, helping to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act and leading the opposition against discriminatory barriers to voting.
Obama’s “STEP UP” plan addresses the achievement gap by supporting summer learning opportunities for disadvantaged children through partnerships between local schools and community organizations.
The FBI is predicting that mortgage fraud may become a criminal epidemic. In these elaborate schemes, criminals use identity theft or face-to-face scams to gain control of victims’ homes. The offenders then apply for hefty mortgage loans, take the cash, then disappear, robbing homeowners of their property and threatening the financial health of the most vulnerable members of society. Senator Obama introduced the first federal bill to combat mortgage fraud. The STOP FRAUD Act criminalizes mortgage fraud, authorizes $10 million more for anti-mortgage fraud programs and requires the FBI to update bankers on fraudulent activity in a formal, systematic way. The bill also would authorize increased federal funding for mortgage
counseling.
Conspicuously absent, but probably just well hidden: Crime. There was lots of stuff about combating recidivism rates by offering ex-cons more job training, but nothing specifically about reducing murders, etc. Again, I’m sure his stances on this issue are out there, I just couldn’t locate them on his website.
Either way you dice it, the issues have been well defined. Just because he doesn’t bring them up frequently in debates doesn’t mean he is not concerned with the issues of Black America, and by extension, America.
Speaking of which, the whole “what’s he gonna do for us?” angle is getting real tired. Let’s not forget, Obama is running for President of the United States, not President of Compton. Black people are barely 12% of the US population nowadays, so expecting him to cater to us and only us is not just delusional, it’s dangerous.
Black people, perhaps more so than anyone other ethnic group, are notorious for waiting for a Messiah as opposed to rolling up their sleeves and doing some actual work. No President is going to completely solve black on black crime, just as no President can solve the issues of black student underachievement, the disappearing black nuclear family, or out of wedlock births. Our problems are just that. Ours. We didn’t create all of them, but it’s counterproductive to expect someone, anyone, else to fix them.
[Author’s Note: AvBro.com advocates working with kids in whatever capacity you find most comfortable; be it coaching, mentoring or tutoring, because I think most adults, and for that matter, teens, are already effed’ the eff’ up and thus a lost cause. If a person doesn’t have it figured out by age 18, chances are they’re doomed to a life of idiocy. Getting BET off the air, or outlawing rap music won’t fix any of that. Simply put, if you’re not doing something, anything, to directly improve your community, then please, have a Coke and a smile, and you know the rest. Man up, woman up, and help someone other than yourself! Take the AverageBro Challenge™, or do us all a favor and H.S.D.!!!]
What angers me is the slave-like mentality with which some black people judge Obama. While it’s fair to expect a black man to bring a different sensibility to the Oval office, I think it’s borderline self-hate to question his dedication to certain issues when you wouldn’t ask the same of the other candidates. This, to me, is the embodiment of “the white man’s ice being colder”.
[Author’s Note: Yeah, I know dry ice is technically colder than regular ice, but don’t let semantics get in the way of my point.]
Nobody is saying you should vote for Obama “just cause’ he’s black”. That’s the definition of idiocy. But equally idiotic is not voting for him “just cause’ he’s black” without bothering to know what he advocates and pretending he doesn’t have any official stance just because you haven’t heard a 10 second soundbite on your local news. Wake up, and stop depending on barbershop word of mouth to educate you on everything!
I’m all for being an informed voter, thus the crapload of links that follow. But if you’re going to be lazy and not do the very basic research to inform yourself about each candidate and what they stand for, yet for some reason think it’s ok to expect more of one candidate than others, then you my friend are just downright triflin’. Please do as all a favor on November 4th and stay your dumb ass at home playing PS3 and watching Judge Mathis. I don’t need your dumb vote cancelling out mine.
Shit, where are poll taxes and literacy tests when you really need em’!!?!? Damned Jim Crow Laws!!!!
I’ll step off my box of Lever 2000, but if you’re still unsure of where each candidate stands, please take 10 minutes to peruse their sites and get familiar. But please, whatever you do, don’t pretend that candidates haven’t directly addressed issues of interest to Black America. They all have.
Just because you haven’t heard about it, doesn’t mean it hasn’t been said.
Question: Have you heard other people using this “he ain’t said nothin’ ’bout helpin’ black folks” line of reasoning for not supporting Obama? How do you typically respond to this slave mentality?
