Extremists For Love – President Obama's Second Inaugural Address, Dr. MLK, Jr., Sister Souljah & Jesus

In Why We Can't Wait, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. writes, "So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be."[1] This is startling if we only think of extremists in the negative sense; however, if we look in the opposite direction, we will discover the full meaning of his words.

Some definitions for “extreme” are: (a) of a character farthest removed from the ordinary; (b) exceeding the bounds of moderation; and (c) farthest, utmost, or very far in any direction.

These definitions appear negative because they've been mostly used in negative contexts. This imbalance has caused us to forget there are good extremists. Dr. King embraced being an extremist himself and presented Jesus as another example.[2]

Anyone reading Jesus' teachings will quickly encounter extremes as high as Heaven is holy and as low as Hell is evil. Jesus commands love for neighbors as we love ourselves.[3] This necessity continues. Sister Souljah identified it as the critical component in achieving a united state with our brothers and sisters. Her detailed description of love involves wanting for someone what we want for ourselves; and wanting it so much, we will give the other person what we have and do without because we'd rather suffer than see that person suffer.[4]

This noble thinking continues to receive the same fate Jesus' teachings received. It is immediately stamped as negative extremism. On the opening page of No Disrespect, Sister Souljah confirms this sweeping treatment. "So everything I believe is said to be extreme."[5]

This is exactly the response President Obama's second inaugural address is receiving from Sadducee-like thinkers. They claim the President's insistence on pursuing equality is aggressive, divisive and too liberal, i.e., too fair. The Republicans claim the President's agenda is not designed to bring the nation together even though inclusiveness and equality are cornerstones of the U. S. Constitution which was established “in order to form a more perfect union.” If returning to the ideas of the Constitution won't bring us together then we must start with harmony and Plan A instead.

It is being said President Obama is overreaching trying to address so many goals. In other words he is shooting for twinkling stars when he should be shooting for dissipating fog. In the meantime Constitutionalized goals don't match institutionalized results. For this God Blessed America, many voters want the President to lower his standards below those of the Constitution so they don't have to adjust to decency.

Positive extremism is not just for public figures. If we consider ourselves civilized we must be extremists for love. Extremes such as discrimination, excuse, lie, confusion, hoarding, starvation, limitation and the unnatural must be met with the full force of justice, responsibility, truth, harmony, sharing, nutrition, possibility and the natural. The pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of positive extremes. Until we pursue them individually and collectively, we can't come anywhere near meaningful change. We can't evolve. We will stay stuck being social without the social benefits.

We were born to be extremists. It is our duty and job. In order to answer Dr. King's question we must use introspection to help us decide between being an extremist for hate or an extremist for love.[6]

Being extreme fulfills dreams. Will we be worthy of the eulogy Dr. King wanted? Will someone say we tried to love and serve humanity? So far, this cannot be said for the nation.

Notes:
[1]Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why We Can't Wait, (Mentor), p. 88. [2]King, p. 88. [3]Matthew 22:39. [4]Sister Souljah, Oral Discourse on Relationships (University of Illinois, February 17, 1996) [5]Sister Souljah, No Disrespect,(New York: Vintage Books, 1996), p. ix. [6]King, p. 88.

A String Of Surprisingly Good Data From U.S.

The following is the complete text from a TD Economics Report dated November 2, 2012 regarding The Employment Situation Report - October 2012 from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. All statements below are from TD Economics.

Data Release: U.S. job growth accelerates in October to 171K. However, unemployment rises to 7.9% on rebounding labor force participation.

U.S. non-farm payrolls rose by 171K in October, well above the median consensus estimate of 125K. Private sector hiring expanded by 184K, also ahead of expectations for 123K. On the downside, after three months of increases, government payrolls resumed their decline in October, falling by 13K.

Revisions added an additional 84K to payrolls, with September’s previous reading of 114 jobs revised up to 148K. The revision to August was even better, from 142K to 192K.

Goods-producing employment rose by 21K supported by strong growth of 17K in construction employment and a 13K rise in manufacturing employment. Markets had been expecting a decline of 5K.

The unemployment rate ticked up to 7.9% from 7.8%. However, the details aren’t as bad as the headline. Household survey employment rose by 410K, but was outpaced by 578K growth in the labor force. The labor force participation rate rose to 63.8% from 63.6% a – its highest level since May.

Average hourly earnings were flat in the month, below expectations for a 0.2% gain. Average weekly hours also fell slightly to 34.4 from 34.5 in September.

