Ok, I think I've Had It

I've been reading a lot about an ugly issue which has been slowly
bubbling up to the surface. Description of said issue: Real Reasons
White People Like Barack Obama.

I had to examine my own personal support of Obama and I had to reassure myself that I wasn't jumping on some bandwagon for all the reasons I have been accused:
1. He's "safe" and "non-threatening."
2. He is handsome.
3. He is "articulate" (this one really pisses me off).
4. His mother is a white woman from Kansas and his father isn't truly
black, (though he is Kenyan) so he's "alright with the whites."

I have learned that true blackness is defined by being a decedent of
Western African slaves. To understand the perils of African Americans
whose parents and grandparents have experienced systematic racism.
Barack's father is from Eastern Africa. I appreciate the reasoning and
I understand what was described. I also think it takes a brave person
to write about it because it reveals a certain vulnerability to white
America and, by and large, white America is reckless with such things.

I can't help but wonder how Barack feels about all of this. Does he not identify as a black man? Should he feel ashamed of his "free ride" to the top because of his non-blackness? Does Obama owe everyone a big apology for having the unfortunate experience of being black, but not really?

Look, I GUARANTEE that white America cannot make the distinction
between Barack and other African Americans. To say that whites support him because he isn't really black is absurd. Why? Because white people are just too stupid and lazy to learn about his history. Trust me. The sophistication of this distinction is too keen for the mass of whites who support him. Please, don't give white folks this kind of credit, for we don't deserve it.

The real tragedy is that this issue - if it continues to swirl around - will create a greater divide between the races, and that's something we don't need. It also takes the spot light off of the real reason that THIS honky supports Obama: He is an incredibly capable leader who understands how to motivate people, shares my political views and offers a fresh perspective.

Read all about it:

here,

and here,

and, most importantly, here.