Very well said! Unfortunately, I think you may have rustled the barrel and the crabs will be trying to climb over each other again soon. Just watch.

Is he black enough, (Obama)? When are we going to stop majoring in rhetoric that is useless.

This is why I do not like looking at those conferences because the only thing good about them is that a few intelligent men and women are worth listening, too. The rest participate to promote their agendas.

Do we need color like ours to represent us, or do we just need individuals that believe in eqality for all individuals?
People think that Clinton was our first black president, Pleeese!!! If black americans could get him in the white house then, yes, I will be your black man in white face, too!! Notice what is wife is doing now as she seeks to gain the white house, same thing.
Thanks B.L Jackson

Thank you so much for this letter. It expressed my rage and disgust at watching the high-level crabs at Tavis' event.

I do believe that Obama cannot take our votes for granted. And clearly, he is not a perfect candidate ... or even the perfect black candidate. But then America is not going to vote in the "perfect" black candidate. If we don't vote Obama because he wasn't at the conference, then I guess we are going to stay at home. After all, no other candidate was there! Point is, he is as attuned to black interest as anyone else right now. Edwards seems to have a better platform on poverty, but let's see where Obama goes with that. I will be attending a function hosting him in NYC tomorrow so perhaps, I will have a more concrete sense of where he is then.

I WILL NOT SUPPORT Obama simply because he is a black man. He'll have to EARN my vote just like the other candidates. No more Father Divines or Daddy Graces or Jesse Jacksons. Sorry.

Can we just stop this once and for all! Even calling out someone else's perceived mendacity only fuels the fire. It would be more persuasive for either side if this article (which seemed in favor of) proffered answers to the questions it seemed to ponder "[w]hat has our beloved Senator Barack Obama done for us lately?"

Rather than simply state his record, illustrate it by referencing public documents and tangible evidence.

Obama is clearly black enough - What I am concerned about, is his recent speech to AIPAC and how much he is pandering to get Jewish financial support and votes, and how that will affect his foreign policy if he is elected. See article from the U.K. Guardian:

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ali_abunimah_/2007/03/how

Two years away from the election is awfully early in the game to be defining anyone - much less the media darling of the moment, Barack Obama.

And I did meet the man at a Harold Ford fundraiser last year - and was impressed by both his sincerity and clarity.

Probably the most lethal thing that can be done to Obama right now is to let his candidacy become overheated too early - and thus stale by the time of the Primaries.

The second most dangerous thing is to marginalize him as "the black folks candidate", as Jesse Jackson so obviously was. Several people here, on the NAACP threqads mentioned the struggle between the old guard leadership of the NAACP and other Civil Rights Organizations and the emerging new black leadership. Obnama's rise typifies that struggle.

As such, I for one don't put too much credence to whom the black Civil Rights and Democratic establishment supports - because at that moment of truth in the voting booth, when it comes down to voting for Obama or another racist Sh&xthead like we have had in office the last 6 years...

It's a real easy choice.

RE: "[w]hat has our beloved Senator Barack Obama done for us lately?"

http://www.thesentinel.com/288211229895974.php

great letter.

Great letter. I missed this year's State of the Black Union, but from the letter, it doesn't appear as though the program got past rhetoric that has been planted in our minds by the white majority media and sycophant "brothers and sisters" wanting to please them and the old guard who depends on white money. Wasn't this on C-SPAN?

Bennie calls our attention to an important point: by agreeing with AIPAC on anything, Obama risks alienating the black anti-Semite vote, like Bennie and Cracka.

I'm an overaged white female, so likely I don't count, and I have not decided who to vote for--it's way too far in advance. But I will tell you a couple of things. Obama's proposing another criminal sanction for voting violations does not impress me. We have way too many crime definitions and few too many civil and economic sanctions. What color do you think all those DAs are?

Second, whether sincere or not, he has way too much rhetoric that is moralistic and I am sick and tired of the nation jumping on anyone that supports male privilege first and foremost. The sister said it: Shirley Chisholm and all she represented got trashed by the Black Caucus.

Egalitarianism and economic equity are the issues here and all over the world, and all I see in Obama is a black male that privileged white folks can support. I think you should wonder why republicans from the suburbs are excited about this man. So sell out to the appearance of polish if you want, but I agree with the folks who criticized Bill Clinton for the same type of economic sellout. I just don't see any difference at all under the skin. They look pretty, they talk pretty, and they abandon more than half the population when they get in office--including the well being of wives, daughters, and girlfriends.

I want some fine old wine. He just does not have the depth.

Sign me "sick to death of pretty boys of all races".

I want Obama to turn out to be a quality candidate, for the simple reason that our country needs good leaders. Apart from that, he should get just as rough a ride as any other candidate, since he is running for the most powerful office in the world, and all our futures depend on the quality of that office-holder.

As for his electability, I take heart from the example of Arnold Schwarzenegger. A foreigner from a country which we fought a war to the death with, who has an inpenetrable accent and an unpronouceable name, came here, became rich and famous, and was elected governor of our most important state. That makes Obama seem like not so long a shot, after all.

ESYA:

Other than what is clearly dangerous misandry and chauvinism--that you need to get help for--I do not see any substantiation of your attacks on Obama. You consider the possibility that his "moralistic" ideas may be sincere and still discount them. You then lump him into supporters of "male privilege" without evidence.

I don't have -- and I don't think anyone on this board or with common sense -- has a problem with privilege. Racism, oppression and underprivilege are problems. Bill Gates is white and privileged. He may very well vote for Obama. How does this make Obama a bad or unethical candidate???

i'm glad someone is waking up to this. and, truth be told, black people are over-critical of other black people all the time (e.g., blacks interviewing blacks). it's sad, but perhaps we treat are own as others have treated us. perhaps we do not want to see another black person have it easier than we have had it (in fact, we make it harder for them, rather than give them the benefit of the doubt).

ironically, the biggest opposition to barack obama is not white people, not republicans, but black so-called liberals. if you can't expect your own people to judge you fairly, then why should we expect others to do same?

Bennie said:

"What I am concerned about, is his recent speech to AIPAC and how much he is pandering to get Jewish financial support and votes, and how that will affect his foreign policy"

I'm the last one who is not concerned with the overwhelming presence of whites including of those of the Jewish persuasion in black economic and political life. However, to judge a black political candidate for US President by how well he, in effect, represents the interests of the Palestinians vis a vis the Zionists is just plain self-defeating.

As black folk we first and foremost have to look out for ourselves and for our sisters and brothers in the diaspora and the continent. That means we have to have a foreign policy geared towards our needs.

To be truthful, we don't have a dog in the fight between the Palestinian Arabs and the Jews. Do not forget that without Arab slavery of Africans there would likely have been be no European slavery of Africans.

http://assaultonblacksanity.blogspot.com/2007/03/islamic-roots-of-modern-white-supremacy.html
The Plalestinians, be they PLO or otherwise, the Saudis and even the Lybians have not done a whit for us (despite the paltry 5 mil LOAN the latter gave to the NOI). Thus, I don't care whether the Zionists get the West Bank, the North bank or whatever territory in the Middle East.

Our priority needs to be ourselves. As someone once put it, I think it was Churchill, nations have no permanent friends, only permanent interests.

It is in our interest to have Obama as President. If that means making a deal with the Zionists of the AIPAC, then fine.

Unless, of course, we want to wait for the Palestinians to come over here and to Africa and rescue us from our predicaments. Besides, where is Obama going to get the support crucial for his election? From Tavis Smiley or Cornel? Please. Obama already, solely because he is black, an ever increasing share of the support of the back electorate. And that's a good thing because it shows that we, just like any other ethnic group, can and will vote for one of our own. Now THAT's a powerful political statement.

We all would be wise not to underestimate the powerful forces of envy, pride, and greed (let's not limit our conceptions of greed to financial avarice), even among our most popular Black leaders and public intellectuals. I believe they all mean well. But they do have limits. Most of our well paid, well quoted, well recorded, well filmed, and well distributed Black leaders and public intellectuals are unable to maintain their statuses atop other up-and-coming or would-be Black messianic megalomaniacs, unless they, at some point, submit themselves to the rhetorical and intellectual demands of their fan bases.

I still don't know how one deserves to become a national Black leader or leading Black thinker: must one simply write or talk profusely? must one be sponsored into the game by a veteran in the game? must one be that veteran's ideological disciple in order to get sponsored? can one rest on one's decades-old Civil Rights oars? must one invent one's own catchy witticisms or must one stick with the rhythmic and rhyming bon mots that wooed audiences in the past? is there no "what have you done for us lately" clause in Black leaders' contracts?

Though I remain confused about the average Black leader's rise to social eminence, I am amazed by how agreeably they interact with one another's ideas when they get together. There is often a great deal of ideological solidarity at these major events. And, it seems to me that our most popular Black leaders and thinkers know how they are to respond rhetorically upon sensing subtle vibes in the air, such as the "anti-Obama because he's not Black enough" vibe that is floating around our nation (I do wonder whence this vibe comes). When they sense a vibe such as this, toward an individual, idea, or institution, whether they agree with the vibe or not, we can hardly blame them for going with the flow. Perhaps that's part of their contracts (has anyone seen the national Black leader contract?).

