Try as
I might to ignore politics for a month
until Pennsylvania there was no missing
the events of the last week or so. I've
taken in everyone's reaction to the speech
and all the events... and of course
I have my opinions. I'll get to them
in a second, but I gotta say the
reactions are so extraordinary that
I wonder if people even realize how much
insight they give when they react? I can't
remember an event so polarizing in
politics. Polarizing well beyond political
parties. A moment that so clearly defines
who you are deep inside and honestly, just
how deep your capacity is to put yourself
in someone else's shoes. A whooooooooole
lot of you can't. A stunning amount of
highly intellectual people are completely
unable to grasp "empathy". They cannot
truly put themselves in the shoes
of others and feel their
experience. Something I take for
granted...
"LeVar
Burton is my favorite nigger..."
My grandmother
watched Reading Rainbow religiously. Loved it. As you
just read, the host, Mr. Burton, was her
faaaaaaavorite. I loved nana to death and in the years
since she passed the love grows fonder. She was an
unconditional light in my life and I miss her
terribly. I was never offended by her comments,
I honestly thought they were cute. She's of that
time. A time that has certainly passed in most parts
of the country - and you let things like that go. That
one always stuck out to me because she was actually
being complimentary. Ha. It still makes me
laugh a bit. Oh and another one of my
favorites:
"It's too
bad that AIDS kills the gay people because they're
good at the arts"
These quotes may
offend people, but they literally make me tear up
because I miss her so much. She was the kindest
person I've ever known and simply had a different
experience. So when Obama mentioned his grandmother in
his speech yesterday - it hit me. And of course, as
you all can imagine, I thought the entire speech was
astounding. The immediacy of reactions do it no
justice. Pundits are paid to stand out... and "hope"
is easy to dissect. I could give an entire
dissertation on why that speech was a political move
that failed miserably. And as I said before those who
truly believe that speech was negative in any
resepct, are saying far more about themselves in their
reactions. But those reactions are literally the story
of this nation.
Wright's comments?
Nothin' new to me. When I first heard them my
heart sank as politically I thought that was it
for Obama. He already had the bullshit
muslim/patriotism thing against him - and now this?
I was pissed. I was pissed he didn't see
this coming. But the actual comments? Are you kidding?
I agree with almost all of them. And the
ones I don't agree with? I respect and
understand. I have no problem with the government/AIDS
quote. None. Who am I to tell that to a race of
people who went through Tuskeegee for 40 years?
Wikipedia that for the story there. It's some pretty
fucked up shit. I get the anger. I understand the
distrust. I disagree, but I understand. And all
the shit about 9/11? Listen to what the man said. We
bomb all these places without batting an eye and then
it happens to us and it's the biggest injustice in the
history of mankind? Whatever. So yeah, those comments
don't shock me. "God Damn America"? The man read
quotes about God and country from the bible. How God
would damn a nation that didn't treat it's citzens
right and a list of other things. He was showing the
hypocrisy of a nation that does evil things in the
NAME of the Lord, and then says "God Bless
America" afterwards. It's indeed hypocrisy. So again -
in context - not shocking. But I thought Obama was
toast. Then he went on Anderson Cooper and Keith
Olbermann...
...and lied his
fucking face off. It's a helluva moment the first time
you watch that happen with someone you support. The
lines in question were that he was never there when
"incendiary" comments were made. Controversial, yes -
but not "inflammatory or incendiary". He has wiggle
room, but he's lying. He also said he never heard
these comments or knew these views until he started
running for president. LOL. 20 years Barack. Don't
treat us like a bunch of kids. We're adults. And
amazingly a few days later he decided to treat us like
adults. He spent time during the campaign writing a
speech. Writing a spectacular speech, by hand,
by himself. Instead of sweeping it under the rug for
his own political ass he made it even BIGGER and tried
to teach. It is a rarity in politics that I
have never seen in my lifetime, have never really read
of in all the history I know of modern politics,
and in the end - it really did very little. Why? You
ready for this?
Like 3 of you
watched all 37 minutes. LOL. I kid, I kid - but
even as the speech was going on, I was like: "Dude,
cut this shit shorter." Now in this day and age I
think he made it as long as he did so there were
numerous soundbites for the press but it was too long.
Of course what is within that speech is the most
refreshingly honest thing a politician has ever said.
Ever. No... EVER. To have him say: "Here's what we
think of white people when we're in private..." and
then turn around with his white half and say:
"Oh and those white people don't feel necessarily
privledged right now and they're pissed too..."
was so incredible I don't think we can understand it
for another 20 years. For a man in his position
to take that risk and stick up for Reverand Wright and
the entire political community is just the riskiest,
and coolest shit, I have ever seen a politician
do. Some have said he could've done more - but
remember... he's running for president. The balance of
"presidential" and "influential" is a very tricky
thing indeed. He was miraculous in that sense. You
literally can't believe someone that
intelligent (guys he wrote the speech - any idea how
rare that is?) and that ballsy could be our president.
It still really hasn't hit me.
It's hit the
pundits though. And although the TV pundits are
glowing...online? Not so much. And the conservatives
are literally out of their minds about it. They are so
caught up in this fake patriotism that has erupted
since 9/11 they can't see what's being said. It's
funny, these are the same people that put up Martin
Luther King Jr. as the real black patriot and that
Reverand Wright's anti-American sentiment is
abhorrant. Oh really...
"God didn't
call America to engage in a senseless, unjust war.
... And we are criminals in that war. We've
committed more war crimes almost than any nation in
the world, and I'm going to continue to say it. And
we won't stop it because of our pride and our
arrogance as a nation. But God has a way of even
putting nations in their place." He then predicted
this response from the Almighty: "And if you don't
stop your reckless course, I'll rise up and break
the backbone of your power."
Reverand Wright?
No. That's your precious MLK speaking there. Calling
the USA war criminals that will be put in their place
by the "Almighty" if we continue on this course.
People, do your homework. If Reverand Wright's
comments really shock you that much, you're not paying
attention. And seriously, if you think Obama believes
the same thing - you're not really paying attention to
this campaign. That's why I ask all of you to watch
all 37 minutes. Seriously. Scroll up and hit play and
watch it. Sit there, watch it. Unfortunately you're
all skimming this right now so obviously you won't -
but ha, that really is the key. Study his words,
comprehend them. And then really try to understand.
Not on a political level - on a human emotional level.
What he is saying is the truth. And with his
background? Wow. What a lesson he has to teach all of
us.