Key Implications

Despite the rise in the unemployment rate, this is a very good report. The pace of payroll growth beat even the most optimistic analyst’s estimate and revisions show a much healthier pace of job growth over the past three months than previously reported. Having said that, today’s report was also a reminder that even with relatively strong job growth, improvements in the unemployment rate could be harder to attain, especially as labor force participation also rebounds.

Ignore the naysayers, the U.S. economy is showing incredible resilience in the face of significant challenges. Despite acute uncertainty over the fate of the fiscal cliff and a struggling global economy, America continues to generate jobs at a respectable pace. In fact, this report adds to a string of surprisingly good data from U.S. consumer spending, confidence, manufacturing and the housing market.

While analysts rightly focus on the downside to U.S. growth come the New Year, there is also an upside. If Congress can avoid the fiscal cliff, the prospects for job growth next year appear very good. With a housing market in repair, consumer confidence rising and credit growth improving, the stage should be set for jobs to take off. The fact that businesses are continuing to expand even with huge fiscal uncertainty means that once this cloud lifts, the pace of job creation has lots of room to accelerate. Even with some fiscal drag next year, we expect job growth to exceed 200K a month by the second half of next year.

James Marple, Senior Economist
416-982-2557

DISCLAIMER
This report is provided by TD Economics. It is for information purposes only and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The report does not provide material information about the business and affairs of TD Bank Group and the members of TD Economics are not spokespersons for TD Bank Group with respect to its business and affairs. The information contained in this report has been drawn from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. The report contains economic analysis and views, including about future economic and financial markets performance. These are based on certain assumptions and other factors, and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. The actual outcome may be materially different. The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its affiliates and related entities that comprise TD Bank Group are not liable for any errors or omissions in the information, analysis or views contained in this report, or for any loss or damage suffered.

Voting Perspectives

Have we forgotten the U.S. government is basically the Executive (President & his cabinet), Legislative (Congress) and the Judicial (Courts)? It is Congress who must pass laws first. It is the combination of Congress and the President who are responsible for getting things done. See,”Guide To The Federal Government.”

To stop all the nonsense about who did or didn't do what, it would behoove voters to vote for one party for all offices, a straight ticket federally and locally. Doing so also in the midterm election would then leave no wiggle room for the incumbent and no room for false accusations from the challenger.

This should help even the most uninformed voter know which Party is better for all citizens and is better to fashion America into being a better person and neighbor. If voters are using decency as their criteria for voting, then gaining a broader perspective by opening our minds to the opinions of the rest of the world is in order.

Romney, The Republications, The Tea Party Fraction and the Business Mob are very scary to most of the world that sees the world in living color. Most Americans who aim to vote Romney and company into office will not be spared the results of another regressive rampage packaged as progress. There's simply not enough room in the 1% for everyday people and never will be because equality goes against capitalism. Yet, too many of these same people seem on track, to cut off more body parts to spite their face in this race.

Even so, under no scenario should Americans attempt to slough things off on Presidents, Congresses or governments at any level without also taking more personal responsibility. Not just during the singular acts of elections but by participating in the daily fashioning of the society we want. For the most part, voters allow most things to slide then feel vindicated by voting. Then we sit back until another election and hope that the vote alone will do all the work for us. This is full-grown immaturity.

Personal Finances

For those of working age, the economy is closely aligned with their standard of living. What is not bantered about in the reliably over-trusted media is that the standard of living for workers is inseparably linked to the worker's standards for voting which is based on the worker's standard of thinking which may or may not be based on the worker's acceptance of a Higher Power that promotes peace on Earth and goodwill towards all living beings.

Wanting to be employed is a good thing. Employing critical thinking is another. Americans find it difficult to realize that if a candidate says one thing for forever and then changes position as an election approaches, then it is questionable whether or not this newly adopted position will be maintained after the election. View the video, ”Mitt Flop Romney versus Mitt Flop Romney”

If we don't employ critical thinking, and instead continue to use a media manipulated mentality fueled by fear and hate dominated emotions, then a coin toss approach to vote would deliver a greater degree of accuracy over time and save the world a bunch of resources wasted on campaigning that counts on absentee awareness.

Selected quotes from previous posts.

Societies where the best of everyone is put to betterment's use. This will only happen by learning and voting for those people whose thinking is to help as many people as possible.

[White collar crime is] voting for discrimination by voting for those who discriminate.

This means, any State that disrespects the inherent rights of anyone and anything for more than one voting cycle, only does so because the majority of its voters personally believe it is okay.