Perhaps we should blame the limits of their social roles and the very designs of their dialogues. Their dialogues are often designed to make ideological vacillations and ambiguous argumentation rather painless. They talk fast. Their fallacies aren't challenged; their factual errors aren't often corrected. Some of them tend to use words that bemuse many of their audience members. I realize that the business of staying on top for popular personalities (brands) such as these is to compete for fans. I have no problems with this gig. Unfortunately, in their efforts to compete for fans by participating in these events, they rarely demonstrate that they have penetrated our social riddles fruitfully or insightfully. But they sound good; they got soul. They are musical even. And they are Black enough for their fans. In fact, they seem to define Blackness for their fans, even if their definition is a bit ambiguous.

Black fans anoint their rhetorical leaders, and then they place their demands on them. One of those demands seems to be to "go with the flow" of the other popular Black leaders and the popular vibes of the times while on the stage. If a Black leader or public intellectual fails to show ideological solidarity, this move might be interpreted as lack of cultural or institutional solidarity. The less frequently one affirms one's ideological allegiance to the majority opinions of our most popular Black leaders, the further one strays from those leaders' conceptions of Blackness. Just agreeing with their most popular positions is insufficient. One most agree with them frequently and very publicly. One must show up for all the Black events. One must be everywhere the other important and popular Black leaders are when they are there. Or else one's Blackness begins to fade away. That game is foul!

White people have never asked whether Schwarzenegger is white enough? It's very ironic, then, that these black leaders, who have fought against racial classification, ask whether Obama is "black enough?" The fact that he's married to a black woman, has two black daughters, has lived and worked among black communities, has devoted his education and life to advancing the causes of the black community far more than other candidate is not worth anything?!

I am a white female and find this arguing over whether Obama is black enough to be silly.
Why?
For one, anywhere he goes in america he will be treated according to his skin color. No one is going to ask if he is really black. they are just going to see him as a black man. period.
Two, how can someone who is concidered black by society at large be questioned if he is black enough for the community but, a white man who panders for votes 6 years out of office still be concidered "black enough" and his white wife by association.
How are the Clintons concidered black enough and yet a man who is black and has worked for civil rights for 20 years when he could have had his pick of any of the top law firms be questioned over his 'creditials' in the black community.
I see it as an excuse to tear down Barack because he had the audacity to not only be successful but, to have appeal across racial lines.
Is it not time for us, as a nation, to move to the next step after civil rights. Part of why the forgotten in New Orleans is because the discussions of race and poverty stopped when we got so far in the old way of thinking and never moved on to the next stage so, people just languished in limbo.
The battles have been fought but, ground is lost and no one talks about it because everyone let it go so far and sometime in the 70s we just dropped it and never moved forward as a society.
The same song is sung by the new leader but they do nothing to help society and what about the young ones who are left to hang on the street, get in trouble and never move on in life with a purpose because there is no purpose. The ball got dropped.
I see Obama's candidacy as an opportunity for white and black to move forward, restart the movements and actually do something besides talking on television about nothing new. A way to give the young ones purpose once again.

The info below is on the Covenant With Black America website. If Smiley knew this was in the works, why did he make a big deal about Obama's absence from his forum? Was his ego bruised?

[On June 28, 2007, Tavis Smiley will moderate a Democratic Presidential Forum on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., which will be broadcast live in primetime on PBS. Along with Tavis, three journalists of color will be selected to pose questions to the candidates regarding the Covenant with Black America and other domestic issues that affect all Americans.]

[The following Democratic Presidential candidates have been invited to participate in this historic event and each week we will show you who has confirmed their attendance.

Senator Joe Biden
General Wesley Clark
Senator Hillary Clinton
Senator Christopher Dodd
Senator John Edwards
Senator Mike Gravel-confirmed

Congressman Dennis Kucinich-confirmed

Senator Barack Obama-confirmed

Governor Bill Richardson

Smiley and Dr. West are trying to build a covenant movement. I give them credit for this, but to build this movement they will have to demonstrate more political maturity. They are entitled to make a mistake of the heart. Malice of forethought is a different issue.

Presidents and presidential candidates often attend the annual NAACP meeting because it's symbolically important and the NAACP is perceived to have a constituency which it influences. In addition, some probably attend out of respect for what the Association has accomplished.

If Smiley, and Dr. West are successful in building a movement which actually does something, they will garner the respect such action deserves. However, at this point they are still viewed by many as being in the overcrowded category of people who are just talking.

Makheru

It shouldn't matter what a candidate's race is as long as that candidate is intelligent, compassionate, and in tuned to problems that face all people (not just blacks). Do we want equality, or do we want to surpass other races? And will somebody define what black enough and down enough mean? Those terms portray an image of difference and inequality. Do we want a president who is going to turn over power in corporate America, politics, and education to blacks. That thinking makes us no different than the other overly ambitious races of this world.

Michael Fisher, where Obama gets his money is VERY important. The more he gets from special interest groups, the more he is beholden to them, and less attentive to the overwhelming social needs of the black community. That's my point.

To Scott Moss, calling me a black anti-semite does not even faze me. That canard is vastly overused and so fatuous whenever Israel's or AIPAC's influence is ever questioned. I'm not running for office, so you can't shut me up or buy me off. The facts speak for themselves!

Mr. Obama,

I am of African European decent, Successful Business Person and very deeply involved in Human Rights, the environment and Children's education! as you entered the race for the American Presidency Candidate I was very hopeful and pleased, yet now as you portray your self as a victim and Slave descendent and play the cards of victim and oppressed minority, I am rather disappointed for you are not the visionary nor the hope I had for North America as a reconciling force and unifying Man that can look forward and still learn from the past! My European ancestors where most likely slaves them self of the Roman Empire and My African Roots had probably both, slaves and Master in them, Slavery was one's vide spread and objectively speaking it did include all races, for the Kings of France sold there own country man that where Political or social thorn in there eyes as slaves to the Arabs or Ottoman, and in Africa the victors of many wars sold there prisoners as slaves to Arabs, Europeans or latter American, yet the same happened the other way around from Europe to Africa, the slave trade that was abolished last was of course the one to the Americas yet slavery existed long before the USA did, about 4000 years before America was discovered, we evolved and eventually abolished it, now we have to evolve again and embrace a new era of reconciliation and reality! I had hoped you to be a visionary and use your mixed race back round as a bridge to unit and look to the future as one! Yet you chose to play on pity and portray your self as a victim not a leader! I am sorry for I had High hopes for you and the USA!
Respectfully,
Uwe Paschen.
www.derpaschenhof.com

To Bennie:

"where Obama gets his money is VERY important."

Of course it is. No argument there. I would actually qualify that statement. It is a matter of ORGANIZED money, more so than then the quantity of money.

However, how do you successfully run for higher political office these days without an obligatory knee-bending appearance before the AIPAC? Hillary Clinton and did it, and before that Bill Clinton.

So, unless and until we get at least as good or better than the various Jewish lobbies in pushing our interests, Obama doesn't have much of choice. Neither Tavis nor (especialy) Cornel are going to to that for him.

Look, at the end of the day I do not expect Obama to be any better of a President than Clinton or Bush. But that's not what this is about.

Politics is an evolutionary process. What's important here is that the black electorate can demonstrate to ITSELF that it can vote for someone basically solely because of (1) he is black, and (2) he is progressive (sounding) without the usual rethoric of the "preacher" victimologists al la you know who.

Will Obama sell us out? Likely. Does it matter? In the long run no, for we will have united to elect a black president. And that represnts a measure of power which can be harnessed (especially if we correctly draw the lessons from Jesse's 980's run and demise)

That'll be a basis from which to work in the future.

By the way, insinuating that Bennie is an anti-Semite because he is concerned about Obama's speech before AIPAC (the speech, is extremly kiss-ass, by the way) is uncalled for.

I cannot comment on the incoherent ramblings of a left wing ideologue whose brain was damaged at Yale Law School, a Hate America indoctrination camp. Nor do I know if her mother named her after a favorite drink during pregnancy.

I saw the same Program on C-SPAN. The news for me was the repeated calls for education. Even Al Shsrpton called for more education. I had not heard such emphasis before. Those calls were a positive change.

Hi, Scott: I do not understand black support for the Democrat Party. No one will explain it to me.

Likewise, I do not understand Jewish support for the Democrat Party, the party of that Commie filth, and brazen anti-semite, lawyer Franklin Roosevelt. He refused to permit the dropping of a single bomb on the tracks leading to any concentration camp. He felt free to make openly anti-Jewish comments on the record. He addressed Jewish Supreme Court justices as one might shoeshine boys.

Also, the KKK, the terror arm of the Democrat Party, was a bit harsh on Jews that came within its grasp, no? Didn't they do that necktie thing to a few Jews? The KKK was lawyer founded and run, an all Democrat Party enterprise.

So what's with Jewish support of the Democrat Party?

Bacardi: I propose a new Federal regulation, making funding contingent on compliance.

Warriner's English Grammar and Composition, 8th Grade edition. Required review of that book for all Yale Law students.

It's, "My husband and I..."

Yes, you may have sentences of 70 words. But, people will drop off after a couple of those. Such torment of the English language does not make you seem smart nor does it work at persuasion. It just makes your writing impenetrable.

I’ve been following this blog for more than a year, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that there is something profoundly beautiful and tragic about the African-American experience—something that a white person cannot comprehend. A black man finds life in this country much different than I do. Accordingly, I am slow to criticize, having not walked even a step in his shoes.

