What If Obama Wins?

As I sit here and flip between CNN & Fox News (I just love watching these clowns make excuse after excuse about why their ship is sinking), I am also checking my e-mail, syncing my i-Pod, making sure my niece is on top of her reading (I've got her reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X), and just trying to relax. That last part is getting harder for me to do. As I'm typing this line the news has come in that Sen. Obama just won Pennsylvania's electoral votes giving him a 102 EC vote lead over Sen. McCain's 34 (Fox News has it at 103 to 69 - where did those "phantom" 35 EC votes come from for McCain? If sugar turns to shit, we can call those the "okey-doke/banana in the tailpipe votes").

Anyway, I am also glossing over a few other blogs & seeing what some of my friends are expressing. In one of them a friend asks:

"If Obama wins the presidential election, will there still be an issue of race? Will black folks be able to use the excuse that the white man is keeping them down?"

Although it will mark a tremendous milestone in this country's history, should Barack Obama wins this election tonight, there will STILL be an issue of race in this country. His victory will not wash away this country's historical treatment of its African American citizens. Should McCain somehow actually pull this out of his ass; sadly, not many African Americans will be surprised. I know I won't be. Also ... Obama's victory will not cause to disappear all of those people who have accused him of being an "Anti-White, Anti-American, Muslim, Socialist, Communist & Terrorist Supporter."

Look, the Republican Party has never been known to be good losers. Look what they did to Bill Clinton after he wrenched away 12 years of Republican control of the White House. They did not give that man a moment's peace for his entire two terms. They are known to play hard and dirty; and quite frankly, at the end of their runs, the reality was that both Al Gore & John Kerry were too much "the nice guys" to be able to compete against a party that was - as it has always been - more concerned about it's control of the white House than what's best for America as a whole. This was the foundation for the blank check that G.W. Bush used to send thousands of our servicemen and women to their deaths as well as bankrupt the American economy. I suspect that the Republican Party will go back into the laboratory to build a more powerful Republican, while looking for any and every opprotunity to undermine "President Obama."

In any case, it is my belief that although some white people will always be what and how some white people have always been, Obama's victory does raise the bar for what black people; and black men in particular, can and should strive for. I would warn my brothers & sisters; however, to be weary of the double edged blade of white America trying to hold us to the standard of "President Obama," but still bearing down on the various avenues of opportunity leading to such lofty yet attainable goals. In other words, just because Sen. Obama may have been able to ascend to this office does not mean that every black person can. What we should strive for is the ability to be whatever we want to be and not have to worry about being suppresed or O-ppressed based on our skin tone.

I have never been a subscriber to the excuse of being "held down by the white man." I believe that there are white people in certain places of power and authority who will use that power and authority to keep those around them looking like them; but at the same time, when you make yourself a valuable enough asset, the only color that any person in a position of power and authority will care about is GREEN.

It looks good for Sen. Obama. I am looking forward to watching his lead increase over the next couple of hours; and should he reach that magical number of 270 Electoral College votes, I am going to step out on front step ... shed a tear of joy ... and smoke a cigar that I have been reserving for a such a special occasion.

This will not be over on Nov. 5th.

On Nov. 5th ... we will just be beginning.