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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

For Obama, The Rules Don’t Apply

Admittedly, I haven't watched a single minute of the coronation spectacle, and frankly the only thing that could make this day any longer would be if I was in jail, and they didn't give me anything to read.  Oh and food or drink!  Nevertheless I think I must weigh in on all of this "history", a history that has happened 43 other times as far as I'm concerned.

However, it comes as no surprise to any of us, that the coronation of Obama is being met with excitement by a cross-section of Americans, particularly Blacks. After all, having voted 96% for the President-elect, Blacks' expectations are high for the historical significance of the event. I find it significant as well, though not for the same reason. I'm just glad that the rest of Black America has caught up what I have known for years: A Black man could have been president for decades.

In my discussion with Blacks who voted for Obama, many of whom are attending the coronation, it appears that Obama has been given a pass on the extravagance of it all, and the $150M (and counting) price tag that comes with it.

Blacks appear to be caught up in the pageantry of it all, feeling as if they have a direct role in it. Thus they appear to be saying, "Get yours, Mr. President", and happy that they in effect were a major reason this so-called historical moment. This was certainly not their opinion on previous inaugurations, where they decried the spending on inaugurations as "wasteful". Obama is outspending all previous presidents, geometrically, if not exponentially. Apparently the rules don't apply for Obama.

How many children could have received college educations, how many homes could have been saved, business started, and so on. These questions aren't being considered by ObamaNation.

Obama's inauguration has been accepted amongst the Black community as payback for years of oppression by America. However they are quick to point out, "…this is just the first step" in the correction of wrongs. So for those of you who believe the race card is dead, I should inform you that the race card is just "on vacation". It will return on Jan 21, and attack its role with the same vigor, pre-Obama.

A next step in correcting of wrongs will come in Obama solidifying the promise he made to the Black community, when Obama begins handing out stimulus checks. Believe it or not, Blacks see this redistribution of wealth as unlegislated reparations. And they are overjoyed with the prospect of their soon-to-be windfalls.

When asked if they are concerned about what this type of spending could do the economy, I got answers like, "…it can't git no worse", or "…that ain't my problem". Blacks are either not aware or unconcerned about the larger impact of Obama's stimulus plan, and/or are comfortable living in myopia.

As for the negative impact on the economy and potential backlash, it would appear that the Black community again will give President Obama yet another pass. The comments I am hearing are things like "…he's inheriting what Bush left him, so it's not his fault". Blacks feel that when you are at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, the fall won't hurt you. It will be the fat cats who are impacted…not Blacks. So any windfall makes a dramatic impact in their lives, though usually just to provide a respite in "getting by".  But if a Republican president provides an economic stimulus to the economy in the way of a tax cut, then he is considered a pariah.

Further, Blacks appear to be ready to forgive Obama for any slip ups, as can be understood in this direct quote, "…all them other presidents have f*&ked up, so why can't they give the man a chance…" Infer what you will from that comment, but for me, just confirmation again that at least for Blacks, the rules don't apply for Obama.

As for the event itself, Blacks are in DC in droves in order to be a part of this. They want to be able to say, "I was there when…". Most Blacks see this event as ground-breaking, monumental, earth-shattering, with many commenting to me that they never felt they would see this day in their lifetimes. They are exuberant, and many have said to me that they feel as if a weight has been lifted off their shoulders.  They didn't look any lighter to me?

Here's the wrap:

Apparently there remains a great divide between how most Americans feel about opportunity in America, and what the Black community feels. As I said earlier, I have always felt that a Black person would ascend to the presidency, yes even in my lifetime. I just thought it would be a qualified one.

You see, there have been many Black firsts. Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe, Jim Brown, Lee Elder, Tiger Woods, to name a few. There have always been unwritten rules for Black "firsts". Be exemplary. And don't screw it up for the rest of us.

I think in the case of Obama…the rules just don't apply.

That's my rant!

© 2009 Kevin Jackson – The Black Sphere All Rights Reserved


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32 comments:

SureHowDoYouKnow - Blogger said...

Mr. Kevin! Another great article!

Thank you!

I love your line about prison... you are a riot!

Thanks again!

Anonymous said...

zacharytelschow

Right on the mark,and only something a black man could get away with saying. The only people who believe racism is the reason some minorities can't advance (while miraculously other minorities can) are those holding themselves back through their behavior while blaming whitey.

Anonymous said...

