(from Revolution newspaper #141, August 24, 2008)
by Carl Dix
This presidential election season something different is happening. Three years ago, tens of thousands of Black people were left to die as Katrina’s flood waters surged in New Orleans. Last year, lynching nooses were being hung all across the country, from Jena, Louisiana, to New York City. But now, one of the two major parties is about to nominate an African-American, Barack Obama, to be the president of the U.S. This is major.
Yesterday, I posted an blurb on the aquittals of the police officers in the killing on an unarmed young man in NYC. (http://chenaultreport.blogspot.com/) As I sat at home and listened to people suggest violance and civil disobedience as a reponse to the outcome of the trial, held without a jury, I read some reassuring comments our next president made on the isue. Moments after the news broke, a reporter asked Obama about the verdict, saying he believed that the verdict needed to be respected and urging those who disagreed with it not to resort to violence. That would be "completely unacceptable and counterproductive," Obama said.
"Well, look, obviously there was a tragedy in New York. I said at the time, without benefit of all the facts before me, that it looked like a possible case of excessive force. The judge has made his ruling, and we're a nation of laws, so we respect the verdict that came down," he said in response to a question at a gas station in Indianapolis, where he was holding a news conference.
"The most important thing for people who are concerned about that shooting is to figure out how do we come together and assure those kinds of tragedies don't happen again," he continued. ... "Resorting to violence to express displeasure over a verdict is something that is completely unacceptable and counterproductive."
Obama raises an important question, a question my post yesterday left unanswered. How do we come together and create an America where people are treated fairly and everyone has the shame shot at an American dream? While others would like us to live in fear that what I yearn for is not possible, Obama says, "Yes, we can." While disbelievers resort to the politics of past, Obama urges change we can believe in.
I am so happy, we have a candidate in this election who can bring us back to the America of yesteryear; the America that brought us women's rights, civil right, education for all and the America that will soon bring healthcare for all in need. I have faith in Barack Obama's plans for our America. I am refresed by his outlook. Despite an unfair killing of a young Black man on his wedding day, Obama tries to look forward to bringig solutions so that this doesn't have to happen again. I cant wait until he is out next president. Go Obama.
