Conflict Diamonds

And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea-  America the Beautiful

One politician calling another a liar is scary to say the least.  I’ve seen debates where political adversaries disagreed on issues, called exception on points, but never labeled each other.  Or heckled each other in the halls of Congress.  The high-minded, “We Shall Overcome” family and all their white friends got kicked in the gut during the Obama’s last address.  Our gracious president did not go off, quiet as it ‘s kept, many wish he did.  What we do know is that the most disrespectful act ever visited on a speaking president was committed   by an elected official from the first state to cede from the union. I would take that back, but we are talking about taking responsibility for putting our elected officials in office, right?

Joe Heckler

And if we are on the topic of lies, let’s begin with one we know and have seen.  The debate on Saddam Hussein and the weapons of mass destruction has been re-cast as us not knowing Iraq hid weapons, but that Saddam had the
” capacity” to build them.  And that was enough to go to war over.  So, if that’s the case then an instance of lying demonstrates the “capacity “to lie, then why didn’t old boy yell before now.

Bush Rumsfeld lie

So let’s get on to another assertion: Barack is a racist.  I would wager he has more white staffers than Clinton did.  Obama’s deep-seated hatred of white people? Amiri Baraka, maybe, but Barack?  But then again we all look alike, or sound alike… or get hated on alike.  Yeah, that’s it. 

Glenn Beck

So if we get to the Palin quote on Facebook about facing the death squads, then we are really starting to hit home.  What disturbs and perturbs many of us are not the ridiculous assertions and manipulative assumptions spouted to sway opinion.   Anybody who just lived thru our country’s last decade knows and respects that power, good or evil.  But the fact that argumentative support is found and given airing, under the guise of free speech, the right to believe what you believe, yadda, yadda, yadda is truly weird, in a weird time.   

Newt Gingrich defends Sarah Palin

Heaven awaits those able to turn the other cheek.  Be glad that this was President Obama, and not Hollywood Cole.  We experienced what King learned from Gandhi, and that has gotten us farther, alive and here to see this day.   Barack has all the right advice in his camp, and his eyes on the prize.  After the fire last time, what’s next? Maybe the change we can believe is us-  changing while they stay the same. We can be inspired by our eloquent, composed brother, who didn’t let the haters slow him down.  We should respect their right to not applaud and hold signs.   Though some of us have other inspiration, including Saint James’ albums.  

Payback

Dude apologized 20 minutes later, and then Speaker Pelosi, who looked pretty gangster when she heard him shout, said we should move on, and not get distracted.  Distracted?  Let’s get focused.  Here’s the real: even if you get elected president, you will not be treated like you are white.    We watch as the covers come off the American dream, wonder when we will take the MLK gloves off, or if we even should.    Poor Barack, some see him as too soft on the crackers, the crackers disrespect him, and us in the process of politicking.  Perhaps not as he thought, but he is becoming a transformational figure in American history.  What we will become depends as much on each American, as it does on elected officials.  What we fall for, and what we stand for defines the days and nights that compose our legacy.