my president is black

and he keeps it real. "kanye is a jackass." period. point blank.

everybody knew that. just think on kanye's various and sundry shenanigans. he says whatever he feels when he feels it. his ego is the size of texas.

after his latest stunt at the VMA's, kanye has left no doubts. so why when obama said what we all been thinking, saying, tweeting, and blogging, it makes front page news?

racial man racial!

what obama said shouldn't have even seen the light of day. i'm no journalist but "off the record" should mean just that. you can't be tweeting bout what someone told you off the record, if you're a respectable journalist. it's like breaking the Hippocratic oath. breaching the attorney-client privilege. something you just don't do. so why did ABC News reporter Terry Moran spill the beans, on something so trivial (i.e. not of national significance) no less?

racial man racial!

it seems to me that some folks have a hard time swallowing the whole president = black thing. and they don't afford president obama the same amount of respect given to all other presidents. it's like there aint no president cause they don't recognize the black one that we have.

one former president knows the deal. "I think it's based on racism. There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president. Those kind of things are not just casual outcomes of a sincere debate on whether we should have a national program on health care. It's deeper than that."

jimmy carter thinks that joe wilson's outburst during obama's speech was part of a disturbing trend. and i agree. just look at the way wilson and his people responded to carter's claims of racism. "we respectifully disagree." oh how nice. carter gets a respectful disagreement and he aint been president since the 80's. the sitting president gets a "you lie." posters likening him to hitler abound. journalist put him on blast.

racial man racial!

what say you?

Phoenix Rising

So I hear that Arizona is beautiful…

But if you are singing, dancing and colored, it might not be the place for you. Which sucks because I like to sing and dance and I’ve always wanted to go to Sedona!

I mean they still don’t celebrate, er a observe or heck even acknowledge Martin Luther King, Jr Day right?

And now this…

PHOENIX – About a dozen people carrying guns, including one with a military-style rifle, milled among protesters outside the convention center where President Barack Obama was giving a speech Monday — the latest incident in which protesters have openly displayed firearms near the president.

Gun-rights advocates say they're exercising their constitutional right to bear arms and protest, while those who argue for more gun control say it could be a disaster waiting to happen.

Phoenix police said the gun-toters at Monday's event, including the man carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle slung over his shoulder, didn't need permits. No crimes were committed, and no one was arrested.

The man with the rifle declined to be identified but told The Arizona Republic that he was carrying the assault weapon because he could. "In Arizona, I still have some freedoms," he said.

So apparently Arizona is an open-carry state, which means that anyone legally allowed to have a firearm can carry it in public as long as it can be seen. Well this helps me sleep at night. But not really because I need people to use some sense! When it comes to the leader of the free world could you just fall back on your gun totin’? I don’t think you’ll need to hunt a rabbit at a downtown protest, but I really don't know how they do in the Southwest.

Clearly I am no Supreme Court judge, so I don’t have to interpret the Constitution for a living, but I’m thinking that late 1700’s America was a different type of place. I place where it was you against the wild frontier. Where you had to hunt for food, kill a Native America or shoot a slave in the buttocks just to keep some law and order. And I can see the need for the right to bear arms way back then.

But now? For what and for why?

And I am just going to go out a limb and assume that Mister Arizona protester loves America and all that it stands for. Clearly he’s cleaving to the literal interpretation of the words of the Constitution. How then can Mister Arizona not respect the office of the President and just leave his rifle at home, or heck in the car? Forgive me I was going to write "pick-up". Would he have done the same if it were Baby Bush who came to town? Well let me not assume that he wouldn’t have, even though decades as a citizen is the country compels me to say that he wouldn’t and Baby Bush was not opposed to gun totin'!

Oh life and this right to bear arms debate! Enough already! If folks can use some sense when bearing their guns then that’s cool. You bear your arms, I choose to take my chances without a gun. And can we just let Michelle O. wear sleeves when she feels like it?

See You In Seven

Obamania!

Sailing on a yacht off the shores of Antigua, sipping on some rum punch the captain decided to play this...and I couldn't help but share. (chuckle)




Apparently, this summer Antigua is to rename Boggy Peak, after Obama--Mount Obama.

That is all for now until I adjust to the cold...remind me to tell you about how Reggae makes everything better!

Much luv until next week...peace :)

Frozen Feet Don't Fail Me Now

1/17/09 - 11:31 am

So here I am in Philly,
Do I really want to do this?
Up til’ 2 the morning before,
Four loads of laundry,
Three text messages,
And two hours later,
Here, I am…
D.C.

Little did I know,
This was about to be,
THE most memorable,
Experience of my life,
With two women,
Who I now can say,
Are the greatest!

1/19/09 - 3:17 pm

With packed bags,
Scheduled to leave,
Monday evening,
The pressure of being,
So close,
So close not to go,
Overwhelmed me,
And I couldn’t help,
But force others to come with.

I mean how often does this happen?
Ummm...NEVER before!

Everywhere you turned,
Every station you heard,
There it was.

1/19/09 - 4:39 pm

Mama says
“NO one wants to hear, how you were there,
But…didn’t go”
I reflect.

You hear that Amaretto?

Those who went to see MLK 63
Didn’t have jumbotrons?!
I guess I am completely out,
Out of reasons not to go.

1/19/09 - 10:59 pm

So we planned the best that we could,
With the little that we knew.

