Dear Barack Obama Supporters

September 4th, 2008 | By Sonnie Johnson

I’m wondering when did this become about Me and You. If I’m against Obama than I’m against You too. If I don’t stand with the Black Man, then I’m some how less Black. Well I do stand with Some black Men. I’ll use one in Particualr. Michael Steele. Now if you don’t know who he is, then I will question; How Black Are You?

Michael Steele, was the first Black Person elected to Statewide Office in Maryland. Yes, he has broken down barriers too. Why No Praise for This Black Man? Is it because he is a Republican? And if so, why question my blackness instead of my Political Affiliation. Or are you trying to pull a double standard?

He has one of the Best Quotes of OUR TIME. I have to paraphrase because I can’t find the exact quote but it goes something like this. ‘We are no longer fighting to sit at the Counter, Now our fight begins to Own the Diner.”

The sad part is, We have to fight other Blacks to get it. Now, I’m going to do a little comparison for you. Please don’t come at me telling me I Hate Black People. I’m Black and you Downing me For Having An Opinion Makes You A Hater. I don’t Want you to think Like Me. I don’t Care who you Vote For, As Long As You Vote. And I refuse to handle Any Of You with Kid Gloves. If Barack Obama can take the Criticism, than so can you.

Comparison of Barack Obama and Michael Steele

Neither came from a Traditional Family. Barack Obama grew up with a Single Mother. Michael Steele was adopted as a Baby. Now, I don’t know if Barack Obama’s Family was Democratic, but Michael Steele’s Family Was. Both Men garnered strength From Their Mothers’. Both went to Decorated Schools and Earned Multiple Degrees. Both are Lawyers and both chose to go into Civil Service. Both are Exemplary Examples of the American Dream.

One more very important thing Links These Two Wonderful Black Men. They both built Character through Struggle. Barack Obama’s family wasn’t rich. He had to work to Get into College. He had to take out Loans to Finish Law School. He even made a point of Bringing it Up in the Beginning of His Campaign. How he and Michelle Obama were still paying off their student loans.

Michael Steele lost his Father when he was young, but his Mother refused to Go on Welfare. Instead, she took a Minimum Wage job to support Michael and his Sister. He was the first in his Family to Go To College. Now I’m not sure if he acquired alot of debt in this Pursuit, because he doesn’t talk about it. But I’m willing to wager he did.

This is were the differences come in. See Barack Obama had to struggle to get where he is. And I give him all the credit in the World for doing So. It’s not easy tearing down color lines. It’s not easy to change the face of History. But I question; Could he have done it without the struggle? Would he stand so firmly on his Beliefs if he didn’t have to fight for them?

Michael Steele became a Republican because of the Lessons he learned from His Mothers’ Actions. When times got tough she didn’t look to the Government to take care of her house hold. She went to work and did the things neccessary for her children. I watch my sister and her three Kids and I know that this is no easy task. I’m sure it was no easier for Barack Obama and his Family. But Barack Obama made it.

Then he turns around and tells You; I’m going to do it for You. I’m going to make sure you go to College. I’m going to make sure you have healthcare. I’m going to make sure you get everything You deserve. When did Barack Obama become my Mother or My Father? When did I tell him he had more power over My household than I do?

My daughter is going to College and it won’t be because the Government said she can. It will be because I sacrifice to make it happen. It will be because I demand it of her. And I have no doubt I will struggle, Because I’m struggling Now. But I also have no doubt my daughter will benefit from seeing How Much Her Mother and Father Struggle For Her. Her Father and I will be her Rock. The same as Michelle Obama’s Father was Hers’. Why try to take that away? Why not let Black Parents be the Hero to Black Kids?

And more than that, Why take More From the People Who Followed the Same Path and Made It. How can you say to someone that’s spent Years trying to build a successful business; Now You Have To Pay For Those Who Don’t Save. Now You Have To Pay For Those Who Didn’t Compete. Now You Have To Pay For Those Who Don’t Sacrifice.

Now let me Pre-empt the attack. All of Us are not Lazy and We Try and Things Are Still Hard. Amen. I know. But guess what. Not all of Us think that the Governments Fault. I have been knocked down more times than I can count and never once did I look at the Government to Fix my Situation. Now in the case of Jobs. Yes, the government plays a role in the Number of Jobs Available. But So Do You. If you can’t find a Job, start your own business. Then you not only have a Job but you can help other people get a Job. All with NO GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE. Just from the Sweat off Your Brow.

