Obama election sparks new interest in civil rightsBy Andrea Shalal-EsaREUTERSBIRMINGHAM, Alabama - When Barack Obama is sworn in next week as the first black U.S. president, 97-year-old Alabama civil rights veteran Amelia Boynton Robinson will see a miracle in the milestone."I think it's an act of God," said Robinson, who was jailed and beaten decades ago in the racially segregated U.S. South.For Robinson, whose mother was born just a few years after the end of slavery, the fight for equality did not end with the civil rights laws passed in the 1960s and it won't end with Obama's historic inauguration on January 20."To this day, I am still on the battlefield," Robinson told 35 educators, students and activists last week in Tuskegee, Alabama, during a four-day tour of civil rights historic sites in Selma, Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama.Obama's election has rekindled interest in the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s amid continuing racial tensions and wide disparities in income, education and health care between whites and minority groups.In Alabama, visitor numbers are up dramatically at a center that marks the route of a five-day, 47-mile march led by King from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 by 25,000 people demanding equal rights for black Americans, said Tina Smiley of the U.S. National Park Service.Doug McMillon, chief executive of the Sam's Club unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc, has brought four large groups of executives to the center in recent months, and has commissioned a film so all his workers can share the experience, she said.Activists Charles Alphin and Bernard Lafayette organize civil rights tours such as the one Robinson addressed.Robinson, who once hosted Martin Luther King Jr. in her home, will travel to England next month to teach the principles of non-violence used in the sit-ins, mass arrests and protests that characterized the movement.In the 1930s, she started a voter registration drive in Selma, Alabama, where African-Americans were hindered from voting until the mid-1960s by capricious literacy tests, poll taxes and the need to produce two white "sponsors."Robinson catapulted the issue into the limelight in 1965 when she asked King for help.Soon afterward, King led the historic voting rights marches in Alabama. On what came to be known as "Bloody Sunday," white authorities beat and tear-gassed protesters and television images flashed around the world.A LONG ROAD"It's the screaming I remember most," says Joanne Bland, who was 11 years old when she was knocked unconscious on Bloody Sunday. Her 14-year-old sister needed 26 stitches on her head; but both girls marched again the next Tuesday.The violence sparked outrage and solidarity marches around the country and helped prod Congress into passing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a law that finally secured the right of African-Americans to vote.Bland ran Selma's voting rights museum and now leads tours of the 20,000-plus town that is grappling with a high crime rate, drug problems, severe poverty and rising unemployment.Bland says the Selma movement paved the way for the election of Obama, who visited the city in 2007."What we did here in Selma is why he was able to be elected," she said.Obama often credits the black Americans whose struggle made his personal road to the White House possible."It's important for people to study and learn about this period of history so that we can continue to build on King's work and his philosophy," added Roger Vredeveld, 47, who teaches U.S. and black history in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and went on the tour.Some analysts have described Obama's victory as ushering in a "post-racial" era, but civil rights activists say there is still much to be done. They point to such crises as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which revealed deep racial divides, and recurrent cases of police brutality.Another teacher on the tour, Arthur Romano, cited riots in Oakland, California, after the January 1 shooting of an unarmed 22-year-old black man by a white transit police officer, and said King's non-violent approach would be far more productive.Oscar Grant's death, he said, "serves as a reminder of how far there is to go, and the need for serious, strategic and long-term community involvement on these issues."(Editing by Doina Chiacu)
posted: http://africanamericans.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxFcL discussion: http://discussheadlines.blogspot.com/2009/01/civil-rights-education.html
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Hi! If anybody can explain/ rebute this article for me, I would really appreciate it. I am by no means an expert on the life of my favorite candidate. This article was sent to me by my annoyingly republican family, and I'd like to get back to them with some truth.