1/20/09 - 6:01 am

Teamed up with six bodies,
And bundled up with four layers,
To brave 10 degrees,
Something I had never done before.
I was excited the whole time,
Until…

“Amaretto, Am I going to loose my toes?
I can’t loose my feet.”
At this point,
No longer six people deep.

1/20/09 - 10:23 am

All those negro spirituals,
Chants of O-B-A-M-A!
Bahamian flag waving in the air,
Where are you now?
To lift my spirits,
Looking through the gates,
Just need to sneak on the other side.
So close to people that I can't breathe,
Without feeling someone’s breath,
Light headed from all the smells,
Sick and tired of moving on someone else’s accord,
Can’t even eat my sandwich, (chuckle)

Rum Punch, I can’t see you!
Amaretto, I kind of see your face!

“No more people are crossing PA, ma’am”

(sigh)

I give up.
My toes give up.
That old white woman,
They are taking away on the stretcher,
I am with her…
Get me out of here.

1/20/09 - 11:07 am

Regroup in the coffee shop,
You want to do what?
Rum Punch ...walk 20 plus blocks?
"Nah...more like 12 (chuckle)"
Amaretto?
"It is more like 20!"

No sensation in toes,
20 blocks,
We walk one,
And I barely (chuckle)

"Get your Obama air fresheners!"

Man, I need,
Obama hot boots,
So I can feel my feet.

Then I am blessed,
M-A-C-Y's is open,
In and Out,
Warm shoes on feet,
I can feel my toes,
Mission is back on.

There goes Amaretto skipping down H,
20 blocks?
Ah, that is nothing.
We were there!

1/20/09 - 11:59 am

In time for the start,
With millions of others,
We were 3 of the 2 million...
I wonder how our half made out?

What's that...they are there!!
They made it,
We ALL made it!

SO happy I could cry.
And I did,
Smile, laugh and cry.

Over an estimated 50 million,
Watched us and many others.

But how the hell do we get out of here?
Amaretto?

Much Luv until next week...peace :)

the new cliff and claire

seems like this week has been comprised of simple words and breathtaking images. it's official, yes we did! black love reigns supreme. on the world stage for all to see. a larger audience than the Cos could have ever imagined for his images of a positive and healthy black family.
so today, with few words and lovely photos,
celebrate black love...obama style!

There's Something About This Moment

At the time that I am writing this, I am debating about braving both the cold and the crowds to go downtown to watch a moment in history that few would have believed was possible even a mere decade ago. I will admit that I wasn’t a believer. Who was this dude from Chicago? When others said “Yes We Can” I wondered if they still lived in the America that I lived in. The America that allowed us to be lynched, the one where Emmitt Till was brutally murdered, the country that still enslaved us as sharecroppers, in it's factories and as surrogate mommas to it's children. But it seems that this country was ready for something different, finally. Mr. Obama was the right person at the right moment. Yet, I am curious about what will be written on the next pages of history after this day. Mr. Obama is just a man who has a formidable task ahead. I pray that the American public gives him a realistic chance. He doesn’t have a magic wand that will make it all better. He doesn't have the ability to make everyone happy. But he does speak of hope that people can believe in. And after the years that we’ve had, so many people are finally hopeful and it’s a great thing to witness. There is something about this moment ya’ll. What do we do now that our hopes and prayers birthed a dream realized?




I guess just stand back in amazed disbelief...

See You In Seven

hope on dope

about a month ago, i pondered the effect/affect that Barack Obama would have on the average ambitious young Black man as it relates to his relationship picks. i hoped that YBM would start looking for their own personal michelle's and stop defaulting to the brain dead eye candy. now it seems that the Obama has effect has spread to local politics in some interesting ways. how so?

well, during the election season, it was not uncommon for local, state and national politicians, both democrats and republicans, to co-opt the changey mchoperson message that made Obama so popular. and some of that was to be expected, right? during any presidential election year, the candidates down the ticket will often ride the coattails of the nominated commander-in-chief-to-be, in the hopes that all levels of government will reflect the values and ideals of the man on top.

but the thing i've found most interesting is that the Obama juice continues to flow, even now after the election season has been put to bed and the next major round of races aren't set until 2010. for example, last night i attended a meet and greet for a friend of mine who is contemplating a run for mayor of new orleans. it was a small gathering of 30 to 40 people, primarily between the ages of 20 and 40, with almost every ethnicity represented. while i think my friend is passionate about what he does in his field, i didn't necessarily think of him as the mayor of nola before last night especially given the nature of politics in this city. but at the event, it was as if Obama himself came down from on high and anointed my friend to run this race...seriously.

the woman who opened for him began her spiel by invoking Obama in all his glory, the idea that while Obama has reached the ultimate height, we, the masses, can not sit ideally by and let him do all the work. no! we must take to the streets and start the revolution. or not. more like we each should become involved in the political process in our own corners of the world. the urgency of now demands it!

and as i stood there caught up in the rapture of her words i had to pinch myself. this hope shit is contagious. addictive even. almost cultish. and my friend had not even uttered a word yet. afterwards, i watched as a woman came up to him and told him how inspired she was to have heard his words. and how excited she was that he was running for mayor. and i thought to myself, wow. really!?! ok! i've known him for a little minute so it's weird to see him make this transition from do-gooder to politician do-gooder (oxymoron maybe?) Obama certainly made us all believe it could be done. with his hope and si se puede...

the full ramifications remain to be seen but its clear that Obama has inspired a generation of folks who previously toiled for justice outside of government to contemplate infiltrating the machine and working for change from within. i guess they've got it...a more potent grade of hope than i've ever seen before.

what say you?

michelle, ma belle

Since November 4th folks (read: Black folks) have been talking bout, "Well, now that Obama is president...[fill in your random request here]." Most of these requests are a little far fetched but I came across one that may actually have some merit. The other day while chatting with one of my co-workers, she hoped that with the O-man in office, Black men would follow in his footsteps and get themselves a Michelle! And being the perceptive Black educated woman that I am, I immediately knew exactly what she meant.