I’m trying to run my own Business. I’m beginning to realize it’s harder than I thought. I’m starting to realize that when you go it alone, shit gets tough. But I have some really talented people in my Family. I’ve asked them to help me out. But none of them thinks they have anything to share with the world. I have a Brother that does Amazing Art but doesn’t want to start a T-Shirt Line or a Comic Strip. He wants to open a Tattoo Parlor.

So I say, “Let’s come up with some shirts. Get them on the Web and make some money. Then you can open your own Tattoo Parlor. ” I’m still waiting on a response. So I question, When I become Successful, should I have to turn around and pay for his College, Healthcare, or anything else. He has talent, opportunity, and someone with a little knowledge of the Web by his side. If he chooses not to access any of these, is it the Governments Fault or the Governments’ Responsibility to take care of him?

My Favorite Lil Cousin is A Hair Styling Genius. Every time I see her I want to snatch the style right off her head. Her Mother Owns her own Beauty Salon in Richmond Va. But in order to do the upgrades she wants, her mother works another Job. Her only request of my favorite Cousin is that she takes care of the Shop when She’s at her other Job.

But my Favorite Cousin is so obsessed with the Streets, she doesn’t take any Responsibility. All her friends say, “I wish my Mother was Like Yours. I Wish My Mother Had A Business She Wanted Me To Help Her Run.” But my Cousin sees dollar signs. She’s attracted to popping New Tags off Of Clothes. Pulling the Latest Shoes out a Nike Box. Being in All the Right Clubs at the Right Time. And when she can’t get these things on her own, she attaches herself to a No Good Nigga.

And she is a Fly Diva, so there isn’t a shortage of Niggas willing to step in a buy her what she wants. But her Mother is Now Feed Up. She has struggled for her Children and this is How My Fav Cousin Repays Her. Cussing her out. Not showing up when she’s supposed to. Letting important dates pass with completeing simple tasks.

So when Her Mothers’ business becomes Real Successful, why should she have to turn around and pay for My Favorite Cousins’ College, Healthcare, or anything else? She’s spent years paying for these things and My Favorite Cousin doesn’t appreciate any of it. Instead she Cusses and Fusses because her Mother expects something from Her.

These are the People and Situations I know. Does it mean I don’t love My Brother or My Cousin? No. I Love Them to Death, but I’m Not Responsible for the Decisions’ they make. Nor is Bush, Obama, McCain, Palin, Biden, Pelosi, Reid, Cheney or any one else in Government. And when they run out of Options, It’s None of the Aboves Fault either.

But it becomes an Issue when Obama, Biden, Pelosi, and Reid, say it’s Bush, McCain, Palin, Cheney that have stopped you from excelling. Because Now They Have Justification For Their Inaction. Now they can feel justified pointing the Finger elsewhere. Where is the benefit in that?

This is just a little letter to tell you where I’m coming From. And no Matter Your Color, I’m sure you know the people I’m talking about. The one’s that went to College and dropped out because it was to hard; Never equating all the time they spent partying with the time they could have been studying. The one’s who have watched their Mothers’ and Father break their backs for the little they had and complain it’s not enough. The one’s that take No Risk but want all the Rewards.

There are Million’s of Us Black Folk Doing It. We got Good Jobs, Great Educations, Nice Homes, Fly Cars, but if you have all these things and Never Opened a College Fund for Your Child, why should the Government Pay For It? Why should the Son’s and Daughter’s of Mother’s and Father’s that Worked For Everything, have any excuse to Blame Someone Else for their Shortcomings? And why should I have to Vote For A Black Man, when all the research I do leads me to believe he’s not What This Country Needs?

Another Black Face in a High Place telling me I don’t have to work for my Child’s future. Telling Me I Can’t Do What His Mother Did, Without his help. Telling My Husband he can’t do what His Wife’s Father Did, without his help. Telling me to wait until he gets in Office For My Life to Get Better. I don’t wait for Politicians. I make my Life Better or Worse depending on My Decision.

And you can wait if you want. You can continue to spend and not save for an Emergency. You can continue to invest in Nike, Gucci and Prada or you can choose to invest in yourself. You can continue to Vote Color and Not Principal. But I Place This Bet. Four Years Into a Barack Obama administration, you will still be waiting. Because if he makes all your dreams come true and You Actually start to Garner Success, You are going to want the Government to stay the Hell out of Your Pocket.

And For all of you who say I’m not Down with the Black Community because I continue to talk about what could be and Not What Is, I have a Special Treat For You. Don’t Blame Me, He Said It.

Sincerely Yours
Star
P.S. I’d like to thank Senator Barack Obama for Not Questioning my Blackness because I have differing opinions. It takes a strong Person to disagree with out resulting to Name Calling.