It is September 2008, and in spite of everything that this country has experienced as a result of treating certain groups of people, (mainly black people), as less then GOD’S Creations, (which means less then human), there are still those who are harboring the same ideas, principals, practices, concepts and hatred that made the Civil Rights Movement necessary in the first place.
We have Blacks who are now in very important and powerful positions.
We have decent Black Americans who are law abiding, patriotic citizens, who are now, and have in the past, put their lives on the line, or sacrificed their lives for this country.
We have decent Black Americans, who are responsible to their families, who see that all of their needs are met, physically, mentally, spiritually, educationally, and financially.
We have decent Black Americans who are making positive contributions by using their talents, skills and abilities to make their communities better for their neighbors, and the country better for their fellow Americans.
And we also now have a Qualified African American running for the most powerful position in the world, President of the United States of America.
So even though we have made great strides towards equality in this country, these strides can easily be lost if we allow ourselves to become complacent, thinking that we have arrived.
The reason that we cannot fall asleep, especially with a Qualified African American Presidential Candidate who is ready to change this country for the better for all of it’s people, (and not just for those who miss the good old days when Black People were considered less then human), and were constantly reminded that they were less then human, by white people utilizing various techniques of fear inducement, and intimidation.
One such technique was the public display of murder, torture and dehumanization known as lynching.
This technique was very effective in keeping the slaves, (and then the supposedly free), black people in America, (especially in the Deep South), in check.
It was one of the most vicious displays of hatred of humanity exhibited by White Americans, some of which committed these violent acts because they were good old Southern Christians, who used their distorted interpretations of the Holy Scriptures to justify these heinous acts.
And just as there are many important people in powerful positions, remember, there are still far more important white people in powerful positions, some of which are still clinging to “The Way It Was”.
Case in point.
One of my used to be favorite white fascist, Bill O’Reilly, who recently made a comment about having a lynching party for Michelle Obama, wife of Barack Obama, and the potential First Lady of the United States.
Click here for the full details on this story. As a result, I am asking all blacks and other minorities to please boycott all Fox News Programming, which I think most of you do already.
There is not much else to learn from FOX News at this point in the election process, except that white is good, (John McCain), and that black is bad, (Barack Obama). There is really not much new coming from Bill O’Reilly, Laura Ingram, their house nigger Juan Williams, and the other white fascist who practice there.
Now of course Bill O’Reilly is trying to wiggle his way out of his statement, and say that what he said was not what he meant, (which is a tactic growing in popularity because of the McCain Campaign’s use of it). However, I still think that when people say things like this, that is what they mean.
And I don’t really have a problem with freedom of speech like most people do, even when it is something said about my black people.
Why?
Because I think that I am at an advantage when I know how someone really feels about me, as opposed to someone who is trying to remain politically correct for purposes of deception.
So as I said, it is now September 2008, and there are many of us that think none of this could ever happen again.
What you need to know is that, as long as there are a significant number of hateful people in this country, who are not yet up to speed on the progress that this country has made, and who want to still hang on to the prejudice, racism, and hatred that once permeated the heart and soul of America, there will always be a danger of these things happening again.
If not on a large scale nationally, then maybe in secret in some of the smaller towns that (are not supposed to exist), like Jena Louisiana, where just one year ago, hangman’s nooses were hung at a high school where black teens also attended, which started the whole Jena Six Incident, and the movement to “Free The Jena Six”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jena_SixThis was just another example of the type of small town that Obama made references to in one of his speeches, that was used by his political opponents to create such a major riff across this country by stirring up those people from these types of small towns, who are in denial, that such places ever existed or still do exist.
But as we witnessed in 2007, these types of places, with these types of people, still do in fact exist, and they are practicing the prejudice, racism, and hatred that they were so accustomed to practicing back in the 17 and 1800’s.
As a matter of fact, there are still people who have never left the 17 and 1800’s. (Most of them are white), but some of them are black, and if you watched the Republican National Convention as I did, (because you should always know what your opponents are doing), you would have seen the proud slaves and the proud slave owners in attendance, all happy together with the way life used to be.
In July of 2008, we just had a case settled for 11 million dollars, because a small black community in rural Ohio was denied public water access from 1956-2003. It was another one of those small town incidents, that are not supposed to be a reality, but it is.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25635291/So just because we have made significant progress as far as equality is concerned in this country, and yes we do have some very important black people in some very powerful positions, there are still many civil rights laws on the books of this country that were put on hold, but not abolished, and many of those laws are coming up for review, as are the laws on abortion issues, and a woman’s right to choose.
And whom do you think will make these decisions?
Newly appointed justices of the Supreme Court will review these laws when it is time.
And whom do you think will appoint the justices who will decide on these rules?
It will be the next President of the United States. Because there are at least 2 vacancies expected on the Supreme Court bench due to age.