But I find it odd that there remain a significant number of black folks who either reject or resist the notion of Barack Obama. Here is a man who has a real shot at the presidency. He is liberal in the same way that most African-Americans are liberal. He has lived his life in a way that only a black man born and raised in this country can. And he would bring the singular African-American experience to every one of the thousands of decisions a president must make. Bill Clinton could not do that. Hillary cannot do that. And John Edwards? Please.

I know that’s not the end of the story. It’s patronizing to suggest—as the media often does—that black people must remain true to their tribe. And, of course, there may not be a discernible black perspective on every issue. But Obama’s experience as a person of color in America seems to me an overwhelming factor when weighing his wherewithal to represent black interests on the issues that count.

Barack the vote, yo!

Ms. Bacardi can calm down. I mean, who are we kidding? Obama has the black vote sewn up! Do you really a significant number of black primary voters are going to walk into an election booth and actually cast a vote for somebody else?! Puh-lease.

Not that I can't understand the anxiety. Before he made his official announcement, I told myself that I was withholding judgment, that I would not be a sheep and vote for somebody just because they are black. If Obama wanted my vote, he was going to have to earn it. But I don't live very far from Springfield, so I decided to go to his announcement, just for sheer historic spectacle of it, the same way I hear folks lined up to see Star Wars back in the day.

Before Obama took the stage, a woman from Lincoln--a rural town in downstate IL, came on to sing the national anthem. A curious thing happened. I started to tear up. Then I looked to my left, where my mother stood beside me. She was crying too. I've never felt so patriotic, so much a part of this country before in my life. Anyway, that's when I knew. Obama didn't have to earn my vote. He already had it.

Maybe West's criticisms were right on they money. Remember how Obama dissed his pastor? Yeah, Obama was worried that the afrocentric Jeremiah Wright might become a target for conservative attacks( too late! He already has!) Why did brotha Barack hang his pastor out to dry?

Although I can't blame him too much for his decision; The White Right is trying to say that Trinity United Church of Christ, and Barack Obama by association, is racist.

Oh well. I'm still voting for him anyways!

Professor Overton:

I read your posts regularly, but this is yet another attempt by to use the voice of SOMEONE ELSE to express your undying support for Barack Obama.

If you really wanted to be objective about this post, then you could have offered a much more succint set of points that were both pro- and con- about Obama and his candidacy (by the way, please don't do this subsequent to my comments--it would be insulting).

Instead, you forward a pro-Obama email to speak for you. This is onesided, and as in many cases, allows you to stay away from the criticism.

That's the Obama/political game; he gets caught at it, and so do you.

Take the risk to be a true scholar--take a position once in a while and quit letting others and thier emails/columns/blogs speak for you.

B.L Jackson

An insightful and instructive open letter like this can never receive too many commendations. So here's mine:

Well said!

Clarity: here's the reason for Overton's enthusiasm for Obama (thanks Anonymous), published in the Sentinel:

Web Exclusive - SENATE CONSIDERS FIGHTING VOTER FRAUD

By Stephanie Samuel

Sentinel Staff Writer

Legislation currently being discussed in the U.S. Senate may bring local candidates like former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R) to bear for deceptive smear campaigns targeting minorities.

The Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2006 sponsored by Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (D) would make it a criminal offense for anyone to knowingly attempt to prevent others from exercising their right to vote by providing deceptive information. The bill, originally introduced in November 2006, is especially aimed at protecting minority voters.

"Too often we hear reports of mysterious phone calls and mailers arriving just days before an election that seek to mislead and threaten voters to keep them from the polls," Obama said in a statement. "Those who engage in these deceptive and underhanded campaign tactics usually target voters living in minority or low income neighborhoods."

In his reasoning for his bill, Obama made mention of the misleading information distributed in Prince George's County during the 2006 election. The day of the November 2006 election, homeless black men were bused in from Philadelphia to give out pamphlets at the polls that wrongly asserted that County Executive Jack Johnson and Kweisi Mfume, both Democrats, endorsed Steele over contender and eventual winner Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) for the U.S Senate seat.

Cardin's campaign caught wind of voter intimidation attempts the day before the final election and held a press conference to warn county voters. He said he has since heard voters' complaints from around the county about attempts to keep minority voters from the polls, including phone calls to voters saying those with outstanding parking tickets will be arrested when they go to vote.

Cardin's past experience and knowledge has led him to co-sponsor this bill along with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). Cardin said that this legislation, if passed will send a very clear message to candidates running for federal office.

"It will be very clear to candidates in the future that you certainly want to win but ... there's a line," he said. "You can't use tactics that would suppress minority voters."

The bill is endorsed by a number of organizations such as the NAACP and voters rights groups. It will require the attorney general to report to Congress any voter deception during a federal election and take action. If found guilty, the accused person(s) could face up to $100,000 in fines and five years in prison.

The bill is currently being discussed in the judiciary committee. If approved, it will then be considered on the Senate floor.

Contact Stephanie Samuel at stephanie@thesentinel.com.

Frankye:

If you are giving Obama a vote just because you and others, "teared up", then you are a sad political case indeed.

It means you make decisions purely from an emotional angle.

Grow up and use your brain to evaluate the candidates on merit--not color, eloquence of song, or "tearing up".

Pfffft!!!!!

Young Jeezy:

Seems you've finally come around and realized that I was correct about Obama.

Make sure you pass 1L this time around, or if you have, I'll remind you again to join the prosecutor's office. No one would dare hire you as a defense attorney.

Good luck, young padwon....

[Our priority needs to be ourselves. As someone once put it, I think it was Churchill, nations have no permanent friends, only permanent interests.]-Fisher

[It is in our interest to have Obama as President. If that means making a deal with the Zionists of the AIPAC, then fine.]--Fisher

Michael Fisher Thanks for turning me to the Black Sanity blog. There is a lot of useful information there. That "Decolonizing The African Mind" essay is smoking.

I agree with you regarding being focused on priorities. I disagree with the statement on interest. In my opinion, “interest” has to be grounded in ethics. Dr. King said in his "Letter From a Birmingham Jail," that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." The Zionist occupation of Palestine is one of the most unjust acts on this planet. Any association with Zionism desecrates our struggle.

The real question is what is Obama's position on resolving the pivotal conflict on this earth?

Makheru

I frankly had little respect for Bacardi back at Stanford, who, ironically like Obama, apparently felt she had to prove her own blackness to the world (something common to many insecure light-skinned/mixed men & women, who are aware of the power their own whiteness has in the black community).

But out of the muddled Brother-this and Sister-that language of the 1960s, she manages to make a good point. Why are we so anxious to skewer someone who has frankly demonstrated time and time again that he is committed to making the black and entire American community strong again? People seem to forget what a horrible mess Bush and the Republicans have made of this country. We really, desperately need change, and Obama has been the only one to time and time again signal a change, in more ways than one, to our national political dialogue.

[A small aside] What's with the Bacardi *L* Jackson? Is that so people won't confuse you with all the *other* Bacardi Jacksons out there? Reminds me when Vivica Fox started adding her middle initial A. to her name, as if without it we'd be confused...

NERU,

I find it ironic that you skewer professor Bacardi, in much the same way you criticize Obama being skewered. So I did not like many professors in undergrad/law school either, but why bring that fight to this forum. Further, why bring in the issue of color wholly irrelevant to this discussion? I would save your attack for the light AND dark skinned people who have no appreciation of their blackness rather than those who feel compelled to prove it!

I have questions about Obama but it's not of his Blackness or intelligence. It's simple experience.

I'm Black and want to see a Black president in my life. I think Obama would make an ideal choice...but not now.

Let's look at some of the criteria you need to be a successful president: executive or head legislative experience, loyal group of aides who've been with you to protect you from the barrage that each president will face, leverage with the Senate and Congress to be able to work, foreign policy depth, a political and governing machinery (preferably of your own creation).

If you look at the most successful presidents (and I don't say good or bad, but successful, as in getting what they want) they've all had strong combinations of this with an intense sense of loyalty from a smart, inner-circle.

Obama has been a senator for two years, his staff is composed of domestic policy wonks who are relatively new to him, his prior experience was in the Illinois House. This is not the background of steel needed.

Gov. Clinton, Gov. Reagan, Senator Kennedy, Senator Johnson had these attributes. But it took time. Giving great stump speeches just won't do when it comes time for hard-ball negotiations with Iran and Hezbollah. Do you think the Iraq situation can be solved with charisma and good intentions.

We need somebody who is going to get down and dirty. Spare the platitudes and let me see your policy muscle and your teeth, because a president has to be able to bite, fight, yell and kick.

I think Obama needs to solidify a small group of ride-or-die advisors, take a few trips abroad, negotiate some tough bills in the Senate, and get to know the legislative branch more than the book circuit.

Who ever the first Black president is, will have to be extremely solid in all facets. Charisma just isn't going to cut it. I would hate for Obama to be prematurely elected, flail around on the international stage like a Black Jimmy Carter, and get voted out after one term.

I say Clinton/Obama ticket would be great. He would get the experience, cut his foreign policy teeth, get his tough group of advisors together, and be ready for the presidency.

Brother Obama don't let these white folks make you rush into something before it's time.

