It is quite troubling to me to see a number of so called black leaders blindly support the Clintons. Yes, I said the Clintons. Not just Hillary nor just Bill alone. The blind loyalty or likely the political opportunism of several members of the Congressional Black Caucus such as former civil rights activist, Congressman John Lewis and many others who "marched with Dr. King" annoys me to no certain end. I vividly remember as a young undergraduate thinking how courageous Lewis was when he marched, bled, and also gave the speech of his life at the March on Washington in 1963. That was then...this is a new day with more sophisticated structures in place to continue to retard African American participation in the electoral process.
Could someone please tell me when Bill Clinton became black? Was it when he played his saxophone on the once popular Arsenio Hall show? Was it because he ate McDonald's? Maybe it was the number of black churches he went to—shaking hands and kissing black babies? I could go on to list a litany of empty or superficial qualities that could be associated culturally as "black". I will be the first to give it to Bill for having the type of rock star charisma that makes for a good leader on a national scope, but again this is like folk who attend church, hear a "good sermon" but then can't really tell you what the sermon was about or how it was able to help them transcend their present depraved condition. They just "know" it was good. I seem to recall a line from Shakespeare's MacBeth. "It is a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury signifying nothing."
Well brothers and sisters, I hope that more of us will think more critically about this election. When I say that, I am not suggesting one take the same transparent enthusiasm for the Clintons and vote for Barack Obama simply because he is black. In that same breath, I really wish that the folk who "marched with Dr. King" would simply just sit down! For instance, Andrew Young...he of ALL people needs to sit down and be silent. I am empathic to the tears shed for Dr. King every time his name is mentioned, but really...you think the Clintons are more black than Obama? For that matter, who has he (Andrew Young) been training, of the young leaders in our various communities, to take up the fight where he left off?
The ONLY thing I can come up with that the Clinton Administration did was that they inherited a great time economically. The American economy was booming in the 1990s. The "dot com" companies were in full bloom and everything was joyous, or that is what we are led to believe. I do not recall the ghetto disappearing or the trailer parks turning into lush suburbs either. Regardless, when the economy is good of course it is easy to associate that period of economic vitality to the person who was in the oval office.
If Hillary wins and these black folk who "marched with Dr. King" stand in line for their appointments of patronage will Bill and Hillary say, "My Niggas!" in some congratulatory tone? Of course I am being more than a bit cynical here, but could someone please tell me what power the Clintons have over certain elements of the African American population to be supported so strongly? Did they forget about the increased incarceration rates of African American males? The overhaul of welfare (of which the majority of the recipients are white women)? Maybe they are just gleeful because of the NAFTA agreement that was signed that effectively sent their once profitable jobs overseas? I know that Americans (both black and white) who worked for the big three automotive giants understand what I am saying...and likely the whole city of Detroit.
Whatever the reason, I am calling for all respectable persons of African descent to not drink the "Jim Jones Kool-Aid" the Clintons have been serving up. To see how much the Clintons care about blackfolk, just check Bill Clinton out at a recent Martin Luther King Day Celebration where he was blatantly sleeping while Martin Luther King, III was giving the keynote address. Is “Billy Bob” still your boy? I am sure these Negroes will write that off as him being tired because of the campaign. I call it shameful and utterly disrespectful. What would happen if Vernon Jordan fell asleep at some function Clinton was speaking at when he was president?
A noted historian once lamented, "if everyone who said that they "marched with Dr. King" actually did march with him, he would still be alive." The more I have thought about that statement over the years the more I believe it to be true. In the recent Democratic debate on CNN in South Carolina, the question was posed to the candidates, "Who would Dr. King support?" Obama gave the best answer, "none of us." He then went on to rightly explain that he believed King would have urged the American people to hold whoever is elected accountable to their pre-election promises, not to mention the problems that occur while in office. Think about that for a moment and ask what Clinton did in Africa?
I wonder if those who "marched with Dr. King" have forgotten what they marched for or likely have knowingly and willfully blinded themselves for a piece of the pie that has yet to be cut? Last time I checked the Civil War effectively ended the slave trade in 1865. Moreover, the signing of the thirteenth amendment gave bonded persons their citizenship (though freedom cannot and should not be gained or negated by legislation). Can someone please tell these "knee-grows" that they can now leave the plantation?
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