Dipsomaniac

Okay, if he's going to trot out that $150 million number for the cost as part of his argument, then I'm going to stop reading since it's crap.

Anonymous said...

jaynyc

Nice reasoning. Are you 10 years old?

I wouldn't have cared if he'd spent a billion, as long as I wasn't paying for the pomp.

Long live the King!

The Black Sphere said...

@dipsomaniac - I guess we know with you what's in a name?! Thanks for proving to me how nutty libs are!

Julie said...

I also always felt a black man and a woman would one day be president, but why is it always the wrong ones they put up as candidates. I worry in the long run this will put the race relations back 50 years. Did you hear his speech, he said the next generation will have to lower their sights and the audience cheered! Like that was a good thing. And I am afraid it will happen.

The Black Sphere said...

Julie, I didn't watch a single second of that horseapple! Lower your sights. How encouraging! What a joke this guy is. And when Blacks are "firsts", they are suppose to bring MORE to the party! Sad day for this Black man!

American Angle said...

I like this blog, it's put together very well.

Enjoyable read and right on the money!

The Black Sphere said...

Thanks American Eagle! I am indeed an American Eagle, as that is my mother's name Eagle! I was born a symbol of patriotism. And with shaved head, there is certainly no disputing that I am a "bald eagle"!

Anonymous said...

Kevin, you do not look like an eagle LOL My hubby is nearly bald haha
I watched bits today...
I can honestly tell you I am saddened that we have a band of criminals in the white house and congress now...
Thanks to the Hollywood pinheads and MSM.
I am still in shock.

Great read tonight (it is almost 9 here and I have had enough of this day)
Tomorrow is is BHO's way and Nancy's way and dirty Harry's way or the highway

The Black Sphere said...

Rosemary, I think you should have the blog. You are right on point! Let the fun begin, because it's "O" time!

Anonymous said...

Sovereigndk

of course not
how does Our Constitution Rule over an Illegal Alien?

Snarky Basterd said...

What I'd like to know is how does Barack's wisdom settle up with a 300 point Dow drop AFTER he speaks. He has to be one of the most nervous incoming presidents in history...not over what he has to clean up but over how much he has to lose. Which means, of course, he'll govern more by poll than any other president...and fail...miserably...because following the sheeple who today cheered for "having less" is insane. But that's our president...and they said W. was the idiot president.

The Black Sphere said...

@DrDave - Let's see just what you get for your money at Harvard. It is they who should be worried. All that endowment money tied up in the stock market and Obama!

Anonymous said...

They just do not know they have signed their souls away. People have to realize that the congress vote on the bills yes the President has veto rights. The bottom line is his party will tell him what he can and can not do. Old Barney Frank is waiting for President Obama and wants to know how the rest of the money will be spent. President Obama will be his puppet. All this unity mess will be dropped real quick because Obama will be schooled. Come he is from Chicago they know how to put up a fight.

Ron B said...

On the mark again. All I see is more of the same. He will get a pass from Black people because of what you eluded to in your piece: " them other presidents...." and he will always be the darling of the media. Not one media outlet blasted him for pre-selecting journalist for questions during his press conferences as Prez elect. Let "W" had done that and the rage would have flowed from every TV, Radio and newspaper. But I guess you are right...the rules don't apply!

Keep it coming!

Anonymous said...

With all the maulin hoopla over this man, I rather had been in jail with nothing to read, food or water if I DIDN'T have to have the coronation crammed down my throat, even with the TV turned off. When I heard about his speech, epecially the one about having our sights lower, I could only remember the line in Revenge of the Sith. "This is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause."

Unknown said...

I wrote a piece in my blog today about the party being over and the show now has to get on the road:

"These fawning descriptions of the inauguration of Obama from our "unbiased" news reporters are all well and good. The comparisons to where we were in terms of race relations and where we are now are great, but at this point irrelevant. Bottom line. He is now President and will be judged on one thing, and one thing only. Performance. Let's see him perform..."

Let's see.

Mike Haltman
The Political and Financial Markets Commentator
http://politicsandfinance.blogspot.com

The Black Sphere said...

Madmath - excellent quote. This is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause. Great comment!

The Black Sphere said...

Ron, we must fight the fight, Bro. For us, it will be an interesting 4 years, and I have readied my "I told you so's"

Anonymous said...

I found myself wondering if all this would look the same had it been my favorite candidate, Alan Keyes, instead of Barack Obama.
Kevin, what would be your take on that?