See Barack could have done the Harold Ford and came off less threatening. Or he could have gotten himself a lady who lunches. Someone who looked good on his arm but served no real purpose beyond political eye candy. But it seems, as with all things in his life, he was thinking ahead, like I-wanna-be-president-of-this-motha ahead. Barack is a man of great strategery, if you will. He wrote books about himself and his thoughts on America when no one really knew who the hell he was. He picked a city that he had absolutely no ties to, moved to one of its poorest neighborhoods, joined one of the most influential churches in that area and became a community organizer when he coulda been Chief Lottsadough. This was no accident. He wanted authenticity. He wanted to become a Chicagoan coming from the south, the south, the south side of the Chi!

But he didn't stop there. He chose Michelle. Slave stock from South Cakalak Michelle. South-side born and bred Michelle. There is no denying it. Michelle is all the way Black, with thick shiny Black hair, long elegant limbs, piercing eyes, strong cheekbones and much junk in her trunk. Michelle is strikingly Black. She might not be the most beautiful woman (to some) but I guarantee that when she walks into a room, all eyes on her!

To be sure, Barack loves him some Michelle and the weeMichelles. Cause he loves whatever he commits himself to, whether it be a woman, a job, this country. But the beauty of the thing is that she (and any Black woman of her kind) is the perfect compliment to him (or any ambitious Black man). She upgrades him. She's an equal who will play her part but still let him take the lead role, believe me. Michelle challenges him (see: Barbara Walters) when she thinks that he’s wrong, but hits him with the terrorist fist jab when homeboy is doin' the damn thang. And she’s super smart and can provide him with some strategery of her own during their late night pillow talk. She is a co-mate and co-pilot. Down for the cause, but the cause better be a well-thought-out, exquisitely-executed, I'm-only-doin'-this-on-time-negro cause. Reliable, dependable, sweet and sassy. Ok, I'll stop for I could go on and on because I heart Michelle.

So that’s why Black men need to get them some Michelle in they life. Most striving Black men go for the easy or should I say a fair amount, approaching many but don't want to generalize, ambitious men go for a woman who they are not threatened or intimidated by (read: young and slightly dumb). They want the woman who will sit back and shut the fuck up. Who they can tell what to do and she will say baby I already did it without and independent thought as to whether it should have been done. Who won’t challenge them or make them think outside the box. To each his own I guess but from a productivity prospective, this is not a good look.

It's like when a woman decides to stay home and watch the kids. Aint nothing wrong with that but the family unit then loses 50% of its potential income. Or mayhap everybody doesn't want an equal. Maybe men are scared or threatened by a Michelle. I would not begin to presume to know what men think or want. I'ma just over here being me. But maybe the real life Michelle, as she glows as first lady before our eyes will teach these brothas a thing or two. Cause you know every Black man in America loves them some Barack. Tap on any Black man's iphone and see what wallpaper he has sitting there. Ask a random Black man on the street where he’ll be on January 20^th. Exactly!

For wanna-be Michelle's like me, let's hope they are dissecting his choice of a mate as well. And let's hope that they see that for all of Michelle’s strength, for all that she challenges and equals Barack, look at the way she supports him. How ride or die she is. How she pushes him to excellence and always brings her A game to the table. How she may not be light skin with long hair but homegirl is fierce! And maybe they’ll think outside the box as well.

Yes you can, my brotha, yes you can!

Christian Lacroix sketch for Michelle Obama

Photo by Courtesy Photo

A Good Friday

During the presidency of Herbert Hoover, Congress appropriated funds for the mothers of soldiers killed in World War I to go to Europe to visit their graves. The government then divided the women by race. "White mothers sailed to Europe in style while black mothers whose sons had been killed in their country's service were assigned to 'cattle ships.' "

-Richard Cohen, Harlem Renaissance, Washington Post

The above statement is the America that I have always known and carried with me everywhere I went, in my heart, in the back of my mind, even when people were trying to tell me otherwise. And while I didn’t even know about this particular incident, when I read it, I was like DAMN AMERICA! And then I was like OF COURSE AMERICA! But allegedly it’s a new day and we need to move past these things. This is what I’ve heard said by commentators and everyday people. Now, admittedly I was not an Obamaholic. I was not on the O train. Not to say I didn’t think that Obama is a brilliant, capable man with a plan. I just thought that change was a loaded word and meant different things to different people.