Here is a link to the article:And here is the article:Say What, Barrack?Current Events Paul R. HollrahMarch 16, 2007 URL: Tuning in to C-Span recently, I found myself listening to a speech by Senator Barrack Hussein Obama, Jr. He was standing in the pulpit of a black church in Selma, Alabama, and as I studied the body language of the dozen or so black ministers standing behind the senator, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the little head-bobbing dolls that people used to place in the rear windows of their 1957 Chevrolets. If their reactions are any indication, the new Schlickmeister of the Democrat Party is actually a pretty accomplished public speaker.However, as he spoke, I found my bull_ _ _ _ alarm going off, repeatedly. But I couldn’t quite figure out why until I actually read excerpts of his speech several days later. Here’s part of what he said:"...something happened back here in Selma, Alabama. Something happened in Birmingham that sent out what Bobby Kennedy called, “ripples of hope all around the world.” Something happened when a bunch of women decided they were going to walk instead of ride the bus after a long day of doing somebody else's laundry, looking after somebody else's children.“When (black) men who had PhD’s decided ‘that's enough’ and ‘we’re going to stand up for our dignity,’ that sent a shout across oceans so that my grandfather began to imagine something different for his son. His son, who grew up herding goats in a small village in Africa could suddenly set his sights a little higher and believe that maybe a black man in this world had a chance.“…So the Kennedy’s decided we're going to do an air lift. We're going to go to Africa and start bringing young Africans over to this country and give them scholarships to study so they can learn what a wonderful country America is.“This young man named Barack Obama got one of those tickets and came over to this country. He met this woman whose great great-great-great-grandfather had owned slaves; but she had a good idea there was some craziness going on because they looked at each other and they decided that we know that, (in) the world as it has been, it might not be possible for us to get together and have a child. There was something stirring across the country because of what happened in Selma, Alabama, because some folks are willing to march across a bridge. So they got together and Barack Obama Jr. was born. So don't tell me I don't have a claim on Selma, Alabama. Don't tell me I’m not coming home to Selma, Alabama."Okay, so what’s wrong with that? It all sounds good…but is it?Obama told his audience that, because some folks had the courage to “march across a bridge” in Selma, Alabama, his mother, a white woman from Kansas, and his father, a black Muslim from Africa, took heart. It gave them the courage to get married and have a child. The problem with that characterization is that Barrack Obama, Jr. was born on August 4, 1961, while the first of three marches across that bridge in Selma didn’t occur until March 7, 1965, at least five years after Obama’s parents met.Obama went on to tell his audience that the Kennedys, Jack and Bobby, decided to do an airlift. They would bring some young Africans over so that they could be educated and learn all about America. His grandfather heard that call and sent his son, Barrack Obama, Sr., to America.The problem with that scenario is that, having been born in August 1961, the future senator was not conceived until sometime in November 1960. So, if his African grandfather heard words that “sent a shout across oceans,” inspiring him to send his goat-herder son to America, it was not Democrat Jack Kennedy he heard, or his brother Bobby, it was Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower.Obama’s speech is reminiscent of Al Gore's claim of having invented the Internet, Hillary Clinton’s claim of having been named after the first man to climb Mt. Everest…even though she was born five years and seven months before Sir Edmund climbed the mountain, and John Kerry's imaginary trip to Cambodia.As one of my black friends, Eddie Huff, has said, “We need to ask some very serious questions of the senator from Illinois. It’s not enough to be black, it’s not enough to be articulate, and it’s not enough to be eloquent and a media darling…The only question will be how deaf an ear, or how blind an eye, will people turn in order to turn a frog into a prince.”It appears that Senator Barrack Hussein Obama, Jr. is not a “fresh face,” as media sycophants like to describe him, he’s just another in a long line of Democrat snake oil salesmen.Paul R. Hollrah is a freelance writer. He is a member of the Civil Engineering Academy of Distinguished Alumni at the University of Missouri - Columbia and a Senior Fellow at the Lincoln Heritage Institute. He currently resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma.Opinions expressed by contributing writers are expressly their own and may or may not represent the opinions of The New Media Journal, its editorial staff or its publisher. Reprint inquiries should be directed to the author of the article. Photographs featured in The New Media Journal are for educational purposes only. While some of them are factual in nature others are creations meant to incite thought to further the socio-political and ideological conversation amongst of our readers. Contact the editor for a link request to The New Media Journal. The New Media Journal is not affiliated with any mainstream media or ideological organizations . The New Media Journal is not supported by any political organization. The New Media Journal is a group of non-compensated, independent writers bringing researched, fact-based commentary to the public in the midst of the mainstream media's blatant, agenda-driven bias. The New Media Journal is a non-profit educational effort.FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance a more in-depth understanding of critical issues facing the world. 