november 05, 2008 01:12am
Obama Wins: We Win
october 17, 2008 08:48pm
No man is an island....
No man is an island,
No man stands alone,
Each man's joy is joy to me,
Each man's grief is my own.
We need one another,
So I will defend,
Each man as my brother,
Each man as my friend.
I saw the people gather,
I heard the music start,
The song that they were singing,
Is ringing in my heart.
No man is an island,
Way out in the blue,
We all look to the one above,
For our strength to renew.
When I help my brother,
Then I know that I,
Plant the seed of friendship,
That will never die.
october 12, 2008 02:20am
Race, addendum...
I see your point.
But we all know McCain ain't gonna win... and no, it’s not a jinx on Obama to say so :)
That said...
I would say that most people have some perception of race as a part of the way things are; I believe they do, even if they are not racist themselves. They are conscious of it; it’s a culture/education issue.
The issue is not so much how one race relates to another, but more so the invisible wall that we've all grown up believing in over the last couple decades. The one we haven’t reevaluated for a while, seriously.
Remember, earlier this year, Obama had to face the race issue head on, partially in response to the Rev. Wright fiasco. The speech received national recognition, and was very necessary... because, nationally, people did perceive race as an "issue" in America, even if it was not personally an issue for them.
My hope is that we would abandon any perception not backed up by facts and experiences that concretely reaffirm themselves over time. Granted, racism does exist today... just not as wide-spread as we've been told. However, as long as we keep hearing and believing the contrary, racism in its most mythological form will reserve the reigns of a very real reality affecting the minds of us all.
My advice, let's just try to get along... that's what the majority of us want anyway. As for the evil minority... I guess we still love you too?
Vote Obama.
-Ozie
october 09, 2008 05:50am
Race, again...
Hmmm: the age-old discussion of racism, and what it means today.
When it comes to racism, notwithstanding significant advancements in American race-relations over the past several decades, our nation still has a ways to go. Or do we?
To me, it seems that the "problem" rests not so much in the actual presence of racism in our socio-political system, but the perception of this problem. It has been said that perception is the measure of reality. By this standard, racism is very alive today. However, if we allow reality to correct our perception, we observe that an awesome change as taken place.
For the first time in history, America's gonna have a black president, voted in by all colors. Granted, the circumstances all seem just a bit "unrealistic", so that any number of variables slightly altered would dramatically change the situation. But they're here: those factors we've so long waited for. Our generation will manifest King’s dream.
Truly, among the most inspiring realities of the 2008 Presidential Race is the fact that we're not as racist as we once perceived ourselves to be--even as recent as six months ago. Granted, it’s not quite time to pat ourselves on the back. Though, it’s probably ‘bout time to join hands and sing, "Free at last, free at last."
Or maybe Kumbaya would be more appropriate. We’ll know on Nov 5.
See you at the polls,
-Ozie
