Jack & Jill Politics

Her Words are Still Relevant…

Last night, I went to an Obama event in Silver Spring, Maryland, but it wasn’t like a regular “Obama’s gon be President!” party.  It was really a lively discussion of “Once he’s President, what the hell do we do next?” discussion.

The discussion was lead by Dr. Daryl Harris, a Professor from Howard University, who started off the discussion with a very interesting lead in.  He commented on how the media is defining the election of Barack Obama as being “post-racial, post-Black politics.” We all sat up a lil’ straighter in our seats – this after having gorged on chicken, salad, the best veggie chili I’ve ever had, and some tacos that slammed off the plate, mind you.

“Why is it that whenever something is positive that occurs, we, as Black People, are always asked to become ‘post-racial’ or ‘post-Black’?” Dr. Harris asked.  Usually issues that are labeled as “Black People’s issues” are generally issues that are universal in scope and application.  We ALL want a good education for our children.  We ALL want jobs that pay livable, sustainable wages. We ALL want to own our own homes – in other words, what White, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, Jews – across gender, and age, We ALL want most of the SAME THINGS.  Yet, when African-Americans demand these things, they become “Black or African-American issues” – like the rest of you have these issues addressed in abundance, and the Black Man or Woman is merely COMPLAINING.  And the Corporate Owned Media knows this shyt, but perpetuates it anyway.

Yet, when it comes to the electing of Barack Obama – no White, Latino, Asian, Native American, or Jew, is being asked to become “Post-Anything”; but African-Americans are expected to become “Post-Black”.  Like the issues I mentioned would become universal when Black People stop harping about it.  Why is THAT? And why do people in certain circles believes that the election of Barack Obama will just magically absolve them of any guilt they may feel, or reinforce to themselves that they cannot be bigoted because they went into the booth and pulled the lever for a brotha.  Why can’t Obama be a qualified guy for the job who happens to be African-American?

Short Answer – it is like that because the Corporate owned Media defines it, just like they define “our” issues, and not because we ALLOW them to define our issues – they just take it upon themselves, with a little help from slave catcher members like DL Hughley, Amy Holmes, or Ward Connerly who purport to speak for all African-Americans when we damned well know they don’t come within ten feet of where we live, where we work, where our children go to school, where we socialize, or even where we worship, while they distort the hell out of everything related to the Black Community, get fat paid and a pat on the head for being a good “House Negro”.  For me, this is one instance where I hope should Obama get the White House, he convenes a task force to restore the Fairness Doctrine and start yanking FCC licenses for slander, libel and stereotyping.  If it gets media outlets like Fox Network off the air, I’m all for it.

We got into lively discussion about the issues that Obama faces should he become President.  We talked about being willing to call him out when he puts a foot wrong (and we’re not talking about the brotha making honest mistakes because just like Jack Kennedy did with the “Bay of Pigs” fiasco back in 1962, Obama is going to do something similar because he will be surrounded by Judases of every shape and form, and yes, even ethnic makeup.), yet propping him when he needs it.  In the end, because we all did a short reading on Fannie Lou Hamer (“From Picking Cotton to Picking Presidents”), we came up with the following conclusion, ala Ms. Hamer, but with a word substitution (“white man” = “Government”):

The question for Black People is not, when is the Government going to give us our rights, or when is the Government going to give us a good education for our children, or when is the Government going to give us jobs – if the Government gives you anything; just remember when the Government gets ready, the Government will take it right back.  We have to take for ourselves.

So, if and when Senator Obama may become President Obama, please don’t put the added burden of expectation on the brothat to make sure Black People are going to land on Free and Easy Street because we will not.  Anyone drunk on that kool-aid is going to wake up a year from now royally pissed off.  This brotha is going to spend the next year just sifting through the shytpile George Bush is leaving behind on purpose; not to mention rewarding those who got him to the dance.

Yeah, I know, he will acknowledge the efforts of the grass roots campaigns, and the fact that DNC Chairman Howard Dean first crafted and implemented the “50-state Strategy” four years ago ; but let’s be honest – those who did more heavy lifting than us are going to get first dibs on the President’s time.  I’m not hating – I’m being pragmatic, and urge many of you to be ready to get in the trenches and take for ourselves, just like Fannie Lou Hamer admonished us over forty years ago.  If no other ethnic group is required to be “post-ethnic” because of Obama’s election, we shouldn’t be asked to be “post-Black” either.

Celebrate Senator Obama’s election should he get it.  I’m being cautious because if the dirty ReThugs via the Bush Administration, can leak the whereabouts of Obama’s half “twice-removed” immigrant aunt, who was minding her own damned business up in a Boston housing project, but can’t find Osama Bin Forgotten after eight years, you would be cautious, too.  Even though we KNOW this late in the game, shyt like Obama’s immigrant aunt cannot matter, the GOP Tricksters are in full court press-mode for the next 48 hours and beyond.

We have to take for ourselves, because if it’s given to us, the authorities can decide they want it back.  WE are the leaders we have been waiting for, and must step up, because no one’s going to really give US a damned thing.