I found this today.

Apparently it has been going around the internets so I thought I would post it.

Very beautiful.

Why did you make me black Lord?...

Jump to see entire poem...

    I am so annoyed right now that I can't stand it. It's been a long day and I'm dealing with a sinus infection so please forgive me if I start rambling or ranting. But I need to let my feelings out to people who understand...at least I hope you do.
    Today I was in the car with my two eldest sisters and my mother. It started out nice and pleasant, but then the discussion turned to politics...mainly Obama. Now the second to the oldest HATES Obama. She thinks he's an elitist snob who is no better than McCain. No matter how many times my parents and I tried to convince her otherwise, she remains stubbornly against him.
    What does she know anyway about him? She's never paid that much attention to him, read his book, so bleh. But it was my oldest half-sister who leapt into the dicussion and what she said made me cringe.

I’m going to go ahead and spend some time writing my own diary today. I’m a little irritated. Well, a lot! I got a few bones to pick all with the same theme.

I’m going to go ahead and start with the ignorant bitchasses that keep saying...

"You’re just voting for Obama because he is black!"

I will try and respond to this without cursing or getting angry.
Since I’m a factual kinda gal, let’s look at the facts.

What the frak is happening?

It's all over the place: Huffington Post, Politico, The Free Republic, Real Clear Politics . . . people are getting all "uppity" over Obama's statements about McCain trying to make people afraid of him, that "he has a funny name" and that "he doesn't look like those presidents on the dollar bills."

Even worse . . . the Huffington Post story - amongst others - actually seems to be placing part of the blame for all of the negative campaigning on Obama's shoulders. (I'm really peeved at Ariana Huffington for this, particularly after watching this speech.)

Has everyone gone mad?

Yesterday I diaried my poem
Ode to Michelle O: My Blackness goes before Me.

I had really good feedback and was asked where the book could be bought but it was not published.  When I mentioned the piece was not published someone suggested self-publishing.  I did my homework all last night and now the book is published.

I have decided to post another poem here (as was suggested) and if anyone is interested you can now purchase the book in hardcover, paperback or even by download by going to these links:

http://www.lulu.com/... hardcover Being Black: being human $32.95 download $5.00
http://www.lulu.com/... paperback Being Black: being human $17.50 download $5.00
Hope you like this one for today and that you will go to the links. Thanx for all the support. Cher

I have been thinking alot about how Michelle is treated and by extension how her treatment has affected us as black women.

The way she is being disrespected really thrusts a dagger deep into the heart of us women of color who feel our blackness going before us wherever we go.  The same can be said for other dark skinned minorities and for black men too.   But the treatment of Michelle O has really struck a nerve with us as black women.

Where are all those feminists who so ardently defended Hillary?  Why have they not called out those who treat Mrs. O in such a deplorable manner as sexist?  So far I have only seen strong defenses coming from sisters.  

So here is an Ode to Michelle to let her know some of us understand.

Jump now

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

The Forgotten Man

Every since Barack Obama’s Father’s Day Speech, there’s been an ongoing debate about the need for more Black fathers to step up to the plate.  But as usual, there’s a forgotten man in this discussion, and admittedly, we’ve been remiss in giving him his due.  I’m speaking of the millions of Black men across this country who literally relish their role as father.  Too often we forget these men, and the many hardships they often endure in carrying out their responsibility.

I just got through watching CNN Presents: Black in America, Reclaiming the Dream.  It featured a panel discussion that included many scholars, religious leaders and activists in the black community.  There were several segments including ones on the breakdown of the black family, the achievement gap and the HIV/AIDS crisis.

I found it especially interesting that not once did I hear any serious discussion of racism or any serious dialog about black/white interaction in America at all.

Even though race has no biological basis, people cling to it as if it were a religion. People were obsessed with asking if Obama was Black enough before South Carolina. Now the Republicans are trying to suggest that he is "too" Black. What we need is a clear test that everyone can take to determine if they are Black or not.

It is hard to ignore it in this campaign.  Race.  

For the first time ever, we have a presumptive nominee who is an African American.  There is no escaping it.  Race.  

