Please review the link from the good brothers at i10Media.
http://i10media.com/news/?p=154#more-154
This is a tremendous article, and very thought provoking. I appreciate any endeavor to raise the consciousness of our people. We know the gravity of this moment in history - a moment that our forebearers sacrificed themselves for to ensure that the generations that followed could recognize their highest potential. I must say that although I revere the good Dr. Cornel West, and consider him one of the important minds of the last 100 years, I think this particular position he has taken is short-sighted.
As we have seen over and over since Iowa, the opposition has sought to turn Obama into the "Black Candidate" and marginalize his campaign accomplishments by insinuating some "herd-like" instinct on the part of Black people to follow him. Taking this approach is much easier than trying to explain the $120+ million he has raised in contributions from ordinary Americans. The $40 million raised in March 2008 was from 442,000 people at an average of $96 per person. Of these people, 218,000 were first time donors - and I dare say a White majority.
Moreover, his attendance at the MLK memorial observance would have been just the "photo op" that the opposition wanted to underscore and promote their suspicions of some Black agenda they think Obama is harboring. Instead, he was out in America, actually living the dream that MLK espoused. That was to be talking to all Americans about our common good, asking to be held accountable for the content of his character, and not recognized because of the color of his skin.
We should never lose sight of our history, nor should we ever discount the contributions of past leaders who fought vehemently such that we have the opportunities for achievement that make up our modern-day reality. But we've got to pick the most appropriate ways to acknowledge and use the memories to manifest that vision. In my opinion, I think Obama did the right thing.
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As I sat and watched the coverage of the MLK Memorial in Memphis I was a tad bit bothered. There was McCain and Hillary, talking about Dr. King and their feelings about his importance in history, giving him much deserved respect. Although I have my own issues with McCain and his late decision to honor Dr. King with a holiday in Arizona, I appreciated that. But the comment kept being raised by the commentators that Obama was not in the house. He didn't NEED to be in the house, because he is out there every day pursuing the exact dream that so many of our ancestors and Dr. King fought for Black America: the idea of an African American leading our country. I'm truly getting tired of the media's constant need to FIND issues with Barack's character.
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