Keep considering all candidates fairly and voting for those who believe in fairness.

President Obama, I Am Responsible For The Economy

America has an economy driven by individual consumption. Compared to times past, individuals are not spending as much due to fearfulness called uncertainty. Individuals impact their own uncertainty when they choose their spending, choose their fears and choose their voting. This means individuals choose a large portion of the state of the economy.

I'm Not Convinced

Individual consumption represents two-thirds of the economy. Generally speaking, unemployment is 8% which means 92% are employed. The 92% who are employed can increase spending but don't due to fear associated with somebody else not having a job. Huh?

By the way, the unemployed are doing their part because, the unemployed spend a greater amount of the money they get than those employed.

Back To Unemployment

It is a false belief that the unemployment rate is the primary indicator of economic progress. The unemployment rate never reaches zero. For many decades, it has averaged 5%. This means, right now, there is only 3% more unemployment than usual. This does not cause economic havoc. This kind of thinking is similar to stubbing your toe and then believing you can't move.

Who Else Is Responsible?

If banks were to lend the money the banks were given and are still getting, the economy would be better. If banks gave people the breaks and assistance they were given, small businesses could get loans and homeowners would be given at least 6 months moratorium on their long term rental contracts and not have to fight for modifications.

Besides banks, other types of businesses want certainty but are unwilling to hire in advance of demand since their profit motive has nothing to do with their patriotic mumbo jumbo. Despite all the incentives, tax breaks and stimulus laced with taxpayer dollars provided to them, businesses will not temporarily and knowingly permit lower margins to help inject life into the economy by hiring in advance of demand which would create more demand, more confidence in individuals and more spending. Instead business citizens choose to overwork employee citizens and underpay newly hired citizens. It seems like it's not only what individuals do but also what banks and other businesses do that is a self-fulling economic prophecy – not one person's economic policy.

The Impact of Confidence & Other Factors

Per a 9/27/11 TD Bank Financial Group's "Economics Analysis," the U.S. economy in the first half of 2011 was hit by a myriad of negative shocks from extreme weather and rising gas prices to supply chain disruptions from the Japanese disaster. Now, in the second half of the year, a crisis of confidence – caused in no small part by the inability of policymakers in Europe or the United States to propose adequate solutions to their respective debt crises – has taken hold. So, while corporate profits are at near-record highs, the economy is teetering on the edge of a renewed recession." [This is a reminder that some businesses have not been suffering during recent years as much as they'd like everyone to believe. It is also a reminder that confidence has a significant impact on the economy than just the unemployment rate alone.]

President Obama Is Responsible

He believed that what he meant by “change,” individuals did also. He believed change was part of the value system of those who voted for him. Knowing that change is never a straightforward process, not within any individual dealing with the things the individual controls and not within a nation, President Obama still believed those who voted for him were on the same page. President Obama is responsible for depending too much on the belief of millions of individuals. It is more likely individuals will maintain the status quo of their character than maintain any resolve towards change especially when their actions and reactions seem to indicate they believe it's another person's job to make change happen for them.

I Am Responsible

I am responsible for things I control. As far as I can tell, that begins with a value system. A value system made of individual choices that should work together, like a personal ecosystem. Making those choices often requires tuning in to gut instinct to guide me which way to go. It does not depend on listening to speaking contests between presidential candidates. By focusing on the value system I have in place, I realize all my choices and anything I do becomes a vote for who I am.

Additional Reading: President Barack Obama's Job Evaluation
Republican Hostages: President Obama & The Economy
President Obama, One Out Of Four

Republican Hostages: President Obama & The Economy

Senator Mitch McConnell maintained that the Republicans’ number one goal remains the defeat of President Obama in 2012. In an interview with Bret Baier of Fox News, McConnell was asked about a charge made by Democrats that the Republicans are purposefully sabotaging the economy for political gain in 2012. McConnell at first seemed to admit the charge, saying “Well that’s true” before going on to claim that Republicans want to fix the economy first. Click here to read entire article. Click here for brief video commentary

Americans should have been outraged at this statement/behavior but were not and are still not.

In the October 2012 issue of Vanity Fair, Michael Lewis said President Obama badly underestimated, how little it would cost Republicans to oppose ideas they had once advocated, merely because he supported them. Obama thought Republicans would pay a bigger price for inflicting damage on the country for the sake of trying to defeat him.

