Top Ten Reasons Why Barack Obama Should Run for President

Barack Obama is one of the most intelligent, transcendent politicians in America, irregardless of race. In order for one to be an effective leader, one must have an altruistic view of the world and Barack certainly does. He truly wishes to assist America in becoming the “blessed community” that Martin Luther Ling envisioned. At press time, he is reportedly seriously thinking of running for President of the United States. In my opinion, here are the top ten reasons why he should run for president.

People are literally begging him to run: In every city that he visits, at every event that he attends, there are legions of supporters who literally beg him to run for president. His following mirrors the melting pot that America has become; Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Caucasian citizens love him for what he embodies, the American spirit.

The field is wide open: Since there will be no Vice President or Incumbent on the ticket in 2008, there is no clear cut favorite. The potential candidates from the Democratic and Republication Parties look surprisingly weak; no real frontrunner has emerged. If Obama can capitalize on his rock star status, he could easily challenge for the Democratic nomination and from there the presidency.

Black America needs a voice: Black America has long dreamed of seeing one of its members ascend to the presidency. With everything that we have been through, it would be proof that the American Dream does apply to us. Even a strong showing would be a barometer of how far race relations in America have come.

He will have no problem raising the finances: Any serious candidate for the presidency must be able to raise the finances to run a successful campaign. At press time, there are only about 5 or 6 presidential hopefuls who possess the capacity to raise as much money as Obama can. Big business loves Barack’s economic philosophies, a fact which can be construed as an asset or liability. Either way this plays out, he will not have a problem raising the finances.

He may not get another chance to run: If a Democratic candidate wins the presidency in 2008, this person will also be up for re-election in 2012. If they perform reasonably well in their first term, they will be the frontrunner in 2012, because when compared to their predecessor, George Bush, they will be considered a political genius. This will make it difficult for Obama to win the presidency in 2012.

He hasn’t accumulated a totally atrocious voting record: Politics often force a person to make deals that go against his principles and morals. Since he has only been in the U. S. Senate for 2 years, he has not truly sold his soul to the devil. It is sometimes easy to contradict yourself on the campaign trail when you say one thing and your voting record reads differently.

His Intelligence: He is arguably one of the smartest Senators that the U.S. has seen in decades. He is a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, were he was editor of the Law Review.

Oprah endorses him! During an October appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah herself urged him to run, saying “I know I don’t just speak for myself. There are a lot of people who would want to see you run for the presidency.”

Obama is the perfect man for the job: He is charismatic, intelligent, altruistic, and has a resume to back it up. Obama has the experience and meets the age requirement to be president. On paper he is the perfect candidate, a bi-racial reincarnation of Martin Luther King, Jr.

He will definitely be able to rock the vote: Even though he has done nothing to court the Hip Hop generation, but nonetheless they love him too. He has rappers like Common, who give him shot outs in their songs. On the popular young adult website Facebook, Obama has 30 groups which are calling for him to run for President, in addition to 20 other Obama themed groups that simply worship the guy.

Mayor Nagin and the Politics of Hurricane Katrina

During a recent "60 Minutes" interview, a reporter asked Nagin why deluge-damaged cars even now litter the streets of New Orleans, a year after Katrina's floodwaters swamped the city. Nagin replied, "You guys in New York can't get a hole in the ground fixed, and it's five years later. So let's be fair."
All of the stories that I have read have excoriated the Mayor for his comments, by saying that they were either politically incorrect or lacked tact. In the actual interview, right before mayor makes the aforementioned comments, the reporter questions the alacrity of the Mayor’s rebuilding plan, and then Mayor Nagin makes his comments. Most New Yorkers were outraged at the Mayor’s remarks, especially with the outpouring of philanthropy and altruism that they gave New Orleans’s during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Personally, I think that his comments were true; his critics have taken them out of context. Mayor Nagin was simply referring to the fact that it is bureaucracy. That is slowing down the rebuilding process in New Orleans and New York.

