Below is a conversation that occurred between a friend and me last night right after the Obama Victory speech shown above after his historic win in the Iowa primary. This may or may not become the basis for my latest blog. If I can take some time to stop reading that reckless shit Republican Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll said here in reference to New Jersey “apologizing” for their history of slavery.
From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 3, 2008 11:12 PM
www.cnn.com
If you get this now, the victory speech is on CNN. Tune in!!!!
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 3, 2008 8:31 PM
Watching and reading all the feeds online now. People are blowing up my phone, text, and E-mail over this. I might have a blog coming tomorrow that’s going to piss you all the fuck off. LOL
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 3, 2008 11:35 PM
Hey never said I was def voting for him. I'm just spitting out current news, lol. I see you’re not a fan eh?
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 3, 2008 8:56 PM
Not that I’m not a fan, just that I don’t believe. This is a direct quote from one of the CNN political analyst just now in reference to Barack Obama’s speech “There were echoes of Martin Luther King in that speech.” WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN??!!! NOW WE HAVE WHITE PEOPLE COMPARING THIS DUDE TO CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS, ARE YOU SERIOUS???!!!! However, with all that being said I still don’t wake up in cold sweats thinking about him in the white house like I do Hillary “smiling in your face, stabbing you in the back, while killing your cat” Clinton.
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 4, 2008 12:00 AM
Good point. He does radiate that whole, "let my people go" aura. Folks feel they can relate to him, have a real convo. You don't really get that with Hill, but she is a business woman. This we know. John Edwards was second, so Hill has a double defeat.
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 3, 2008 9:11 PM
Honestly and also another point I’m bouncing around on what would be the blog if I wrote it is I think this was a strategic move on the Clintons part. They are scared out of their minds that democrats and independants are going to stay home because they believe there’s no chance in hell Hillary can lose the primary to a black man. No matter how fair skinned, cute, well behaved, and well spoken he is.
The Clinton political machine want to scare them dems out of their seats. They want to show them “Hey, this nigger has a chance. Get the fuck off your ass now for the primaries and on general election day or we’re fucked for another four years” She’s giving them just what they need to do what her campaign needs done.
Same shit Bush did with the far right with abortion and same sex marriage to mobilize their vote. They didn’t go after swing voters, they went after non voters. Get those old school mothafuckas out and you can take this. There is no switching of sides to them there for their party and their meat and potatoes beliefs, but just believe their party isn’t enough for them. Watch what happens in New Hampshire. Iowa is just the beginning of a very very long fight.
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 4, 2008 12:15 AM
True indeed. Do I think he's gonna ultimately beat her? Nope. But it makes for better TV.
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 4, 2008 12:40 PM
Now on that point my friend we agree. I love seeing them sweat and shit their pants.
The end
*Editors note: I’m voting for Obama. Just want to believe in my vote for once.
26 comments:
The speech gave me a chill. I've heard crowds cheering for candidates before but this right here was just a lil scary
COURT
This is a direct quote from one of the CNN political analyst last night in reference to Barack Obama's speech "There were echoes of Martin Luther King
in that speech." WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN??!!! NOW WE HAVE WHITE PEOPLE COMPARING THIS DUDE TO CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS, ARE YOU SERIOUS???!!!!
I take serious issue with that.
In no way is Obama's resume on the level of Dr King. Very sad to hear,
but this is the type of excitement the man causing. It's like there's
something in the air. A real movement going on. It's one of those
significant times in our generation so it sweeping people up into it.
Think about what you've seen in your day? You've seen two of the tallest
towers in the world fall, You've seen the Russian empire fall, You've
seen a pope die, You've seen an entire city flood in hi def while the
nation watched, You've seen climate change, You've seen leader of the
PLO (Yasser Arafat) die. You've seen the aids epidemic, You've seen a
communications technology breakthrough with the internet.. You've seen
the way people do business change. Hell in 15 years you may even seen
viable alternative fuel usage in America, and now we may be seeing a
black president? As i said before people are recognizing that we are in
some historical times right now and the excitement is out there
personally I'm more of a Malcolm X man but hey.
Court all those things you mentioned are true and historic. However, Obama does not hold the position as savior of the black race. F it, we amongst family here so i can speak. HE"S NOT BLACK!!!! Why does the Malatto always get the save a negro button every time he gets the "You a good negro pass from Amerikkka."