So just because some misinformed people think that we have it made, because they get to buy spinning rims, gold chains, and all the latest fashions, and get to rap about whatever they want, (no matter how foul or destructive it may be), do not let any of this indicate that we are totally in the clear.
Don’t get me wrong, as an artist, I totally believe in freedom of speech.
However, I am not one who believes that people should glorify prison, getting shot, destroying each other in the same community, or other such nonsense, and then punk out, and lawyer up when it is their time to face the consequences of their actions. Because the kids who they make believe that this shit is cool, do not have the financial or other resources to punk out and lawyer up. So what usually happens after they idolize this type of behavior is that they usually wind up dead or in jail for the rest of their lives.
And as much as I would like to blame the artist for their messages and behaviors, I cant.
Because trying to stop negativity from reaching your child is impossible, but teaching him or her how to deal with it, and teaching him or her about the true nature of the bullshit that they will face in life is the parent’s responsibility.
However, I will say that a lot of these new concepts about material things are creating a new form of slavery, where we ourselves have started to poison our communities, kill our own people, and disrespect our elders, our children and our woman. (It should be important to note that all civilizations that would not respect their elders, their children, and their woman, were destroyed as a result).
We as black people are not immune to such a fate.
I am a firm believer in the merits of personal achievement. And, I truly believe that no one has the right to limit any individual in this country from achieving all that he or she is willing to work, create, and sacrifice for.
However, I also believe that how you get what you have, is just as important as what you have.
So while you are enjoying the fruits of your forefathers and foremothers suffering, let’s not forget their legacy because we think that we have it made.
The accomplishment that we have made and continue to make today are on the backs of those who suffered and died before us.
Many of our ancestors fought and died in order for us to have the right to go to the polls on November 4, 2008, to vote for the first African American President Ever!
However, there are many forces at work now to prevent this.
But you have the force to make it happen.
However, time is quickly running out on your opportunity to do so.
So please register now and vote for Barack Obama for President, and Joe Biden for Vice President of these here United States of America on November 4, 2008.
Do It Now! The Potential For Positive Change Is Now A Reality.
And for those who are already registered, please call to check on your voter status, even if you did vote in the primary elections.
Voter fraud will be at an all time high for this upcoming election, because the people who are now in power, and the people who are trying to take over the next shift, and continue on with the same agenda, which is to insure that the rich get richer, and that the poor get poorer, and that those who have little representation in government will have even less representation in government, will say or do anything, including lying, (as we have already witnessed), cheating, (as we have already witnessed), and even killing, (which we have already witnessed as a result of the Iraq War).
So keep your ears, your eyes, and your heart open.
Do not tolerate even the appearance of improprieties as far as voting in this election is concerned.
Use your hi-tech, fancy ass cell phones for something other then just talking shit.
If you see or experience voter fraud, take out your cell phones and report it to the proper authorities right away, and if the proper authorities seem improper, then report their asses to whomever you need to report their asses to, and keep going until you get some results.
There is an FBI Profile on African Americans, and other minorities in this country.
Yes your federal government does racial profiling for the purpose of law enforcement and people control.
The profile states that when something happens, we get upset, we make some noise, we launch a protest in the heat of the moment, and then we forget about it, and go back to life as usual.
There are several people throughout history that have destroyed this theory, one being Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
However, there are more who do fit the profile, then don’t.
On Election Day, we cannot afford to fit this profile, and be lethargic, disinterested, inactive, or unwilling to participate in the new political movement for change, lead by Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and the good people of this nation of all classes and races, who sincerely want a better life for all Americans- not just for Rich and Powerful Americans.
But for everyone who wants to share in this dream of a nation where anyone who is willing to work hard, sacrifice, and play by the rules can achieve great things without regard for their skin color, their last name, or the place where they originally came from.
These are rights that should be shared by all who are citizens of America, not just the chosen few like it is now.
And for people of other minorities, and for our Caucasian American Citizens who have stuck with me throughout this message; I have a message for you.
This election is not about where you came from, or rather or not you have a light or dark complexion, or what your last name is, (although there are many people in this country who have tried to, and continue to make it about that). It is about people from all different races, classes, backgrounds and challenges, who want to join together with other people who may or may not be just like them, but who want the same chance at being successful in life as anybody else, no matter where you start.
If you have looked past Obama’s skin color, and the other artificial barriers that were set up by people who are afraid of change, then you have already heard and felt his message, and know what his intentions for America are.
However, if you have not done so, you have exactly 44 days to recognize the incompetence and poor judgment, the lies and deceptions, and the other reckless behaviors exhibited by his opponents, and then decide if you would rather have that for the next four years or more, or would you rather have someone with the competence, judgment, and the ability to unify people for a common purpose, who is honest about the time, the sacrifices, and the hard work that we have ahead of us in making America a better place for all, who just looks different.
John McCain: Qualified on the outside, a miserable incompetent inept failure on the inside.
Barack Obama: Qualified on the inside, looks different on the outside
Your choice.
Greg Coleman