Nagin has rightfully charged the government with imposing tedious application procedures on Katrina survivors applying for rebuilding assistance. For example, Mississippi residents started receiving government rebuilding assistance checks last month, but the residents in Louisiana will have to wait longer, because Governor Blanco has increased the red tape around the application process in order to persuade residents to reconstruct their homes and lives in Louisiana. This process has slowed the payment of funds to Katrina’s victims. There is a misconception that New Orleans has an abundance of money. The truth is that New Orleans is struggling economically, in spite of billions of dollars in congressional aid. The city is in operating on an estimated 1/4 of the revenue it held before Katrina because of the loss of citizens and merchants. One question that I have about the Katrina recovery is why was an overwhelming majority of the reconstruction contracts awarded without competitive bids? Why weren’t minorities included in this process or awarded a decent amount of contracts?

By reporting the linguistic mishaps of Mayor Nagin, I think the media is focusing in on the wrong story. Do you know what they should be focusing on? Well, over the next two weeks we will celebrate two of the most difficult historic anniversaries in recent memory. With these two anniversaries, the political stakes are high, with the anniversary of 9-11 aiding Bush and the GOP, and Hurricane Katrina helping the Democrats. It is a shame that these tragic events will be used as political pawns in the upcoming elections across the country. What does this say about as Americans?

Let’s not forget about the incidents of unadulterated racism that occured during Hurricane Katrina. Remember the incident in Gretna, Louisiana where the police turned back desperate Katrina evacuee’s at gunpoint? The cities’ officials swore that the incident was not racially motivated and posited that they did not have the supplies to deal with the influx of evacuees. That is the most risible excuse that I have ever heard. The truth is that prior to the incident they stereotyped them as criminals and soulless cretins. In this case, they equated black with criminal. If they had been white, the officials of Gretna would have welcomed them with open arms; no questions asked and would have provided them with whatever they needed.

Lately, I have been reading about a increasing number of columnists and political analyst attempting to juxtapose how Rudolph Giuliani and Ray Nagin handled there particular crisis. In my opinion Mr. Giuliani had more to work with, because he had the full support and financial backing of the President from the onset of the 9-11 crises. Also, with Hurricane Katrina, the President had advanced warning of the impending catastrophe, and yet he did nothing. Nothing!

It is disheartening for me to see the media using their considerable power and resources to focus in on a statement that was clearly taken out of context. I see Nagin as an iconoclastic visionary, who uses his position to effectuate change, without regard to whether or not he will be vilified in the press. Even though I am defending the Mayor and his comment, as a piece of advice, Mayor Nagin, think about what your say before you say it and remember that your words can be misconstrued and used to impede your progress.

New Season of Survivor reads like Chappelle's Show episode gone wrong

Yesterday, I was checking my email on Yahoo when I saw a headline that read, New Survivor Divides Groups by Race. Like any other person in the world, I wanted to find out more, so I clicked on the story link. At first I thought that the headline was just a play on words, but as I read more, I figured out that it was a machination devised by the show producers in order to boost ratings and exploit the 'color line.' Apparently on the upcoming season of Survivor, the contestants will be divided into 4 teams, segregated according to 'race.' The four 'races' represented are white, African American, Latino and Asian. It would be easy for me to excoriate CBS for their decision to sanction the show production, but in retrospect, would we expect anything else from this media conglomerate?
As I began to skim the rest of the story, it began to read more like a Chappelle's Show skit gone terribly wrong. You know, like The Racial Draft, or The Mad Real World. These skits are considered classics by purveyors of sketch comedies and Chappelle's Show. Why? Because they were outlandish parodies based on deep-seated racial stereotypes and bigotry. The aforementioned sketches contained interpolations of the tacit thoughts of members of variegated racial groups, but sprinkled with a dash of levity.
In the United Stated, wars and skirmishes alike have been fought over the issue of race. So in my opinion, it is sickening to see this issue exploited for monetary gain. Martin Luther King longed to see a blessed community, where a person's race would not be exploited, but the producers of this show are hell bent on setting race relations back another 100 years. Producers have responded by saying that this twist is just another layer added to Survivor's social experiment premise.
Like The Bell Curve, which posits that black are intellectually inferior to whites (and all other races for that matter), the new season of Survivor, I suspect, will yield findings that will be deleterious to the psyches of African American youth and adults. I am tired of seeing television programming being dictated by the clandestine activities of avaricious executives who care more about ratings than people and seem to push substance to the way side. Producers of this show do not realize that they are interfering with the racial stability (as preposterous as it sounds) of the United States. Let's pray that I'm exaggerating!

