Obama, where do I fit in?

Obama was in town here yesterday for a "town hall meeting." It was no town hall meeting, it was a pep rally with planted questions & prepared answers. While I did not get a chance to go, I did watch it on the "tube," as well as the radio. Anderson Cooper from CNN broadcast live from UNCC with a crowd of college kids behind him explaining that he spent the entire day with Obama and got to pick his brain. It made the appearance that Obama came to UNCC and that the college students are supporters of Obama. His talk was no where near the campus. It was on the other side of town-which in Charlotte is a long way away.
One thing Obama said that was not picked up on by any of the press, including The Charlotte Observer, was his remark of making sentences lighter for "nonviolent offenders such as cocaine and drug dealers." Say what? Just because they have not stabbed or shot someone directly does not mean they are not violent offenders. When a junkie dies from an overdose, shouldn't that make the drug dealer responsible for murder? In my book it does. Like giving easier and less time to drug dealers is going to help the drug problem in this country. I thought you were supposed to be tough on crime Mr. Obama.
He also said in his speech that he would end the war in Iraq by 2009, but then with Anderson Cooper he said that he would listen to the military advisers on the ground and that it might take longer. Don't give a date if you can't keep it! You sound like the Doomsday predictors saying the world will end on this date, and when it doesn't, they just amend it to a new date. Sounds like Obama is talking out of both sides of his mouth.
I also heard that he has now been endorsed by The New Black Panther group which is militant racist group (check out their 10 point agenda on their website) and that for a time it was listed as a support group on Obama's website. Well, I went to his website to try and see it for myself. First of all, for a man who is supposed to be transcending all racial barriers, he sure does segregate his website according to race. If you go to his category "People" it lists, and I quote:
Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders
African Americans
Americans abroad
Environmentalists
First Americans-talking about Native Americans
Generation Obama
Kids
Labor
Latino
LGBT-lesbian & gay
People of Faith
Students
Veterans
Women

Where is the category for Caucasians, men, or caucasian men? Guess he is not standing for me. Also looks like he is still segregating the nation by labels including race. This is the leader some people want as President? Secondly, I found that he did have a page dedicated to The New Black Panthers but has since removed it. The page on his website championed their issues of "Equality/civil rights; civil liberties/privacy, peace, & social justice; foreign policy/security, economic fairness/security; good government/ethics; affordable health care; education." Lets look at their "10 point platform:" (taken directly from their official website)
1. We want freedom. We want the power to practice self-determination, and to determine the destiny of our community and THE BLACK NATION.
2. We want full employment for our people and we demand the dignity to do for ourselves what we have begged the white man to do for us...We believe further in: POWER IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE! WEALTH IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE! ARMS IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE!
3. We want tax exemption and an end to robbery of THE BLACK NATION by the CAPITALIST.
4. We want decent housing, fit for shelter of human beings, free health-care (preventive and maintenance). We want an end to the trafficking of drugs and to the biological and chemical warfare targeted at our people. We believe since the white landlords will not give decent housing and quality health care to our Black Community, the he housing, the land, the social, political and economic institutions should be made into independent UUAMAA “New African Communal/Cooperatives” so that our community, with government reparations and aid (until we can do for ourselves) can build and make drug free, decent housing with health facilities for our people.
5. We want education for our people that exposes the true nature of this devilish and decadent American society. We want education that teaches us our true history/herstory and our role in the present day society.
6. We want all Black Men and Black Women to be exempt from military service.
7. We want an immediate end to POLICE HARRASSMENT, BRUTALITY and MURDER of Black People. We want an end to Black-on-Black violence, “snitching,” cooperation and collaboration with the oppressor. We believe we can end police brutality in our community by organizing Black self-defense groups (Black People’s Militias/Black Liberation Armies) that are dedicated to defending our Black Community from racist, fascist, police/military oppression and brutality. The Second Amendment of white America’s Constitution gives a right to bear arms. We therefore believe that all Black People should unite and form and “African United Front” and arm ourselves for self-defense.
8. We want freedom for all Black Men and Black Women held in international, military, federal, state, county, city jails and prisons.
9. We want all Black People when brought to trial to be tried in a court by a jury of their peer group or people from their Black Communities, as defined by white law of the Constitution of the United States.
10. WE DEMAND AN END TO THE RACIST DEATH PENALTY AS IT IS APPLIED TO BLACK AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE IN AMERICA. WE DEMAND FREEDOM FOR ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS OF THE BLACK RED AND BROWN NATION!
Has Barack condemned this group or other like them for the racism (yes, African-Americans can also be racists)? No, not one word, and I doubt you will here any disparaging word against them come from his camp. He will just keep their money and let them work behind the scenes to further his candidacy and their racist agenda.
The more I find out about Obama, the more fearful I am of his beliefs and his agenda to not unify this nation, but to divide it especially along racial lines.