Anonymous said...

L. L. Brown IV wrote at 3:53am

Thank you for the last post you put up on "breaking all the rules". You say what I think only more coherent, more intelligent, and funnier. Keep up the good work.

DaveG said...

Bottom line. He is now President and will be judged on one thing, and one thing only. Performance.

I would love to agree with you, but I am more cynical about the state of our press and our false-hero society. I believe Obama will be judged on one thing, and one thing only: the mass perception driven by the biased reporting that will paint everything in either a favorable light, or a problem caused by Bush.

JG said...

Excellent, Kevin. Maybe you can speak to my black friends where I can't. I hope so, anyway. As frustrating as their sycophantic attitudes are, it's hurtful to me to see them so deceived in a person who may be more historic by his decimation of our country than by the position he holds.

Anonymous said...

Knowing what you were doing at the precise moment was more information than I needed buy just so you know I was engages in the same activity.

Kevin you blog is great, I wish I could come here more often but my browser hates blogger sites, takes forever to load some of bloggers add ons.

If I might ask did you find it offensive that Obama used Lincoln's Bible to be sworn in on. He seems to want to tie himself to the history of the past instead of making his own. You would think that our next black president would want to use the Bible that Obama was first sworn in on but Obama screwed that up.

The Black Sphere said...

Deadender - Thanks so much. Sorry for the hassle on blogger sites, but "explain" mine to your browser!

As for the hypocrisy of using the Lincoln Bible, understood, given the hypocrisy of Obama. Nothing new here.

Anonymous said...

Kevin, I found your blog by reading Booking Rising. It's refreshing to read other blacks comments who share my views. I live in Washington, D.C. and this city became a circus with wealthy people partying, drinking liquor, and riding in expensive cars during this difficult financial times for most U.S. citizens. Most U.S. citizens are struggling financially and Hollywood and the Obama administration was insensitive to struggling U.S. citizens.

Lakotalady said...

I keep singing that old tune "I'm your Puppet", just can't get it off my mind. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I'm just an older Native American and am included in the lower class[Lower than the blacks]. And the discussion in my community felt really in tune with why Obama was put in the position in the first place. The liberals and the media needed someone to blame for the mess thats gonna happen in the next 4 years. Blame it on the black man! He's a token for the Minority, never had a minority in the presidentual position. There! Now whatever happens happens.
It's like I was in trucking 25 years ago. I was any company's token. They got credits for 1) I was a woman and 2)Native American. If I wanted to I could have bled this to extremes. I didn't have to work hard. If I had a hangnail I'd get lite work duties. I didn't do these things, but I know a lot of minorities who did. Can you see him sitting around and doing nothing. They can't fire him, impeach him.
WOW, I gotta get over to my own blog This is golden. Later!

The Black Sphere said...

Ward, glad that you found me. And yes, the revelers were a disgrace. But what did anyone expect. We've all been to a "house party"!

The Black Sphere said...

JG, sorry I missed you earlier. You just need to know what to say to your Black friends. Get them thinking, and they will come around. There are more 'closeted' Black Republicans than you think.

Anonymous said...

Kevin, I heard the craziest statement by a fellow black co-worker today.
I was telling him about a story I read on the local news internet web site about a carjacking, robbery, and murder at a Bank of America ATM.
A 55 year-old (black) women was robbed at the drive-thru ATM machine at 9am Weds. morning. The ATM camera picked up the mans face(black), her faced was blotted out, but you could see him leaning in her car window pointing the gun at her.
He ended up shooting her 5 times, dumping her body out her car, and driving off. They found her car hours later abandoned, with her empty purse inside, and are still looking for the suspect. He didn't beleive me, and went and looked himself, and was immediately outraged, upset! He ranted and raved about it, and then said, " WE CAN'T BLAME BUSH FOR THIS". The tone of his voice, and the look on his face was that since a black man is the president, black people should not be committing crimes, like all was going to be well after Obama was in office.
He was pissed off for the rest of the day, so I did what I could to help ease him out of his mythical utophia, and let him prepare the taxes of the next client that walked in the door. Make your money, boyeee!
BTW-Great Posts!

The Black Sphere said...

Rose-Bud, you are evil...but I like that. Keep irritating those libs. And yes, for now the boogeyman is gone, so let's see how Blacks and the media handle this, though I have my suspicions! And thanks for the compliments, as they is always welcome.