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> Tuning in to C-Span recently, I found myself listening> to a speech by> Senator Barrack Hussein Obama, Jr. He was standing in> the pulpit of a black > church in Selma, Alabama, and as I studied the body> language of the dozen or> so black ministers standing behind the senator, I> couldn't help but be> reminded of the little head-bobbing dolls that people > used to place in the> rear windows of their 1957 Chevrolets. If their> reactions are any> indication, the new *Schlickmeister* of the Democrat> Party is actually a> pretty accomplished public speaker. >> However, as he spoke, I found my bull**** alarm going> off, repeatedly. But I> couldn't quite figure out why until I actually read> excerpts of his speech> several days later. Here's part of what he said: >> *"..something happened back here in Selma, Alabama.> Something happened in> Birmingham that sent out what Bobby Kennedy called,> "ripples of hope all> around the world." Something happened when a bunch of > women decided they> were going to walk instead of ride the bus after a> long day of doing> somebody else's laundry, looking after somebody else's> children. *>> *"When (black) men who had PhD's decided 'that's > enough' and 'we're going to> stand up for our dignity,' that sent a shout across> oceans so that my> grandfather began to imagine something different for> his son. His son, who > grew up herding goats in a small village in Africa> could suddenly set his> sights a little higher and believe that maybe a black> man in this world had> a chance.*>> *". So the Kennedy's decided we're going to do an air > lift. We're going to> go to Africa and start bringing young Africans over to> this country and give> them scholarships to study so they can learn what a> wonderful country> America is.* >> *"This young man named Barack Obama got one of those> tickets and came over> to this country. He met this woman whose great> great-great-great-grandfather> had owned slaves; but she had a good idea there was > some craziness going on> because they looked at each other and they decided> that we know that, (in)> the world as it has been, it might not be possible for> us to get together> and have a child. There was something stirring across > the country because of> what happened in Selma, Alabama, because some folks> are willing to march> across a bridge. So they got together and Barack Obama> Jr. Was born.* *So> don't tell me I don't have a claim on Selma, Alabama. > Don't tell me I'm not> coming home to Selma, Alabama."*>> Okay, so what's wrong with that? It all sounds good.> but is it?>> Obama told his audience that, because* *some folks had > the courage to "march> across a bridge" in Selma, Alabama, his mother, a> white woman from Kansas,> and his father, a black Muslim from Africa, took> heart. It gave them the > courage to get married and have a child. The problem> with that> characterization is that Barrack Obama, Jr. Was born> on August 4, 1961,> while the first of three marches across that bridge in > Selma didn't occur> until March 7, 1965, at least five years *after*> Obama's parents met.>> Obama went on to tell his audience that the Kennedy's,> Jack and Bobby, > decided to do an airlift. They would bring some young> Africans over so that> they could be educated and learn all about America.> His grandfather heard> that call and sent his son, Barrack Obama, Sr., to > America.>> The problem with that scenario is that, having been> born in August 1961, the> future senator was not conceived until sometime in> November 1960. So, if his> African grandfather heard words that "sent a shout > across oceans," inspiring> him to send his goat-herder son to America, it was not> Democrat Jack Kennedy> he heard, or his brother Bobby, it was Republican> President Dwight D. > Eisenhower.>> Obama's speech is reminiscent of Al Gore's claim of> having invented the> Internet, Hillary Clinton's claim of having been named> after the first man> to climb Mt. Everest. even though she was born five > years and seven months *> before* Sir Edmund climbed the mountain, and John> Kerry's imaginary trip to> Cambodia.>> As one of my black friends, Eddie Huff, has said, "We > need to ask some very> serious questions of the senator from Illinois. It's> not enough to be black,> it's not enough to be articulate, and it's not enough> to be eloquent and a > media darling. The only question will be how deaf an> ear, or how blind an> eye, will people turn in order to turn a frog into a> prince.">> It appears that Senator Barrack Hussein Obama, Jr. Is > not a "fresh face," as> media sycophants like to describe him, he's just> another in a long line of> Democrat snake oil salesmen.>
As an update to my previous blog concerning the South Carolina Black Caucus (or in truth the two Clinton operatives in the Black Caucus) trying to disinvite Senator Obama from speaking at their annual Spring Gala in April (see my blog with the same heading as this)...they have "unanimously" elected to only feature Senator Obama. I guess the Clintons didn't want Selma Part Deux. But this is really and sadly about we as Black folks always trying to be equal from an unequal position. I mean...how do we catch up? Now, let me say that no one what's a handout or favoritism BUT...understanding how the oppression of us as a people still has strong chains around our psyche and how sad that some Black folks can't see those chains, has been quite revealing.