"But instead, Malcolm's proverbial crabs started grabbing, pulling, pinching and reaching for dear brother Barack's neck. I was mortified."
Is this Malcolm Sabazz, being talked about? I think we got this wrong the crabs killed Malcolm!
And Malcolm made it clear - because they say she or he is our leader, doesn't make it so.
2) I wish once some one had the courage to run as an Independent. You would win over a large section of black younger generation, white working class (yes they need some good leadership, many young whites loved Malcolm in my days), and good portion of swing votes among the Latino and Asian.
3) I am so glad I don't go to those meeting anymore. Thou I love many of my elders. But! Who made Tavis Smiley my leader?
4) I will remain a Independent and wait and see.
"What we do for ourselves depends on what we know of ourselves and what we accept about ourselves."
Dr. John H. Clark

Dr. John Henrik Clarke - my bag

not to be confused with Hennessy Jackson, Belvedere Jackson, Dom Perignon Jackson or Cristal Jackson...

"It is our hope that we can yet again help our beloved nation live up to the promise of her ideals. The political paradigm has shifted; it's time to build a new construct, and the Covenant with Black America is the tool for the task."

Our beloved nation can not live up to its ideals. I am going to read some Jimmy Baldwin

We are at cul-de-sac and this is what we have. Scary

To Makheru:

First, thanks for the shout out on the blog. We are looking for contributors. If you or anyone else is interested email me at michael.fisher78@aya.yale.edu.

Now, as to your comment: "The real question is what is Obama's position on resolving the pivotal conflict on this earth?"

I hope you are not referring to the Zionist/Palestinian conflict as the pivotal conflict on this earth. It is not. Not from our perspective. I think the pivotal conflict on this earth is the one inside our community, the conflict which has held us back throughout the planet. This conflict which is grounded upon our ignorance of ourselves and our fear of power and of exercising that power.

I've been trying to illustrate that in particular with my series on Hip Hop. It would be the easiest thing for s to take over the billions of $ Hip Hop industy both imagewise and economically. WE have not done so. It is not because certain black folks haven't tried. They have and some almost succeeded. The failure to achieve a take over was thwarted by our own on behalf of the current true owners of Hip Hop. It's a similar situation in South Africa and elsewhere, by the way.

So THAT is the pivotal conflict. The struggle within our community for self-determination world wide.

Dear Senator Obama:
I am writing you to give my opinion/observation on your presidential “elect-ability”. First, let me say I am a diehard left wing Democrat. My grandfather was one of Dr. King’s lieutenants. I was a follower of Malcom X. I’ve marched with Dr. King, Roy Wilkins and many others Civil Rights leaders. We used to hold our NAACP meetings privately in secure locations because of fear of reprisals. As you know, in the year 2007 in these United States, Harold Ford was the best candidate for Senator in Tennessee and he lost. In the state of Maryland, Lt. Governor Steele was the best candidate and he lost. In Pennsylvania, Lynn Swann lost. In Ohio, Blackwell lost. The majority, if not all, of Black Congressmen/women were elected from majority Black districts. There was one Black Governor before Governor Patrick, who is from the most Liberal state in the union. Let’s not forget Governor Wilder (in Virginia) was supposed to win by a large margin but the people that were polled lied. Once they went behind the curtains, we all know what they did. Yes, Senator Brooke was also from Massachusetts – the Liberal state. Yes, I’m also aware of Senator Carol Moseley Braun from your state of Illinois.

Just a few words I would like to say about you. You are my favorite Senator. I thank you for being a breath of fresh air and a role model for others. I hear people talking about your age and experience. But I believe age does not make a man wise; knowledge makes a person wise. Rev. Jesse Jackson did not run for President in 1984 because he thought he could win. He ran to bring in Black issues and to get the other candidates to change their positions. The same thing was true with Rev. Al Sharpton. Revs. Jackson and Sharpton were not foulest enough to think they could get elected. The media loves you because they have made you. You won your election because the White Republican candidate was a crook. The Republican Party then brought in a Black candidate from Maryland to run against you. Black against Black!
The media knows you cannot win the primary or the general election. The media is using you as a “feeding frenzy”. The facts and statistics show that no black person can be elected President in 2008. I know you are too intelligent to be used by the media and to believe that you can become president in 2008. Maybe you are running for VP. I don’t know but I do know you are being used. I strongly urge you to stop being used by others. Do not run for President and destroy your future this early. All signs that I and my group have looked at say “No”. If you see signs that say “Yes”, please let us know. Please tell us what do you bring to the table? The world didn’t know you two years ago. Please help us to understand and please don’t give us that Abe Lincoln story about he didn’t have any experience either. Thurgood Marshall said in his dying words “A Black snake will kill you just as fast as a White Snake”.
Let me say, I and my group will not be voting for you in the primary because we are not going to throw our votes away in the primary. You have a great future. Don’t be fooled by the media. Believe me I’ve been there. I know them. They will build you up, but the fall will hurt!
Listen to the words of Malcolm X you have been “bamboozled” by the press.
I seriously cannot believe you are serious. I am really confused. Please help me to understand. Presidents are not elected by people, they are elected by states. The state of Maryland didn’t elect Steele; the state of Tennessee didn’t elect Ford and on and on. They want to play you against Hillary. Why would you let the media play you like a toy? You are no longer the 800 pound gorilla in the room now that Hillary has announced her candidacy. But the media loves a fight and they keep propping you up. Please listen to people that love you; not the media machine.
I will say in closing -- please don’t listen to the talking heads. Listen to your heart.
May God bless you and keep you.
Rev.

As interested as I am in and supportive of an Obama candidacy, I am under no illusion whatsoever, that he as president would marginally affect the problems in the black community. Those solutions will not be found in the White House no matter who occupies it. The relevance of Obamas candidacy is that it proves something that we already know. That a black man can and should be taken just as seriously as any of these clowns that trot out every 4 years,simply based on his background, intelligence and persona. The fact that he is being taken seriously up to this point is a welcomed event in America.

MICHEAL FISHER:

I would like for you to elaborate on your position/theory re the takeover of hip-hop and how it was thwarted.

Amen, sister Jackson. You said it all. I am tired of those crab-in-the-bucket star-wannabes and popup Black leaders(?) who keep playing the "black enough" card. But then, I've always said "small minds think small thoughts."
Keep the faith, and keep speaking out maybe the younger generation will "WAAAKEE UUUUPPP."

To 9jah:

"I would like for you to elaborate on your position/theory re the takeover of hip-hop and how it was thwarted."

That's not a theory, my friend, that's history. Keep checking the blog.

To 9jah:

"I would like for you to elaborate on your position/theory re the takeover of hip-hop and how it was thwarted."

That's not a theory, my friend, that's history. Keep checking the assaultonblacksanity.blogspot.com
blog.

Dear Black Voters and Non-voters:

Thank you so kindly for your valued service, commitment and contributions to the future of white American politics. Without you, well we'd have had all kinds of Black and Brown presidents. But your reliable back-biting, petty sniping and in-fighting are what carry the day for us white politicians. Cycle after cycle after cycle.

Thank you for failing to notice our obvious apathy and insincerity at your churches and NAACP get-togethers and Black think tanks. Clearly, those civil rights preacher lessons paid off us.

But we'd like to thank you most for your inability to recognize the simplest of child psychology. I guess I can go ahead and explain it since you're too dumb to learn your lesson anyway. You see, when you guys fall all over a Black candidate, that's our clue that he's the wrong guy. If you don't like him, then he's a maybe. But if you don't think he's Black enough, then we know we got ourselves a sure fire winner--I mean loser--I mean winner. See? No, I didn't think you would.

So contrary to some of these agitating suggestions to "wake up", y'all just relax and do what you do best: um ... uh ... er ... I'll get back to you on that one. In any event, y'all keep up with the killing and dope dealing and halleluyas and demanding apologies for slavery and, you know, all that stuff that makes y'all irrelevant.

Just remember, Obama's not black ... Obama's not black ... Obama's not black ... say it with me, now ... Obama's not black.

See you at next years State of the Black Union.

Sincerely,

Massa 2007

MICHAEL FISHER:

I don't have an opinion on your position whatever it is (theory or history), as I do not know what that position is.

Since you hinted at it on this blog, could you kindly elaborate on it here? I am simply interested.

Sincerity? Clarity? Rush into what? O's experience is better than W's.

O is just another politician. If he gets in, the real question is will he deliver for the people or for the "lobby?"

Michael Fisher, when I say that the Palestinian/Zionist conflict is the pivotal conflict I'm speaking in geo-political terms. That conflict has already impacted a region, and it has the potential to engulf much of the rest of the world (e.g., if the Zionist attack Iran, or if they influence Bush to attack Iran).

Our struggle, at this point in history, does not have that geo-political impact. However, there is no disagreement that our struggle should be our primary focus.

Makheru

Who cares? I don't pay attention to these stupid hypothetical letters passed around Blacks email circles and we seem to just suck it in....

Typical, really long letter and you got to think about the person who wrote it and see how viral it would get....

It is my policy to dump friends who send me chitlin chainletter crap instead of writing their own personal perspective.

So it is true that this letter may have been sent by someone from the Obama campaign. However, the main point that I can identify with is that we must judge Obama by the same standards as we judge any other candidate. I personally am excited about his candidacy, but it is not because of his being black. As far as other black leaders are concerned, I wonder if we need to look at what they have at stake as far as supporting an Obama candidacy. In some ways, they are afraid that somehow they will lose their own sway over their black constituency, and in this way they are competing against him.
It is perfectly legitamite sentiment to vote for another candidate that encompasses your own viewpoint. However, to mindlessly droll on about Obama's blackness without understanding those viewpoints of the critics is definitely wrong.

