Fear of A Black President

Well its been the subject of many comics routines, fictionalized in movies and in television, yes, the first Black President of the United States. I assume that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. could have made a presidential bid, and probably intended to, unfortunately never had the opportunity.

I write this blog some 2 weeks after the country observed the birthday and celebrated the memory of Dr. King and I look at my generations first Black presidential candidate, Senator Barak Obama (D-IL). Plenty of self righteous, self serving, baseless Black presidential candidates, but they had a narrow focus, ‘lets just serve the black community’. Sadly, as a Black American, I realize that we are not a huge chunk of the population. Trying to win the highest seat in the land by catering to the small piece of the puzzle, never will cut it. We have been plagued with people like Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and Alan Keys (sighs) making presidential bids but all it did was make a statement, a bad one. A really, really really bad one.  Thankfully, there is Sen. Obama to really show America someone dedicated to America and its improvement.

When I first heard the news that Senator Barak Obama(D-IL) was forming and exploratory committee to raise the funding a presidential campaign, I lit up. I heard about the security concerns and is the country really ready for a Black president. As a mature voter, and speaking from my generation, a political wonk of sorts, I see this as one of the Republicans ploys to cause uneasiness in the voters of this country and stir up old ideaologies regarding race. I am sure that Sen. Obama is the perfect person to lead our country back into the greatness it once was before Bush and his cronies screwed it all up. As time went on since his announcement, I began to realize that his running for president has the potential to heal the black community and give it something that it has been missing since 1968, purpose and hope. When Dr. King died, the Black community was shattered, left only with a dream and a roadmap. There has not been a national move applying his principals since he was alive, until now. He was the leader, he gave purpose, he gave love, lived fairness and equality for all Americans. I see the same characteristics in Sen. Obama and given the chance, he wont be just the first Black President, but the President of the United States. A president who is more representative of the people that live in these great states. Isn’t that what a president is supposed to be anyway?????

It is a breath of fresh air to finally see a politician that has the power to reach an entire ethnic group. His influence will no doubt be felt by Black Americans and if you have someone that looks like you in power, you will feel like you have power, power to really make a difference for everyone. I believe then it will be when you see more people from various ethnic groups and combined heritages step up in higher level leadership not in only in the name of diversity, but creating a better America for the people of America. Sen. Obama’s presidential run has much more impact, influence and relevance to an entire generation of Americans than any presidential candidate we have ever seen.

His presidential run is not a end all cure to the problems in the Black community. If we as a community, rally behind him and follow his mission on creating a better America for all Americans, then we will see changes because the nation as a whole will be better. I am fully aware of all the racial and cultural risks. I believe that if America is what it says it is, the “Land of the free and the home of the Brave” then his racial make up or any other garbage the Republicans, the Religious WRONG(ight), Fox News tries to spew forth to denigrate Sen. Obama, will be pointless and seen for the hatred that this country has been longing to rid itself.

~ by newblackleader11 on February 2, 2007.