Open Letter to the Authentic Black Woman

To Whom It May Concern:

Recently, I found myself thinking of your true worth. In my pre-conscious mind thoughts of the authentic black women began to ruminate. For so long you have been devalued, persecuted, and disrespected. A Goddess in your own right, you have used your divinity to shield yourself from the brunt of these injuries. The black woman speaks of family and orchestrates its symphony with adroitness. Your epicene attributes allow you to assume the role of both mother and father, even though it is not in your original job description. Inside of your womb we find the genesis of mankind and the safest place on earth. The authentic black woman has endured much longsuffering and has done so with a smile. Embedded in man’s collective unconscious is your record of faithful service. Your aesthetic qualities have been overlooked in favor of emaciated fair skinned women, by a society that would not know beauty if it stared them in the eyes. Authentic black women are never tawdry or cantankerous, as they are a joy to be around and respectful of themselves and others. A jewel with an iridescent bling that could light up the universe, you shine so that others may be encouraged.

You were present with Mary as she endured the pain of seeing her son Jesus crucified. You were a house maiden in Cleopatra’s court and a faithful wife to Moses. You have endured the indignity of being a slave, and suffered countless sexual assaults at the hands of your former Master’s. You were forced sit at the back of the bus and when you could endure it no longer, you refused to get up. You supported Martin and Malcolm as they led the Civil Rights Movement and after all of this, you are still doing your part.

You are an intellect, who has an avaricious appetite for knowledge. You are a faithful companion and a champion of the black man. You are my other half. I know that I do not tell you this enough, but I love you. Even though I can be misogynistic at times, I see you as my equal. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. If ever there is a time when you need me, just let me know. I hope this letter reaches you, as I know that you have addresses in many different countries. Hope to hear from you soon.


Love Always,


The Authentic Black Man

Mississippi Author Turns a Country Folktale into a Children’s Book

Matthew Lynch of Jackson, MS has been a very busy young man over the past couple of years. In April, 2006 Matthew Lynch published his first book, Closing the Racial Academic Achievement Gap and in his second book, Matthew and the Money Tree, he tackles the issues of poverty and greed.

While he was pursuing a Master’s in Elementary Education at Jackson State University, the majority of his class projects focused on literacy, and more specifically children’s literature. When he started researching this genre of literature, he came to the conclusion that there was a scarcity of quality children’s literature for, and about people of color. Mr. Lynch wanted to create a children’s book based on an authentic African American folktale. His thoughts immediately reverted back to his childhood. Growing up in Hazlehurst, MS, there was a legend in the family about an old man and a money tree. The old man had worked his entire life as a field laborer, but since he didn’t have any living relatives, he always had a surplus of money. Some nights he could be seen walking through the woods, always stopping at a certain tree. By the time he died, the old man had amassed a small fortune, but no one, not even his friends, knew exactly what happened to his money, so they theorized that he buried it beneath the aforementioned tree.

Mr. Lynch was 7 years old when he first heard the story. His mind immediately began to fantasize. He would leave home every morning looking for it, but never found the tree. Although it was frustrating, it was a way to pass time and have fun doing it. Matthew and the Money Tree is the first installment in a series of children’s books; based on Mr. Lynch’s childhood experiences. Be on the lookout for the next book about Matthew and his adventures. Matthew and the Money Tree is a wonderful tale for children and adults alike. This book teaches the moral lesson that you do not need money to be happy. Matthew is a delightful character that gives children the idea that the simple things in life are the true keys to happiness. A must have for all children.

Matthew and the Money Tree, can be ordered by visiting the following websites: www.amazon.com, ww.bn.com or www.booksamillion.com or by visiting your local bookstore. Copies are available at Lemuria Bookstore and Adihamo Bookstore in Jackson. Librarians/Bookstores can order copies through Baker & Taylor/Quality Books/Seaburn Publishers.

