This is most likely the shortest post I've ever made on this site, which tells you what I think of the subject who really doesn't matter.  There is a news article," RNC Chair Steele Itching for a Fight with Obama" posted online today.  Soooo...let me get this straight..... according to another article posted recently where Republicans were polled, their preference to having the example of Palin consistently spread the myths of terrorist -- along with other racially divisive rumor mongering in an effort to politically hang President Obama -- is exactly what Republicans want to be when they grow up...yeah, that's exactly who I'd want to tell my kids to follow as a role model. Now they have current RNC Chairman Michael Steele, who claimed, this past Friday, that the Republican party is just fine the way it is, which is seems to be a cultural oxymoron -- coming from him. Steele, who tried portraying himself as a Democrat in his failed 2006 Senatorial race in Maryland, handing out a "Democratic Sample Ballot" that implied he was a party member and distributing signs that read, "Steele: Democrat." Steele who, according to reports, has yet to pass the bar exam. 

I still believe that when people show you who they are, you should believe them and act accordingly.   Steele sounds more like a person who likes to believe he  actually has  relevance, or maybe he realizes how irrelevant he is and is doing the usual attention-by-controversy run for media attention. Steele would do better to figure out what is fundamentally killing the Republican party and find the cure. This childish nonsense of trying to pick a fight is just more of the same rhetoric from a group of people who have nothing else to offer, certainly haven't seen any real solutions to the current economic crisis penned by the GOP, but maybe I missed the memo.  Steele is nothing more than a transparent view to the heart of the desperation and lack of focus the Republican party is immersed in. In their arrogance they believe that we will pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, calling all the shots. (For those who don't recognize...a reference to the Wizard of Oz).

I started this on my birthday. as  I had a tradition, over the last seven years, of writing a reflective piece to honor the experiences of the passing year and to offer homage to what the future brings.  This past year, and the year 2009 have a special significance.  We had a presidential election and for the first time I got involved, voicing my views, responding to those of others, watching how humans reacted and responded to changes in nationally held social and political paradigms and documenting it all.  I decided to walk my talk; getting involved in supporting the candidates I felt best represented my political views, who had a vision for what they wanted to accomplish, and the character, intelligence, courage and competence to achieve that vision.  My birthday, my mother’s birthday and the birth date of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is January 15^th; in fact, my mother and Dr. King were born on the same day. My mother lived in a time and place where prejudice and discrimination was the norm in the small town of Franklin, Tennessee.  I am full of excitement and great anticipation, for her as much as myself, as the inauguration of President-elect Barack Hussein Obama as the forty-fourth president of the United States is hours away. 

I blogged and wrote articles right up to the day of the presidential election.  I was at City Hall to work the polls on Election Day, worried over the behind the scenes chaos with the absentee ballots as human behavior became a looming factor while the minutes before the closing of the polls dwindled away.  I was determined to gain the ultimate experience of that historical night, so I dragged myself downtown to the Democrat’s party here in this so-called red state.  Lo and behold, not only did this red state turn blue, I was stunned when the words flashed on the big screen and the crowd roared, as the media announced that Barack Obama would become our forty-fourth president of the United States.  I could not help but cry.

As the months and days pass, the economy tanks, the strife between neighboring countries escalates, natural disasters continue, yet, gas prices magically drop amid all of the insanity on Wall Street and white collared crooks began to rise to the surface like cream in a bottle milked dry, a man with a plan began to gather his team, choose his plays and prepare to implement his vision of what it would take for this country to rise from the economic ashes it was mired in.  All the while, corporate media continued to beat its critical drum albeit with more covert and muted banging, and -- to its discredit -- the Republican Party did what it has always done, continuing to eat its sour grapes, while verbally cannibalizing itself.   But I was exhausted and my writing turned back to my creative self, as my book was unexpectedly picked up and published while the economy continued its freefall, taking with it the artists and art industry of all genres – from visual to literature, from film to music. 

Michael Anthony Brown, a native D.C. artist, was so inspired by the election of Barack Obama, he created an amazing painting that is priceless (and he is retaining) but did decide to share it with the world by reproducing it as a poster.  I saw the piece and was inspired to write his artist statement:

Vision. Hope. Change.  Four years ago, an unassuming voice rose from obscurity to center stage of the National Democratic Convention, initiating the most incredible political journey in our nation’s history.  A ground swell of support, a monumental grassroots effort, engaged the young, not so young, men, women, even children in a national dialogue about change. 

