THE FATE OF BLACK LOYALTY Part II

In this election between Clinton vs. Obama, the radical knowledge of party loyalty has the Black community stressed at its foundations. The notion that one can, might, should or be threatened is becoming a "psychological conflict" that can reverberate and affect the true sight and vision for what Black people need to focus on as the Deeper issues of America. Words such as "Betrayal", "Hypocrite", and "Judas" are terms that speak to those Black people that would question Obama’s legitimacy or just the very basics of his commitment to the Black community in the form of Political Demands, is cascading into a psychological backlash of an Us vs. Us conflict. The argument has become more about WHO will be in the White House as oppose to the "whose mindset" is in the White House. In doing this, Black folk miss the big picture with that being that OTHER peoples are extending their votes with DEMANDS and Blacks are being portrayed and accused of ignoring the Accountability and the Power behind putting a Black person in office with their Passion as oppose to their Logic behind voting. By tradition, America has had the luxury of voting with Passion, but under current circumstances and the Bush Administration’s dismantling of America, logic as well as caution, is now merited.

Obama holds Black experiences, agendas, expectations and their demanding of accountability to the very root of the vote and the only capital to PAY IT FORWARD as his only guarantee. Many Blacks earlier in the political campaign held this against Obama when he limited his speeches and physical appearance in Black communities. So initially their belief for their Vote for him was worth but a lump of coal in their eyes. The means by which Black folk don’t get hurt, as well as stay focused on the DEEPER issues, Hillary Clinton had the opportunity of numbers by Obama’s initial absence. Knowing that Black folk were not always for Obama, Hillary Clinton, running a smarter and bolder campaign than her husband, Bill Clinton, pushed a strategy was to continue catering to the community Demands of Blacks and thus re-open a dialogue for Bartering for the votes of Brown folk. Those Voters caught in the middle or undecided, for both Hillary and Obama have the ability to see through Race and Gender to bring those people together to get beyond the past and bring them over to either side. As the campaign progressed, I saw an interview with Michelle Obama where she was asked about the Black Vote. Without paraphrasing, her response pretty much was that she was not worried about the Black Vote. She had gone on to state that Black people know what time it was and how important it was to Black People to support her husband.

Soon after that interview, there was the rally with Oprah in South Carolina, visits to HBCU's, a visit to the Apollo in Harlem New York, pulpit appearances at Ebenezer Baptist Church, television appearances discussing his ties to Kenya, Africa and the contrasting principles, approach and image of Obama’s style as oppose to polarizing people such as Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Louis Farrakhan, or Andrew Young. The marketing into the Black community was placed in overdrive because as the last pat of the Obama campaign, you need your MOST loyal base to complete the Machine. So as History has determined, once Black Voters saw that Whites were willing to support Obama, unlike his Black predecessors; Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, the cast was made and Hillary Clinton lost her most loyal fans. Since Latin Voters do not know Obama and he has not campaigned to them what he wanted besides their LOYALTY, a platform of community wants (which is still too early in a presidential race) and a dialogue hasn’t been made, "yet".

In light of all the conflict over who is voting for whom, there is a reality that no candidate, no matter what side of the argument you are on, for Obama to want to be the catalyst or icon for CHANGE, he must be willing to accept the Criticism that comes when he preaches to become leader of the Free World. For Black folk, this criticism is necessary and part of the process, which means a level of “indifference” to RACE, has to blanket the over-charged racial consciousness that is justifiably shared by All. If Obama campaigns in an absence of his RACE, than Black folk have to accept his criticism with an absence as well. Even Obama states he isn’t running as a BLACK President but as President of the United States of America. Disenfranchised as Black folk may seem to be, an insignificant part of what is needed for that journey to be President, any candidate using that State of Being (socially or psychologically) for the use of running for the presidency, Blacks MUST criticize, examine, talk about, understand …. CHALLENGE him or her to the end. Cornell West stated in the recent State of the Black Union 2008 convention that he has much love and support for his Brother Obama and he has gone all over the country to show his support. West goes on to say that although he supports Obama all the way to the Presidency, the day after he takes office, he will start to criticize him because that is what we do as Americans. This is how we keep ALL Politicians honest.

Do you LIKE me through your politics or do your LOVE me through your politics is the only answer that has to be satisfied in the end? If this question isn't answered to the humanity of Black people, then ALL VOTERS RESERVE the right to hold out until the RIGHT PERSON comes calling. Be it a Barak Obama, a Hillary Clinton or a John McCain.

No matter how you look at the process, as it stands right now, Loyalty is the dominant social and political omen affecting the Black Vote today. When you hear and experience people who are threaten for whom they support or are physically attacked for their affiliation prior to the primaries, you have to look at the emotions behind those actions. The issues can be tied to pride and or Race, but it can also be tied to desperation and longing to put things right with the Soul of America. It is said that Black people have survived the injustices of America by holding on to their Humanity. Black Intellectuals have argued that to understand the state of America you need only look to it’s poor which is disproportionately the Black and Brown population of America. The economics and politics that creates the social barriers pertaining to the under belly of a nation, details the disconnect of the leadership of a TOP DOWN Government. In theory, America is an inclusive experiment of participatory governments (i.e. REPUBLICS), in theory and yet from its inception, it began with a taint of Old European prejudices and moral and religious discontent towards Class. Race was never a consideration for the ethnic make up of a peoples' nation since Non-Whites were considered sub-human, un-Godly and ultimately disposable merchandise. And yet these people of Color and Creed were expected to give unwavering LOYALTY to a people and a system of government hypocritically faithful to Itself. Fast-forward 400 years later and a movement to stab at the very heart of that Constitutional inclusion is creating a tone and tenor for one part Excitement, one part Healing, one part Panic and one part Anger. In essence, OLD lines are being erased or moved back to new dimensions and NEW lines are being created and moved into the place of that old line. For Black folk, that line is the CLASS DIVIDE.