If Obama Is For It (Jobs & Economy), Republicans Are Against It

Michael Lewis also stated, in foreign dealings, the Russians play the role that Republicans currently more or less play in his domestic affairs. The Russians’ view of the world tends to be zero-sum: if an American president is for it, they are, by definition, against it.

On September 13, 2012, The Republicans got angry at Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for trying to stimulate the economy. Click here to read entire article.

Again, this clearly shows the Republican only concern since 2009 has been the 2012 election. When they got the opportunity beginning in January 2010, Republicans have been Obstructionists. (See “President Obama: One Out of Four)

Who Blames Hostages?

We can free ourselves and the economy from being held hostage with choices that gives citizens in the 99% a chance. If we vote for a Republican president and vote for Republican congresspersons, we are excusing Republican criminal behavior and setting the country and ourselves up for even more.

President Obama, One Out Of Four

Obama Only Had One Year

1. January 2009, Obama took office.
2. By December 2009, just ll months later, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Healthcare Reform) was written and passed by the Senate. This legislation that supposedly couldn't be done was done expediently. Since that time Republicans/Tea Partiers have given higher priority to repealing or watering down this legislation designed to help people rather than working together to help the economy which would also help people.
3. 2009, The financial crisis was addressed. The previous president (Bush) inherited a (Clinton) surplus and helped turn it into a deficit and profits for the obesely rich.
4. 2009, Obama submitted Sonia Sotomayor, as the first Hispanic woman to the Supreme Court. This appointment was confirmed.
5. During 2009, Democrats have a majority in the Senate and in the House of Representatives. Things got done.
6. January 2010, impatient voters who expected an economic miracle in just 12 months, began to change their minds. These voters elected a Republican to fill the Senate seat of Ted Kennedy. This caused Democrats to lose their filibuster proof majority. This majority meant relatively smooth passage of legislation and appointments. Democratic Senators fell from 60 to 59. One election in Massachusetts, affected everyone nationally. Every elected official, local, country, and state, influences things nationally because it tells national/federal officials about the core, heart and ideological beliefs of their constituencies. It tells US congresspeople what they can and can't get away with based on how people are voting at every level.
7. April 2010, Deepwater Horizon/British Petroleum/Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill which had several effects on the economy.
8. July 2010, Wall Street Reform was passed (Dodd-Frank Bill)
9. September 2010, Small Business Jobs Act signed into law, the most significant piece of small business legislation in over a decade.
10. 2009-2010, two wars are still going on and being dealt with.
11. 2010, last combat troops leave Iraq.
12. 2009-2012, there is still a global financial/economic crisis which has aftershocks on the American economy.
13. 2010, Russia & America sign agreement to reduce nuclear weapons.
14. November 2010 (midterm elections), Voters continued to be impatient plus they listened to Tea Party Republicans which caused the Democrats in the Senate to drop further from 59 to 53. Also, the Democratic majority was lost in House of Representatives, ensuring more difficulty in getting things done.
15. 2011, Civil unrest in Alkebulan (Africa) and southwest Asia plus revolutions and disagreements with countries about their nuclear program causes fear, oil supply disruptions, economic uncertainties and aftershocks. Country after country in Europe experience financial turmoil which affects the United States.
16. March 2011, Japan Earthquake Tsunami
17. August 2011, The Debt Ceiling Debacle. An emboldened Republican/Tea Party infused Congress dickered over passing unemployment extension and payroll tax cuts and extending the debt ceiling which had always been a bi-partisan, routine issue.
18. 2011 Osama Bin Laden assassinated.
19. 2009-2012, Republicans are busy changing voter eligibility laws all over the country -ensuring any signs of a democracy will be stopped.
20. September 2011, President Obama proposed the American Jobs Act which included 447 billion to stimulate the economy. This bill has since been resisted by enough members of Congress to stop it. This is where the jobs are, on the desks of Republican/Tea Party members of Congress.

Many who are dissatisfied with President Barack Obama state they expected more change in 4 years. President Obama and the Democrats accomplished a lot before the hostile Congress members took office after November 2010 and the Senate majority started to erode in January 2010.

President Obama and the Democrats accomplished a lot during unprecedented global economic turmoil and military turmoil.
Within 12 months of taking office, as early as January 2010, President Obama no longer had the support of the American people and then in November 2010, he no longer had the majority support of the people or Congress. President Barack Obama really only had one year to get things done.

Additional Reading: President Barack Obama's Job Evaluation

Separation of Church & State: No Escape

The following definitions are used:

“Church” means personal philosophy that guides behavior of an individual.
“State” means public philosophy that guides behavior of a group of people as agreed upon by those with equal voice.