Barack H. Obama will become the forty-fourth President of the United States on January 20, 2009.  He will become the first American of color and African descent to attain the most powerful position in the country, transcending the myths, stereotypes, labels, and politics as usual in the process.  It is a role he does not take lightly and did not come easily.  His journey began before he was born. Thousands of steps taken through the shadows of history cleared the path Obama was destined to follow, culminating in his successful hard-fought election to an office most only dream of.  Many footsteps taken, many voices lifted, those who in their own right as ground breaking leaders, as historians, activists, artists, scientists, musicians, politicians, doctors, nurses, lawyers, ministers, housemaids, writers, and yes, community organizers who had the courage to walk their talk, who acted upon their vision and determined that they had a part to play in shaping the fabric out of which this country, our country, the United States is built.  From the life-saving heroism of Harriet Tubman, to the legal judgment of Thurgood Marshall, from the theatric voice of Paul Robeson to wordsmith Zora Neal Hurston, the dance of Twyla Tharp to the philosophy and leadership of Mahatma Ghandi, well over one hundred historical images have been artistically woven into the fabric of President Obama’s shirt and chronicled in the matting surrounding the painting.  This painting captures the demonstrated humility, integrity and heart of a man who has – as the visionary leaders preceding him – setting aside personal pursuits in sacrifice for the greater good.  And he is not alone in this sacrifice. Behind every great man there is the support of a strong and capable woman, whose greater sacrifice, along with that of family and friends demonstrates a generosity of heart and a shared vision of what can be accomplished.  Michelle Obama’s decision to support the candidacy of Barack Obama is an unsung sacrifice of great proportion.  Without her, we would not be celebrating this crossroads in U.S. history.  This work of art is a passionate delineation of history honoring our past, celebrating our future.  As a people uniting, one nation, irrevocably connected by the common crises of economic, ecological and societal devastation, working toward the common goal of resurrecting ourselves as global citizens of a diverse community, in hope of shattering the racial paradigms long held as truth,.  We each have our own journey to take, our own path to make during these challenging times.  Change is the operative action; we must begin to walk our own talk, willing to make our individual sacrifices for the common good of our families, our neighbors, our selves.  We must be realistically optimistic about what can be accomplished.  The journey will not be without challenges, neither the path nor the leader will be perfect, but with continued clarity in vision, hope in the teamed efforts made by we the people, Change will come.

Change.  Change your behavior, change your paradigm, change your mind, change your actions, change the outcome, Change.  Change takes time, change takes patience, change takes effort, change takes trying, change takes setbacks, change takes you, change takes me, Change.  Here is what I know: President Barack Obama is not superman, he is human.  He is not perfect, because humans can never be perfect, but that in itself is a separate topic and I don’t want to digress.  He will not be a perfect president; there will be missteps.  To expect miracles, to expect immediate results, is setting him -- and yourself -- up for sure failure.  What we do have, can be assured of, is that he is visionary and a genuine leader.  A true leader serves, includes, directs, listens, collaborates, responds versus reacts, did I say listens, knows when to say when, knows how to say I made a mistake, now how can we resolve it?  His greatest power is in his need not to abuse it, instead he uses it to serve, lift up, empower others who thought they lacked a voice or had a choice.  He does not fear the one thing that defines long term success, yet most don’t have the courage nor the sense of self to realize: that you surround yourself with those who are more experienced, smarter, more creative, more knowledge, more strategic acumen than you do, yet share your vision – even if their concept of how to achieve that vision may differ from his.  And that concept should differ when there is a better answer to the question, a better solution to the problem.   “Yes men or women” are not necessary on the team of a real leader.  You see, a true leader does not need an echo of his own voice, he needs a team that encourages him to make the right choice.(Besides, how boring would it be, if everyone I talked to sounded just like me?)

To that end, I have this to say to those insistent upon their attempts to micromanage every move that our new President takes, those who continue to believe that they are right, that there is no way that this President is the best choice for our country: If anyone has done the same comprehensive study and consideration that the team President Obama put together and comes up with a better idea, then put it on the table immediately; I am certain he will listen. If not, criticism from Congress, Right wingers,  media or any other armchair quarterbacks -- without any alternative solution -- is worthless noise. His decisions may not be perfect and please everyone, he may not move on matters as quickly as you or I would like, but we are in uncharted territory. We have two wars, a flat-lining national and global economy, fighting between other countries that will ultimately affect us, not to mention a myriad of social, environmental and human rights issues that require attention. Patience and restraint is required. I also suggest that each of us should contact those who represent us in Congress and let them know where we stand as individuals and that we expect them to voice our points of view through their votes. We do not have time to play political kid games or placate those who believe their personal position is more important than the state of our nation.  It is our individual responsibility to hold them accountable for what they do.  Because what they do – or don’t do – affects you, affects me.

