The Black Man's Burden

It used to be about rape. A white woman could scream or make up a story and angry white mobs would set on a black man who would be hanged up a tree. I know this from experience up close.

Here is a McCain volunteer who has alleged that a tall black man attacked her and scratched a letter B on her face. The reporters never translate the B, but we all know it is Barack. As it turns out, the woman was lying. Evil has many permutations.

Is America on its Last Death Bed?

Following the debacle on Wall Street a Uganda journalist opined that America is on its last death bed . Is it?

Any country’s direction and leadership is a reflection of the psyche of its general population. And so what spawned George Bush, uncalled-for war, and the debacle on Wall Street is a consequence of who has dominated the conversation in America for the last 20+ years. By the same token Ugandans should ask themselves why they have their kind of leadership, a de facto police state, a dilapidated infrastructure, and obscene poverty alongside obscene wealth.

In my view the Internet and Bill Gates have been the most recent spectacular gifts to the world, and their influence will continue to bring changes to the world for a long time. Another person that I think has had a recent profound effect on American conversation, which has extended to the rest of the world—courtesy of globalisation—, is a little Jew, called Milton Freidman.

It is now a fact that unbridled free market alone will not solve the economic and social woes of a society. But for over twenty years Friedman converts—mainly Right Wing Republicans—have sung: no new taxes, lower taxes, deregulation and privatization of even the military space. With the backlash in the southern states against Lyndon B Johnson’s Great Society policies, which were perceived as benefiting people they considered as less than humans—blacks—, white south soon left the Democratic Party in droves and found home in the Republican Party even if it was (and is) often against their economic interests. A new winning coalition was coddled up with Friedmantists—aka, fiscal conservatives—and evangelicals—aka social conservatives bent on saving the world from homosexuals, abortionists, or un-American religions and other unsavory lifestyles carryover from the sixties and seventies.

So, armed with conservative radio talk-show hosts like Rush Limbaugh, who has just signed an obscene contract running in the hundreds of millions, the messages of greed, intolerant and xenophobia have been pumped into the American heads. What happened in Rwanda when similar messages were pumped into Rwandese heads fourteen years ago?

Even if, unbelievably, a George Bush could rule America, the elections are often very close. This means close to 50% of the population, whose candidate lost, do not subscribe to the ethos of the winning side. All they need is to gain control of the conversation and win, and all will be well with America.

The Chinese and others will always play pivotal roles in the world for some time to come. I put my money on America to be a leading player for many years because it has the capacity to adopt and renew itself.

Here are some not so salient characteristics of America that are the real foundations of its strengths which many don’t see, ignore or take for granted:

1. Volunteerism. This is big on my list of a viable and strong community. Americans volunteer by the thousands in hospitals, public libraries, schools, soup kitchens for the poor, political campaigns, neighborhood activities, etc.

2. Giving. When they don’t have time to volunteer, or in addition, Americans give money and their assets by the billions every year.

3. Mortar & Iron Infrastructures. When I come from Europe and Africa I am each time hit by the sensation of large and well-paved roads and streets. It gets me each time, and I know I am in a different place. As I wait for almost 30 minutes at a railway-crossing to allow a mile-long cargo train with stacks of containers to speed by, I am overwhelmed with envy.

4. Diversity. The diversity of America provides it with a gene pool unmatched by any country in the world. This means talents that can ensure its survival are abounded.

5. A Living & Renewable Constitution. Freedom for the individual and free speech give real meaning to ownership of the country by everyone. While these may have been tempered with of late, America will learn to reconcile the new threats with its most cherished values just as it continues to refine its race relations.

6. Powerful and Responsive Local Governments. The city is probably the most powerful government that an individual comes in contact with everyday. It is efficient and manned by very bright people who get things done—potholes, garbage, water, police, etc.

7. Receptivity to and Owning of Alien Ideas. The irony of America is that, while it may be rigid in some ways—the only country that still operates in inches, miles, and pounds—it is receptive to exotic ideas and things. And so you find Eastern religions and foods in nearly every community in the country.

8. Efficient Processes. Everywhere you go you generally find well-choreographed processes and systems that provide for efficiencies, increased productivity, and livability.

9. Open Society. Beyond illegal activities, you can choose to live any way you want in America. This is important because it allows for creativity and a sense of individual worth.

Lipstick on a Pig

Here States side, “lipstick on a pig” has become the whining battle cry of the Republicans. Obama had made a statement to the effect that however McCain-Palin dress itself, it is still more of a continuation of the Bush admin. —i.e., even if you put a lipstick on a pig, it still remains a pig. McCain had used the same phrase in describing Hillary Clinton's health plan. But the wily Republicans latched on to that, corrupting it as a negative attack on Palin, who had earlier described herself as a ferocious pitbull (dog) hockey mom with lipstick. Come on! Give me a break.
Get back to the program people—health care, the tanking economy, tarnished reputation abroad, disaster capitalism, etc, etc.

