Black folks have been striving for the perpetual dream deferred for so long that we don't know how to appreciate or utilize a potential dream come true. I really believe Barack Obama is a potential dream come true.
I started shifting in my sleep when I first heard him speak and discerned an authenticity in him that I hadn't seen in any other politicians. Then when I read his book, my eyes came wide open.
When Obama announced his candidacy, I just knew if he could count on anybody, it would be African Americans. Then I noticed so-called African American leaders were silent about this brother (still sleeping). Later, there was an even harsher reality in the polls. Obama is struggling to catch Hilary Clinton when it comes to black support. What?!? Comatose.
So I've been contemplating what's going on with us. It's refreshing to hear others are outraged over this issue too. Even the mainstream media is perplexed. I have come to a couple of grim conclusions. First, so-called African American leaders (Jesse Jackson, Tavis Smiley, Al Sharpton) make their living off of the struggle. So when the struggle is over, they won't have jobs. They can't hold their conferences and lavish conventions, sell their books, or get all those speaking engagements. Therefore, even though Obama's success would certainly not end the struggle, it will represent a huge victory that none of them have been able to achieve. Second, some of our people need to deal with their slave mentality issues. To say that Barack Obama (a man who has been a fully invested activist in the African American community for nearly two decades) is not black enough to gain our support for his presidential bid, but Bill Clinton (the man who helped to roll back all sorts of programs that impacted the black community) is the first black president is completely beyond my understanding. It reflects so many aspects of black low self-esteem and self hatred that I won't even attempt to analyze it in this blog.
I just encourage all of us to work on us, so that we can believe in us, so we can finally live the dreams of our ancestors.
