Column by William Owens Jr.
www.blackarc.org
In a crisis situation, people without a North Star are reactive. Unable to proactively remedy a situation, they desperately fall back on old themes, old playbooks and old mentalities that worked in the past. As John McCain continues to surge in the polls, a panicked Barack Obama will once again focus on the race issue.
Obama’s race propelled the inexperienced state senator to the national stage and sustained him through a bitter primary against a female presidential candidate. Once Obama became the presumptive nominee, empty rhetoric and platitudes of “hope” and “change” were only able to carry him so far. Voters eventually tire from daily “rock star” events and look for substance on policies that affect their lives.
A person who lacks his own core values and principles (and must rely on talking points posted on a teleprompter during town-hall meetings) can only look to the past. Let me go back to Black Americans; put on the brother move with my big smile, and ask Black people to vote for me because we share the same pigmentation of skin. Let me convince all Americans to vote for me because of my color.
Black America should clearly have doubts about Barack Obama. He has brazenly cloaked himself with race to which he does not belong. Obama is no more Black than Michael Jackson is white. Obama has relied on secrecy and omission to hide the fact that if elected, he will not become the first Black American President; he will become the first Arab-American President.
Barack Hussein Obama is half-white from his mother’s side, but 43.75 percent Arab from his father’s side (his father was 87.5 percent Arab and 12.5 percent African Negro). Barack (which in Arabic means “blessed”) is only 6.25 percent African Negro. Perhaps this is why the Obama campaign refuses to release his birth certificate.
Obama consistently profited from his race, yet has never offered proof to the American public that he is a true Black American. The truth is, Obama’s upbringing is not one from a Black American heritage or tradition. In his book, Obama claimed an article in Ebony influenced his choice to run for office. Ebony has not found the article. Obama has claimed the events in Selma, Ala., led to his birth, yet the march in Selma was held in 1965, and Obama was born in 1961. The sole factor Obama relies on for election, his racial history, is as cloudy as his positions on every issue except infanticide.
Obama has mastered the verbiage of a political figure but cannot fill the role of a strong political contender, and must therefore rely on a race of which he is not part.
Whether white or black, the appeal of a presidential candidate must be based on principle. No American should be persuaded to vote by color or creed, especially if they do not know what color or creed.
Black-Americans are resilient, intelligent and have a core that has caused them to triumph over great challenges. Their spirit is a winning spirit that dare not be exploited or taken for granted.
To encourage a person to follow you because you believe you will lead them to higher ground is noble.
To encourage a person to follow you because you have their best interests in mind is commendable.
To encourage a person to follow you because have a track record of producing results is certainly sound.
However, to solicit the Black race to follow you simply because you are convincing them you are Black is outright criminal.
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