Barack Obama’s Issues Section on BarackObama.com
Great post. I’m in the middle of reading Obama’s autobiography and to read the shit that he went through, which is the shit I go through as well as any red-blooded Black male in this country, he’s got my vote. Dude slept over-nite in a NYC alley-way, how real is that?
Hells Bells. I was just complaining about black people ripping on Obama…cause Clinton and Edwards have promised us better Hip-Hop and Equal time for Cornell West and Wayne Brady. Yeah.
Not so average drop there Average Bro. Great summation of some of Barry-O’s platform. Your comment regarding we’re only 12% of the population, and yet considering national “apathy rates” and the disenfranchisment of a segment of the black vote due to being a convicted felon it makes you wonder about the actual national power of the “Black Vote”. I’m not saying that to knock it, but to understand the greater populace he’s garnering votes from. He’s not trying to win the BET Awards here… With all that said I’ve been riding with Barry-O and will continue to do so. Regardless of his skin tone, to what CJ said above, he’s probably the most average American candidate based on life and experiences that we’ve had in a while.
Fuck Bill Clinton. I hate when people talk about Bill as if he was a serious friend to black people. Sure he did “a lot” during his terms and was probably the only President since Carter [no Shawn] to not completely fuck the whole country but there are clear indications that Clinton is just as savage as the rest of those motherfuckers.
Mandatory Minimum? Please don’t get me started. Then the nigga (if I may) played the fucking saxophone, performed with Wyclef Jean and moved his bitch ass to Harlem, and all of a sudden he’s “down with the blacks.”
In “A Bound Man” Shelby Steele makes a great argument for the fact that Obama is playing his race card just as hard as Hillary and the rest of them. The only difference is that Obama knows that traditionally, Blacks are more apt to follow the choices of whites anyway. Notice how when he won lily-white Iowa, people thought, “wow, he might be serious business” after “losing” New Hampshire cats were backpeddling like a motherfucker.
I can’t make a great argument that Obama in anyway defines the “black experience” as we so think of it now. My point is that it doesn’t even matter. Obama is not a “Black Politician.” He’s a politician who happens to be black. I’m not making excuses, but I hate when the media, both black and white bow to the Clintons as if they are living representatives of Mecca or some shit.
And yes, I’m a well read, and analyzed Obama supporter.
Great post by the way. I had to get my rant on.
“Obama is not a “Black Politician.” He’s a politician who happens to be black.”
I likes that. Interesting how the mere shift of words can change the whole dynamic of a statement. Maxine I was just wondering in that statement does that mean in your opinion he’s just part of the same old machine or that people should pay more attention to his issues and stances before they harp on his melanin content?
I just ask that to you and anyone because I find that sentiment can apply to our own folk as well when dealing with Barry-O. It seems that the perception I get from black folks is that BO’s skin is a gift and curse for black folk. Its like they wanna rock with him because he’s a brother, but then like mentioned above don’t have any faith in him because he IS a brother. Its almost like we’ll be over critical of a meal served above 116th Street, but will take any shit served to us downtown.
It seems that even some of the most “progressive” Negroes still need to get their commands from the white guy (or gal). Its like the mentality is “I’d rather take shit from a white guy than have some uppity Negroe tell me whats up.” Regardless if that Uppity Negroe may know whats better for you than you know for yourself…
Having dealt with black family members in voted office I do know this. Black Politicians don’t have to tell anyone they are black when they walk in the room and white politicians are praying over the Willie Lynch Letters when it comes voting time with Black Politicians, hoping we don’t have good sense God gave a peanut when we get into those voting booths.
If Obama only went after the black vote he’d be a party line joke but he’s going for the Gays and the liberal whites as well, and he’ll need all that plus a bullet vest if he plans to paint the white house black.
(Generalization here) Black people have a funny thing about wanting one person to represent us all…then not wanting anyone to think certain people represent us all. Universally though, if you’re doing something that MIGHT be good…you’re not good enough and you didn’t promise us enough.
Important post, Bro. Plus, we better be payin’ attention to the not-so-subtle racist charges coming out of the Clinton camp. Underlying all their questions about Obama is the question of COMPETENCE. Sure’s he got style and flair, Bill and Hill are saying, but can he get anything done? Since politics is sports, after all, the (totall fuggin scared) Clintons are simply making de old racialized argument about position. Their thing is that Barry’s a natural talent but he’s no leader; running back maybe (vice president?) but no quarterback! In the end, we shouldn’t be too surprised; scared shitless, Bill and Hill are turning to America’s most reliable weapon: white supremacy.