A separate thought. Why is Hillary not taken to task asking women to vote for her because she's a women? Do you think Senator Obama would be raked over the coals if he asked Black folks to vote for him because he's of African descent?
The SC Black Caucus chairman Leon Howard said "the invitation was not extended to Obama because he is a minority. Howard said he does not support people based on skin color." See how fair we are?
You must read this article. Loved Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter's statement!!
Black Caucus picks Obama for addressMembers say Clinton will have later opportunity to speak to group BY YVONNE M. WENGERThe Post and CourierCOLUMBIA - As the rest of the nation watches South Carolina for early developments in the 2008 presidential election, key players in the state Legislative Black Caucus ended a dispute Tuesday that divided its members between U.S. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.The caucus decided to invite Obama, D-Ill., as the keynote speaker for its annual gala in April after battling last week over which presidential hopeful to feature. The vote was unanimous among the approximately 25 members of the caucus who were present. The caucus has 36 members.While one caucus member remembered last week's infighting, another offered an olive branch.Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Hopkins, used an analogy of a spring football game to try to unite the caucus. He and Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, have endorsed Clinton."One of the No. 1 rules in a spring football game is that you play hard, you work hard, but you don't kill each other because, ultimately, in September you have to play together to work against the real opponent," Jackson said.Ford reaffirmed Jackson's comments and added, "We're not going to have no blood fight over nothing like this."Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, said she appreciated Jackson and Ford's support but was disapproving of their earlier approach."I appreciate Senator Jackson and Senator Ford coming in today with a different spirit and a different frame of mind," she said. "What a difference a week makes. ?We're all very supportive of having Senate participation, but for some of us it's very difficult for the first involvement of the Senate to be one of destruction and division.""What's that mean?" Ford responded."Robert, leave it alone," Jackson said to stave off a fight.Jackson and Ford opposed the caucus' committee report last week to have Obama speak at the gala instead of Clinton. The conflict generated unwanted media attention because of the stakes involved in black support for presidential candidates in a state where 49 percent of the Democratic presidential primary votes came from blacks in 2004."Some victories cost too much," Jackson said to explain his deci-sion to support Obama's invita-tion. "You have to look at the price. Even if you win, what do you win?"Ford said he decided to support Obama's invitation out of tradition. Obama had accepted an earlier invitation to speak."We've never had a speaker other than a black person address the caucus (at the gala), and it wouldn't be fair," Ford said. Although a verbal invitation was extended to Clinton to speak at the event, Ford said there will be plenty of other opportunities for her."She'll understand," he said. "There is nobody with a better understanding on these kinds of issues than the Clintons."Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said the New York senator is looking forward to arranging a time to address the caucus."There is an opened-ended invitation on the table for (Clinton) to come address the Legislative Black Caucus," he said. "We're looking forward to finding a date that works and having a conversation."Caucus Chairman Rep. Leon Howard, D-Columbia, said the decision does not serve as an endorsement. Individual caucus members are supporting a mix of candidates.Howard said the invitation was not extended to Obama because he is a minority. Howard said he does not support people based on skin color."We need someone who can help us come out of the bad economy and the war and the issues we are facing," Howard said of the next president. "(The caucus) is united, and we're moving forward with our mission."