-First black Oscar winner
-First Black President
(Second, if you count the guy smoking weed, getting head at work, and
screwing black people over while playing the sax on arsenio)
Are we really still living by the one drop rule as black people. I know "they" are, but US???!!!!FORREAL???!!! come on!
Wowser. Okay sir I will take a more positive road. It's not about him being a savior for black people but america in general. Right now everyone is suffering in some sort of way. Gas prices got you down? Got a friend or relative fighting in a senseless war? Lose your job? Can't afford to see a doctor? And if you want real "real talk" I'm happy these things are starting to affect white america. It's funny how hiphop has become a cultural phenomenon and bridged gaps, but as Paul Mooney said
"everybody wanna be a nigga but don't nobody wanna be a nigga. Right now white people are living it, they're smelling it, and they don't like it. Obama to some (his followers) represents change. It sounds corny but ask yourself this. Was there ever a point in these bush years when you thought "yo, we're all gonna die" and really feel like it could happen? The entire country as a whole is suffering. If YT goes down you better believe he's taking us with him
Court
I'm glad you brought those points up. There have truly been times in the past eight years where I thought "OMG! We gonna die". I sat at my club back in Nov of 04 with a massive TV screen. I had carried it down from a neighbors apt who lived above the club and placed it on the bar so I could watch the exit polls. When I tell you NO parts of me thought AmeriKKKa with all their bitching and whining about the BUSH would allow for another four years. Then the hammer hit me with the realization that it was just talk, that they had just reelected this monster and this was truly still the AmeriKKKa they tried to teach us was no more. I closed my eyes to stop the tears from falling.
You say you don't believe him to be a savior of the people, yet everything you just said bestows him the crown of it. The problem is you've given no reasons to back your support. What makes him the future? What in his plans for AmeriKKKa put you in a position to believe "we shall overcome" with him at the helm? I don’t give a fuck about you talking to Angie Martinez about listening to Beyonce and Jay Z. I'm Hip Hop and the Hip Hop generation wants to know your realistic, tangible, and implementable plans for health care, the war, the education system, the gross national debt, Taxes, the stock market, Mortgages, getting the world abroad to trust and want to do business with your one drop of black ass. Don't give me history as a reason for a vote; give me a president as a reason for a vote.
Ok peanut gallery...
Gardy - In your opinion, what makes a person "black"? If a drop in the bucket produced a mulatto, committed to the betterment of our community through volunteer service of time, effort and money, can this individual be considered black?
As for Obama...the excitement comes from watching white america consider, if nothing else, consider a black man as a POTENTIAL candidate. All of this hype represents some of democratic white america seeking change. Change for a democratic candidate, not necessarily a president.
The Iowa caucus was interesting at best, but Iowa's voting constituents came out in a very small proportion compared to the overall registered voters for that state. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of the primaries play out in the coming months. This will determine with whom democratic white america is truly identifying. There is an entire mid section of this country that can and will only see Obama as a black man, and not as a candidate for president.
As for the term of "tolerance" stated in the video Gardy provided...I agree that we are observers in a time of what is proving to be historical politics, but I don't agree with the sentiment that voters will chant Obama today and change their minds behind closed doors on election day. If you stand firm behind Obama now, unless he is caught with his wickie in an underage white woman's mouth, you will stay committed through to the end. Be it ignorance or education, if you believe in the politics that Obama is presenting, not much of what Clinton will say, or of what a republican will say, is going to sway your vote. This again, speaks to those committed voters who are not on the fence.
As for Obama's resume, no, he is not by any means on the level as Dr. King or many of our past leaders...but will anyone ever be again? We live in a different time where the demands of black america easily mirror much of white america. A black leader for our community would have to speak to the issues that greatly effect us. Ideal yes, realistic, I have yet to see.
And in the peanut gallery...where is your vote going on election day?
To Yvette
"Gardy - In your opinion, what makes a person "black"? If a drop in the bucket produced a mulatto, committed to the betterment of our community through volunteer service of time, effort and money, can this individual be considered black?"
No, he's considered a mulatto. By your phrasing do you believe that everyone who makes strides for the betterment of black people is in turn black themselves. by that assertion you'd have to give Angelina Jolie a different box to check on the next census.
YV you do however make a great point here.