Speaking out

Well, I have held my tongue for almost 2 weeks and it is time to speak out--unlike Obama whos has held his tongue for the last 20 years. Yes, this is about Obama and his minister. I am sorry, but if I do not agree with what is being said by my minister I am finding a new church. Period. How can a leader who is trying to become THE leader of the United States of America sit quietly by and say nothing when his minister makes inflammatory and racial remarks against this nation until the press gets hold of it? Has he ever confronted his minister on these issues? Doesn't sound like it. The speech he made yesterday sounded more like and excuse as well as a justification for the remarks and for the man than any opposition to it. Even if this man is "a father figure" to Obama, I have riled against my father for making racial slurs-to his face! Is this what this nation wants-a man who sits idly by while others condemn this nation and try to inspire others to condemn it as well. If he cannot stand up to this talk of intolerance not only within this country but within his church (and his family-remember his wife's remark about now she is proud to be an American?), how can we expect him to take a stand against those who want to see this great nation destroyed from abroad? We can't. Why did he wait until the press got hold of the issue before he addressed it? He said that over the last 3 years he has heard his minister make disparaging remarks, but he said nothing. For the last 3 years he has been a U.S. Senator with aspirations of becoming president. Why wait to take a stand? This nation needs a strong leader, especially at this hour, who will stand up to all who preach intolerance whether at home or abroad. Obama is a negotiator and we do not need a negotiator on intolerance. Obama does not take a stand on an issue until he is forced to. I don't want a president who will wait until after something has happened to make a stand. He (or she) needs to make a stand before it happens and then deal with swiftly and effectively.

Also on the issue of speaking out, did you hear about the new governor of New York? He has admitted to having affairs with many women including a state employee. He says he never used state money or helped to advance the employee's career. The outgoing governor, Eliot Spitzer, paid for sex with prostitutes. The new governor David Paterson, has also fooled around on his wife numerous times. Not only did he have an affair with a woman that lasted several years, he has even taken his wife since then to the same hotel he used to take is concubine to. That's just disgusting, and yet these 2 men reflect the way society has become-too permissive with the sanctity of marriage. I even saw on TV last night an ad for some "reality" show where they bring back high school grads. One is a woman who has been married 4 times! She said that maybe a fifth time will be the one. Marriage is nothing any more. It just a convenience that can be broken and thrown away at any time.

That's all for now, but I will say this, even though we have all these problems with our leaders, beliefs, economy and everything else, I am still proud I am an American!

KA-CHING

Did you see the press conference with "W" the other day when he was asked about the rising price of gas? He was asked about predictions of gas going up to $4.00 a gallon. Bush replied, "I hadn't heard that." Then turned his head to the side and gave his little snicker-smile. Well, if you lookd closely at his eyes you would have seen dollar signs as big as saucers. In his mind he was saying, "Yes! Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Mo' money, mo' money, mo' money!!!" Wish I had invested in an oil company 8 years ago-I would have been a millionaire by now & could afford the gas prices.

