Don't We Have Enough Inspiration?
A good friend of mine forwarded me email that had been circulating. I'm going to do my duty and pass it along. But before I do, I need to comment on it. The very notion of it-promoting the genius of black accomplishments-undermines its very purpose. Why send something around like that if you don't really believe black people are as brilliant as the piece suggests. Why? Because people don't really believe it. The whole point was to prove that of course, Barack Obama is qualified to be president-look at all of the great things great blacks have done throughout history.
But there are still so many blacks who don't believe in their own history and their own greatness. That they need Obama to inspires them shows that.
The questions surrounding Obama in the black community should have nothing to do with his capabilities, but his elect-ability. It's the rest of the country and the world that doesn't believe that a black man can run this country.
Personally, I'm not impressed with Obama. But I don't think that he will be a bad president if elected. It takes thousands of people to run a country America.
Focusing on the presidency is just another pair of sneakers that black folks have to have. Just like we focused all our attention on O.J. while the millions died in Rwanda, we're now focused on Obama and his run for the presidency while millions are dying in Congo and the Sudan and folks in Haiti are eating dirt-literally.
Obama will do the same thing for blacks that all of the other presidents have done-nothing! His victory would be akin to a welfare family wearing designer clothes. It looks good for show but they're still broke. A black president ain't going to solve the problems in the Sudan, Haiti, and Congo. And he damn sure ain't going to stop American blacks from killing each other.
The sad truth is that everyone believes that Obama is inspiring. To me that's another sad joke. If we, as a race, have to wait for a presidential candidate in order to be inspired then we are in bad shape.
Once again, our heroes should be easily found at the dinner table and if we constantly have to have our people look outside of their immediate sphere for inspiration then we will still have a lackluster community waiting for a hero while the rest of the world continues to inspire from within.
But here is the email that's been circulating. I hope you are inspired:
A Black Man
Why is it that a Black Man can create a tiny piece called a filament (electric light by Lewis Latimer) that allows people to see in the dark? But can't be seen fit to lead a country to the true light.
Why is it that a Black Man can create an instrument (the clock by Benjamin Banneker) that all people use to tell time? But people don't think it is time for him to run a country.
Why is it that a Black Man can design a place for the high authorities to meet in and a place for the president to live in (The Capital and the White House by Phillip Reid (a slave) and Pierre L'Enfant)? But is not good enough to lead these meetings or live in himself.
Why is it that a Black Man was brilliant enough to do the first open-heart surgery (Dr. Daniel Hale Williams) and show the world how to get and preserve plasma (Dr. Charles Drew)? But is not good enough to put a program in place where everyone can afford this surgery.
Why is it that a Black Man was creative enough to design an instrument (the traffic light by Garrett Morgan) to bring multiple people (in traffic) to a halt?
But is not seen creative enough to design a plan to bring to a halt all of this unnecessary and worthless fighting between countries.
Why is it that a Black Man could create the soles (shoes by Jan Matzeliger) that people walk on every day? But is not seen good enough to fill the shoes of a bad president.
Why is it that a Black Man was smart enough and brave enough to teach himself (Fredrick Douglas and Thomas Fuller, both slaves) and others how to read, write and/or calculate math? But is not seen smart enough and bold enough to calculate a platform to be President of a country that sure needs another first by us.
So you see, Brothers and Sisters what I am saying is let us not forget our past, which led us to our present and can definitely be the backbone to our future. We were good enough, smart enough, creative enough, and bold enough then, so let us all give Obama the chance to show that we are still these things and more. We all are as strong as our weakest link, so do not be that weak link that denies our people that chance to show we still can OVERCOME AND BE THE FIRST!