"The Iowa caucus was interesting at best, but Iowa's voting constituents came out in a very small proportion compared to the overall registered voters for that state. "
It must also be stated that historically Iowa is not a good barometer of the voting pulse of the whole united states. New Hampshire tends to hold that prize which is why it counts for so much amongst the political strategist and why politicians like Giuliani skip Iowa to focus all their attention on New Hampshire.
and to your last query
where is your vote going on election day?
I'm going to have to take another quote from a friend
"I, actually, doubt he will win, but it won't be my vote that cast him down."
It was a bunch of nice words and what not but it still don’t mean the white man is going to elect the black man as president and that is still the bottom line here
D
See you and Gardy are on that same thing. Thinking that whatever happens
to YT won't affect you just because what happens to you doesn't affect
YT. Nah man that's not how the game is played. It's a movement going on in the street son. I'm not saying I right and or die with Obama but I like his message and if he comes out on the dems side he'll get my vote. Damon you keep thinking Romney is gonna win it all if you want. American are stupid (yes they are), but they're not gonna go for the same sh*t for another 4 years. Forget race for a second and remember that rich people are the minority in this country. Poor and mid class people are the majority and under bush that majority got stronger and unified. Call me crazy but I just believe people have had enough of the bullsh*t and serious about doing something about this time. Romney may look the part of president but so did bush and look where he took us. Hell even Gore looked the part and was more qualified and he couldn't even win. Anyone siding with Bush is going to lose this election plain and simple
"See you and Gardy are on that same thing. Thinking that whatever happens to YT won't affect you just because what happens to you doesn't affect YT."
What part of my conversation was that? Have you read anything I've said?! My issue is the exact opposite, I'm tired of feeling as if I'm being pandered to because I'm black. Stop trying to sell the man as the great black hope and sell him as the great next president.
First I would like to apologize for putting you in the same group with
Damon. It really came out wrong. Can you tell me when Obama has pandered
to blacks? Because I haven't once seen him bring race up? I'm also
trying to figure out how I became the official Obama fan club president
when I'm not. I like his ideas and I respect him. If he comes out on the
dems side he will get my vote
Court politics aren't about what you say, it's about what you can get the people around you to say. He can't come out as the great black hope himself. He just has to position himself in a way that the only conclusion your non thinking follower Amerikkkan asses is left to do is see him as such. Bush wasn't the one pushing Kerry under the bus as a flip flopper, his staff and fox were the ones doing it and what happened? Amerikkka took it hook, line, and sinker. Clinton wasn't the one saying that it would be a bad move to allow Obama to be the democratic candidate with a history of Cocaine use and possible drug selling innuendo that the republican party could use to beat on him in the general elections, she had her people say it and take the fall, while the seed was already planted in Amerikkka’s consciousness just like fox and a bunch of other news outlets kept "mistakenly" calling him Osama instead of Obama. There's rules to this shit and these suckas play them to win.
As much as I tried to resist, I have to jump in. Now, I won't be talking politics with what seems to be a group of Democrats (yes, I am assuming), however I do have a coment on the 'black or not' issue. I don't think it is up to anyone to tell another person whether they are black or not. If the man feels that he is a black man, identifies himself as a blackman and more than likely has always been recieved as a black man, I don't think I could ever tell him that he's not a black man. Likewise, If a man is 100% out of Africa and darker than Wesley Snipes, but denies being black and doesn't feel that he is, then what can I do about that? Would I then insist that he is? No, I'd let him claim his own identity. Look at how many hispanic people there are out there that are darker than I am and don't concider themselves black. To top all of that off, blood is sooooo mixed in this day and age, there's hardly even such a thing as a pure black or pure white. If you go back in just about anyone's bloodline, you can find corruption along the way. So with that all I can say is Obama is black and Tiger Woods is a cablanasian. Why? Because they said they are.
Fyck dat!! Tiger Woods is BLACK dammit!! Just my two cents. I'm out, lol. Peaccccee ya'll...
LOL @ Ace taking up the fight for the mixed folks. Who said I was a Democrat?
I won't beg that dude to be black. If he wants to be "cablanasian," then let him... lol
I don't know if you're a Dem or not, but I was assuming and generalizing
anyway. I just know that I'm not a democrat.
So you know got to ask. Are you a republican or Idy?