Black Caucus picks Obama for addressMembers say Clinton will have later opportunity to speak to group
BY YVONNE M. WENGER
The Post and CourierCOLUMBIA -
As the rest of the nation watches South Carolina for early developments in the 2008 presidential election, key players in the state Legislative Black Caucus ended a dispute Tuesday that divided its members between U.S. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.The caucus decided to invite Obama, D-Ill., as the keynote speaker for its annual gala in April after battling last week over which presidential hopeful to feature. The vote was unanimous among the approximately 25 members of the caucus who were present. The caucus has 36 members.
While one caucus member remembered last week's infighting, another offered an olive branch.Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Hopkins, used an analogy of a spring football game to try to unite the caucus. He and Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, have endorsed Clinton."One of the No. 1 rules in a spring football game is that you play hard, you work hard, but you don't kill each other because, ultimately, in September you have to play together to work against the real opponent," Jackson said.Ford reaffirmed Jackson's comments and added, "We're not going to have no blood fight over nothing like this.
"Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, said she appreciated Jackson and Ford's support but was disapproving of their earlier approach."I appreciate Senator Jackson and Senator Ford coming in today with a different spirit and a different frame of mind," she said. "What a difference a week makes. ?We're all very supportive of having Senate participation, but for some of us it's very difficult for the first involvement of the Senate to be one of destruction and division.
""What's that mean?" Ford responded."Robert, leave it alone," Jackson said to stave off a fight.Jackson and Ford opposed the caucus' committee report last week to have Obama speak at the gala instead of Clinton. The conflict generated unwanted media attention because of the stakes involved in black support for presidential candidates in a state where 49 percent of the Democratic presidential primary votes came from blacks in 2004."Some victories cost too much," Jackson said to explain his deci-sion to support Obama's invita-tion. "You have to look at the price. Even if you win, what do you win?"Ford said he decided to support Obama's invitation out of tradition. Obama had accepted an earlier invitation to speak.
"We've never had a speaker other than a black person address the caucus (at the gala), and it wouldn't be fair," Ford said. Although a verbal invitation was extended to Clinton to speak at the event, Ford said there will be plenty of other opportunities for her."She'll understand," he said.
"There is nobody with a better understanding on these kinds of issues than the Clintons."Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said the New York senator is looking forward to arranging a time to address the caucus."There is an opened-ended invitation on the table for (Clinton) to come address the Legislative Black Caucus," he said.
"We're looking forward to finding a date that works and having a conversation."Caucus Chairman Rep. Leon Howard, D-Columbia, said the decision does not serve as an endorsement. Individual caucus members are supporting a mix of candidates.Howard said the invitation was not extended to Obama because he is a minority. Howard said he does not support people based on skin color.
"We need someone who can help us come out of the bad economy and the war and the issues we are facing," Howard said of the next president. "(The caucus) is united, and we're moving forward with our mission."