It is not even a debate - why would I even consider voting for someone other than Obama? My vote is not about another Clinton appointing more bougie Blacks to offices - my vote is nothing more than my expression and Obama best reflect that right now.

My issue is with the chitlin chain letter and how most Blacks seem to sheepishly accept it at face value and simply forward it to independent thinkers like me....

The question for me is not weather he is black enouch. That is nonsense.
Is he independent enouch, and still play the game as they say.
I have to wait and see.
On the question geo-political terms, if he can not take some kind of stance like Carter, then we got problems.

A nice portion of the Black Blogosphere is up in arms about Obama's disrespecting of Dr. Jeremiah Wright the day of his announcement.

http://skepticalbrotha.wordpress.com/200 7/03/06/obama-disses-his-pastor/

I don't think the Obama camp understands the ripples that this story is creating in parts of the Black Blogosphere.

As someone who has been defending Senator Obama in the Black Blogosphere, this has been a disappointment. There really is no excuse for what he did.

Obama had better not get too carried away with all the media hype and praise he is getting from white folks. Because what they say and what they actually do on election day are two different things.

Where Obama stands on issues is not the specific purpose of this post, but ultimately that's what we need to know. This is one of the many issues Obama will need to address:

"On Feb. 7 George Bush announced the formation of AFRICOM, a new Pentagon command which will, under the pretext of the so-called 'Global War On Terror', plan and execute its oil and resource wars on the African continent. What does this mean to African Americans? And to Africans?

The Pentagon does not admit that a ring of permanent US military bases is operating or under construction throughout Africa. But nobody doubts the American military buildup on the African continent is well underway. From oil rich northern Angola up to Nigeria, from the Gulf of Guinea to Morocco and Algeria, from the Horn of Africa down to Kenya and Uganda, and over the pipeline routes from Chad to Cameroon in the west, and from Sudan to the Red Sea in the east, US admirals and generals have been landing and taking off, meeting with local officials. They've conducted feasibility studies, concluded secret agreements, and spent billions from their secret budgets.

Their new bases are not bases at all, according to US military officials. They are instead 'forward
staging depots', and 'seaborne truck stops' for the equipment which American land forces need to operate on the African continent. They are 'protected anchorages' and offshore 'lily pads' from which they intend to fight the next round of oil and resource wars, and lock down Africa's oil and mineral wealth for decades to come.

In other words, it's about the oil. And the diamonds, and the uranium, and the coltan. But mostly about the oil. West Africa alone sits atop 15% of the world's oil, and by 2015 is projected to supply up to a quarter of US domestic consumption. Most oil from Saudi Arabia and the Middle East winds up in Europe, Japan, China or India. Increasingly it's African oil that keeps the US running." -- Bruce Dixon "Black Agenda Reports."

Makheru:

Well, we clearly agree more than we disagree. I do hav one question, however. Let's assume the Eqyptian Muslim Brotherhood/Wahabi alliance (which is what is al Qaida's essence) succeeds in reestablishing their Ulemma throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

Now, having reestablished their realm, hypothetically speaking, they've got plenty of oil, but in order to develop their new reestablished empire they need raw materials to feed the industries they need to build in order to modernize. Now where would they get those raw materials? Siberia?

Where have these gentlemen's predecessors gotten their "raw materials" from historically when they still were on top of things?

As far as the African perspective is concerned when it comes to that conflict we've got a fight going on between the Devil and Satan. Whichever one of these two survives the fight, in the long run they've got turn on a certain continent that's right in the neighborhood and whose people are pretty much defenseless at this point in time. And I ain't talking about Europe.

Not sure where else to put this, but there is a story about poverty and dsyfunction in Britian in today's NYTimes and it has a racial subtext. Here is the story:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/10/world/europe/10britain.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

The reporter writes: "Racism is not an issue: nearly 95 percent of the residents are white. Weapons here run more to broken bottles and knives than to guns."

Perhaps someone can make a post about this.

Albatross:

You couldn't argue your way out of a paperbag.

Nothing I've written confirms the rubbish you were peddling on the previous board.

Thought you should know.

Michael Fisher, I understand where you are coming from. Do a Google search on "new scramble for Africa," and one would think that it's 1885 all over again with one major difference--the Chinese.

Also, there are many pundits who say that the depopulation of Darfur is driven by the quest for Sudanese oil. The Chinese and the Europeans are the leading edge of that quest.

By the way, the US which is supposed to be so opposed to dictators, is having "illicit intercourse" with Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea. And you know the reason why--oil.

Makheru

A internal issue would be gun laws

A ruling today from the Courts is key; I at the moment think is has merit.

For banning hand guns means that the growing police state would have too also; so this ruling makes some sense.

I worked with the mothers in Bklyn - key issue

What does brother Obama sit?

Sorry

Where does he sit?
Here is the article
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070309/ts_nm/usa_guns_ruling_dc;_ylt=AgFWpKyX_O.clAgrK3r_ecVZ.3QA

tafaraji,
What have Black folks done for themselves? I can't expect more from Obama than we do from ourselves. I haven't even seen it yet. After reading the book, I find it difficult to sit throught. Events like "The State of Black America 2007." Promote groupthink (similar to newspeak) and become a mutual admiration event.

MICHAEL FISHER, YOU SAID:

Whichever one of these two survives the fight, in the long run they've got turn on a certain continent that's right in the neighborhood and whose people are pretty much defenseless at this point in time.
---------------

I thoroughly disagree with this point. I do not believe that many of the African countries of interest are "defenseless at this point in time." The objective reality is that the region, much like south America and most of Asia will stand to benefit significantly from increased trade with the West. And perhaps from this point of view there is diminished barganing power. That being said, control of their resources and politics is wholly in their control. To be sure, our government will seek strategic advantage in supporting governments that will acquiesce to us and attampt to depose of others in whatever guise it can a la Saddam. But it is a needless cop out for the African presidents and governments to suggest they are defenseless because ultimately they must sign off on the terms of any deal.

MAKHERU, I wouldn't buy into the sensationalism of the media ("new scramble...") which approaches any story involving Africa, as with anything black, with a fair measure of condescension. Bottom line is China is looking out for its economic interests (and unlike us is not being hypocritical about it) as are the African nations. Unlike in 1885, here trade discussions are between peers and in good faith. Absent a situation where the US/China is brokering a deal with dictators or corrupt leaders, these nations will have no one but their leaders to blame.

9jah, much respect to you for your opinions. I would say that trade discussions between the US and China, would be a discussion between peers. Trade discussion between the US and most of the countries where the resources are, can hardly be called a discussion between peers.

That is all the more reason for Afrika to form something like the European Union, which would give them more of a position of strength.

If you know of situations where capitalists and imperialists have negotiated in good faith with weaker nations, please forward some examples. Particularly in Afrika, imperialists have done everything possible to destabilize and overthrow leaders of countries they opposed, while doing everything possible to prop-up dictators they supported.

I would not call the creation of AFRICOM sensationalism. Bush is trying to position America to use force when necessary to bring about regime change and take whatever his handlers want.

Obama is a pig in a poker if I ever saw one. Since when did the US news media start giving black men, regardless of their politic, this much favorable publicity? Something smells like a 20 dollar hooker. Fishy.

Dear Senator Obama:
I am writing you to give my opinion/observation on your presidential “elect-ability”. First, let me say I am a diehard left wing Democrat. My grandfather was one of Dr. King’s lieutenants. I was a follower of Malcom X. I’ve marched with Dr. King, Roy Wilkins and many others Civil Rights leaders. We used to hold our NAACP meetings privately in secure locations because of fear of reprisals. As you know, in the year 2007 in these United States, Harold Ford was the best candidate for Senator in Tennessee and he lost. In the state of Maryland, Lt. Governor Steele was the best candidate and he lost. In Pennsylvania, Lynn Swann lost. In Ohio, Blackwell lost. The majority, if not all, of Black Congressmen/women were elected from majority Black districts. There was one Black Governor before Governor Patrick, who is from the most Liberal state in the union. Let’s not forget Governor Wilder (in Virginia) was supposed to win by a large margin but the people that were polled lied. Once they went behind the curtains, we all know what they did. Yes, Senator Brooke was also from Massachusetts – the Liberal state. Yes, I’m also aware of Senator Carol Moseley Braun from your state of Illinois.