But beyond all of that was the fact that when I envisioned a Black person successfully running for President of these United States, I envisioned a person who was a descendant of slaves. Someone whose ancestors had labored and toiled in this country’s fields and factories for nothing or little pay. Someone whose ancestors had been beaten and brutalized by their fellow Americans. Someone whose ancestors had roots down South, while parts of the family moved North to pursue a better life. Someone whose ancestors had been enslaved, gone through the brief glimmer of hope that was Reconstruction, then the shame and pain of Jim Crow, fought for Civil Rights and a voice in this country. Someone whose ancestors’ major struggle was at every turn, demanding to be seen as an equal in their own home. I felt that then this person’s rise to the presidency could be a huge fcuk you (even if they couldn’t say it aloud) I still made it despite these centuries of obstacles, to their homeland. But that was not the case.

Along came a man who was born into this world by a Kenyan father and a white mother from Kansas. We all know his story. Here was a man talking about how much he loved America. And seeming sincere. Pointing out the best parts of America. Carrying nary a chip on his shoulder about the pain that my folks had been through. Making white folks feel all good about themselves. Talking about we are all one. All united. What America was he talking about? My feelings about America have always been like Chris Rock said, “America is like that uncle who put you through college, but molested you.” Yes, I have been to many other countries, and I recognize that the U.S. is a great place to live, but as a person of color, I recognize America’s black eye that is racism and injustice. And no matter how much foundation they try to put over it, until it’s barely visible, I know that it’s still there.

But then on election night, the results came pouring in and state after state turned blue. And I sat on my mother’s bed with breath that was baited, wondering if it were really going to happen. And when Obama hit the 220 electoral vote mark and California still hadn’t come in, I turned to my mother and said, “He’s got it.” My mother who was literally beaten in her hometown of Selma, Alabama on Bloody Sunday couldn’t believe it. She wouldn’t believe it until they finally called it. And even then she was in awe. When I immediately called my 82 year old grandmother she said, “When they put me in jail, I didn’t think I was doing it so I could live to see this.” And I was certain that my great grandmother,who passed away nine years ago, who protested for the right to vote on the courthouse steps and finally voted for the first time at the age of 58 was smiling down from heaven.

And when it was officially official, when CNN and MSNBC news anchors actually started calling it and saying President-elect Obama, my mother turned to my father (who rarely gets emotional about anything) and said, “Can you believe we lived to see it?”
And he quietly said, “No, I can’t.”

And my mother cried and cried. And my father sat in stunned silence. And we watched President-elect Obama speak, and the beautiful first family smiling on stage. And then we joined hands and prayed together.

And I realized that for my parents and their generation, my grandmother and her generation, it didn’t matter where this man Obama came from. What his roots were. Because when he stepped outside his door he would always be treated like a Black man and receive the unfair treatment they had known since the day they were born, that had unfairly been handed down from generation to generation, and then to every person of color who arrived on this shore. But here was a Black man who had risen higher than any of them could have ever imagined. They were the ones who scraped and saved for a better life as they were beaten, separated by race in the classroom, in neighborhoods, on the train, in the workplace, spat on, sprayed with hoses, bitten by dogs, marched until their feet were sore all the while praying and believing in a better day for their children. Always hoping for that check to be cashed and not come back marked insufficient funds. Knowing that America as whole was better than this.

And so this man could be their President of the United States of America. They had done the hard work so that he could reap the benefits. And if they were cool with him, then shit, how could I not be? Because during this campaign season, I have seen Black men walk a little taller, heard a Black mother proudly say, "You always tell your children they can be anything they want to be. And you mean it, but now they can see it", observed people of all races, classes and creeds come together with shared hope and vision. And with a great conclusion to this lonngg campaign season, a little bit of me and how I view this nation is changing. And I gotta say, it feels good.

That’s my time y’all! Happy Rum Punch Friday!

when I was 6...

"So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?"

--President-Elect Barack Obama, Grant Park, November 4, 2008


On Tuesday, I spent the day with my 6-year old niece. Like our new first-second (?) daughter, she's unbelievably cute. She's super smart and has a wisdom beyond her years. When you look in her eyes you see joy, inquisitiveness and a playful spirit.

My niece was out of school on Tuesday because the local school system was closed for business. The powers that be claimed that because of the heightened "enthusiasm" surrounding the election, children should stay home since many schools double as polling places. While I'm sure some parents grumbled at having to find childcare on such short notice, my niece was elated.

She came home on Monday bouncing off the walls, proclaiming that there was no school tomorrow. When I asked her why she replied, "cause it's election day!"

MJ -- Who is the president?
Niecey -- George Washington.....Carver
MJ -- Uhhh, no. George Bush but he's forgettable. Who do we want to be president?
Niecey -- Arack Obama!
MJ -- Barack Obama! Go girl go girl go girl!

So the next morning, my niece and I were up bright and early. I had signed up to volunteer with the Obama campaign in Georgia and decided to take her along with me. As we pulled up to the local Democratic headquarters, I felt excited and cautiously optimistic. We walked up to the front desk and offered ourselves for whatever task needed to be done. The woman smiled and sent us out front to wave Obama signs along the sidewalk.

I grabbed a sign and passed one to my niece who looked at my skeptically. But once we stepped out front she became the biggest cheerleader. We took pictures with our signs and posed in front of a lifesize Arack Obama. She caught on quickly...FIRED UP! READY TO GO! FIRED UP! READY TO GO! She was a trooper for about 30 minutes before she asked, "can I play games on your cellphone?" At that point I knew it was time to go.

