Read Part 1 of this series first
Sweet Dreams
Despite many soundbites indirectly and directly stating America has somehow changed significantly and fundamentally, not everyone is in dream mode:
Though it carries us further down the path toward equality, Barack Obama's election does not render my father's dream realized. Martin Luther King, III
...he [Dr. King] would not let the euphoria of the moment blind us to the unfinished business that lies ahead. Jesse Jackson
If you listen to the sweet sounding hype surrounding Barack Obama's actualization of becoming president, you might believe it was the belief in hope and the prospect of change that drove the dream home and forget it took nearly 800 million dollars and thousands of volunteers, millions of voters, uncommon thinking and a return to basic principles to make it happen. If you listen to the hype regarding what this accomplishment means in terms of America, you might forget power will still not concede anything without a struggle. Nothing has changed in that regard and never ever will.
Just as a relentless focus and resources by family, friends, tens, hundreds, thousands and millions powered Barack Obama from a community activist to a losing political bid to senator to president in eight (8) years, the struggle for the common man doesn't have to be long if the same effort is mobilized on his behalf despite the odds. Don't listen to the people/media/lost prophesiers who say it can't be done in four years, he needs at least 8 years. This is their way of lowering your expectations and getting you to wait. Look what only a portion of America did in less than two years supporting Barack Obama's candidacy for president. Why can't all of America do even more sooner for the common man throughout the human diaspora? We are a great nation aren't we or at least have the potential to be don't we?
Habits of Real Dreamers
The reason for celebrations and victories do not exist without reality and rigors of daily lives. You gotta get in the trenches and get funky. Dreams are always preceded by belief, incentive, discipline, hard work and sacrifice. It is highly likely most of the people who went to Washington didn't put in any work or didn't devote any resources to making the Obama dream a reality outside of voting. Nobody wants to plant the corn or bake the bread. All the people being interviewed should have been asked, “What did you do before the election to make this dream a reality and what are you going to do after the election to make sure change comes to America?” (That would be true journalism and real information, something the systemic problem in America knows is not in the best interests of self interests)
The essence of what it took to make this dream real has not gone unnoticed back in the original land of learning, Afrika.
..there are crucial lessons to be gleaned on the importance of active citizenship and of ordinary citizens taking full responsibility for the direction that their democracy takes. George Katito
Common Man's Responsibility
The common man must participate in every way possible in order to make possible ways where they wish to participate. It is not enough to be a part of or witness history by being at the inauguration or buying something with Obama on it. Every thing each one of us does in our individual lives becomes a part of history.
If you listen to the sweet sounding hype and are satisfied that you were somehow a part of a once in a lifetime event, you might be tempted to go back to sleep and dream some more. Rather than want for history, wait for historical moments or witness history, it is far better to be a testament to history, try to make history happen and understand how vitally important it is to take history in smaller increments as we do each breath. We must take our own breaths if we are to live and we must take our own steps in history as well. This is the dream of our fathers.
Two Steps:
1.Vote in February 2009 local elections.
2.Spend your money in places where your faces aren't seen as disgraces.
Two Questions:
1.What change has the Obama effect had within you?
2.What are things common folk can do today and every day?
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America, Barack Obama, common man, dreams, resources