Just a few words I would like to say about you. You are my favorite Senator. I thank you for being a breath of fresh air and a role model for others. I hear people talking about your age and experience. But I believe age does not make a man wise; knowledge makes a person wise. Rev. Jesse Jackson did not run for President in 1984 because he thought he could win. He ran to bring in Black issues and to get the other candidates to change their positions. The same thing was true with Rev. Al Sharpton. Revs. Jackson and Sharpton were not foulest enough to think they could get elected. The media loves you because they have made you. You won your election because the White Republican candidate was a crook. The Republican Party then brought in a Black candidate from Maryland to run against you. Black against Black!
The media knows you cannot win the primary or the general election. The media is using you as a “feeding frenzy”. The facts and statistics show that no black person can be elected President in 2008. I know you are too intelligent to be used by the media and to believe that you can become president in 2008. Maybe you are running for VP. I don’t know but I do know you are being used. I strongly urge you to stop being used by others. Do not run for President and destroy your future this early. All signs that I and my group have looked at say “No”. If you see signs that say “Yes”, please let us know. Please tell us what do you bring to the table? The world didn’t know you two years ago. Please help us to understand and please don’t give us that Abe Lincoln story about he didn’t have any experience either. Thurgood Marshall said in his dying words “A Black snake will kill you just as fast as a White Snake”.
Let me say, I and my group will not be voting for you in the primary because we are not going to throw our votes away in the primary. You have a great future. Don’t be fooled by the media. Believe me I’ve been there. I know them. They will build you up, but the fall will hurt!
Listen to the words of Malcolm X you have been “bamboozled” by the press.
I seriously cannot believe you are serious. I am really confused. Please help me to understand. Presidents are not elected by people, they are elected by states. The state of Maryland didn’t elect Steele; the state of Tennessee didn’t elect Ford and on and on. They want to play you against Hillary. Why would you let the media play you like a toy? You are no longer the 800 pound gorilla in the room now that Hillary has announced her candidacy. But the media loves a fight and they keep propping you up. Please listen to people that love you; not the media machine.
I will say in closing -- please don’t listen to the talking heads. Listen to your heart.
May God bless you and keep you.
Rev.

Obama will be very good for the lawyer profession.

Obama will be very good for unions and rent seeking Democrat Party patronage peddlers.

Obama and his lawyer friends will permit a major terror attack inside our shores. He will petition to open negotiations with Al Qaeda. Common ground and mutual respect conform with Democrat Party political correctness. He will have withdrawn our troops. He will have slashed the defense budget, to pay off his constituency. We will have no physical presence in the Middle East to pressure any entity.

If the terror attack is nuclear, 1776 is over. This represents an unknown phase shift. It is difficult to predict phase shifts. Below a temperature, water looks and acts like ice, with features totally unpredictable from all knowledge of water. I cannot believe the new phase will be better than this one.

Michael Fisher, where Obama gets his money is VERY important. The more he gets from special interest groups, the more he is beholden to them, and less attentive to the overwhelming social needs of the black community. That's my point.

When Hillary Clinton declined public financing, that was the sound of the gauntlet being thrown.

The message was clear: raise odious amounts of money or be left behind.

Will he be beholden to those who raise money for him?

Yep, just like every other candidate.

So, if Black folk want to be in the game..Black folk need to raise some money. With a collective 780 Billion at our disposal, please don't tell me that we can't raise some money for Obama.

I Found Free PlayBoy Girls, you need view this.
Absolutely FREE PlayBoy & Penthouse:

http://www.girlsupdates.com/gateway.php

All in the family . . . if you look hard enough

By Bob Secter
Tribune staff reporter
Published March 11, 2007

A group of genealogical hobbyists recently created a stir with a claim that ancestors of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama were slave owners. The media so focused on the slave-owner angle that it bypassed other potential family ties in the study that could also be fraught with symbolism for the biracial presidential contender.

President Bush and Democrat Obama may be political opposites, but the amateur genealogists say they could share great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents, Samuel Hinckley and Sarah Soole of 17th Century Massachusetts.

Obama, who has written two autobiographical best sellers, could also have blood ties to Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck, the researchers think.

Think Obama's super? Christopher Reeve and John Glenn may be on the Obama family tree. Leadership ready? There's also Harry Truman and William I (a.k.a. The Lion), a 12th Century Scottish king.

There are a lot more potential celebrity connections, but the catch is that this is all pretty iffy. The study's authors caution that they've got a lot more work to do to nail down all those suspected Obama ties.

Even so, many may prove true, predicted Megan Smolenyak, the chief family historian at the genealogical web site Ancestry.com, which is conducting a separate Obama family study. "If your family marches back 200, 300, 400 years in America, the odds are that all sorts of interesting connections can be made."

Here's one tidbit that Smolenyak's more thorough research has nailed down. A great-great-great grandfather of Obama on his mother's side was Falmouth Kearney, who arrived in New York from Ireland on March 20, 1850. So good Chicago pol that he is, the senator come St. Patrick's Day can call himself O'Bama with almost a straight face.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0703110005mar11,0,141177.story?coll=chi-newsopinionperspective-hed

MAKHERU,

EQUAL RESPECT for your opinions. I certainly agree with you that hardly any country, including African nations, are “peers” of the US in the stricted sense, hence, I indicated that there is a stark imbalance in bargaining power. So maybe we fiddle with semantics here. What I do think though is that as in no other time in recent modern history, increasingly there exists the power of choice—and a comparably or equally informed government and citizenry. And granting the truth that imperialists by definition seek out above all their own interests, the African governments are in a position to, and should do the same. That is the nature of economic trade. If it is reasoned that increased trade with China would NOT help these nations—why would they do it? If the nation’s leaders are uninformed about elements of the trades that is one thing. But I argue that they are not or should not be.
The continent does in fact have an African Union (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/3870303.stm) with some structural similarities to the EU and inspired by predecessor organizations. I am not confident about the viability of this given the fissures still existing and the myriad economic, religious, ethnic, racial and other interests in the continent.

9jah, I understand your position.

Makheru

I also think that Obama can't win. Even if he wins the democratic primary, America is not ready for a black Prez. He will lose for the same reasons that white voters in Tennessee chose Bob Corker over the very charimatic and qualified Harold Ford, Jr.

Hillary Clinton may very well be the democratic nominee. However she is too much of a divisive figure to win the general election. Too many on the right hate the very mention of her name, and they will come out 'en masse' on election day to vote her down.

That is why I support John Edwards for President. He has clearly articulated his agenda whilst all we get is soundbites from Obama and Hillary, as the news media whips up a frenzy, hoping to persuade us that the two are our only valid choices. John Edwards is the only democratic candidate who stands a chance to beat Romney, Giuliani, or McCain.

Let's face it. If the goal is an 'electable' democrat, Edwards is the one.

I think you underestimate the "electability" of Obama. His candidacy is borne more out of a demand for his leadership than by political ambition. He's finally a serious Black candidate who gets more than a polite nod and smile from white voters. Most folks genuinely like him.

I think the fear factor for a few Black folk--or folk posing as Black--is having their hopes dashed by getting too close. Either that, or they're playing the "electability" card as a last ditch effort to disguise their petty jealousy and envy of the man.

Harold Ford, Jr. not only was electable, he still is. Remember, he almost won Tennessee. Most other states, he would have been the clear winner. Yes, there will always be whites who will never vote to elect a Black or Brown man president. But they're fewer and less relevant everyday. I don't think it's wise for us to join company with them.

I certainly won't be using their excuses for voting against Obama. And believe me, they've got plenty of them. "Electability" being just one.

I hope Mr.Obama starts talking about this
http://select.nytimes.com/2007/03/15/opinion/15herbert.html
"For dropouts, the rates of joblessness are staggering. For black males who left high school without a diploma, the real jobless rate at various times over the past few years has ranged from 59 percent to a breathtaking 72 percent."

This is a quality of life question. It is atrociuos!!

I hope Mr.Obama starts talking about this
http://select.nytimes.com/2007/03/15/opinion/15herbert.html
"For dropouts, the rates of joblessness are staggering. For black males who left high school without a diploma, the real jobless rate at various times over the past few years has ranged from 59 percent to a breathtaking 72 percent."

Whatever Obama says, if it doesn't include the phrase "self-inflicted", then he won't be saying much.

Thank you for the engaging discussion about Obama's candidacy.

I was moved to write the open letter, not as a work of scholarship or even necessarily for publication, but simply because I was frustrated with the level of the discussions about Obama and desperately needed an outlet. To be clear, my frustration did not stem from black people not supporting Obama. I agree that we are not a monolithic community and should not be sheep. Rather, my frustration stemmed from the repeated shallow critiques of Obama, which did not go to his record, his experience or anything remotely relevant to the question of his qualifications for President.

I am not a member of Obama's campaign staff and my letter was neither reviewed nor approved by any member of Obama's staff. I simply wrote it and emailed it to my friends and colleagues, some of whom encouraged me to post it. I posted it on two sites - blackplanet.com and Young Philly Politics.

Because this site appears to have a wider distribution, I am writing now primarily to apologize to Professor Ogletree, whose comments I apparently misconstrued. Please let the record reflect that Professor Ogletree came to Obama's defense and stated that "if [Obama] made ANY mistakes at all by not being in Virginia on 2/10/07, we, as a people, must forgive him not criticize him." Professor Ogletree was an advisor to Obama during his Senate candidacy and serves as an advisor to him now. I have spoken with Professor Ogletree, but wanted to publicly correct my misperceptions. Professor Ogletree has graciously provided me with the following link, which makes clear his support of Obama's candidacy:

http://www.hlsforobama.com/blog.html

I stand by the sentiments of my letter regarding our tendency to hold aspiring and successful black people to a higher standard than we hold others (well, except when it comes to the black people who entertain us). Even worse is the tendency to put blackness in a box and dare each other to cross one of the lines. I was deeply disappointed to see people I have long admired and respected appear to follow the same old script of criticizing Obama without substance while completely ignoring that the questions being raised about him were problematic and suspect.

If you missed it, a clip of the State of Black America discussion can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXj3_pjTTwg&NR

My audacious hope is that we can move beyond the pettiness and, instead, spend our energy dismantling the barrel, not pulling each other deeper into it. In addition to the many thoughtful comments on this blog, I have received quite a few emails that fuel my hope.