How loyal are Black folk when you talk culture, politics, religion, gender and class? In the past, Pre-Obama era, Black folk’s only divide for debate may have come internally from Class but externally, the "in" for Blacks politically was RELIGION. Republicans studied this, used it and marketed heavily into the Spirituality of the Black community knowing this was the only avenue left for courting the Black Vote. This being as such, Religion was the only means by which one could shake up a debate within Black culture (the good, the bad and the ugly), gender (family values, homosexuality, marriage), politics (breaking the traditional bond between democrat and the church) and class (linking church, private corporation and community empowerment) and had been used by both sides for years. That was then. Now, after being socially and economically burned and spiritually used, that opportunity has come and gone and CLASS is now the final divide which can potentially be Black folks redeemer or annihilation as it relates to Self-determination. And those that parley on the sides for Capitalizing on the Black Class Divide may find that in doing so, Black folk will no longer be as forgiving, especially if that play on the Divide, is tactically old, obvious and presumed.

As consummate FORGIVERS, Black folk are quickly becoming a people who can begin turning backs on those within the community and leaving it that way. Those they consider toxic and ill-intentioned to the elevation of the community will no longer get a PASS for being BLACK and as such, will have to fall into place before receiving the NEW BENEFITS that will come with a Black America of the 21st Century. The learning curve can and will be quick “IF” the community can get past the Hillary vs. Obama phenomenon. You see, POWER can be benevolent and it can be self-destructive. In Black folk’s bid to have it their way (a Black President) the PRIZE can be lost if those needed are turned away or turned off. In the in-fighting to give Obama his opportunity, which is Black Opportunity (historically), which is a Party Opportunity (Democrat), which is a National Opportunity (a new direction) and a Global Opportunity (the healing of International relations) we can splinter the Democratic process, weaken the chance of a unified Party and allow the old guard to continue as is. Ultimately, the HIGHS of the Black community can come crashing down like a house of cards with those emotions and political frustrations being taken out on those Politicians that look most like them.

So this is also a question that needs to be address. The “what if” aspect of not getting what you want, the healing from dreams deferred. Langston Hughes wrote in his much beloved and most notable poem, “A Dream Deferred” about the effects of dreams not met and the residual emotions left behind. The poem’s last lines read:

Maybe it just sags
Like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Does it explode? Like bombs randomly placed through out the political system, disrupting the short and long-term political futures of all those currently in office. The one true thing about explosives, the effects are usually permanent. Can Black folk afford that type of political destruction? And if so, is this or will it be Progress? The casualties will be deep and extended exponentially. Are Black folk mature enough with this new BURST OF VOTING POWER to know the differences between the long term Good Politician and the Short term Politician with hidden agendas? Can Black folk re-align and re-direct a Political agenda with its co-companions, sometimes competitor, Brown folk? And when do a standard procedure of DEMAND making be places before the NEXT elected officials as a customary procedure for doing Political business in the Black community?

To avoid “deferment” simple steps to relieve the weight of not knowing or the explosion of an out pouring of anger and violence toward one’s opposing voting decision, know that whomever is selected to lead, you know that their state of mind will allow for community DEMANDS to be met; Democrat, Independent, Republican, Black, Latin, Asian, White and or Female.

The specter of past wrongs in America; Class, Imperialism, Manifest Destiny, Jim Crow, assisted Genocide and Nation Building has imprinted itself upon the lands globally stunting the self-determination of many cultures, many countries and many religions. There is a new theory for Self-Determination for Black America for the 21st Century. Although the old philosophies and social theories have value, taking this aspects and applying them to an increasing Global Economy, International conflict, an Open and Free Economy, Open Boarders, and slow but stirring re-connections to Africa, the improvements for Black Americans require The Right Diagnosis to new issues. New loyalties and greater demands will be made of Wealthy and Influential Blacks. Even at the breaking of traditional ties and the taking back of generational wealth from those whom supported Black folk in the 20th Century will necessitate the continuation of Black Communities through transparency historical records and reclaimed ownership. These are not threats; they are all the end results of an America becoming AMERICA, what the Bush Administration has opened up to the people as it participated in opening up the Pandora’s Box of lies and deception. American minds are starting to open for the TRUTH and it’s a good taste for their soul. You can not hide the truth about places like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Middle East Conflict, China, Cuba, the Drug Trade for Dollars, Arms Sales in Africa and South America, Outsourcing, Germ and Chemical Development, Lack of Oversight just to name a few wars where American people are caught in the middle. As part of "The Right Diagnosis of America", the sources of survival will not be in the knowing, but in owning the resources of Black survival through the control of its political loyalties.