While we are waiting for change to come at the government level, we too have to put some skin in the Change game.  It would be tragic to allow that one word – change -- to become a cliché as useless as a New Year’s resolution.  One person   -- you -- can change society one step, one person, one community at a time.  You can change the paradigms within your self, your family, your school, your community, your job, your city, your state, and collectively, your, no our, nation.  We must talk less, act more.  Stop waiting for your ship to come in; figure out how to build a boat, get in it and row.  It has become the cliché to say that our children are our future.  The reality is that they are the mirror reflecting us. Kids do – and believe -- what they see.  It is one thing to tell children what to do – quite another to show them.   If you have lost your self, you cannot expect them to follow your direction to the path down which they need to go.  I/You/me have plenty to work on while we wait for change to come from the external sources.

I/you/we have individual and collective responsibilities; if we aren’t a part of the solution, then we are indeed a part of the problem.  Small changes, big changes. Change that moves me/you/us forward, no matter what size it comes in, is growth. Collectively, all change has a big impact.  Hugging your children more, yelling at them less, teaching them the difference between breaking a rule and making a mistake – that is change.  Choosing to listen and learn who people are, rather than assuming their position in our society – that is change.  Picking up the trash on the street where you live, checking in on the elderly couple across the street – that is a change.  Become an advocate for creating neighborhood schools – that is change.    I thought about writing more, but I think that maybe less is more.  I am anxious and excited to see what change will ultimately look like four years, two years, one year, from today. Don't get it twisted. Dr. King  would agree: this is just the beginning, we are just getting started. Change is gonna come.  It’s up to us to determine how.

TO ORDER  GO TO  www.obamaworks.net

It's been all of three days and I have already seen an article on the Republicans expressing a strategy among some of them to be a petulant group of politicians who will thwart the efforts of President-elect Barack Obama at every turn.  An open and honest suggestion to those considering this strategy: Grow the hell up.  The time for "the old boys will be old boys" game has long since past.  (By the way, how did that work out for you?)  There is a new President elected and he was not who you chose.  You've had your moment to pout, to point fingers, hold your breath, screech and shout behind closed doors -- and now that you have, get a grip.  You were selected and elected as caretakers of this country.  That's your job.  It isn't personal it's business. If your party is broken, then fix it, but you have neither the right nor the reason to jeopardize the lives of your individual constituencies just to get revenge. This isn't high school or your college frat house.  We need mature, strategic representation of the people on both sides of the aisle in this very critical time in our country.  If you can't fill that bill,  then let the voters you represent know and they will be happy to relieve you of your responsibilities. 

photo: Joyce L. Moore, Indianapolis

Whoopi Goldberg stated in her Blog that : "We have finally become part of the fabric of the United States of America."   While I certainly agree with Whoopi's sentiments, I am also encouraging all of us to realize the veracity of this monumental and historic benchmark: we've just gotten started.  We need to continue the spirit of change while the momentum is there, reeducating from the top down of a corporation, from the child in kindergarten to the school counselor in high school that the color of skin, the gender of a human, how short or tall one is does not define who I am or who you are.  We have got to be proactive in changing the mindset of fear and hatred predicated on a chosen lack of knowledge.  This election has demonstrated that we have come a long way; just imagine what can be accomplished if we continue the journey.  We have a president who is African American, not an African American President.  We voted based on character, not color.  What an amazing affirmation that we are finally, finally going in the right direction.

To say that I am emotionally, even physically exhausted by this election is an understatement.   This election has generated more frustration, wonder, profound astonishment, infused with lots of creative writing.  Heck, I made it into the hallowed halls of Huffington Post three times.   I have volunteered in ways I would never have imagined, spoken out in the fitness gym, in the grocery store, even in the sauna to perfect strangers -- about this election.  I feel as though I am addicted to CNN and Jon Stewart.  So I decided to sit down and determine what, if anything, I learned from this once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Lesson One: Truth does not have the same definition for everyone.  What both baffled and frustrated me was how many people chose to listen to only what they wanted to hear, bending the truth to fit what they perceived to be reality.   The notion that someone could repeatedly tell one who they are, show them who they are, tell them again who they are….only to have the same people say “I don’t  really know who you are” tells me you just don’t really want to know, What I took away from this is that there are people who have a very clear view, in their minds, of who people are according to race, gender, physical characteristics.  When someone does not fit that view and, in fact, destroys that view, some become uncomfortable, some become suspicious, others become angry.  Because you now have to see them as they are, not as you want them to be.  And you can't pretend they aren't there, as you have in the past.  So you look for anything, anything to justify bending the truth.  How sad for those who choose that path.  Some time ago, I wrote a small piece about the concept of truth and its impact:  There are always at least two sides to every story. Somewhere in between is where the truth is hidden. Those who seek the truth, even when it is not what they want to hear, will live the most genuine life. Your decisions may be the same, but they will be based upon an unadulterated integrity. If there is a small voice inside you whispering questions, have the courage to seek the answers, lest your personal truth becomes counterfeit by omission. Decisions made, actions taken, judgments ruled -- sans listening to every faction with as much objectivity as humanly possible -- will always be based upon warped evidence, ultimately causing those who continue stand upon such flawed reality, to fall.   