Now, a day after the morning after, as I talk to my friends, family members, co-workers, and random strangers on the street about how "we did it," I am still in quiet shock and ecstatic on the inside. I am overwhelmed with happiness for my grandmother, who did not have the opportunity to graduate from high school because she was married with children by the time she was 16. I am elated for my mother, who saw a cross burned on her aunt's front lawn when she was a little girl. But what moves me the most is my niece and her Obama experience. How wonderful it is that she got to participate in this election. That she can look back at that photo of her holding an Obama sign over her head at age 6 and say to her grandkids, I was there! That she got to witness Obama's resounding victory over McCain when folks thought it couldn't be done. And most of all that she gets to start her racial victories, her "how we got over" stories with Barack, her "I remember when the first black president was elected" story at the age of 6. Her forever gon be so fun!

enough already?

7 days never seemed so long.

Last night's obamamercial was a prime example of that. While I am not an obamamaniac I do support the brother. Not because he gon fix child support or get reparations but more than anything because he gon stick it to the MAN. Show these white folks. Allegedly.

Now I know that's not the most pc way to say things such as this but that's just how I feel.

Anywho one would think that having raised 150 million in the month of September would make you guaranteed to win. Allegedly.

Running for president on the democratic ticket at the height of an economic crisis would make it impossible to lose. Allegedly.

But seems like the only thing for sure is that obama is still a black man.

In America

Where folks that looked like him were enslaved just 3 generations ago.

Where his daddy would be strange fruit in Mississippi had he whistled at his momma a generation ago.

And while WE get it. Apparently there are still some folks that don't. still undecided 6 days before Nov. 4. chile please.

So to me, there are 6 days left for some shit to pop off. Enough time for full page ads with blackened images and the n word. Now while I thought 30 mins of reworked speeches was overkill, enough already...maybe not.

what say you?

the homestretch

The final debate will air tonight and I’m actually looking forward to it. Only for the simple fact Barack has finally presented an economic plan with concrete points that middle America can digest hallelujah! I’ve been trying to get him to give a 5-point plan over the summer, but I guess his plan has come right on time. Although, some folks are disappointed about him willing to allow Americans to tap their 401K without penalty up to $10,000—I know for some folks that’s all they need to hear. Remember elections are all about winning, particularly in the United States with this winner-take-all system. Many Americans are single issue voters something Democrats tend to forget. And considering the US economy is cash strapped, that economic point will resonate with voters.

Now, Bellini ain’t nobody’s fool—the latest polls have Obama up by 14 points per CNN. I talked to two different people last night and one guy heard he’s up by 12 points and another woman heard 10 points. Something in the milk ain’t right. Although, I never was surprised about the strength of Barack’s candidacy—he’s still a black man and for him to command these numbers when race is still the humongous elephant in the room ain’t settling right with me. Either pollsters aren’t asking the right questions or they aren’t probing for the right answers. It is evident that there is a solid electorate that won’t pull the lever or touch the screen for a brotha. However, this same electorate that won’t vote for a brotha hasn’t really indicated what they will do on election day. See, many of them already feel Obama will win and that maybe cause for some of them to stay home hallelujah! And eventhough that is wishful thinking on my part, since day 1 I’ve expressed that this election will be close. But like Michelle Obama told urban radio a few weeks ago, this election can’t be close – it’s got be a decisive win. Either Barack wins or he doesn’t, nothing muddled in between.

And trust me, McCain is definitely helping Team Barack by resurrecting ol’ business. This Ayers stuff is old news, but you can count on the GOP to resort to their tactics. There’s just one problem with executing that plan – it’s the economy stupid! White folks could care less if the brotha was the boogeyman. Perhaps, I should have George Will expound on it...

"This, McCain and his female Sancho Panza say, is demonstrated by bad associations Obama had in Chicago, such as with William Ayers, the unrepentant terrorist. But the McCain-Palin charges have come just as the Obama campaign is benefiting from a mass mailing it is not paying for. Many millions of American households are gingerly opening envelopes containing reports of the third-quarter losses in their 401(k) and other retirement accounts -- telling each household its portion of the nearly $2 trillion that Americans' accounts have recently shed. In this context, the McCain-Palin campaign's attempt to get Americans to focus on Obama's Chicago associations seems surreal -- or, as a British politician once said about criticism he was receiving, "like being savaged by a dead sheep."

And if you know me, you know that George Will can get my blood boiling at times, but in his op-ed piece McCain in a Bear Market – he got it right.So, with less than 3 weeks out it’s about to get ugly. So, tune in tonight, be’cuz surely tonight will be the barometer for the madness that we will ensue in the coming weeks.

cheers,

Bellini

in all it's glory...

I don't remember the publication that featured it first, but whoever it was they got the ball rolling...

TIME was ahead of the curve.


And of course Johnson Publications wouldn't miss out on the action.
JET cam with this...

Alright, so Ebony up the ante with The 25 coolest brothers of all time.

And presidential nominee, Barack Obama might as well have been Agent 007 himself! Cool as sh*t!






Oh and Michelle wouldn't be outdone.
We see you!



Now, it's Essence turn...

Camelot in Noir--well at least that's what I say.

A friend of mine, a photographer by profession-- won't let you touch his copy. You can look from afar, but touch it ... NOPE. The photo might as well be sacred. He has big plans to crop it, enlarge it, and whatever else you can think of...