Whatever your political preference, I think most of us agree that change is definitely in order. Obama is still without question the candidate whom I believe is most likely to make the changes that I want to see.

B.L. Jackson

Well written. well said.

No need for me to re-hash anythaing written here, so I will simple say that until and unless something happens that will prevent me from voting for Obama... he is my man and I will contribute to his campaign as best I can.

Barcardi wrote:

Rather, my frustration stemmed from the repeated shallow critiques of Obama, which did not go to his record, his experience or anything remotely relevant to the question of his qualifications for President.

Barcardi, that is the definition of racism and is the reality of any progressive Black person to deal with. That is why we are all in this fight, to marginalize the petty shallow stereotypes and demonstrate that we are somebody and will defend our right to be.

I do not agree with your frustration, you should expect this as a litmus test for the US President. The true test of Obama is will be his ability to rise above such petty criticism and demonstrate his record and his vision - I don't want to hear the word "qualifications" after seeing George W Bush elected twice.

I can careless about what Tavis and other bougie Blacks thinks, they are highly unsophiscated in this battle most of us fight and have nothing but colon-packing rhetoric to offer.

The real test is the same machine that made ads showing a white lady asking Harold Ford to call her. The same machine that gathered a group of losers to say they didn't see John Kerry perform the heroic actions he performed in Vietnam. The same machine that portrayed Max Cleland who lost two legs and an arm in Vietnam as someone who support Osama Bin Laden. And last but not least, the very same machine that post subtle negative information on Wikipedia trying to past it as fact on candidates as a smear tactic.

Those are the ones you better get frustrated about about be prepared like me to enter that information propaganda warfare for Obama - because the enemy is very f*cking good at information warfare and game theory but all we got is Tavis and rhetoric....

Barcadi,

One more thing..

thanks for saying
one of my innovative classmates Omar Wasow

in your letter and stating in your comments

I posted it on two sites - blackplanet.com and Young Philly Politics.

so we can understand that you are not just some 'average' person who 'open letter' just happened to go 'viral'......

I'm actually very heartened by many people's acknowledgment of playa-hatin' as it regards Barack Obama. It shows that we've matured beyond "black-like-me" pre-requisites, and that we are able to recognize people that serve our overall best interests, without serving every single one of them.

Perhaps now Obama can proceed with articulating his vision and plans for leading this country.

Wake up People....and lets write a new chapter in African American History. Barack has self enacted his own campaign finance guidelines. He accepts no money from PAC's, lobbyists, corporations and exceptionally wealthy individuals are subjected to the $4600 limit. No more 6 and 7 figure checks from special interests.

It costs about a half billion dollars to run for President. Barack is taking a HUGE risk by only going after small donations from massive numbers of people rather than accepting a few big checks. Barack has made his campaign a people's campaign. If every voting age Black person gave $100-$200 to Barack's campaign he would be fully funded and accountable to us. Even peoople on welfare can afford to give something.

We have the financial POWER and we need to do every thing we can to keep Barack's candidacy viable. Then we won't have to worry about him asking for money from the JEWS or anybody else. This is urgent..don't delay.

Give what you can.

Contributions of any size matter as long as all of us give something. Those of us with more discretionary money and able to max out at $2300 or $4600 should do that too!!! This is where the rubber meets the road. This time it is truly in our hands. If we want Barack solidly in this race then we need to replace the rhetoric with the Benjamins.

I have maxed out for Obama and hope you will too. I don't care where you donate or whose page you donate under...JUST DO IT!!!

https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/main?outreach_page_id=2001

Thank you for your letter, Bacardi. I agree with the previous poster that, if you do support Obama, please put your money where your mouth is! Also, not being endorsed by ALL of the leading blacks is no surprise since everyone has an opinion. Any media reports of "lack of support" for Barack by the (in reality non-monolithic) "black" community, especially visible folks like Rev. Al, is a plus for Obama's campaign in his appeal to the open-minded, middle, or swing "non-black" voters. ("Non-black meaning any other ethnicity or group that people are lumped into that is not black, Afrian-American, etc.) In 2008 in U.S. society, I feel that many people will not consider voting for a candidate because that candidate is black. However, many more will not consider it if he's considered the "black candidate." If you want Obama to win, tell the pollsters you support Kucinich and go into that booth and vote Obama!

I think it's time to test the waters again and see how far Obama can go. I believe there is more sincere interest/support in his candidacy than the proposed non-run of Gen. Powell a decade ago. The Republican leadership may very well (and should) be playing the game of supporting the democratic nominee that they feel they can defeat in the 2008 election. It is up to Obama, his advisors, and his supporters to develop the platform, continue to revise a winning strategy, raise the money, get out the voters, and mitigate the attempts at voter fraud (aka Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004).

OK WAIT A MINUTE!!! ... so I'm not sure if anyone has said anything of substance in the replies but I'm going to have to.

Ms. Jackson's open letter is woefully littered with diatribes and incomplete thoughts. I'd agree with her that there is an unfortunate group of haters and fools that choose to criticize Senator Obama on the grounds that "he isn't black enough",... I argue that this is only A VOCAL MINORITY! That group is irrational and should be ignored!!

The grand majority of people who look at the Senator with a critical lens, do so for a number of very good reasons. I'll try to outline
THE REAL REASONS TO CRITIQUE AND BE CAUTIOUS ON THE BARACK OBAMA QUESTION:

1) All candidates should be judged, reviewed, vetted and held accountable. Ms. Jackson's call for us to jump on board with unwavering, uncritical support is just baffling. Let's shall.

2) The Iraq War is the most serious, moral question of our time. Not only have we lost 3,000+ American lives, but over 655,000 Iraqi civilians have also been "liberated" of their lives. This act of aggression is nothing short of a crime and Obama's position is tepid at best. He positions himself as anti-war, but check his proposed Senate bill and you'll see a "plan" that does nothing for the Iraqi people, and is barely distinguishable from Hillary Clinton's more hawkish position. They both suck on this issue.

3)Tort Reform- One of the first votes that Senator Obama made was in favor of "tort reform". Legislation that made it more difficult for citizens to get a lawyer and file suit to receive compensation after being harmed by a company. Why would Senator Barack Obama jump on board with this blatant corporate agenda legislation that adversely affects "us", working class people who need the ability to freely redress grievances against the corporatocracy? Because while we don't pay attention to this issue, the corporate elite ARE... and he needs to garner THEIR support and show that he's down. Simple

4) A hawkish stance on Iran. Senator Obama has consistently made claims and assertions that "all options remain on the table" regarding a possible military strike on Iran. This includes a possible nuclear strike, or aerial bombardment which means that he joins the ranks of other political clowns who don't seem to be content with only 2 terrible quamires in that region

And there's more, as we get to the issues of class.. but I'd like to keep this somewhat short. From his commitment and support of the terrible occupation of Palestine, to his extolling of the virtues of capitalism which has led to incredible poverty and despair alongside great opulent wealth. (with blacks being overwhelmingly represented among the poor)

Here's the point... If Barack Obama were to address the racist American criminal injustice system, or stand up against American or Israeli occupation, or if he were to push living wages, global justice in place of corporate globalization, and other progressive measures... he wouldn't be where he is today. He is keenly, smartly navigating this corporate owned political system. That's it. He's successfully told the business elite of America that he is safe and that he intends to maintain the very profitable status quo. To remain viable, Obama and every other candidate will have to raise tens of millions of dollars, pundits predict that the final two will raise and spend upwards of $500million... this is an incredible indictment of our failed, faux democracy. Let's not be fooled in to thinking that Obama will, as one of my friends said "play the game, and then get in and paint the white house black". He is a politician who intends to do nothing different than past presidents, and the faith Ms. Jackson exhibits should surely fizzle as any presidential candidate is naturally attached to corporate strings which pull him/her away from social justice.

If the author, Ms. Jackson is able to aptly note, correctly note, the failings of the fraudulent Mr. Clinton (who pushed NAFTA and welfare reform that seriously hurt the black underclass)... I don't understand how she can't see the Obama smokescreen. Perhaps she's just committed to the black faces in high places theory, and doesn't want to?

For those of you questioning Obama's blackness (however you want to define it), please check out some of the philosophy of his church and you'll get a better idea.

http://www.tucc.org/talking_points.htm

Obama won't appear on the fake news network, the right-wing Fox News progaganda channel. Check out Al Sharpton's appearance on O'Reilly on Utube and get a better clue on Sharpton's hidden agenda.

Go Obama!

I just hope that the Anonymous person actually took the time to read what I wrote...

I don't challenge or criticize him any stronger than any other candidate. An appearance on O'Reilly means little... Obama has made appearances at national AIPAC meetings, and other big whig contributors that naturally compromise his position.

Bacardi, Is this Bacardi from the Law School?!! If so,. . .Bravo Lady!!! Well Said Indeed! I am not 100% sure if I will support Barack in the election, but I certainly do not subscribe to the nonsense being spewed by these Negroes about "Black enough". . .what the hell is that?!! Anyway, Hit me via email, I would love to here what's what with you!