I know I'm gonna get attacked but I see their point. Not that I think Obama is MLK (or even that he is the best candidate in this race) but I did notice that his oratorial style -- both in substance and delivery -- had that air of preacher man about it. Fortunately, not in the near-comic cadence of Jesse Jackson but just far enough to draw the King comparison. In terms of substance, the whole idea that it's time for a change and that it's not coming from him, that he's just a messenger, and that "the people" are the real agents of that change. Yep, I can see it. On a separate but related note, I disagree with the idea that white people can't invoke the greatness of Dr. King. He was more than just a great Black man. He was a great man, period. And he SHOULD, in fact, belong to all people. Feel free to pounce now.
I’m sorry for taking so long to get back to you I started to write a response and got sidetracked. Hope you get a chance to check back, see what I said, and respond. If and when you do please leave a name.
My dear friend we don't pounce here (I lie. Yes, we do. However, only on comments worthy of having the full wrath of the heavens brought down upon them). I actually can see where you’d pull those comparisons from. But for me I think you have to look a bit deeper into the psychology of white Amerikkka making such comparisons. One of the reasons king was so "accepted" better word "tolerated" by liberal white Amerikkka was because the message he preached as a black man was one of firm but docile - which of course they loved. No one wanted to see the angry black man holding a gun in Amerikkka talking about "I wish you would come try and lay your hands on me". Yes towards the end even Malcolm changed his tune on Martin, but to be perfectly honest I don't believe the tune he was singing was that far off the truth than he allowed himself to admit to it being.
The thing with Obama and I believe we discussed it a bit in the conversations above is the matter of perception and labels:
• “The first realistic “black” presidential candidate” (The quotations are my own)
• “Martin Luther King like”
• “The energy of a Bobby Kennedy in the 60s”
• “The face of change”
Those descriptions above, which are all statements I’ve heard in reference to Obama and all the others I've heard, lead me to believe the perception of the man they’re creating is much larger than the man could ever be.
You brought up the cadence in his speech and the way in which he delivers his words with the spirit of a preacher. I actually thought the same as I watched the speech in Iowa and a bit of it in the rally in Washington Square park here in NYC. It speaks to one of my bigger issues with his campaign strategy. I believe it’s purposefully said like that to illicit those comparisons and feelings and with that belief I believe it’s condescending and disrespectful to me and all the other people listening to play on those emotions and connections to those civil rights leaders and the power that their words provoked. Just like it pissed me off when the Bush, as I shall from now on refer to him as, announced his candidacy from the ranch that he had purchased a few months prior and had never even stepped foot onto until he knew the press was watching to give a man of the people effect. To reach the good ol' boy republicans.
Are we really that dumb that all you have to do is put on a cowboy hat and ride a horse and we’ll fall to our knees and bestow you the title of prophet come to bring us the word. Wow, well they did elect n reelect the Bush. Guess we are. I’m not saying I don’t see the same manipulate tactics within all the campaigns I’m just not falling for them from any of them and I wish we’d question why the wool is consistently being pulled over our eyes while they drag this country and all its inhabitants deeper and deeper into the world mud pile.
Note: Since I originally wrote this response and didn’t get to post it the cry heard round the world occurred with Hilly. For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about stopping playing video games, Sudoku, watching porn, or whatever else has your distracted from the BS currently going on in the world and turn on a news station or whatever the most convenient way of receiving your news is – there’s a million of them. So when Senator Hillary RodHAM Clinton asked about how hard it must be on her being on the campaign trail she could only respond in all her democratic political campaign strategist “genius” with this - http://youtube.com/watch?v=MVlwH7-05Fk
God! Is this really where we’re at in American politics?! For real??!!!
Sorry I didn't get back sooner...was out of pocket all weekend.
By definition I understand the separation of mulatto and black...as I am one. At the end of the day, when all is said and done, I appreciate and embrace my diverse backgrounds, but refer to my race as black, as opposed to the a reference of mulatto. To me, there isn't a difference. Black is black...and when white people look at me, they see a mix yes, but still a black woman.
In this day and age, do you feel there is a "true" difference between mulatto and black?
To Yvette,
Honestly Yvette I think its disrespectful to your Vietnamese mother and the other non white parent of any mixed person to identify yourselves as only a black woman/man based on Amerikkka’s F'd up ideas related to the one drop. I understand the perception of Amerikkka, but your race can only be yours to embrace and identify. If you were raised, loved, nurtured, educated, and influenced by your Vietnamese mother and for all the others their non black parent, whether the black parent was or wasn’t in your life, that part of you shouldn't be dismissed or discounted because you have a darker tan than them or because Tom can only see black and not his history of rape and miscegenation.