Well folks, the Democratic convention is next week and Labor Day is around the corner. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Republication convention (September 1-4). Time to resume political analysis-- to my political junkies your summer reprieve is over. I need you wired from now through November 4...
It's showtime!

cheers,

Bellini

Great Expectations

I usually don’t dip my toes into the political water as I try to leave that up to the professionals like Bellini. LOL! But during this political season, several things have given me pause, especially when it relates to Obama. But in an effort to be brief I will just focus on two of them. And what I’m about to write isn’t really about the O man himself (since I’ve been there done that), but more about the public and its perceptions of him, his policies, his commitment to the people, his ability to feed the masses with five loaves, two fishes, a smile and jazz hands. So here is what has baffled me the most:

1. Some Black Folk
If I hear another Black person talk about how they thought this country had come so far, or they never thought this country could be so racist, or those days are supposed to be over, or it’s not fair how Bracky O is getting treated, I am seriously, for real, for real going to scream. I have heard it from Black folk of all ages. And it leaves me with a where did this Black person come from feeling. I mean I know the man has gotten farther than many of us ever imagined, but let’s not forget this is the good ol’ US of A. Somewhere in all of our excitement at the idea of history being made, we done lost our minds.

I don’t know how things went down in y’alls households, but here’s what my mama would say to me and my brother when we were coming up: I don’t put nothing past white folks. Now what does this mean? Does this mean that we didn’t have white friends? No, of course not. Does this mean that we were taught that there are no “good” white people in the world? No, of course not. Does this mean that we were taught that all white people are the devil? Well... No, I’m kidding, dear white readers (all 3 of y’all), we were not taught that white people are the devil. But like I recently heard Diamond aka Neesee aka LisaRaye on an All Of Us episode say, we were taught, “to watch our front, back, and sometimes they come from the left.”

Of course this doesn’t mean I live my life full of suspicion waiting for some white person to come twist a knife in my back or take my land, but, um, er, I ain’t no fool. Nothing white people do surprises me: good, bad or evil. When they dress up in “ghetto” costumes and black face for Halloween, while so many of us are getting upset I am not shocked. I am mostly amused. But mainly at our reactions. When they use the "N" word, I am not astonished. I’m wondering what took them so long. When they use scare tactics like having a blonde haired white woman tell Harold Ford Jr., to “call her,” on a television commercial at the height of his historic Senate race, that recall old school fears and stereotypes, I am ready for it. I don’t like it. But I’m ready for it. And I’m not ready to let my guard down. Call it paranoia. Call it a refusal to let go of the past. But whatever you call it, I won't be surprised at anything that happens in the Fall.

2. Everybody else
Recently on the Tom Joyner Morning Show a Muslim American from some non profit/non partisan group was being interviewed saying that he took issue with the way Obama is denying that he is not a Muslim. The man said, “He shouldn’t just say that he’s not a Muslim. He should also say, ‘But if I were there would be nothing wrong with that.’ He’s making it seem like it’s not good to be a Muslim.” Now as I’ve expressed, I’m no Obamaholic, but man heavy is the head that’s trying to wear the crown! You want him to do alladat? You realize he’s running for President of the United States, right? Heh, heh. That line works on more than just Black people I see.

So the guy was talking bout Muslims might not support Obama now. And of course Joyner and Co. were on some but what about how McCain thinks/treats/supports Muslims? Ok if I remembered anything from my argumentation class I would know exactly what kind of argument this is, but since I don’t, I’ll just say that this is a silly argument to me because McCain is not running on the Hope/Change/There are no red states or blue states just purple states/We all in this together Express. You pretty much know what you’re going to get from the Republican Party: White men, their wives, and a few “special” minorities who have lost their way. I kid Black conservatives. Obama has been stamped as the inclusive candidate which only leads to trouble because then everyone thinks they’re, well included. Until they find out that they’re not. Because in reality no one can be all things to all people. And when that reality is finally revealed those people want to go get all get mad and act betrayed. Apparently they didn’t get the memo that someone was going to come up with the short end of the stick. And it’s usually minorities: in terms of race, religion, and economics. But maybe they never thought they would be the ones who were going to be forced to pick that short stick. Sucks doesn’t it?

Now some people (cough Bellini cough) might label me a cynic. I prefer to call myself a realist. Maybe it's because in my voting lifetime I’ve never been fully ride or die for a candidate, so I don’t know the thrill of hitching my wagon to someone’s star, and taking that magical carpet ride to victory. But I do know that I recently read that every movement begins in idealism, turns into a business, and ends up as a racket. Chew on that. And as I watch and hear some people become slightly disillusioned with yo' mama's favorite candidate, (I’ve even heard some use that clichéd well he’s the lesser of two evils line-now when did he become that), I like this New York Times writer wonder what everyone was expecting. Cause I'm still waiting for this water I'm drinking to turn to wine!

That’s my time y’all! Happy Rum Punch Friday!

politricks as usual

I’ve never been much into politics, especially not on the national level. I could get down with the local race for mayor and followed the city council elections with some level of enthusiasm. I’ve even canvassed for my next door neightbor as she tried in vain to get elected to the school board. But national politcs....mehhh.