When I heard Barack was going to be in Selma, I knew this was the moment I'd been hoping for. So I drove the 3 hours to get there.When I first got there and parked my car, there was a woman standing on her lawn (as were a lot of Selma residents) just watching everybody. I engaged her in conversation and she told me she had marched there 42 years ago "when the fighting was going on." She said, "I did my part. Now it's their turn." as she motioned toward the people making their way towards Brown Chapel AME Church.... I felt an immediate sense of gratitude toward her and thanked her for marching before going on to do my part.When Obama's motorcade arrived, his car parked literally beside me. He got out on the opposite side of the car, but I was still able to get a good shot. Completely alone, he walked over to the line and started shaking people's hands. I got out of line and walked up to him in hopes that he would sign the copy of his book I had brought. Unfortunately he was in a slight hurry and didn't do any signing right then. But after the church service he had more time. I eventually shook hands with him twice and took lots of pictures and film; and then....At one point he did something that reminded me a lot of Jesus when the woman touched the hem of his garment. As we were walking to where the march would begin, I was 2 or 3 people behind him. The man in front of me called out, "Barack! Barack! You're my hero, man!" At that instant Barack (who was bombarded on all sides and was shaking hands and signing books as he walked) stopped, turned around, acknowledged the man (and thanked him!). Then he looked past the man and saw me holding my book out to him. I got the distinct impression that he remembered me from the morning. He reached past the man, took my book, signed it and handed it back to me. In that moment I learned more about this man's character than I had in six months. I learned that he is 1) very cognizant of everything around him, 2) listens and responds to people, 3) he genuinely cares about people, 4) he has a good heart and 5) is sincere. Having lived in D.C. Twice in my life, I have seen many politicians. Most of them would have ignored that man or given a cursory wave of the hand without even turning around. By contrast yesterday, Hillary came across like she was making a campaign stop.Barack is also the most humble politician I've ever seen in my life. A few days before the march he had said that when the march started he wanted to march in the back or in the middle of the crowd somewhere because he didn't want the event to be about him. He offered that if the Clintons wanted to be front and center that would be fine with him... As it turned out Obama did march on the outside of the front line, but I believe it was because Al Sharpton (and others) wouldn't let him be anywhere else. But I have to say that Obama looked a little uncomfortable about it starting out because he genuinely wanted to be marching with the people as opposed to in front of them.At this point I truly hope he becomes president because this country really does need someone of his nature. And Humble Pie never hurt anyone. :DOne thing the media is not making mention of is the essence of Barack's keynote address. He referred to the generation that lived the civil rights era as "The Moses Generation." He referred to the younger, now generation as "The Joshua Generation" and basically challenged this generation to finish what their parents had started, or at the very least take it to the next level....
Marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge was like being on hollowed ground. I could not help but think about the blood that flowed there on "Bloody Sunday" and how glad I was that on this Sunday there would be no blood....
Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with my father-in-law. We were discussing the Selma event that happened on Sunday and were on completely different sides of the fence when it comes to Sen. Clinton and Obama.
I had a problem with the fact that Hillary had to drag out her husband when she had to talk to black folks. My father-in-law, however, is a staunch Clinton supporter because, as he sees it, if we get Hillary, we get Bill, too.
What do you think?Did you think it was a strategic political move to bring along Bill, or a transparent attempt to draw black voters and drag blacks away from Obama?
Link
Click on the link to see pictures from this past Sundays event
Regarding Senator Obama's speech in Selma, where he spoke about the absence of fathers...(Brief YouTube clip of that portion of his speech:)Link
(Here is a short transcript from Obama's speech:)
"We've got too many children in poverty in this country, and everybody should be ashamed. But don’t tell me it doesn’t have a little to do with the fact that we've got too many daddies not acting like daddies, think that fatherhood ends at conception. I know something about that because my father wasn't around when I was young. And I struggled. Those of you who read my book know. I went through some difficult times. I know what it means when you don't have a strong male figure in the house, which is why the hardest thing about me being in politics, sometimes, is not being home as much as I'd like. And I'm just blessed that I’ve got such a wonderful wife at home, to hold things together. But don't tell me that we can't do better by our children. That we can't take more responsibility for making sure we're instilling in them the values and the ideals that the Moses generation taught us -- about sacrifice, and dignity, and honesty, and hard work, and discipline, and self-sacrifice."
...I wish that Senator Obama would recognize that family law needs reform, so that fathers are given equal parenting time with their children as the starting point of a family court's determination of visitation. If marriage will not hold a father and mother together, then family law should be changed so at least mom and dad are GUARANTEED equal parenting time with their children.Instead, you have custody going to mothers 85 percent of the time, with dads only getting to see their kids every other weekend. Mothers who have a grudge against fathers deny even this smidgen of precious time, and are never prosecuted. What IS prosecuted is a father's difficulty in paying child support. If he falls too far behind, he can be put in jail. That means child support continues to rack up while he's imprisoned, deepening his debt, while his kids see even less of him.Child poverty is DIRECTLY RELATED to father absence. If Obama wants to reduce child poverty, he has to call for a national change in our family laws, so that fathers are legally guaranteed more time with their children. This is good for the kids, and good for the fathers.Obama shouldn't just shame fathers for being alienated or absent from the family. He should encourage their active role regardless of what happens to the marriage. A child's ongoing and active relationship with his or her father should have little relationship with the health of mommy and daddy's marriage. Joint parenthood -- and active time with both parents -- should be the child's right.John Dias
It really is early. Those of us who enjoy politics are looking forward to a long campaign. Perhaps this is the secret of democracy. It's not so much what is achieved in office that counts but how well you can stir up people beforehand to try things in their own life again.
