BREAKING NEWS – Nov 5, 2008 the people of the United States of America elect Barack Obama, a black man president! This shocking news will surely mean a drastic reorganization of the system designed to hold black people back. You know the system I’m talking about… it’s called “The Man.”
For years I’ve heard too many brothas refer to lack of opportunity or access to the American dream as a conspiracy perpetrated by “The Man” and it always pissed me off. Now don’t me wrong, I’m not saying that inequities don’t exist because they do, the playing field is NOT level with respect to race. A black man still has to work twice as hard and be twice as smart to be recognized outside of the field of sports or entertainment, however, access and opportunity is still there for the taking. That is the main reason so many Mexican, Haitian, Asian brothas risk life and limb on inner tubes, in cargo holds and in the stifling heat of car trunks to cross borders into America.
But the question remains what will be the excuse now that “The Man” is black?
Bill Cosby among others has brought the discussion of personal responsibility into the main stream with his controversial remarks back in 2004. Truly the only controversial aspect of his comments was to paint lower income blacks with such a broad stroke. You can and will find struggling lower income parents “parenting” their children and teaching them standard English but it’s rare. Some have said that the system is designed to make this difficult… well a lot of times that’s true but it ain’t impossible and it’s better than focusing energies on the forces that would hold you back.
Which brings me back to our President elect. I’m not gonna rehash his struggling past, by now I’m sure you’ve either read it or heard about it but consider this: he went through the most grueling and intense interview this country has to offer and was hired by millions, beating an older, rich, white man who happens to be an American war hero. If ever there was a description of “The Man” John McCain is it… and Barack beat him, which is important because it opens the door to so much.
Young non-white people all over this country can say with some level of confidence “With hard work even I can grow up to be president”, America can start to see that black men can be more than talented ball-players but most importantly the bar has now been raised for black men. Brothas are gonna have to step up, shed that crutch that America, or The Man, or fate is holding us back and go get that prize. It’s hasn’t gotten easier, in fact it will probably be a little harder because conservatives will no-doubt use this election as an example for why we no longer need affirmative action initiatives. But the one thing that will change over time is perception, how black men are perceived will change and that change is unstoppable thanks to a nation’s awakening.
Barack Obama is "The Man."
For years I’ve heard too many brothas refer to lack of opportunity or access to the American dream as a conspiracy perpetrated by “The Man” and it always pissed me off. Now don’t me wrong, I’m not saying that inequities don’t exist because they do, the playing field is NOT level with respect to race. A black man still has to work twice as hard and be twice as smart to be recognized outside of the field of sports or entertainment, however, access and opportunity is still there for the taking. That is the main reason so many Mexican, Haitian, Asian brothas risk life and limb on inner tubes, in cargo holds and in the stifling heat of car trunks to cross borders into America.
But the question remains what will be the excuse now that “The Man” is black?
Bill Cosby among others has brought the discussion of personal responsibility into the main stream with his controversial remarks back in 2004. Truly the only controversial aspect of his comments was to paint lower income blacks with such a broad stroke. You can and will find struggling lower income parents “parenting” their children and teaching them standard English but it’s rare. Some have said that the system is designed to make this difficult… well a lot of times that’s true but it ain’t impossible and it’s better than focusing energies on the forces that would hold you back.
Which brings me back to our President elect. I’m not gonna rehash his struggling past, by now I’m sure you’ve either read it or heard about it but consider this: he went through the most grueling and intense interview this country has to offer and was hired by millions, beating an older, rich, white man who happens to be an American war hero. If ever there was a description of “The Man” John McCain is it… and Barack beat him, which is important because it opens the door to so much.
Young non-white people all over this country can say with some level of confidence “With hard work even I can grow up to be president”, America can start to see that black men can be more than talented ball-players but most importantly the bar has now been raised for black men. Brothas are gonna have to step up, shed that crutch that America, or The Man, or fate is holding us back and go get that prize. It’s hasn’t gotten easier, in fact it will probably be a little harder because conservatives will no-doubt use this election as an example for why we no longer need affirmative action initiatives. But the one thing that will change over time is perception, how black men are perceived will change and that change is unstoppable thanks to a nation’s awakening.
Barack Obama is "The Man."
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