My disdain for national politics stem from my experiences during college as an intern for a United States Representative out of Decatur, GA. Growing up I’d always thought that this sista was so regal with her plaits, so dedicated to helping the folks back home while she tolled on the Hill. During my first visit to Washington in grade school, I bypassed a visit with my own Whitey McWhiterson Representative and sought her out, delighted to shake her hand and get my picture taken with her.

So when I heard about a slot opening up in her district office, I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of her team. But what I got was a rude awakening to the realities of national poltical office. I was assigned to answer phones and direct constituents to the appropriate staff member who could handle their concerns. Let me tell you those phones rang off the hook non-stop all day every day! People called in about any and every thing: my son was picked up last night on drug charges, I ain't got no hot water in my house, my street been flooded for 5 days straight, when is the trash man coming...what could and would Ms. Representative do about it? I quickly realized the more appropriate query was what SHOULD Ms. Representative do about all these people calling her when she was not the appropriate person or agency to be contacting about these concerns?

Ms. Representative needed at least 5 more interns like me just to answer phones in order to adequately field all the calls from folks who lived in her district because it took about 30 minutes to get through each call: 10 minutes to patiently listen to the person tell you their live story and all their problems, 5 mintues to explain to them that actually Ms. Representative was a NATIONAL public servant and therefore she could NOT help you with your city or county problems, and the last 15 minutes tracking down the contact information for the appropriate person or agency that could be of assistance. Plus I never even got to see Ms. Representative the whole 6 months I worked there.

You could say I came away from that experience feeling a little jaded about national poltics. Granted Ms. Reprsentatetive was a great woman and a dynamic speaker who could really get things done in Washington but her ability to get those things to trickle down to the local level and influence the lives of every day people in her district in a meaningful way were slim to none. Her concerns were about national wars, party politics and compromises within the CBC while Ms. Mae on the block just wanted a new storm drain so her street wouldn’t flood every time it rained. I realized the best way to help Ms. Mae was on the local level, someone who could actually move things along toward a solution.

So color me surprised when during this national election cycle I found myself enthralled with the Democratic presidential primary. I didn’t really know much about Obama until he won Iowa. I’d slept through that "one America" mumbo jumbo and figured Hillary Clinton was it but after Iowa and Obama's breakout showing there, I perked up and took notice. Actually did some research on all of the candidates AND the issues. I even got involved, traveled to Philly to canvass for the O man, argued with collegues and family members about the issues and started reading as many political blogs as my usual fashion, music and gossip ones.

Maybe it was the excitement of the times, the chance to beat a smug white woman (emphasis on smug), or the idea that a Black person just might show these whiteys and beat them at they own game but I was all in. Now, not so much. I’ve come down off my election high. In large part because I always kept central in my mind that no matter that he is black (or half or whatever), no matter that he sells this hope change positivity trifecta like its goin out of style, no matter that I’m claiming a spot on somebody’s floor in DC come January cause I will be there to witness history, I still remember that he’s a national politician (emphasis on both). He's susceptible to all manner of politricks, manipulation and game playing, we already see it. You see, despite his protestations to the contrary, he can’t be responsive to the little issues, the things that matter most in folks lives. The most we can hope for is that he stays at least 50% true to his ideals and ushers in a crop of folks on all levels of government who will be responsive to our needs.

Or we can take the the streets and let la revolucion begin! I'm down for that.

let the games begin!

Happy Hump Day! Your girl Bellini has gotten caught up in the moment, so my original post will have to be displayed another day...

It's showtime!

Barack Obama v. John McCain

Can you imagine the drama that we will encounter from here on out. McCain is all over the change bandwagon. Change this, change that... hmmmm.... with over 20 years in the Senate -- how much change should the American public identify with you? To my GOPers shed some light, 'cuz if this is the strategy McCain will pursue - how much efficacy are you expecting from this strategy. Find the next cue in the playbook.

Speaking of playbook - I see your girl Hillary gots jokes can't even congratulate brotha--huh? That's cool. But you know what Hillary, only you will play that game by yourself. If you are truly vying for a VP spot -- dream on dreamer, 'cuz you showed your ass in the Big Apple. You have no fuck*** class. So, go on and lay low, but note-- no one is checking for you. I sure am not. And if your 18,000,000 supporters were checking for you where the checks at? You're still trying to bank on the hollow rhetoric of your supporters--game over!

Memo to Barack: don't take the fuck*** bait. You stay the course and continue your grind to lure folks to Team Barack. Do you think if the roles were reversed, anybody would be extending an olive branch to you -- hell no. So, let's keep it gully (shouts out to Philly).

cheers,

Bellini

*and yes, your girl Bellini is an Obamaholic

is the truth un-american?

I remember the first time I heard of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. it was in a college classroom. I can't remember whether the course was The Higher Education of Black Women or this philosophy course on the existence of God on in my required freshman psuedo-history-sociology-english class called African Diaspora & the World, or ADW for the initiated. I just remember finding him fascinating, along with his mentor James Cone, for they respectively espoused and developed black liberation theology. illuminating the life of Jesus and my Christian faith as a liberating force for the world's oppressed instead of an oppressive doctrine wielded by the world's slave holders and colonizers alike.

so when I hear most commentators call Rev. Wright every thing but a child of God, I want to get on top of my desk and shout from the top of my lungs....

hoe sit down!

where were you people when the history lessons were being handed out? I will give you that the average high school history class isn't exactly enlightening. my h.s. teacher tried to indoctrinate us with what we needed to know for that AP U.S. history test but was shocked and amazed when I attempted to question her on slavery (the real version) and why the Marcus Garvey back to Africa movement wasn't part of our lesson. she had no words. So I'll let them slide...on h.s. history. but nothing in college, either? this is why my kids will go to an hbcu.

so I was history major and I took more history courses than the average bear but at my school every woman had to take ADW. and as much as some of us moaned and groaned, ask any alumna about the pedagogy of the oppressed and she'll be able to tell you a little something. we learned about European colonization from a world perspective and about African civilizations more advanced than I had been lead to believe possible. maybe that's why I agree with Rev. Wright cause I knows my history!