/\ I really love how they did that right after they all jumped on his bandwagon. “I wanna change stuff too!”
@40, yes, in my opinion Obama has his shit just as much as the rest of them. Just because he’s black doesn’t change that in anyway for me. I think it was good old Churchhill who said that “the appeasers continue, only to be eaten last.” We can’t trust any of them really. To me his melanin content is just something else to harp on and the easiest, most divisive tactic. It couldn’t get any more volitile. Well if he was gay maybe.
^Appreciate that Max. Well what ever it maybe since its always been the “Lesser of the Evil” I’m investing my minimal faith in the brother…
VERRRRRY nice post!
The way that the entire media has been spinning “Obamamania” has been a real eye-opener. Barack is “inspirational” – and therefore those who follow him make decisions based on emotion, not logic.
Hill is trying to be subtle, but Bill is just coming right out and saying it. “THOSE people might make decisions based on raw emotion, but WE are above all of that.”
Translation: “Barry O might get you swinging and swaying like you were in the pew of some Southern church (like Dr King), but Hill has the smarts to get the job done straight CEO-like! That’s how we roll in “Logical America!”
The irony is that Hil is using an argument that has been used against women forever. “So you think that you should have the right to vote or receive equal pay for the same work as a male counterpart?… It must be that time of the month.” Win the debate with an ad hominem attack on your weak, emotional, hysterical opponent – not her position.
Just wait until Hil & Co lose South Carolina. They are going to make it seem like Obama won Showtime at the Apollo, not a major primary. Watch how she spins it as a positive that the “after generations of suffering” the Showtime at the Apollo crowd was able to lustily cheer “the inspirational speech guy” to victory.
On paper, it seems like the strategy might work. It is a Sista Souljah move that only risks alienating a small number of voters. In reality, it is a very dangerous move because it risks alienating every person that has ever been marginalized as “emotional” during a debate. (In other words, most liberals in this country. Everyone who: opposed the war, pushed for universal health care, fought for the environment, supports minimum wage, etc.)
Your post is a testament to why that strategy is not going to work for Clinton. Barry O’s supporters are fighting back with logic – not emotion.
It will be interesting to see if the Clintons continue to overplay their hand.
What ever happened to Bros. before Hoes?
^P-CIty –
You raise an interesting point. Whats even funnier is that people in the Republican party also vote off emotions and such. They’re called Evangelical and Conservative Christians… Bush owes his whole career to stirring up “The Divine Right of America” to these people.
^ One’a my homies was pissed that his momma voted for Bush in the last elections. He cornered her for her reson why and she replied “I heard Bush is a God-fearing man that reads his bible daily.”
Pshaw!
Still SMH at the Hoe Sit Down link/post. And still don’t have a damn clue for Donni Rai is. http://dallaspenn.com/weblog/?p=472
Thanks for running this one bro-ham.
Great Post. I’m a little late to commenting, so I’ll just leave it how I see it.
I wouldn’t mind if Hillary or even Edwards ends up as president considering what we’ve been through the last 8, but Obama’s the only one that really offers hope. As far as getting ish done, it seems like a bit of a fallacy to me. After that first honeymoon year, the party (corporate) politics are going to take over and the man/woman in charge will be judged mainly on shit beyond their control (economy).
Anyway, voting is MA the primary is my only chance for my vote to make a difference, so after that, I’m riding with Jared Ball in the gen. election:
http://www.jaredball.com/
As I always Imma’ raise an issue that gonna get me flamed[||].
Aside from Obama’s qualifications to be president( and he has many), do we really think this country is READY for a black president? I raise this issue simply because if we look back at the last 12, it is clear (to me at least) that the Supremacists are not gonna hide in the closets anymore.
There have been a shit load of racists acts cropping up all over. I Jenna, LA it took national attention to resolve a clear violation of civil rights laws in this country. And this was at the city and state level, like no one in that ststae new that some one rights were being violated (blatant violations). If the cities cant see it and the states cant see it, how is the country going to deal with it? the people that failed us are the same people that we voted in.
Don’t get me wrong, I have faith in BO’s abilities, I am just wondering if we are going to vote in a new president or a new martyr?
Lion – Some of the world’s greatest heroes and leaders have been martyrs. Now its easy for me to say this with someone else’s life but if Barry-O getting capped further shows the shame and shambles this country is to the international community, it should add to the further shame of America today. Maybe the black eye and the event to hopefully exact some real change… Then again I’m just a dreamer. But I’m not the only one…..
flawless drop.
F out.