Separation of Church & State might sound good because there's “religious freedom,” but just because it's called freedom, doesn't mean it is.

In America, separation of Church & State is overly wrung from the First Amendment to the Constitution. In order for Church & State to be separate:

1. Both must be able to act independently.
2. When they reach the same crossroad, each must be able to proceed in the direction of choice.
3. When an individual participates in voting, personal beliefs are set aside, because voting is about the philosophies of State that will govern the group not for how the individual wants to live.

This is as ridiculous as it sounds. It is impossible for an individual to live with separation of Church & State. Try it and the spirit will be rendered useless. The only way to live with separation of Church & State is when there is no separation - the philosophies agree.

It is also impossible to have religious freedom if State makes rules that pertain to personal choice. Believe it or not, all public law has personal philosophical implication and impact. This means, even though separation of Church & State is the written and spoken American rule, it has never existed.

Separation of Church & State is the epitome of a house divided. Any group of people who attempt to set public rules different than their personal rules, dooms itself to wasting its resources addressing and readdressing endless inconsistencies and challenges to those inconsistencies. For example are issues of enslavement, abortion, right to die, eminent domain, same sex marriage, right to vote, environmental, right to food, shelter, education, medical care, job opportunities, etc. This constant stirring of the embers of unrest leads to:

1. Dissolution/realignment of State OR
2. Conceding of authority over personal matters by Church to State. This renders the spirit useless. OR
3. State using force to douse personal unrest OR
4. State meeting one or more of the personal demands of Church

Let's be clear. State is always the mirror image of its voters. If it is not, voters will clean the mirror so the image accurately reflects them. This means, any State that disrespects the inherent rights of anyone and anything for more than one voting cycle, only does so because the majority of its voters personally believe it is okay. What we loathe or like about State exists within the Church beliefs of its voters.

Another way to say this is that in the long run, Church & State are never separate; therefore, when State does not change over many years, the majority of voters want it that way. If the 99% of the Occupy Movement want fairness, then, as the majority, the greatest opportunity to achieve that goal is within personal control. Keep considering all candidates fairly and voting for those who believe in fairness. This is the only valid political issue or platform. All else is as drops of dirt to drinking water. Voting using a Church philosophy that does not honor equal rights will never result in a State that does. Furthermore, when the majority of voters of any State change their personal beliefs, State, by default, changes.

The State, as in United States, is an aristocracy with feifdoms by another name. This elite, by its nature, considers Church as enemy #1 of State. This is why a constitution was written using Church beliefs, then Church, was immediately removed in the administration of those beliefs in the very first amendment. This has created a gremlin government running rampant with no moral censorship. This, because, capitalism, per Karl Marx, requires an underclass via the stampeding of inherent rights. This, along with a State-sponsored, ensured and insured consumption mentality and carnality, are in opposition to morality, thus Church.

Mankind has steadily fallen from its apex of achievement, awareness, peace and harmony several millennia ago. Ancient philosophy in existence when all of the foundations for science and civilization were developed, operated under the wisdom of unity of Church & State. The temple was the nucleus of moral genetic code that instructed Church, State, education, science and the natural world. Temple teaching guided humans in their role as part of the ecosystem.

Separation of Church & State, when separation is not intended, can only produce self-endangering results. Since it's not possible to separate Church & State, we cannot escape the truth that: We are as a country, who we are as a people. We, the people, are the government. Church is State. The government is doing what we personally believe.

We can no longer hide neatly behind the pretension that the most pressing concerns are protecting against the personality of the few; when it is clearly, protection against the impersonality of the many, that's needed. Keep your personal beliefs to yourself and show me your State. The most significant aspects of character is always known by this fruit alone, inescapably.

Just as President Barack Obama has said, "We can't leave our moral values at the door."

President Barack Obama's Job Evaluation

I applied for a job. They interviewed me, believed in me and hired me for the position. I went to work and was given lots of tasks to perform right away. I had a lot of broken things to fix. Every time I tried to do something my coworkers got in the way. They ended up telling me the way they wanted me to do my job. The people who hired me, my absentee bosses, didn't back me up. They gave me fewer tools and resources. “You're not doing your job,” they said and threatened to fire me every day.

The president of anything, needs the support of the people who hired him and the support of coworkers in order to do the job.

Truth is, the citizens who hired the President of this USA, abandoned Obama in the November 2010 midterm election.