The Evolution of OutKast

Over the last 13 years, we have witnessed the evolution of Hip Hops most successful duo, OutKast. They went from virtual unknowns to Hip Hop Gods, they have navigated the morass of greedy executives and biased music critics with equanimity. Big Boi and André went from rival rappers, to faithful collaborators. After hooking up with Organized Noize Productions, they signed a deal with Laface Records in 1992 and dropped their first single, “Players Ball” in 1993. Big Boi, obliviously employed as a street pharmacist raps, “I'm wide open on the freeway my pager broke my vibe/cause a junkie is a junkie three-sixty-five.” When I originally heard the song, immediately I became mesmerized by their accurate depiction of the harsh realities of growing up in a southern ghetto. I related to their lyrics and since I was born and raised in Mississippi, they were “preaching to the choir.” Their first full length debut, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was released in 1994 and featured the title track and the consciously charged “Git Up, Git Out,” featuring the Goodie Mob. OutKast received numerous accolades for their work and the album, became an instant classic for many. With Nas’s release of “Illamatic” the same year, I found myself pondering; can it get any better than this?

I remember vividly, the day that OutKasts second album was released in 1996. I was a freshman in college, and a friend and I skipped one of our morning classes in to travel to the record store to buy the album. This album signaled the beginning of Andre’s conscious awakening and increased level of sobriety and equanimity. "No drugs or alcohol, so I can get the signal clear. Put my glock away/I got a stronger weapon that never runs out of ammunition so I'm ready for war okay," he states on the title track. ATLiens was one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year and solidified their reputation as Hip Hop pioneers.

Two years later (1998), OutKast dropped Aquemini, which was universally hailed as arguably their best album to date. I remember opening the package on the CD and carefully scanning the track list. I immediately began skimming the tracks, and when song number three “Return of the G” started playing, I immediately knew that the rest of the album would be special. On this track Big Boi posits, “Man a n*gga don't want no trouble, a playa just want to kick back with my gators off and watch my lli'l Gull blow bubbles.” “But still ready to rhyme standing my ground, never back down, Willin' to rob steal & kill any thang that threatens mine.” André never one to be outdone lyrically, addresses his critics when he raps, “Return of the gangsta thanks ta' them n*ggas that thank (think) you soft and say y'all be gospel rappin, but they be steady clappin' when you talk about b*tches & switches & h*es & clothes & weed let's talk about time travelin rhyme javelin somethin' mind unravelin get down.” OutKast was finally awarded the coveted “5 Mics” from The Source. OutKast was sued by Rosa Parks, because she claimed that the group’s single “Rosa Parks” unconstitutionaly borrowed her name. The case eventually was settled out of court. OutKast has never admitted any liability and rightfully so.

Their fourth album, Stankonia (2000), went quadruple-platinum, and OutKast won two awards at the 2001 Grammy’s. Highlights from this album included the singles “Ms. Jackson,” and “So Fresh and So Clean. On “Ms. Jackson,” Big Boi and André 3000 discuss relationship issues, disgruntled baby mother’s and grandmother’s sometimes acrimonious attitudes towards the child’s father. On “Gasoline Dreams”, André exclaims, “All of my heroes did dope /Every n*gga round me playin' married. Or payin child support/I can't cope /Never made no sense to me one day I hope it will And that's that, sport, sport.”

In 2003, OutKast dropped the double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. This album has been critically acclaimed for its creativity and vision. The singles “Hey Ya,” and “The Way You Move,” constantly burned up the airwaves and became instant classics. The album was certified diamond (10 million units shipped) in December 2004. On “She Lives in My Lap,” André does his best Jimi Hendrix impression “She stays alone, never sheds a single tear. She stays in the coolest moods, clearly woman of the year.” With their popularity at an all time high, who knows what records they will set now? In the past couple of years the two have ventured into the movie arena. André recently co-starred in the Four Brothers, while Big Boi took a featured role in the T.I’s movie debut vehicle ATL. Big Boi and André will appear opposite each other in the August release of Idlewild and will contribute extensively to its soundtrack.

