Senator Obama Chose White Over Wright: What's Your Choice?

Senator Obama Chose White Over Wright: What's Your Choice?


Americans ought to chose W[right} over white:

Earlier this week, Senator Obama made his position clear. He has chosen white over what's right, and the Wright Reverend embodies what is right in my opinion.

I am very concerned for black America and all Americans who believe in social justice given the mind-wrangling and gut wrenching events that have taken place in the media over the past couple of months. And who is behind it? The guys who swift boated Senator Kerry four years ago, couldn't had done a more masterful job.

The Faith In Action blog out of Maryland gave me something to think about this morning. Emily, a white American wrote into Reverend William's blog. She made a cogent point, speaking to the benefits of black Americans having a black in office, and what it would mean to black Americans. And to a certain extent I agreed with her, however, with one caveat.

I explained how that blacks followed Jesus given his social justice message, regardless of the color of his skin. I also quoted Dr. C. Eric Franklin, famous New York theologian who introduced me to the concept of Consciousness of Kind.

Then I thought even more about the topic in light of black America. If the polls are correct, my fellow black brothers and sisters are voting en mass for Senator Obama. The question is why? Is it because he is qualified or has the requisite abilities to be President, or is it because he is black? I suspect that blacks are voting for Obama for the same reason by and large that whites have historically voted for white candidates since the inception of this nation, raced-based politics.

Frankly, I understand why blacks want a black President, even though what the majority of blacks believe is aligned with what the Wright Reverend Jeremiah spake about in one sermon four years ago।

I have already been referred to as an Uncle Tom by some, given that Senator Obama is not my first choice for President. However, I tend to lean towards the thinking of Dr. Maya Angelou, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and others who are supporting Senator Clinton. Why? Because I believe that among other things, she is the most qualified, and she will be ready to take over on day one. I do not believe that we have time to wait for an Obama learning curve, among other things, to take place. President Bush and company will be leaving this country in a crisis state, once they leave office.

Here is what I would ask my fellow brothers and sisters to do, particularly, those who are may be intent on voting for 'a black man'। Simply consider what happened in South Africa? Black South Africans dreams came true the day that Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa, having trumped Botha, and after having received the begrudging support of Chief Buthleizi of the Zulus.Or did their dream come true? Not long after President Mandela's symbolic induction into office, black South Africans were displeased and even discouraged given that their social conditions did not change very much. The current President, Thabo Mbeki who succeeded Nelson Mandela as president of South Africa in 1999, is receiving similar complaints from black South Africans who voted to continue a black presidential dynasty in South Africa.

Not much has changed for black South Africans. Blacks are still disproportionally poor, their ancestral properties were not returned to them as expected, blacks still live in unhealthy shanty towns and receive poor public services, while the white minority still enjoys all of the privileges.

Because one shares another person's skin color, that does not mean that they can or will serve the common good of the people. Blacks are likely to be as disappointed with a President Obama than the black South African majority were and still are with their two black Presidents! It would appear that Khalid Mohammed was correct years ago, with respect to what needed to be immediately done, when now retired Nelson Mandela took over the helm in South Africa.I would not begrudge any black American for voting for Senator Obama if they believed that he represented the best, and would capably take the country forward and not backward, as his predecessor has done. However, if one is simply voting for Senator Obama because because he is a black male, that person is simply repeating a 232 year American pattern, that is to vote according to gender, race-based politics and race.The ensuing spirited debate in the black community reminds me of the days of W.E.B. Dubois vs Booker T. Washington, the NAACP vs Marcus Garvey, Dr. Martin Luther King vs El Hajj Malik el Shabazz, the Civil Rights Movement vs Judge Thomas and Condoleeze Rice. I believe that the debate is healthy.

Having said that, in the end I would simply urge my sistah's and brotha's to choose W[Right} over White! Senator Obama capitulated, and he will capitulate again - for what it took for him to become President, if he were to prevail, it will take for him to maintain the presidency.Had the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King been a contemporary of Senator Obama, and Senator Obama was running for President, I suspect that he would have distanced himself from Dr. Martin Luther King, just as he has distanced himself from the Wright Reverend and all other civil rights leaders! However, like OJ Simpson, who abandoned his own community once he reached the heights of the professional football world, Obama will have to come home and ask the black community to defend him as well.

And having said that, like OJ, I don't recall hearing Senator Obama's name being mentioned during or immediately after the Civil Rights struggle. Many blacks gave their lives during the civil rights struggle. Ironically, white conservatives are waiting for him,and they intend to do to him, swift-boat him, just as he swift-boated his own pastor, the Wright Reverend.

When I met former presidential candidate, the late Honorable Shirley Chisholm in the early 1980's, within an hour she brought tears to my eyes as well as to most of the audience members who listened to her speak. I garnered her autograph at the end of the affair, which I gave to my niece in Akron Ohio. Although I did not retain her autograph as I should have, I will never forget the intelligence, grace and honesty of a person who was so intelligent, well-spoken, caring and capable of being the President of the United States, not because she was black, but because she was more than capable!BTW, Representative Barbara Lee of California worked in and supported her candidacy, just as Maxine Waters, Dr. Mayou Angelou and others are supporting Senator Clinton's candidacy today! Representative Barbara Jackson Lee, will also make a fine President someday, if the USA will ever grow up and elect a leader based on talent, experience and skill, as opposed to gender, race-based politics or race!

Again, vote W[right} not white or black, for it does not matter who is white or black, what matters is what is W[right]!

Peace & grace,
Rev. C. Solomon
www.sealofabraham.blogspot.com