I’m sitting here thinking to myself that, maybe I just don’t get it.  I spent all of last week glued to the blogs, news reports and debates between the political analysts trying to gather a wealth of information from which to draw my own conclusions about the Democratic convention.  It was my first time being so involved, but I concluded that it was a great and exciting week.  Much of it included the dreadful political rhetoric that most have grown to hate, but as I sifted through the sand there were many gems to be seen.  This convention was historic because it climaxed with the nomination of America’s first African American presidential candidate by a major party.  It was even more exciting because the political dynasty of the Clintons ultimately gave a public approval of Barack Obama.  I really thought things were on the up and up for what America was potentially about to experience…. but maybe I’m wrong.

I have to admit that I am saddened by the fact that Black people are consistent to severely criticize  Barack Obama on issues to which we have never seriously challenged any other President or elected official.  Case and point – John Lewis.  This guy has been in Congress for over 20 years and hasn’t done much of anything, but most years he runs un-opposed.  It’s almost like he gets a pass because he walked with Martin Luther King.  Anyway, the point I’m making is that a lot of African Americans refuse to support Barack Obama because he isn’t running on a “Pro-Black” platform.  I think it is important to note that anyone that runs on a “pro-ethnic” platform on behalf of any ethnicity would surely be committing political suicide.  It’s like the Black community is upset because he’s not outlining his plan to make Blacks an elite ethnic group.

Maybe I’m just speculating, or maybe I just don’t get it.  I noticed how most of our “leaders” from the Civil Rights era opposed his presidential bid in the beginning stages, which baffled me because it seemed as if this would be the ultimate success story for them.  Now these same leaders, and other social mouth pieces, are the ones most critical of him, instead of embracing him and sharing our concerns with him, or lobbying on behalf of the interests of our community.  Barack has said that he would like to do right by all of America, not just one race – which means that he shouldn’t or wouldn’t outline an agenda specific to one race of Americans.  For a people that has suffered oppression for so long, it seems like we would support a candidate that seeks to unify America and at least try to have us live out our creed.  I have often heard that the oppressed often take on the mentality of the oppressor.

I don’t know, maybe I just don’t get it.  Am I a bad person in the eyes of Black America because I’m not pro Black Power.  Do I deserve the same criticism because I support Barack’s total view?  Somebody help me understand.

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