I know how this country rounded up the Japanese and forced them into internment camps during world war II. and how INS officials took similar actions after September 11th. how doctors experimented with the black male body at tuskegee. so don't tell me about how America is righteous and innocent, that it doesn't commit human rights violations like a third world country, "build[] bigger prisons, passe[] a three-strike law" and then you don't understand how Rev. Wright would be hesitant to sing God Bless America.

I need william jelani cobb to swoop in and break it down for these folks. and I wish they knew just how common Rev. Wright's sentiments are among Black people (that I know). not just my mama and grandmama nem but me a 27-year old college-educated graduate-degree-having attorney who works in corporate america and among the whitest of white folks on a daily basis. yes, I may smile hello but I regularly refer to you caucasians as whitey among my closest friends. and they aren't offended. am I a racist? I'll be that. my white friends know where I stand and they understand from whence I come. maybe they got those critical history courses in college too.

as for barack...I don't know, I really don't. I think brother believes deep in his heart in the almighty goodness of america. as one drop over at too sense blog alluded to, I fear that he's headed for some sort of breakdown or great awakening. as it's been expressed by so many Black people, there is a skepticism about whether white america will only let him get so far before they break him down. hell, they already doin it. and then you hear this speech that folks are calling historic mere moments after the words have left his lips. words and their delivery which, according to the nytimes, brought julian bond to tears. An ability to articulate in ways that we publicly have never heard before on cable news networks even though the focus remains on the points about rev. wright instead of his points about america's racist legacy and the lasting effects of slavery and I begin to wonder. can't we steal him back for ourselves? you know in the way that Oprah, Cosby and other influential black people allegedly snatched up dave chappelle in the middle of the night and showed him the error of his ways.

it seems such a waste for him to be so committed to america, so hopeful when as time rolls on the ruling powers, people and institutions of america aren't committed to him, his race, or his ideals in the same way.

"chickens are coming home to roost"

This is a great line from an excerpt of Revered Jeremiah Wright’s sermons at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. The quote is a metaphor in many ways, although the Reverend’s reference was to American foreign policy it captures the outlook of race in this country in context of the 2008 presidential race. It’s like the big ass blue elephant is in the room – we all see it –yet praying that the behemoth of a creature doesn’t move. Frankly, I’m not sure what all the brouhaha is all about stemming from the Pastor’s comments – he didn’t lie about anything that was said. And I’ve tried to find sentiments from average Joe’s about their feelings of the Pastor’s comments and I’ve found nothing – although I haven’t looked hard enough either. So, it has led me to believe that this is the media’s beef. Yes, mainstream media has issue with the Pastor’s comments. I believe their direct beef is the word un-American – Americans take offense to when the word is used – you hit’em in the jugular…
Aaahhhh. . . but then the assumption being made is that black folks are not American.

White folks those of you who are only aware of an America that looks like you, talks like you, and does the things you do – you are doing yourselves a disservice about what is American. If you choose to dismiss or marginalize black existence, then you have your own issues you need to deal with on a personal level. In the clips that aired on “Meet the Press” , the Pastor channeled the energy felt by many blacks due to feelings of despair, hopelessness, etc… He discussed the issues plaguing black men (crime, incarceration, etc…) and its tangible effects on the black family / community. It appears the mainstream media could not identify with the Pastor’s remarks.
So is it un-American not to espouse the same views held by the mainstream or yet who deems what is American and do they have that right?
Which one came first the chicken or the egg?

I will say I am a lil’ disappointed by black folks and the black media for not engaging in the tête-à-tête with the mainstream media over their callous characterization of the Pastor’s remarks. It was a classic case of letting others frame your own issues – and that is a big NO NO in Bellini’s book. Think about it.
What could the media have countered about the factual information stated in the sermon?

Whether or not you like Obama and what he stands for – you have to give him credit for speaking about America’s ugly truths. Where most would have tried to dodge and run, he stood there and addressed issues. And frankly, we need that. It’s not enough to discuss issues in the barbershop, beauty shop, in the church devoid of others – where our concerns never reverberate beyond our communities. I give the speech an A-. For one, he was brave and courageous to hold a press conference on race. Two, he brought back the historical context many Americans choose to ignore including the systemic acts/actions taken to preclude blacks from opportunities and their lingering effects. Thirdly, and I haven’t seen black folks step up on the plate on this one – he reminded black folks that not all whites in America are embroiled in the historical legacy of slavery in this country. There are many whites that are immigrants and their asses are struggling too. The speech was reality check 101. I’m not sure where we go from here, but for him it was commendable and speaks volumes to me about how he demonstrates leadership.

cheers,

Bellini