Barack Hussein Obama

Have you heard the latest uproar coming from Obama's camp? It's the use of his middle name. He doesn't want anyone to refer to him as Barack Hussein Obama-I guess because it may ignite a notion in people that it is a muslim name. Well, Mr. Obama, we are sorry, but if it is your name, then it is fair game to all. Just like Hillary Rodham Clinton. The press uses her middle name all the time. She even signs her middle name. If you don't like your name, then change it! There is no law that says you have to keep a name you don't like. I have a cousin who changed his entire name because he was named after his father and he became so estranged from his father that he did not want his name. So, he changed it. If Obama doesn't like it, change it. After all, he is supposed to be the candidate who is going to change everything, so why not start with his own name!?!?

Mr or Ms Popularity

Here's a new twist for the presidency. Instead of letting the candidates actually determine their fate, let them find 1 celebrity to represent them on the ballot-such as Oprah for Obama, Chuck Norris for Huckabbe, Jenna Jameson (pornstar) or Jerry Springer for Hillary, and Sylvester Stallone for McCain. Let the people vote for their favorite celebrity and whoever gets the most votes, then their candidate becomes President. Better yet, let's just put Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, and Nicole Ritchie on the ballot and let whoever wins be President. It makes about as much sense as allowing the idiots who don't even know the issues and where the candidates stand vote them in. After all, it is just a popularity contest.

President Obama

I know you all are probably tired of hearing me rant about Obama and the race, but here it goes again. This is why I think Obama will be president. The right wing of the Republican party has denounced McCain so much that it has driven away alot of voters who will either not vote in November or will vote Democratic. The damage has been done and like I heard one commentator say, the Republicans are now about healing the party and not the country and the independents, fence-sitters, and Dems are tired of it. Obama has teflon among Dems that they don't care if he plagiarizes or doesn't have a plan for the future that they are willing to vote for him and feel that whenever Hilliary points out any of his faults or shortcomings, that she is using underhanded tactics or is being a bully. The press loves him. This week Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report have Obama on 1 cover and his wife on the other. There are more articles on him and his life thanall the other candidates combined and you won't find one word attacking him. Another show that the press is for him-CNN. On Tuesday night Hilliary was making a speech and they cut away from her to bring Obama's victory speech in Wisconsin. It's a done deal and we better get used to having him as a president. Like my daughter says, he looks like George Bush and has about as good a record as he does. Canada looks better every day!

Whole City Lift

It was announced today that Charlotte, NC is the number 2 place in nation (number 1 was never given) for plastic surgery. That should encourage more folks to come to Charlotte. Don't have any great tourist attractions? No problem! Come get a face lift, or a tummy tuck, or liposuction.
So not only is the city trying to hide its flaws, so are its inhabitants. The city for at least the last 2 decades has tried to be something it's not. Trying to be a "worls-class city" instead of the nice quaint town we used to be. Now they put up this front about all the great things we have here--the Panthers, the Bobcats, the whitewater center, but they cannot hide the crime, the poor roads, the traffic, the out-of-control city & county commissions as well as a horrible school system. We may look good on the outside, but the inside is ugly. Now the people are trying to discuise their faults and shortcomings by having their outsides changed. These are the same people who say look at me, look how pretty & sexy I am, look how important I am, but don't get too close to me or you might see the real me.

Reminds me of the old joke where a woman is in the hospital and she dies on table and meets God. She asks him, "Am I dead?" God replies, "No, it's not your time yet. You will live another 30 years." She comes back to life and realizes that the dream was real and if she is going to live another 30 years, she wants to make the most of it. So, she decides to have a facelift, tummy tuck, liposuction, hair dyed--the whole bit. As she walks out of the hospital, she is hit by a bus and dies. When she gets to heaven she says to God, "I thought I had another 30 years left." God replies, "Sorry, I didn't recognize you."

Maybe God will not recognize this city and mistake for another Soddom or Gomorrah and start all over again. We need to start somewhere. Maybe if I just had a little liposuction...