The Palin Factor

Is she a game changer? For McCain, it has given his campaign a new verve. The right wing is all fired up. For Obama, it has become trickier. How do you handle a feisty woman who is on your tail and you don’t want to alienate the sisterhood? This is no time for scratching your head, brother--you either get it right or you will be rising for her from the Senate floor before you know it and wished you had done something about her calling you a mere "community organizer."

She learned well from Hillary. When the media is rightly doing their job of probing and disseminating information, accuse it of gender bias. That often works for the cowardly ones, but I like it when one female journalist declared that the media has an obligation to find out more about this woman who could potentially be the president of the US of A. She has been thrust on the national scene and, within sixty days we have to make a choice based on what. I say: go media—dig and dig.

And then this family thing; is it fair play or no-go area? Well, her beautiful family and her idea of family values are the ones being touted. Since that is the case, don’t we have an obligation to know more? So, Todd, beware the media hounds are coming.

And then Hillary, Hillary, Hillary, the ever calculating opportunistic political animal. She is not going to be anybody’s attack dog on Palin—so she says. What is your use then, Hillary? She is probably tickling all over with the prospect of competing against her in 2012.

Sarah Who?

The timing was a fighter-pilot tactician at his best. Surprise! Kaboom! But then; what a cynical dude! It has worked for so-called evangelicals. Will it work with the Clinton women who were partly the likely target?

She is a member of the NRA, which means she is against Gun Control. She is anti-abortion, which means she opposses the so-called women's rights to their reproductive bodies. She is a conservative family-value advocate who had her daughter knocked out by a hockey stud. All these we hear are very appealing to the conservative right-wing republicans. Is it the same with the Clinton women?

My other question is: can this Sarah Palin even point at a world map and identify where Uganda is? She might even ask where Amin is now. Let alone Uganda, can she gain respect from Putin just in case Old McCain croaks? That is, if he ever wins.

We sure are living in interesting times, with more drama to come.

Obama's Acceptance Speech

Click See & Hear Obama’s Acceptance Speech

The Clamor to be an "Ordinary Person"

The refrain you hear from American talking-heads is that Obama needs to connect to the “ordinary person.” “He needs to portray ‘he is one of us’” so goes the song. What does all this really mean?

By virtue of being the Democrats’ prospective flag bearer already says Obama is no ordinary person. The same applies to McCain on the other side. Which electorate in the world would elect an ordinary person?

The extra-ordinariness of the two has nothing to do with the Ivy League school of one Obama or the coming from a military family and being a prisoner of war of McCain, or having a millionaire wife. Although these may have been contributory factors, they are not decisive on where these men have reached. If some examinations were done, we would find that the genies were planted in these two characters’ minds years ago. The seeds germinated and were nursed over the years culminating into what the two are today.

What we are hearing about Obama is more a code phrase for race. Obama can stand on his head or do some contortionist dance and will never be “one of us” for many Americans. Obama just needs to relax, be himself, give a clear message of what he will do for the people, and let the chips fall where they may.

Hillary will, after all, undergo a nomination charade

She got her way as Obama blinked with the promise that the she-Machiavelli will then hand over her delegates to him after she undergoes a supposedly symbolic nomination exercise! What a lot of crock! May be the notion that Obama is not ready to lead carries some weight. Again he has allowed her in the driver’s seat, and many are holding their breaths on what might transpire at the Convention.

While countries like Iran are just talk, the Russians and the Chinese carry real power behind their intentions which might be contrary to that of the US. My question is: if he can buckle to Hillary’s needs, is Obama tough enough for the Russians and the Chinese when they flex their muscles?

Obama Campaign Marches On

It has been some time since I last talked about my man, Obama. Obama has since taken his light to the middle East and Europe. What was that all about? Apparently it was to show doubting Thomases here at home that he can mingle with the politicos of the world with ease and collaboratively. That sent McCain, like a jealous wife, on a mockerry campaign ad of associating Obama man with celebrity melt-down queens Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.

I spent Saturday afternoon walking and knocking on doors and talking to my neighborhood folks about Obama. With the sun up and the weather that couldn't be any better, not many where home. The people who were home were a joy to talk to. The last time in the primary, with other volunteers, we helped Obama beat Hillary by 57% in this state. All things being equal, Obama will win with a landslide in the state. Note that the state is probably the whitest in the US of A. A little interesting titbit--a Republican senate candidate in the state is associating with Obama in his campaign ad. Whow!