CRABS,CRABS,CRABS

What is it with black folks? How is it that blacks who have access to a TV broadcast station, suddenly becomes svengali and Blacks get all excercized. "Is he black enough" That is one of the unanswerable crab questions ever devised. When Tiger Woods came along the white press trotted that out and dutifelly Black folks grabbed on to it with their doubts about Tiger. It ws all the discussion. But then when he started beating evrbody on the planet, hay, he's "muh man". When George W Bush came along (the "C" president), where was all this black blogging about him. Who knew "w" outside of Texans. "It's money stupid" If there has been a worse president in the history of the 20th century, will someone please name him? Now along comes Obama.Is he an educated man?, well, yes. Has he been an elected official? yes. Has he ever worked to help the lessor of us? yes, Does he go to church? of course. Is married with a family? yes. Does he seem to be inteligent? yes,very. Now he wants-as is his right- to run for president. Has he attracted white voters? some. Has he attracted black voters? some. BUT there is a question which has been offered up by the inqisitors who are not going to offer up one dime to help Obama's campaign but will stand in the shadows of the black community like a crack dealer and offer nothing but jealous criticism of a black man. I wish Malcolm was still alive, I know where he would tell Tavis,Cornel,and Al to go.

Are you serious, Zyer?
Malcolm understood that most leaders (of any color) are members of an elite class that hold their own interests before the interests of everyone else. Malcolm was critical of all leaders for not doing enough, and he was radical to the core. He certainly wouldn't be endorsing any bought and owned politician. Malcolm was radical enough to speak harshly about the great Dr. King who marched, and sat in, and challenged the system but also worked closely with the government. If Malcolm were here he'd be asking you to be critical of Obama, as you should, as Mr. West is softly asking you to. There are many good reason to, considering some of the positions he's taken since becoming senator, and since throwing his hat in for president.

Love it! Love it! Love it!

Thank you for posing the question so eloquently, "why raise a question of loyalty when you have no substantive evidence of disloyalty?" In fact, there has been NO evidence of disloyalty. He is ranked by liberal organizations as more liberal than Kucinich. He opted to work as a civil rights attorney and community organizer for $10,000 a year rather than taking a cushy high paying job. As a state senator, he tackled racial profiling and the racial disparity in the death penalty. I simply do not understand how Tavis, Dr. West, Al Sharpton and other elected by nobody spokespersons for the Race can say in one breath that we as a community have shared interests, but then suggest that a Black man is less qualified to represent those "shared" interests than a White woman (Hillary Clinton) or White man (John Edwards). Blacks folks have consistently voted for any and every White Democrat--without question--that this plantation party props up every four years as the 'latest and greatest' version of White Moses to lead us to the promise land, but suddenly we adopt a "wait and see" attitude towards Senator Obama? Please! I normally don't use this language, but Black folks are the most hatin' MF's on the face of the Earth!

The for last twenty or thirty years Black America’s representatives such as Al Sharpton, The Congressional Black Caucus, Henry Louis Gates and Cornel West have been happy to spout rhetoric while our cities burn. That burning is a burning that is evident in the poor quality of education that our children receive while these fat cats continue to support a mainstream Democratic Party machine that does not care about the plight of the poor who happen to be overwhelmingly black in the urban Centers of America. This so called black leadership has been happy to continue its intellectual discussions with out implementing an action plan to address the issues that plague our community. Is it surprising that the so called black power elite which has been long out of favor with average blacks react with such animosity to Barack Obama? A Barack Obama candidacy creates serious issues for these black leaders who have provided almost nothing towards the economic advancement of black people over the last two or three decades. His candidacy creates a serious problem for them because it is allowing the rest of us to see how imbedded these individuals are in the mainstream democratic party. As such they are forced to begin the demolition of Barack as a viable candidate because his candidacy exposes their betrayal of Black America over the years. They are required to embark on this character assassination of Barack as ordered by their masters - the mainstream Democratic Party establishment. This chore of character assassination is required due to the ill gotten payments in one form or another Sharpton and others have received for delivering the black vote while allowing our cities to burn. Barack is extremely similar to Martin Luther King. King's message was one of unity, he framed the crisis affecting blacks in the fifties and sixties as an American issue. Which forced America to question its sense of humanity as a nation? King spoke to our intellect, to our sense of compassion and decency. He created an environment of hope and love filled with ideal of prosperity for all. That made him a genius. Please do not take away my generation’s moment in the sunshine to have someone like King represent us by your selfish parasitical actions. Why should Barack run as a Black Candidate? Why are we questioning whether or not he is black enough? Did anyone ask whether or not Hillary or any other candidate is black enough? Barack is running for the presidency of the United States of America. He is not running for the presidency of the separate black nation which of course does not exist. In a similar manner I do not believe that Mr. West, Mr. Smiley, Mr. Jackson and Mr. Sharpton live in a predominantly black city with the typical ills that afflict those cities. I am sure just about every one of them resides in a safe white suburb in America with a great school system that they can choose to send their children to and feel safe. Their upper crust lifestyle does not preclude them from being black. Who cares about how “down” they are if their actions continuously create adverse situations for so many blacks living in communities that they supposedly represent? I am voting for Barack because he is best suited to lead this country as President.

Run Barack! Run!

for one loved ms Jackson email and agreed with every thing she said. In reguard to people voting for Barak I sure as hell will. People are tired, angry and fedup with the way this counrty has been run for 5 yrs. think about all the disasterous things that this country has been through in 5yrs, world trade center, katrena, gas prices people loseing there homes and jobs, the gap between the rich and the poor the war, tax cuts during war time, people are pissed, angry and depressed. most of the country if not all are sick of being LIED to by our goverment. It's taken white people awhile but there finily seeing what black have seen for years. I think people are looking for someone whom they feel they can TRUST. Someone they can trust to do the right thing, thats all. Thats all I want, thats all I expect from our leaders white or black and for some reason alot of whites see that in Barak and I hope black people see it to I for one do, and I do expect him to be a politicion and thats OK with me and it should be OK with the black community. Think if the republicans ran a black man or woman for presidentcy thing about what you'ld get "LMBAO". Do we realy want a Clarence Thomas type. So please please our black intellectuals, and I'm sure you can tell im not by my spelling and grammer don't put any undo presure on this man.

Well said, Ms. Jackson.

I find it interesting that black folks would support Hillary when she in fact doesn't support Reparations. I remember her pushing the issue aside and suggesting that we should move on.

This letter was in a local newspaper that reports on the black community at large in Brooklyn. Gotta say, I am proud that B. L. Jackson made the points that so many seem to have thought but unable to come up with the right wording. She hit the nail on the head, and as I sat there watching the Tavis Smiley corporate sponsored ghetto talk, I thought many of the same things when they began to attack Barack Obama and asked why are they so jealous? Barack chose a $13,000 community organizing position over the corporate job. That speaks volumes. I also know someone in Baracks law class who states that American born blacks would not go into the ghettos to tutor kids. Barack Obama and other African or Caribbean born Americans (blacks) would go into the ghettos and tutor the children not lucky enough to have parents write checks for Harvard Law tuition. Black Greeks are known to not go into the poor areas to help out those less fortunate. I for one think that is why so many blacks are still in poverty, because the crabs that made it out are too grubby to help out those that are less fortunate.

I always thought Tavis should buy his book and take it into the ghettos to children of parents who cannot afford to pay for his book.

Okay - there were a lot of people here who upset me with their comments and obvious ignornace as to Barack Obama - but one in particular that I MUST comment on: "Mr. Obama,

I am of African European decent, Successful Business Person and very deeply involved in Human Rights, the environment and Children's education! as you entered the race for the American Presidency Candidate I was very hopeful and pleased, yet now as you portray your self as a victim and Slave descendent and play the cards of victim and oppressed minority, I am rather disappointed for you are not the visionary nor the hope I had for North America as a reconciling force and unifying Man that can look forward and still learn from the past! My European ancestors where most likely slaves them self of the Roman Empire and My African Roots had probably both, slaves and Master in them, Slavery was one's vide spread and objectively speaking it did include all races, for the Kings of France sold there own country man that where Political or social thorn in there eyes as slaves to the Arabs or Ottoman, and in Africa the victors of many wars sold there prisoners as slaves to Arabs, Europeans or latter American, yet the same happened the other way around from Europe to Africa, the slave trade that was abolished last was of course the one to the Americas yet slavery existed long before the USA did, about 4000 years before America was discovered, we evolved and eventually abolished it, now we have to evolve again and embrace a new era of reconciliation and reality! I had hoped you to be a visionary and use your mixed race back round as a bridge to unit and look to the future as one! Yet you chose to play on pity and portray your self as a victim not a leader! I am sorry for I had High hopes for you and the USA!
Respectfully,
Uwe Paschen.
www.derpaschenhof.com"

WHEN DID BARACK OBAMA CLAIM TO BE A DESCENDENT OF SLAVE???? NEVER!!!! HIS FATHER IS FROM KENYA, HIS GRANDFATHER WAS A COOK/SERVANT FOR THE BRITISH. YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY IGNORANT. READ HIS FIRST BOOK AND MAYBE YOU'LL ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NEXT TIME!!!

Bacardi, I didn't know how to reach you any other way, but if you have the opportunity, please, email me (jaja2000one@aol.com) so, I can send you my phone number. I'm wondering if you are familiar with CA law concerning probate. I would put my phone number out here, but I'm concerned people, beside yourself, would call. I look forward to hearing from you and I know it's been a while. Tell your family I said: Hello. Sincerely, Jaja

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