Senator Obama delivered nothing short of an inspiring speech about it.  Race.  

But don’t we live in a colorblind society?  Shouldn’t race be inconsequential?    No.  And no.

Thoughts about being Black or White in America.

There have been a lot of diaries this past week about FISA, and a lot of subsequent responses as to the nature of just how horribly our nominee has "betrayed" us. In the quest to restore some measure of sanity, the actual practical outcome of the election is lost from sight.

More after the fold.

On this morning's edition of Imus In The Morning, Don Imus claimed that his remarks yesterday about Adam "Pacman" Jones were widely misinterpreted. He says that his comments were sarcasm and that he meant to insinuate that Mr. Jones had been arrested six times because of racial profiling.

This is a kind of difficult situation to read. Obviously this was going to be Imus' defense whether legitimate or not - but I think it boils down to one thing. If he DOESN'T KNOW who Pacman Jones is it very well might not be racist. But if he DOES KNOW who Pacman Jones is it seems clearly racist. Sorry I-man but this particular African American is not the victim of racial profiling - Pacman is just a legitimately crazy dude that seeks out trouble. I mean honestly, who makes it rain at a Vegas strip club and then makes a scene to get the money back??

Anyways, I don't really know whether to believe Imus or not but here is the full audio of his defense. Give it a listen and weigh in with your own thoughts and opinions:

As I browsed through the list posted today on TPM about staffing additions to team Obama, I grew curious about the last name listed; African American Vote Director: Rick Wade

While other Kossaks are pondering the deep inner meaning of the Solis-Doyle hire, I wanted to take a good look at the person who will more than likely be coordinating GOTV efforts in African-American communities.

So I cross the street and she asks me, if she could pay me to get this SNAKE outta her daycare. I'm like- don't you know black dudes don't do that steve irvin shit?- okay I didn't say that, but I sure as hell thought it...But anyway she's like it's small, it's like a worm-

So I agreed to go with her to at least LOOK at the snake before I signed up. When I got in there one woman had all the kids in a room , with the door locked, which I understand. Then I see like 7 or 8 women, grown ass women, some bigger than me, all freaked out like the place just got robbed.
    I'm not exaggerating- when I saw the snake, a garden snake, maybe a foot long, and as thick as a pen. This thing was puny, and it was just chillin on top of a box. I asked for a towel or something I could put it in- So i grabbed it with a small towel, wrapped it up, and tossed it in some woods away from the building...

With all the FOX news jabs on Obama, this topic has come up.  Everybody knows down deep that it is just unacceptable to have "Baby Mama" on national TV, and it's also unacceptable to repeatedly make the "Osama" mistake too.

Afterall, Obama is black because of biology.  Same with his given name.  Neither of these things has anything to do with who he is.  Abusing these things on National Television is wrong, and many are going to call it hate speech.

There is a very strong case for them being right, but I actually prefer to just characterize it as unacceptable and indefensible and call it good.

Putting my asbestos suit on. I am unambiguously trying to stir things up. Devils Advocate. Discuss. Tell me I'm wrong. But.

African Americans will be rioting on election day 2008. I'm likely to join them. When their voting rights are suppressed in the first election of one of their own are enforced, the result will be inevitable.

UPDATE Epilogue (10:40 CDT June 16, 2008): I could have worded things more delicately, but I'll stand by the main premise. Also, "concern trolls" are usually interested in raising doubts in order to support the opposite stance of the community. We all overuse the term in lieu of engaging in the substance of an argument. So, if I'm a concern troll, how is my diary going to inadvertently influence how black and white people vote? Yup. Logically, not at all. In the end, my point is more to ensure that caging doesn't happen and that enough working voter machines are in place in locales such as Cleveland and St. Louis (when they have NOT been sufficient in the past).

If you don't think it can happen, you haven't been paying attention for the last dozen years. Make me wrong (as usual) people.

This from cnn.com:

http://www.cnn.com/...

CNN correspondent and Grand Dragon Wizard Jason Carroll implies that Barack Obama marked himself as biracial on his census form.  By which he means that Barack Obama SHOULD HAVE marked himself as biracial on his census form.

Cnn's Jason Carroll