Chickens coming home to roost n' all
The conservative old guard of this country is afraid of it's inevitable loss of power and influence on the world.
I work with white, conservative, Republican males. They are all successful, financially well off and live the American Dream. The question they have been asking me since the Presidential race began is: What does Obama mean by change? What is he going to change? Who the hell is he to determine change is needed? (And why the hell are you asking me?)
One thing I always felt a point of common ground with Obama is our biracial heritage. He's only 19 days older than me, grew up seeing the best and worst of both races, grew up trying to find a balance in his self-identification. (Yes, I read his autobiography.) Grew up WITH PRIDE IN OUR COUNTRY DESPITE IT'S FAULTS. He chose to put his Ivy League education to work not in Corporate America, where a buppie at the time was expected to go, but in the heart of America with those who had no voice. The thread I read throughout his life is balance.
Noble? Without doubt. Self-serving? Possibly. Do I really care what his reasons were? Not one damn bit. I have no doubt he had a clear plan mapped out and followed through on it. I respect that more than anything. Plan on running for President? I doubt it, but he saw an opening, an advantage and took it. As my mother would say "That's the white in him". And you know what? It is. Because that is not something we as black people teach our children, let alone take on a successful large scale as a whole. (But that's another discussion I'll save for later.)
My take on the "change" Obama is putting forth? It hit me during the debates. We are now in the 21st century. The ideologies and worldviews have changed. Manifest destiny and global power are things of the PAST. The world is changing and America hasn't changed with it. No longer can we rely upon the strong armed tactics of the past. We have to change, we have to adapt, we have to engage our allies AND our enemies. Don't get me wrong, pagan or not I'm all about protecting our borders and our people. I have no problem with defense. I DO have problems with forcing our way of life, our system of government on others.
Bottom line is, he sees the future and we ain't in it if we continue with the policies of our past.
So what that boils down to is privilege.
The white patriarchy of this country is in it's death throes and it can't cope. On top of that, the agent of this change is a black man. The person who has engaged and awakened the great unwashed, opiated masses who for 200 years have allowed themselves (or been forced) to be led blindly (or dragged) is the very person the white patriarchy has willfully, consistently, gleefully and with all it's power oppressed. The black man.
How very ironic.
I think the white patriarchy could have accepted it's inevitable death had this man been just a man. It could have accepted it had it been a woman. It could have died perhaps with dignity. But to die at the hand of the very one it oppressed is driving it to the brink of insanity. For it's illegitimate, back of the slave quarters bastard to surpass it, see the future, grab it and move toward it is driving the knife in deeper.
And you know what I have to say?
Die motherfucker. Your time is past.
now playing on my iPod "Scar Tissue", Red Hot Chili Peppers
I work with white, conservative, Republican males. They are all successful, financially well off and live the American Dream. The question they have been asking me since the Presidential race began is: What does Obama mean by change? What is he going to change? Who the hell is he to determine change is needed? (And why the hell are you asking me?)
One thing I always felt a point of common ground with Obama is our biracial heritage. He's only 19 days older than me, grew up seeing the best and worst of both races, grew up trying to find a balance in his self-identification. (Yes, I read his autobiography.) Grew up WITH PRIDE IN OUR COUNTRY DESPITE IT'S FAULTS. He chose to put his Ivy League education to work not in Corporate America, where a buppie at the time was expected to go, but in the heart of America with those who had no voice. The thread I read throughout his life is balance.
Noble? Without doubt. Self-serving? Possibly. Do I really care what his reasons were? Not one damn bit. I have no doubt he had a clear plan mapped out and followed through on it. I respect that more than anything. Plan on running for President? I doubt it, but he saw an opening, an advantage and took it. As my mother would say "That's the white in him". And you know what? It is. Because that is not something we as black people teach our children, let alone take on a successful large scale as a whole. (But that's another discussion I'll save for later.)
My take on the "change" Obama is putting forth? It hit me during the debates. We are now in the 21st century. The ideologies and worldviews have changed. Manifest destiny and global power are things of the PAST. The world is changing and America hasn't changed with it. No longer can we rely upon the strong armed tactics of the past. We have to change, we have to adapt, we have to engage our allies AND our enemies. Don't get me wrong, pagan or not I'm all about protecting our borders and our people. I have no problem with defense. I DO have problems with forcing our way of life, our system of government on others.
Bottom line is, he sees the future and we ain't in it if we continue with the policies of our past.
So what that boils down to is privilege.
The white patriarchy of this country is in it's death throes and it can't cope. On top of that, the agent of this change is a black man. The person who has engaged and awakened the great unwashed, opiated masses who for 200 years have allowed themselves (or been forced) to be led blindly (or dragged) is the very person the white patriarchy has willfully, consistently, gleefully and with all it's power oppressed. The black man.
How very ironic.
I think the white patriarchy could have accepted it's inevitable death had this man been just a man. It could have accepted it had it been a woman. It could have died perhaps with dignity. But to die at the hand of the very one it oppressed is driving it to the brink of insanity. For it's illegitimate, back of the slave quarters bastard to surpass it, see the future, grab it and move toward it is driving the knife in deeper.
And you know what I have to say?
Die motherfucker. Your time is past.
now playing on my iPod "Scar Tissue", Red Hot Chili Peppers
posted by greer at
9:17 PM
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