Presidential musings....

I saw a funny bumper sticker the other day that, after I realized what it said, made me chuckle. It said:

Democrats are sexy
Who ever heard of a fine piece of elephant?

So I have been watching the presidential primaries/caucuses this week, especially the Democratic race. Many things have been said in recent weeks about who should or will become president, why this person could, why this person shouldn't etc...

I was listening to the radio the other day and I overheard the DJ talking about a comment posted on the website of a well-respected African-American organization saying something about how if Barack Obama was to become president it would be a step back for the black race because he would undoubtedly be killed in office. Whether he would or not remains to be seen, but I just thought that this was one of the stupidest comments I had ever heard. This is a smart man, he and his family know the potential personal security risk that they are taking by him running for President and making a stand for change in our political arena. And this is a risk that he is willing to make. And which is better for the black race, to ask our leaders to hold back and not aspire to the highest heights so they won't be killed. This also means that they won't be as effective. I don't wish assassination on anyone but part of the reason the those like Martin Luther King Jr are so inspiring to us is because they paid the ultimate sacrifice, and this ultimate sacrifice was what spurred and motivated a greater populace to work and fight for change. It is unfortunate that this has to happen to get people of their butts in protest but lets face it, it really does. There is too much complacency in this country.

I am really puzzled about what the outcome of this presidential race will be come November. It will likely become clearer after the primaries are over. There are thousands of polls being taken across the country to try to predict how and why people are and will vote the way they do. But it possible that the most accurate predictors and most telling polls that anyone could ask could probably end up being the following:

Who would you rather have as president of the United States? A Mormon or a black guy? or..... A Mormon or a woman? (although it is unlikely that you would actually get people to respond honestly.)

I can't wait to see what the results of this election are. We have had enough of Bush (I actually had enough of him in November 2000 but apparently the rest fo a you all didn't!) and it's time for some new, smarter, more articulate more worldly blood in the White House!

If you missed NBC Nightly News last week....

You can see all the stories online at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21982216/

Watch NBC Nightly News this week!

News about this series has been going around but in case you haven't heard yet, Brian Mitchell is doing a 5 part series starting Monday on the problems facing African-American women in this country. Topics will range from education to relationships, the 2008 election to health, interracial dating to the portrayl of women through hip hop music.

Please check it out and encourage others you know to do so as well! On your local NBC station. You can also check www.msnbc.com for message boards and blog entries on the series.

My thoughts on the latest media Imess....

So I had wanted to post about this mess with Don Imus and his comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team but I didn't get a chance to yesterday and I had a feeling that one of my other blogger compatriots would get to the subject before I did --- and it happened. Bygbaby has done a great job of summarizing and quoting the comments by and about Don Imus in the past week in his post from April 8th. I know that when I first heard that something was said about the team and that they were called "hardcore hos" and nappy-headed hos" I was annoyed but not as offended as when I heard the entire conversation and all the comments that Imus made. As Bygbaby, mentioned he did go as far as comparing the Rutgers and Tennessee women's teams to the "Jigaboos" and "Wannabes" from Spike Lee's School Daze but he did additionally talk about all the tattoos on the Rutgers women and also went on to contrast to how the Tennessee women were "so cute." So now I am pissed......

The Backlash
So, initially, Imus has gotten a two-week suspension however, it won't start until Monday. And there has started to be some other public backlash, albeit small...... Cal Ripken, Hall of Fame Baltimore Orioles baseball player, declined to fulfill his appearance on the show scheduled for this week in light of these comments. (It is also worth noting that John McCain, Republican Presidential Candidate, said that an apology was good enough for him and has decided to still come on the Imus show as planned. He's not the one who needs the apology!!! Is this the kind of sensitivity you want in a president???) Staples & P&G have canceled their advertising on his radio show and MSNBC just announced that they will cancel the TV simulcast of his radio show in light of his comments. Barack Obama has called for Imus' firing and C. Vivian Stringer, the coach of the Rutgers women team, held a dignified press conference on the matter and the team has agreed to meet with Imus on the matter. But what I keep wondering is how come the NCAA has not come out to comments on these comments made about their players??? I would expect them to at least issue some statement taking about about how they don't support derogatory comments made about college athletes etc...... What signal is that sending about how it supports its athletes? And what about Pat Summit? Shouldn't she be making some comment in support of their rival team and the coach who has been a good friend of hers for 30 years??? Well, I suspect more reaction is yet to come but I am disappointed that it so slow in coming.....

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In an example of exactly why Imus' comments should not be taken lightly and should be approached with the appropriate consequences, a DJ in Allentown, PA thought it would be cute to make the phrase in his station's "Phrase that Pays" contest on Tuesday, you guessed it, "I'm a nappy-headed ho!" Three of the listeners who called were awarded tickets to a NASCAR promotion at a local club. Nice, huh? He was subsequently fired, with the justification that "he uttered the slur in a premeditated manner, 'with full knowledge of the reaction to Don Imus' use of the exact same phrase.'"