Lesson number two:  For the right reasons, even the most passive American can be awakened to action.  Like Barack Obama or not, most will agree that he has had quite an impact on the American public.  Young and old, every gender and race, has got an opinion and have acquired a voice about this election.  Which leads to…

Lesson number three:  All of America now realizes that race in America is still a major issue in which there is plenty of room for growth. “Joe Six-pack”, “hockey mom” and “small town America” becomes code for the Anglo population that Palin is so approving of.  Most have been able to keep their racial points of view out of the public eye, but this presidential race brought the color of skin issue to every citizen’s doorstep, Race could not be dismissed, made invisible , or ignored. The repeated mantra, “I don’t know him.,”  has become another way of saying one can never really know a person of color, their genuine motives or if they are who they say they are, if they do not fit into the prescribed stereotypes that have been consistently, historically and politically socialized in the United States.   The use of labels – socialist (which in and of itself has a historical meaning when used to refer to African Americans), Marxist, Communist, terrorist -- all allow for the notion that confirms African Americans as a people who are always suspect.  This actually has historic relevance, as there has always been the myth that if three or more African Americans are together and talking, in a school, social, or corporate environment then they are plotting something.  Having had this and other anecdotal experiences, knowing others who echo similar experiences tells me that the paranoia and mistrust of others who don’t look like ”you,” is a pervasive stain on the fabric of this country.  Consider what might happen if you chose to change your mind?

Lesson number four: The public media does not have the journalistic integrity I assumed.  When I first heard terms like “corporate media” liberally sprinkled though out public commentary as the primaries began to collect steam, I actually had to dig and find out – much to my amazement --- who really owned who and how many of those corporations had millions of lobbyist dollars on the line in Washington, DC.  Watching news stations, as these members of the small society with the power of the mike began to inject their bias and the bias of their corporate employers.  With their bias came their personal opinions; upon the discovery of having one, they decided that because they were in control of the mike, they hatched the misconception that we needed to hear – repeatedly – what that opinion was.  True journalistic reporting went out the window as straight forward coverage of the facts turned into a game of I-got-next rhetoric, parsed with sensationalized gossip, sliced up and served as news.  Most of my favorites sources fell from their journalistic pedestals landing in the mire of the reality that they are all, in the end, just humans with prejudices, opinions, agendas and egos.  There are times when I found more facts on The Daily Show.

Lesson number five: Having a television show does not qualify your opinion as credible.  I found the eclectic mix of fact and funny on The Daily Show and the Colbert Report an interesting  take on truth.  Mostly because they knew how to support their spin.  Then there’s the View.  Elisabeth Hasselbeck is a loser from a reality show with absolutely no credentials that give any of her opinions credibility.  But because she is kept on the View (controversy sells in America, the fact that we don't like her allows her to keep her job) she actually believes her own hype and actually thinks people care about her opinion. Apparently she believes that if you repeat misinformation often enough, it becomes the truth -- which seems to be the current Republican strategy.   Cute sells ads, but one has to have something more to bring to the table, as time will prove out. I personally hope her fifteen minutes are about up. 

Lesson number six: This campaign has gotten people to talk to one another.  A friend of mine commented that she has engaged in conversations with more strangers of all races, ages and genders about the election.  I have to admit I never saw myself being this involved in politics, writing, calling, volunteering. Talking to strangers in the checkout lines at the grocery, the sauna at the gym, anywhere people are gathered for more than a minute.

Lesson number seven:  The Bible warns us not to put new wine into old wineskins because they will split.  As I watch state after state use their existing process of voting to accept and count a record number of votes, including my own state where I am actually working at the polls, I will not be at all surprised at the chaos that will likely result from trying to make old systems work with new voters.  Your best bet is to vote as early as you can.

Lesson number eight, you can’t double dip at a  party because you leave behind some really gross looking germs, ginger really does help with motion sickness and  refrigerated onions are less likely to make you cry when you chop them.  I learned this because I am exhausted by this election and watching Food Detectives on the Food Network is mercifully without commercials.

Get your Vote out today. By telling everyone that the race is basically over, the Republicans are hoping that the less motivated of the Democrats and Undecideds will think that it is not necessary to vote. Those of us who want Obama to win MUST vote. We can not be complacent, or else the lead will very quickly turn to a no point lead or worse.
This is all a political game. Some of us have a better understanding of it than others, and some of us (like myself) are still just trying to learn all of the rules - forgetting that there are no rules. Each side will do whatever is in their power (good, bad & ugly) to win this or any election. So the power we voters have is go out and vote

The Great Average American White Guy Hope

by John Gilmore