Truth is, a significant portion of congressional coworkers have been more disagreeable with this President than has ever occurred with any Democratic President. In fact, they have outright refused to work with the President and boldly said so. What kind of people will put a company out of business just to make the president look bad?

Under these conditions, for an American citizen to say, the nation's President is not doing the job, is to not understand the political process at all, not understand the extreme working conditions this time around and not understand what it can be like trying to work with people who don't think you are worthy of the job. If voters can't comprehend this, then America will go back to losing to the greater of the evils.

It was the American business/financial industry that threw the economy into this recent recessionary tailspin which also caused the global economy to spin out of round. How does this become the President's sole responsibility and single-most critical criteria to assess job performance?

If the President had the power to fire, or at least transfer, uncooperative coworkers, I guarantee you we'd see the change you can believe in. If fact, the only reason health care legislation passed is because Democrats had more members in Congress.

Currently, the American people are signing off on a media-written performance evaluation. Before we put someone's job in jeopardy, the decent thing to do would be no less than what we'd want for ourselves – give the person a reasonable opportunity to do what they were hired to do, especially when there's a lot of catch-up work to do. Even if we can't be fair-minded, we should at least evaluate the process and information we use to make hiring decisions.

Americans, when we vote for a President, we should also vote for and keep the same Party into the majority in Congress. This will make the job evaluation process straightforward and all the campaigning and reporters in the world won't be able to disguise who did or didn't do their job.

Related post:
Individual Responsibility For Oil Spills

Barack Obama & The Common Man, Part 2

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

Barack Obama & The Common Man, Part 1

From The Common Man

I understand the euphoria
but only Barack has overcome
the common man hasn't made it
until they stop incarcerating my sons
and compromising my daughters
and take their crime out of my community
and replace it with education and services
stuff I pay for but never get
government, laws and enforcers
are supposed to serve and protect
but they make my community worse
the media supports these usual suspects
along with businesses that are raiders
they succeed at being terror traders
of deceit and corruption for money and power

Will America bend down with Barack Obama
as he extends a hand to the common man?

Get out of my way so I can reach back
get off my back so I can stand
and return what has been taken and divided
access and opportunity to make a living
things promised but not provided
without them destabilizes me and family
establishes the foundation to vilify me
calling my protests for human rights militant
a terrorist tactic to stigmatize me

I've lived on hope for years
so why are there hunger and thirst
and young graves of iron, mind and earth
and a helluva lot of hot tears
America you ain't off the hook
there's a discrepancy and a hypocrisy
when you characterize one president by his look
when he's already accomplished much more
so you certainly won't see past the color of me
cause you still ignore Kings of Scotland
and Emperors of Rome in world ancestry

Dr. King didn't dream, Dr. King made demands
The Black Panthers, SNCC, CORE
and Nation of Islam also made the call
Will there be liberty and justice for all?
Will the common man be part of the plan?
And can America survive without an underclass?
If not, can I at least be angry?

Technorati Tags:
America, Barack Obama, common man, liberty and justice, poetry

44th President Barack Obama's Inauguration

I am at the White House on Inauguration Day. The House and Barack are wired for sound and video. Monitors are everywhere. I hear Barack say, “I ain't having it.” The media are informed they must leave except one. A public access camera crew is chosen because they agree to share the broadcast and not add the usual “let us explain what you need to think” commentary.

Like finding the perfect position in a warm bed, I locate a spot near the president's office and listen to Barack's speech, enjoy the poetry, observe the reactions of those milling about and absorb the essence of the experience. A sleep-deprived guy creeps up and says, “This must be where they transferred me to,” as though I work here. He is wearing a t-shirt and hospital pants. A gray fog surrounds him. I slide aside while still trying to watch the monitor.

As he opens the hidden door behind me. I ask, “Who are you?” in a gatekeeper sort of way. “The cook,” he replies. I follow him inside. It is a small room. The shiny floor slants towards a large window. It continues down and around a few support columns to a counter on the left. Two people move about while another sits. They are preparing and eating frou-frou stuff. I see a fluffy cream topping. I quickly leave shaking my head and thinking there'd better be the smell of grits and eggs soon because Barack ain't having this.

