Wednesday, April 23, 2008
I was in Philadelphia yesterday—what I saw in the City of Brotherly Love was like nothing I have ever seen in my life for any presidential candidate, celebrity, or sports star. People were fired up, energized and excited about Senator Barack Obama. Folks were lined up at City Hall with homemade Obama signs, official Obama signs and massive stickers. One pick-up truck drove by with a Tsunami of Obama stickers and three little black boys in the back. As a student of African-American Studies, I was so moved because I knew that day is something they will never forget and it's a day that is needed for so many children (white or black) who feel the odds are against them. If Obama can do it, so can they.
Don't be fooled, it wasn't all black, all the crowds were diverse -- this wasn't a "black movement". I went to the Obama campaign headquarters, which was equally mixed. Someone asked for a car to go to polls and make sure voters were not being turned away after 8pm (they can't turn you away if you're in line). This older white woman jumped up, emoting in a black cashmere sweater, cloaked in jewels, which included an "OBAMA 2008" pin in diamonds—she said, "I’m here! I have a car!" There are more stories of the diversity I saw, from black to white, male to female, straight to gay, Latin to Asian. Never in my life had I seen something like this.
Then, there were the Senator Hillary Clinton supporters, spread out in pockets. They were nowhere near diverse and looked like the introverted Christians in high school who spoke to no one and attended Jesus Camp every summer.
The black women (I didn't see any black men) supporting the Clintons confused me. I can see if Big Missy Hill didn't evoke the name of Louis Farrakhan at the last debate. I can see if the Clintons didn't say they would never attend a church with Reverend Wright—when the Clintons turned to Reverend Wright for martial advice during the Lewinsky scandal (thanks to Michael Moore for breaking that news and I love how the media ignores it). I can see if Big Massa Bill didn't say on Monday that Obama's campaign played the race card after his Jesse Jackson comment -- blaming Obama for his quiet racism and acting as if black folks owe him something because he played the saxophone, apologized for slavery and has an office in Harlem. I can see if the Clintons avoided all the race cards, just like Obama has avoided throwing other cards, but she hasn't. Hell, I can see if the Clintons were in the lead! But, you still support the Clintons? You have Michael Moore and Keith Olberman calling out the Clintons -- do you need to be called a nigger right to your face to get it?
Obama did take Philadelphia by 80%. So, it's sad to me that he lost Pennsylvania. I think it was Bill Maher who said, "Maybe Obama is too good for this country." He has refused to throw the blood like the Clintons, because people of color and poor people, we have to always take the high road. However, the math is still against her so it’s nearly impossible for her to win, if the roles were reversed, Obama would already be out. Also, as one of my friends emailed to me, "Mrs. Clinton (the Senator title will be going away next election), your last and largest batch of ignorant white folks in one collective state who fall for the same ole' negative tactics has run out. "
Check out the madness below from FOX news.
Labels: OBAMA, Politics
Posted by Clay ::
10:46 AM ::
14 comments
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