The rumor mill posits that the duo have been on the verge of a breakup for quite some time, and the group’s proposed final album, The Hard 10, may make the rumors
official. Big Boi reportedly has recorded over 20 tracks for his solo album, and is busy managing his Purple Label music imprint. Andrés’ primary focus has become movies and television. He has starring roles in several upcoming movies and is producing a cartoon series, Class of 3000, which is slated to debut on The Cartoon network’s fall 2006 lineup. Oprah Winfrey recently invited OutKast to be guests on her show to discuss their new movie Idlewild, but they declined. This might have propelled Idelwild to unparalleled success, because Miss Winfrey does have the Midas touch. Sources have reported that Big Boi wanted to go on the show, but André refused to attend. I hope that this difference of opinion does not end in disaster. If they are experiencing differences of opinion, let’s pray for a rapprochement.

Divorcing Hip Hop

Can you remember the first time that you heard a Hip Hop track? Do you remember hearing the treble and bass resonating in your ear drum, creating an auditory intoxication that left you in a euphoric state of mind? I remember when I first met Hip Hop. It was an unseasonably cool day in September. My mother and father had just recently purchased me an A. M. /F.M. Cassette Radio. They allowed me to listen to it regularly, as long as it was played at a reasonable tone. The first cassette that I purchased was Eric B. and Rakim’s, "Paid in Full.” I remember listening to “Clap to This,” and being enraptured by his complex rhyme schemes and his ability to balance both style and substance without comprising.

Hip Hop and I dated for a few years and finally when I heard Nas’s classic LP “Illmatic,” I decided that it was time for me to marry her. The year was 1994, and I was a 16 year old bride groom without enough money to adequately commandeer the necessities of life. But, back then she didn’t care how much bling I had, or the type of car I drove, she only wanted my heart. We had an open relationship, and although I became jealous when I saw her out with other fellows, and enraged when wack emcee’s would defile her name by creating Dr. Seuss rhymes, that can only be described as unimaginative. They were unauthentic, misogynistic, soulless cretins who invariably wanted my wife for selfish reasons. Even though I knew that she was a polygamist, I didn’t care because I loved her.

Nowadays, in order to get next to her, all you need is a gimmick or street credibility. It has gotten to the point were her suitors no longer care about sounding coherent or even rhyming when they talk to her and with the hooks that I have been hearing lately, it is easy to ascertain why hip hop is in a state of decay. Although, Hip Hop purists like Saul, Nas, Talib Kweli, have been bold enough to call a spade a spade and address this issue in their perspective mediums, what have the Hip Hop heads done to combat the poisoning of our bride? Iconoclastic emcee’s like Nas, Mos Def, Common, etc have been forced to play the back for a number of years, being tormented with the decision to stay authentic or crossover into the mainstream. A number of these emcees have resisted this temptation and have become multi-platinum artists on their sheer talent alone. The zeitgeist of the hip hop arena has been marked by fads, bi-coastal rivalries, etc. Hopefully she has learned from her mistakes, and matured now that she is in her early 30’s.

Hip Hop and I have been married for 12 years and although I do not approve of her choice of friends, I still love her. Over the years she has become quite materialistic, living rather luxuriously in her fancy mansions and custom Bentley’s. I know were she is getting the money from, but when I confront her she gets mad and starts on one her infamous tirades. I try to leave her but she has a hold on me. I have invested 12 years into this relationship, but I feel as though we’re growing apart, and any attempts to hold on will only make things worse. You may say that we need to seek out a marriage counselor, but we have been seeing Dr. Dre since 1990, before we were married. Even though he is a gifted psychologist, he believes that we should do what is in our hearts. We tried to get Oprah to let us come on her show to talk about our problems but Hip Hop has managed to alienate even her.

