You BET: the children of slavery; the mothers and fathers of slaves

As I was flipping through some tv channels earlier today, I came across a program on BET (which stands for Black Entertainment Television) talking about Obama's win in the election. I'm glad to see people excited about the leadership of our country. The show was called "The Truth". And a panel of young black men and women sat in a semi-circle discussing the win. A young journalist woman proudly said that when Obama gave his victory speech, that in that moment she was "no longer a journalist" but a "black woman". She spoke of how her grandmother was able to vote where a sign used to hang that prohibited black entry and where the Klan used to roam. It must have been something to cast a vote as a spit in the eye of some of those old bigoted ideas of the past. The Ku Klux Klan was an awful invention of evil men. They were murderers and limp-membered wimps that were afraid of true equality because they themselves didn't seem to measure up and were probably beaten by their fathers and had low self-esteem. Joining a "club" like the KKK probably helped them feel powerful. And there is no question that black men and women have been mistreated in this country in the past. For that matter, blacks, Asians, Irish, Italians, Jews, Mexicans, American Indians, and whites have all been mistreated by someone even if it's by their own kind. Is that to say it doesn't matter? No. It does matter. And it can shape a generation. But to make future decisions based on a hurtful past is not always useful though it may feel comfortable and satisfying. Like the woman who chooses to be with a hateful man because he doesn't beat her like the last one did, we as human beings, sometimes settle for second worst instead of striving for a long term best.

And so, I'm a little saddened and annoyed with so much of the talk right now turned towards black identity because I think it's still the wrong identity to be concerned with. In fact the premise of the show on BET is a little strange, and for that matter, the network itself. BET? Is there a WET? These are strange times. And white folks can't really say anything about some of the double standards that exist today for fear of being labelled as racist. This time, the issues surrounding our country's well being were not really the keys to driving this election. Why didn't that young lady say she was proud to be an "American woman!" instead of a "black woman?" Why hasn't the great race divide been bridged? And will a black or half black president really bridge the gap? Maybe he will. Is that enough to make the liberal and socialist laws that may soon be passed worth it? Is black identity more important than the freedom of all Americans? If I had been a black man on that panel of guests on the show, I would have been offended at my own people for having such low expectations of ourselves that we were euphoric when one of us finally became president. I would fault them for looking no further than skin deep. And I would be ashamed that our eyes were more attuned to black and white than they are to red, white, and blue. To quote historian, Victor Hanson, "A person from Mars who watched this post-election celebration, might study the popular reaction to the Obama victory and become puzzled: 'Aren’t people now saying pretty much what Michelle Obama said twice, and to great criticism, during the campaign: that the emergence of Barack Obama was occasion for many to have pride in their country for the first time?'" (see full article here)

Barrack Obama is a black man. At least black enough to be seen as the first African American president. So what? He's also incredibly liberal. I would love for a black man to be president, but a black conservative man who stands for the right things instead of standing for everything or anything depending on who's listening. What could be more ambiguous than Obama's great mantra of "Change"? It worries me that people actually fall for stuff like that. Change to what? The great thing about a slogan like "Change" is that it means different things to different people. So effectively it means whatever they want it to mean. But then you have something called reality. When leaders try to raise the people as their children or as their subjects like Obama acts like he wants to do, then your freedom gently disappears into the fog of a forgotten greatness that was once America.

The children of slavery are today's black men and women that still remember the stories of their ancestors. They don't want to return to the days of slavery, and you can't blame them. In their hearts is the same desire to remain free that runs through the veins of every thinking American. Nothing is free. Not even free money comes without a catch. Will people be so willing to do anything for a man or group of men who offers them anything that they too become the mothers and fathers of a new generation of slaves? It's simply not good enough to settle for Affirmative Action or Equal Opportunity laws. Those are patches that probably introduce as many problems as they solve. It's up to you, the individual, to decide that race or skin color is not as important as being an American.

Though we will always have leaders and governments, the real power for change has and always will be with the people. Though you may hear that spoken from the mouths of certain leaders, you'll see in their actions, they don't believe it. And their "change" will soon be your obligation.