I'm standing on the raised platform that is now the president's office. It has been moved and redesigned to fit this location between the upper two floors. Railing along the front edge connects to steps on two sides. One set connects the two floors and allow an overview. Five steps on the right lead to the office itself. The office is actually an octagon with a mahogany hardwood floor. The entire area is filling with family and friends. Everyone is dressed comfortably in black but there are no tuxedos. Michelle and the kids show up holding conversations all the while. The 44th President of the United States strolls in a little later without an entourage and goes into a side room with a partial glass front. It contains a large table with place settings and desserts. Perhaps this is what frou-frou boys were up to. Barack tells his supporters this is for them. This brings forth extended oohs and aahs as people filter into the special suite.

While everyone is busy feeling irie and ubuntu, Barack somehow slips out. Soon enough I hear a collective surprised gasp. I look around and then at a monitor in time to see Barack with shoes off and pants rolled up, running through their large shallow natural pond. My amazement becomes a smile, laughter and nodding. The room is quickly emptier and I hear a chorus of laughter and splashes as many children and some adults go wading.

For the first time it is a reasonably warm January. The grass is glowing. A subtle breeze trickles through the blades causing sunlight to dance. The elongated pond is surrounded by gentle mounds of various sizes and a garden of native plants. It is a groovy house party!

I am alone in this part of the house. I write, “THE PEOPLE'S PLACE,” on a notepad on Barack's desk. I sit on the steps of the Octagon Office and continue writing: “I can't believe I am actually sitting in the White House on Inauguration Day 2009...”

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Personal Growth: Read Poetry, Meditate, Change

While I believe the “belief of change” was awakened in many Americans, it will not stay awake if we allow the outcome of the election to be the crowning achievement of change. Our measures must be the progress of the common man and the natural world. No other notions or statistics will do. We must think about how to consistently advance against re-entrenching resistance and do so for the duration.

Instead of waiting on public changes to be created, read and meditate on poetry for change that is always achievable. Poetry, with its truths, insights and comparisons can help us retrace our steps back to that pure spot of living where dreams are just a matter of days away and possibilities are piled high, ours for the taking. This requires looking into the core of ourselves. It's scary, but necessary. The road to freedom always starts and ends within. Poetry can help us reclaim the self that has succumbed to mentalapsody.

The only change we can count on requires being open to a commitment to make a major change personally in order to get somewhere much better collectively. Written poetry and the poetry of life and nature can help in that regard. Poetry can help us connect with and explore our emotions, senses and beliefs while placing these things into the context of our present reality and the reality our purposes are intended to help create. Poetry evolves with us, teaching and nurturing as we grow. Sometimes it is calming. Sometimes it is invigorating. Often it is both.

Poetry leads us inward so we can see outward. Reading poetry and meditating on the concepts and comparisons found in its metaphors, similes and other instructions is a natural way to lubricate the moving parts of change - - us.

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In addition to your overall comments, consider these two questions:
1. What makes you think this makes sense or nonsense?
2. What are the implications if voter turnout from this point forward is not the same or greater than Barack Obama's November?

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Barack Obama & Spirits of Change

Barack Obama channeled the spirits of change: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Whitney Young, Jr., Farrakhan, Nelson Mandela, Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglas, James Farmer, Nat Turner, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, A. Phillip Randolph, Stokely Carmichael, Harry Belafonte, Dick Gregory, Roy Wilkins, Rosa Parks, John Lewis, Medgar Evers, W. E. B. DuBois and many others who have fought for change with voices and life so others may benefit.

Barack Obama's acceptance speech as the Democratic Nominee for the presidency was another powerful speech. The only thing missing was outright passion. Restrained for the sake of seeming presidential. Something we demand yet when presidents don't show emotion during times of our choosing we berate them. We want politicians to be like us but not like us.

Anyway, Barack Obama channeled the spirits of change and now it's up to you and me, individuals acting as individuals on behalf of others. We cannot be the change we want to see in the world without the spirit of change as our heartbeat and thoughtbeat.

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Barack Obama's Speech on Race in America

And then the wind came after a long, doubtful period. It started in constellations moved through the poles and across the hemispheres. Rain followed. Slow, unrelenting, promising rain. Unlike before it soaked into the fiber of folks. Perhaps it was their souls that drank deeply with a thick thirst for solutions.

Barack Obama's Speech on Race in America is one of the greatest speeches ever written. It blends history, intelligence, spirit, intuition, passion and leadership. It is brilliant and powerful. It saturates the senses and all we know in part and all we pray for. This is not the character of someone wanting the presidency for his own sake but to guide a desperately needed, democratic difference. Yet, this speech is about much more than race. It is about right and wrong. Things civilized and great societies master.

