Barack's "Cultural Learning Of America"

Barack Obama's new book is titled the "Audacity of Hope", and you have got to respect a guy who at only 44 years old is the only African American in that exclusive club of 100 known as the United States Senate. And who has declared himself ready to run and be elected to the most powerful position on earth. That's a man who dares to hope, and who obviously worked hard to get where he is and live out his dream. Now I have never lived in Illinois, and I am not familiar with Illinois politics, so until Obama burst on the national scene in his run for the U.S. Senate, I knew nothing about the man or his politics. What little I know about him now I like. Because, after all, he did and still does, oppose the use of force in Iraq. And I know that he has to be pretty smart, because he edited the Harvard Law Review which is no easy feat.

But this is not so much about Obama and his politics; no, it's more about America and hers. First, if I were advising Obama, I would strongly advise him to understand the political reality he faces, and not to get drunk off the rock star treatment certain segments of white America have been showering on him. In other words, as my man Chuck D used to say: "don't believe the hype". I know all about the sold out tour in New Hampshire, and all the favorable press he has been getting; with Oprah, of all people, leading the charge. But he better be careful, because this is still America. And trust me, as I heard one journalist say: "America ain't ready to play 'jungle fever' with it's Presidency". Colin thought about it for a minute, but where is he now? He aint running for President that's for sure. Colin knew the polls weren't a true reflection of how white Americans felt.

I am no big fan of Juan Williams, but he made a very good point when asked on the Fake News Network if Obama had a better chance than Hillary to be elected President. His answer was an honest one, which impressed me. He told the moderator, Chris Wallace, that Hillary had a better chance because America is more ready for a white female being its leader than an African American. Another member of the discussion panel, Brit Hume, quickly jumped in and said that Obama has a chance of winning because he is black. That the only reason he is getting this star treatment is because he is a black man, and if he were white he would be just another Senator running for President. Folks, it's exactly because most white men in this country think like Mr. Hume that Obama won't win. Brit, here is a news flash for you: of course the guy is different, his mother is white and his father is African-not African American, but African- for crying out loud! I think that makes him a little different than most Americans. So his story is an unusual one. But Brit, typical of the white male anger always brewing under the surface, chooses not to see it that way. No, he prefers to compare Obama to another white male, as if there can ever be a fair comparison between the two races at this point in our history.

But this is what Obama will face, and in Brit Hume's case it was subtle, but as his campaign heats up, the subtleties will leave, and true feelings will start to come out. Its already started on the FAKE NEWS NETWORK, and it will only get worse. Now I know Obama might be looking at things like the one recent Newsweek poll which said that 93% of white Americans would support a black President. Well Barack, I have one name for you: Tom Bradley. Yes folks, in the 1982 Governor's race in California, whites told pollsters they were voting for Bradley, but when they got in the voting booth, they couldn't do it. Happened to Doug Wilder in Virginia too. He thought he had a double digit lead going into election day but in the end he barely won. Why, because again, white folks just couldn't pull the trigger. And that was for Governor, not President.

Then of course, there is the other no slavery in his background issue which liberal and conservative whites have been putting out there. Apparently this makes him attractive to whites because they have no guilt when dealing with him, so as a result, he transcends race. Huh? That has got to be the most disingenuous and most intellectually lazy argument of all. And I have heard many whites make this point as if it has some merit. It has none. For the record, Obama's fathers ancestors might not have been enslaved in America, but trust me, I am guessing that as an African, his ancestors and his country were effected by the slave trade just like any descendant of slaves who were born in America. And Obama, by living in America, suffered and continues to suffer from the same stigma from slavery that all other black people in this country suffer from. This attempt to separate him from other black people whose ancestors can trace their roots to the North American slave trade is ludicrous, and it's something I hope that the good Senator does not fall for.

Barack, a little word to the wise from the field: It's good to be a unifier and try to transcend the racial issues that divides us. But don't get it twisted and lose sight of the realities in modern day America, cause we ain't there yet. You still have lots of unifying to do.

But still, I respect you, and I would never discourage a person of color for aspiring to hold the highest office in the land. Hey, even if you lose, you might bolster voter registration among minorities and young people, and that's always a good thing.

So good luck Barack, as you continue your tour of America, and your quest for the White House. I think you will find your experience very interesting, and you will learn so much along the way about your fellow Americans. When you do start learning some ugly truths though, don't say I didn't try to warn you.