Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Barack Obama is no John Brown

It surprises me that folks are still pretending that race does not matter. I recently listened to parts of the John Beck Show. Beck talked about being afraid to offend or being scared to death of saying the wrong thing to a "black" person. So, I suggest that you readers who believe that color does not matter, read Barack Obama's book, Dreams from My Father. Obama is the son of an African father and a raced white woman from the United States. Obama attended various schools,graduating from Harvard Law School, eventually teaching Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago.

Born to these two, his skin color not only confused others, but Obama himself.
In his book, Obama shares, black life seems to be something you escape from, by those leaving behind "poverty or boredom or crime or the shades of your skin, but "..at some point [you still have to had realized] that power [is] unyielding and principles unstable, and that even after laws were passed and lynching ceased, the closest thing to freedom would still involve escape, emotional if not physical, away from ourselves, away from what we knew, flight into the out reaches of the white man's empire--or closer into its bosom."

It is Obama's faith not his skin color that defines his path and his manhood. Obama's faith took him back to his father's father birthplace and from there learned that his grandfather's life was a papered servant in Kenya. And Obama's own father committment to a chance to be educated in order to fulfill a desire to serve his country beyond a servant. Obama believes the elders striving for their place in the world is his inheritance.

Obama teaches us, it is not that we feel entitled but a desire of wanting to give back like those who came before us. Service is an option for those wanting to stay connected to the most underserved people, African-Americans living in poor neighborhoods. Individuals who are no different from each generation, some having a desire to be educated and to serve their country. But, it is up to them to determine how they will serve.

UPDATE: political news reports Obama will headline Iowa party event.

Chicago Tribune on Obama.

2 comments:

  1. Obama stole the show at the 2004 Demo Convention. During his speech, I turned to my wife and said, "this man will probably be president within the next 16 years". I hope my prediction is on target. It was refreshing to see someone so young speak so eloquently about the issues that matter. He has a bright and promising career ahead of him.

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  2. Anonymous8/11/2006

    Looks nice! Awesome content. Good job guys.
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