Even though I would like to work things out, she seems to think that things are just fine the way that they are. To this day she will not tell me how old she is. Even though her mother was pregnant with her for centuries, I think that she was finally born in 1973. I remember hearing stories of her father’s first gig at 1520 Segwick Ave. in the Bronx. Come to think about it, I think this was also the night in which Hip Hop was born. One of her father’s fellow musicians, Afrika Bambaataa gave her the name Hip Hop, which embodies the feeling that she gives her listeners. Although she is 5 years older than me, the age difference has never been a problem, until now. It is often said that “if you love something let it go, and if it comes back to you it’s yours.” Although my wife and I are going through a rough spot, I think we will stay together, at least until Nas’s Def Jam debut.

Black Women Who Like a Little Cream in Their Coffee

It is not secret that Black women feel that there is a shortage of Black Men. Many of these women are begin to alleviate their frustrations by dating White men. They are throwing caution to the wind and reprogramming their cultural conditioning by abandoning their inhibitions towards mixed-relationships. Even Hollywood is capitalizing on this growing trend by creating films that depict authentic interracial relationships.

On the silver screen, relationships between White men and Black women usually come in two types, equal and unequal. An example of an equal relationship would be the movie “Something New,” starring Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker. Sanaa Lathan’s character, Kenya McQueen is a prominent African-American CPA, who is having a hard time finding an African American man. A friend sets her up on a blind date with an architectural landscaper named Brian, but when she truncates the date when finds out that he is white. While attending a upscale party a few days later, and she ends up hiring him to landscape her new home, and they end up falling in love. Kenya and Brian’s relationship was equal because they both were successful in their perspective fields and they loved each other unconditionally.

Halle Berry and Billy Bob’s relationship in the movie “Monsters Ball” was unequal because Billy Bob Thornton’s character preyed upon her socio-economic status and the recent loss of her child during their courtship. He ultimately is seen as her savior and she ends up sacrificing her pride and dignity. Even though she finds out that he was one of the jailers who participated in the execution of her child’s father, she stays with him anyway. And let’s make no mistake, Billy Bob’s character was incorrigibly racist and his apparent change of heart was superficial at best. In the end he just fell in love with some good “coon juice.”

Can you imagine your daughter bringing a White man home to meet you? If you’re like most African American men, you probably would react like Bernie Mack in “Guess Who.” As Bernie Mack soon discovers, you can’t always judge a book by its cover. His baby girls love interest, Simon turns out to be everything he could want in a Son in Law; a man who loves his daughter unconditionally.

In all fairness, I have to admit that Hollywood has done a good job of depicting authentic interracial relationships. From “Monsters Ball” to “Guess Who,” Hollywood has effectively used feature films to spotlight the increase in interracial relationships in America. Let’s see if they can keep this up by creating more films depicting African American males as more than drug dealing buffoon’s or baby daddies.

African American males typically feel angry when they see a Caucasian man with a black woman because to them, she is “Sleeping with the enemy.” By the same token, when a white man sees and a white women with a black man he thinks to himself, “Why does she want him? “Oh, she probably couldn’t find a white man who would date her.”

Tishawn Thames of Florence, Ms. has been down this road before. She has seriously dated only 4 men and 2 of them have been Caucasian. When asked what factors influenced her decision to date outside of her race she says, “I meet someone who was interested in me and I was interested in him and he asked me out.... I was single and agreed.” She contends there is no difference between African American men and Caucasian men, because, “Each individual has his own ideas on how to handle a relationship.” African American Women who engage in interracial relationships get their fair share of bigotry from both sides. “I noticed that black people exhibited a greater level of bigotry than Caucasians. When we would go out black males would verbally make comments and give us the meanest stares.” Even though Tishawn is currently dating an African American man, she would consider interracial dating if the right opportunity presented itself. For many women, including Tishawn, the perfect man does not have specific skin pigmentation. The only thing that he has to do is to treat them with love and respect. On the flip side, there is a growing segment of black women who find it hard to encounter available Black men who are on their level, educationally and financially. These women refuse to date down, and if this means pursuing a Caucasian male, then so be it. For them, it’s all about the Benjamin’s baby!

As a black man it does not sicken or anger me to see an interracial couple. To me, race is merely a human construct that was invented to perpetuate the institution of White supremacy. Even the biblical dogma concerning the mixing of the races is a farce. When it is all said and done, race should not play a factor in whom a person decides to date. The only thing that ultimately matters is your happiness.