And the winds were the spirits of JFK, MLK, Mandela, Lincoln, Ghandi, Wells and those we never celebrate. They fight and defend freedom, equality and justice in any form just because of who they are and just because of us.

And the rains were truths sustaining life one drop and one difference at a time. Individual choices and single truths, though seemingly small, nurturing us all. Those who drank moved towards the horizon of hope and closer to each other.

Barack Obama has already been a blessing for this country. His character has defined him as a champion. Champions overcome personal challenges. Barack Obama has the qualities and capabilities to lead America back to the future the forefathers put forth in the Constitution and further back to the foundation of humanity.

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Believing in Belief

Life Sentences #2

America is like an airplane in trouble. Barack Obama is directing us to the emergency exit. Millions of passengers, believing their intelligence is worth more than the value of their lives are asking, “Do you have enough aviation experience and, by the way, what color is my parachute?”

The only thing they had more than me was belief.
[A reference to those who were already living their dreams from someone in search of satisfaction. She traded security and success and bought back the rest of her life.]

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Champion & Voice of Discrimination

Although Hillary Clinton's efforts against Barack Obama are failing, it's time to call her out for the essence of her miscalculated behavior. There's only one reason why Hillary and her people interjected race into the political campaign. It was intended to hurt him and help her. They believed that by making the race about race, Hillary's race would give her an advantage over Barack's race. They believed if they reminded America Obama is Black, Americans would discount him as a candidate. The Clintons & Company attempted to create a climate for discrimination based on race. They essentially asked Americans to ignore the Declaration of Independence and the Civil Rights Act. Let us not fall for misdirection and miss this point.

On February 19th in Ohio, Hillary said, “Only one of us has spent 35 years being a doer, a fighter, and a champion for those who need a voice."

Who has she been a voice for? Those who are enablers of disgusting behavior? Those who are anxious to discriminate against protected classes? Hillary's comprehensive campaign strategy based on all the meaningful experience she claims to have fell apart. Her Plan B hinged on making comments and inferences to communicate she's better for the job because she was born better. This is the quintessential “swampland for sale” pitch. Simply put, Hillary, Bill and their buddies depended on using doubts and fears about Blacks to help her defeat Obama when her own merits were not sufficient. Hillary is a fighter - a cheapshot fighter - who should never be anyone's champion.

In the same speech Hillary said, "Only one of us is ready on day one to be commander in chief, ready to manage our economy, and ready to defeat the Republicans.”

The only thing Hillary is ready to do is win at all costs even if it means disregarding laws and destroying public confidence. George Bush used the same reproach.

This is an opportunity to vote for democracy, equal opportunity and self-evident truths. Our country's condition will continue to reflect the character of the people we vote for. Knowing this, we must be more discriminating without discriminating.

References:
Federal Laws Prohibiting Discrimination
Hillary's Speech

Please email this article to as many people as possible before the upcoming primaries/caucuses are held.

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America Marries Color - Sike!

Nothing expresses dysfunction more clearly than the on again/off again marriage of America to Color. Though they join hands, make plans and have relations as woman and man, America repeatedly leaves Color at the altar.

The scene inside deja vu country is the same each time a committed relationship is aborted and legal opportunity thwarted. America looks at Color and says matter of factly, “You know I can't marry you. I keep saying I will but deep inside I was hoping you would make it easy for me and finally quit proposing. I was just playing along for the public and the free milk. I can't share my whole life with you. We're not that different just born different," she explains and lifts up the veil revealing her no remorse, straight face.

Color just stands there looking hurt. He conceals anger pursuant to his pledge of allegiance. Kinda makes you wonder what the conversations of these two have been like up to this point.

In the foreground the priest winks at America. The bridesmaids are poised with rocks (instead of rice) to commemorate the occasion. In the front row the family is revived. And like a school of fish, a significant portion of the audience participates by moving into a formation that spells out, “We Shall Not Be Overcome.”

Outside a crowd has gathered wearing monkey suits and uniforms. They are up in arms, bearing arms and ballots. The last line of defense, just in case America crosses the line with Color. Just in case America gets in too deep and forgets she's supposed to be pretending.

If America actually married Color, a moving sale would commence quicker'n you could say exodus due to unfavorable business conditions resulting from the widespread realization of unalienable rights. Perhaps America would marry him if Color would simply forgo any rights and privileges.

As usual, America treats Color like a refugee crumbsnatcher rather than a partner at the table of true love. Make no mistake, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and the 2008 presidential racism are just one example.

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