I waited years for Hillary. I thought she would learn to loosen up in her speeches. It's such an important moment of connection. But she is still too nervous to open up. There are many intelligent people, many good moral characters active in politics who cannot cross the bridge to the heart of a stranger. Bill Clinton has this. And Barack Obama.
You can see the difference clearly if you watch Barack and Hillary speaking at the events in Selma over the weekend. How reassuring the command and warmth of Obama. It is early spring, Joshua crosses the Jordan, whose waters have parted before him almost too easily, a repeated miracle! There are so many battles ahead but what a grand beginning.
Once again, the press seems to have missed the real story. In an article about Senator Obama's speech in Selma, Alabama yesterday, the Chicago Tribune wrote: "While Obama did not explicitly claim for himself the role of Joshua, that was clearly the implication, coming during a campaign to be elected the nation's highest leader." And a whole row of newspapers seemed to enjoy pointing out that Obama was actually born in 1961, three years before the crossing of the Edmund Pettus bridge, and hence could not have been "conceived" in its wake. Others pointed out that he hadn't "actually" been to Selma before and that it wasn't "really" a homecoming. They all seemed to have missed the point. They all missed what was so moving about Obama's speech.
Ealier today, Barack Obama visited Selma, Alabama to take part in the Selma Voting Rights March Commemoration.
Click here to watch part of Barack's speech courtesy of CNN.
Below is a short excerpt of his speech at Brown Chapel A.M.E Church. Click here to read the entire speech.
Keep in your heart the prayer of that journey, the prayer that God gave to Joshua. Be strong and have courage in the face of injustice. Be strong and have courage in the face of prejudice and hatred, in the face of joblessness and helplessness and hopelessness. Be strong and have courage, brothers and sisters, those who are gathered here today, in the face of our doubts and fears, in the face of skepticism, in the face of cynicism, in the face of a mighty river. Be strong and have courage and let us cross over that Promised Land together.
I have to send a special thanks to Monty Marsh for getting us photos from Selma so quickly.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I could go on and analyze the speech Barack gave today in Selma. However I wouldn't do it justice. I think you need to see it for yourself. It brought me to tears. I've never cried EVER for any political speech in my life, I just had this feeling that this man IS going to be the next President of the United States. It was the best speech he's given since the 2004 DNC speech (which remains the standard in my eyes). It was fluid, substantive and had a lot of flair. Try to watch it.
C-Span cable television (TV) channel will rebroadcast the speech(s) from Selma, Alabama at 3:30 and 6:30 pm Pacific, Sunday March 4, 2007. John Lewis and Senator Barack Obama spoke from AME church. The democratic candidate for president who is a female spoke from a second church.
I try to be positve and constructive within my blog posts. However, when watching the female candidate recall her experiences in 1963 of attending a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. I could not help but recall the facts. It is a matter of public record that in 1963 and 1964 that Miss Rodham was quite active insuport of Barry Goldwater's run as a Republican for the White House. M.L. King's lesson to her did not sink in quickly enough. However, in all fairness I will forgive her for a youthful indescretion.
And where were you on March 4, 1965? I was unaware of the events as a six-year old child. But by 1967 I was watching our two TV channels in black and white. I noticed in the national nightly TV news that Americans of all races were fighting and dying in Vietnam supposedly for freedom. On the other channel I noticed that Americans of color were fighting and dying in the America for the right to vote and other civil rights as part of our constitutional rights to various freedoms.
Get out and register to vote, then vote. Regardless of what candidate you choose.