You are who you are because of her, her ethnicity, cultural background, and upbringing which are all the factors that make you in my opinion more Vietnamese than black even with your father there ever day for every moment of your life because it’s with the nurture of our mothers that we become whom we grow to be. I remember when all that Halle Berry Oscar stuff was going on and she was running around co-signing that whole first black Oscar winner thing (before she got the memo that we didn’t believe her and she needed more people, then she changed her tune to “Woman of color” – That’s comedy for a bunch of other reasons I won’t get into now) anyway back then I remember thinking damn it has to hurt her mother, even if she never shows or says anything about it, that her daughter who she raised by herself, suffered, scraped, and hustled to raise and be the person standing on that stage accepting that award, was only identified as a black chick and her daughter who was who she was because of her mother was accepting and going along with it. This is your life and I know nothing of the struggles you went through in it, so I will not dare tell you how you should feel, I’m just here to tell you how I feel.
P.S. Please take no offense the usage of the term mulatto, I used it as a stab to add weight to my point and if I in anyway offended you by it I truly apologize.
I completely agree. It would be disrespectful if I didn't recognize the other parts of my ethnic background that make me, Yvette. So I embrace, as I have always, each and every part of my cultural mixing bowl. Why? Because Black only didn't raise me. I celebrate and teach my daughter about all of our cultures and traditions...Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, White, and Black. No one part of the mix gets any more attention than the other. Each contributed to who I am today and who she will be tomorrow...so all are equally important.
As for Black, when I am walking down the street and someone sees me, they see black. On applications that request a racial background, all depending on the application (financial aid, college admissions), I will check the box that I believe will improve my opportunities. As the world has already chosen to "box label" our society, I will adhere to the labeling as it would best benefit me.
My parents raised me to understand that I am two things when I walk out the door...I am a woman...and I am black. This was how I was taught from my Mexican father and Vietnamese mother. Yes, they understood and respected the other cultures within our home, but they also understood that the naked eye would only recognize those two identifiers upon meeting me, until I shared otherwise.
I carry the race of black with pride, because it isn't just a state of mind, it is the golden with which I was born to share with the world...at a first glance. When you see me at the homeless shelter serving food...you see a black woman doing her thing. When you see me in Starbucks wrapped under a heap of Economics and Real Estate books...you see a black woman doing her thing. When you see me at my adolescent workshop teaching inner city children about health management...you see a black woman doing her thing.
No one ever notices the Vietnamese woman making these positive strides. What is said about Ms. Vietnam instead is "she (no identifier) was doing her thing". When a black person is taking care of business, we are immediately identified by our race. Why? I believe it's because we are expected to under-achieve in our communities...so the race label is put on as a measure of saying "wow, look at blacky doing the right thing". When this blacky steps out to uplift and educate, I carry the black with pride and a "kiss my black ass attitude". For I, and in turn we, will not fail and be subjected to the low expectations placed upon us/blacks by society.
Nowww, if anyone should choose to get to know me, then what will be shared is the pride and respect I carry for ALL of the beautiful backgrounds that make me who I am...as you yourself have come to know.
Lol...I've been called worse by "more worser" and I am not offended by you at all...love you and know you better than that goober.
I'm gonna go ahead and say yes, he's Black. And this is not because I've bought into the one drop business but because I live in the real world.
It would be great if people looked at Yvette and thought expansively about both her Vietnamese and African American heritages. Likewise, wouldn't I love it if people -- black or white -- looked at me and saw my (mostly) Black mother AND my Indian/Syrian father? But they don't. To white people, I'm that black chick. To black people, I'm that lightskinned black chick (or simply Complex to you, Gardy). As such, my life experience and my dealings with anyone outside of my immediate family is as a black woman. Full stop.
This is all to say people aren't generalizing now about Obama being black because he's got actually got a chance at being elected. No doubt, they have always generalized about him because that's the shorthand that in the real world, the vast majority of people use when it comes to race.
All that said, personally, I don't need a great black hope. Or a great woman hope. I think the real breakdown in America is along socio-economic and class lines. I'm looking for the candidate that can stem THAT house divided.
Rx
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