The Mountain Top and Promised Land – Not yet

I had a happy go lucky post but I was like fuc that shit. 5 The world we live in has changed in just one day. Not via the first African American President, but more so because of a change in generations. The challenge of his victory is not for the man to succeed, but rather for those of us to step up to the plate and be critical, to become more knowledgeable and aware and more importantly, to except the responsibility of change. Yep, it is not on him, but rather us. We have been moved by rhetoric proffered by an impassioned man of intellect, can and will we match his motivation is what will be required for him to leave a legacy in the name of Washington and Lincoln. His poetry again is extremely lofty, but the challenge is and will be his actions and what he practice.

It was interesting for me that he thanked and congratulated George W. Bush for his leadership – namely because he criticized the policies of the former president and not the man. I wonder if we as people can do the same; separate the person and the individual from their policies. I do such but many cannot see such a distinction. I remember when J.C. Watts was in the house and how I vehemently disagreed with his positions, I still respected him, as I do Obama, albeit I disagree with his approach. I just don’t recall nobody getting upset when I held J.C. to task and respected him at the same time. Maybe I am wrong to obviate emotion from problem solving, but such is neither here nor there. But it is ok for Obama, not for me as a simple man who cooks breakfast and dinner each day for his family, runs his own business and brushes his teeth with baking soda instead of purchasing toothpaste.

True I am an idealist, and I may upset some folks when I say what they desire not to hear, or see or think about and to them. It is not about me or you, but us, and us is not monolithic clones – we are all diverse and valuable. But I will never take any thing personally if it is on a given subject matter, but I will if it is about me or my family. Maybe it is the scientist in me for it is my desire to understand, just understand. I do not mean or intend to offend folks, or make them angry with what I write, but if I do, so be it. I do not mean or intend to make folks happy or smile with what I write but if I do so be it.

The point still remains that collective responsibility will make or break the president and his success not me being critical or folks being over protective. It will be us. It’s like its cool for the news or media to keep politicians honest and be critical of them, even when they repeat as opposed to think and evaluate, but not a regular, single black male parent who only has the interest of his kids at heart and the world the reside in. I don’t desire ratings or viewers, but if u do it is cool, if you don’t it is cool. Just be open and objective is all I request and leave your emotion on the chest of drawers.

So do what you must and say what you must, be critical, even of me but equally of those that have control over your life more so than my words and thoughts. I just happen to be a product of my elders, and not the only person whose mother (since we had no car) had to take the bus to the only hospital (John Gaston) that admitted blacks, just so I could be born, So say and do what you must with respect to me for I am strong and a leader – just not a politician. Emotion in thought is for the week minded and followers when it regards problem solving and suggesting solutions.

I am just afraid, afraid that folks will think that we have over come that we are at the mountain top, that we have reached the Promised Land. But I know, like Richard Pryor, and Gil Scott, and George Clinton said – people can’t handle the truth. And albeit you may consider it my truth, the truth is until I see health care for all, until I see the education gap decreased (hasn’t since 1954 Brown versus Board of Topeka), until black men are not admitted to prisons disproportionate to their place in the general population, until kids in America if the are of African descent do not have a mortality rate of Uganda, until I am not the only African American father active in the PTA, I don’t care who or what color the president is, I will be critical. So take that and if such is perceived as a high horse and contrite and un-touching all I can say is Jesus wept. The work is on us folk. Maybe this is the post partisian area, maybe not. Likewise, maybe I should look at him as Barack Obama instead of Mr. President – naw, I think not. For as Obama has said, we should expect and demand more of our leaders, and I do folk.