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History in the Making
Sun, 01/18/2009 - 12:46 | Tavis Talks
What does the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th U.S. president mean to you?
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Comments
African-American Media Analysts
There are several African-American Media Analysts feeding into the Democratic opposition (just what they want, to create the racial devide). The opposition, and Media Analysts representing African-Americans need to stop bashing one another and stay focused on addressing the issues.
Most of the nation has voted for President Obama, and do not need to get upset when others question and oppose what he ran on and now implementing (his plan!). Him and his speakers can do a much better job at defending what he's planning for All Americans.
Our energy and voice can be of better use by getting out into our respective communities to set his plans in motion with our Youth, who desperately need precious resources such as mentors/motivators, tutors, job skills centers, etc. Please spread the word to stop the negative to focus on the positives! Thanks
Inauguration of Barack Obama
The inauguration of Barack Obama means we are still a racially motivated people. Aside from that, Mr. Obama is a radical, leftist, charismatic idealogue whose plan for change includes plunging a knife into the heart of American ingenuity and productivity. Very soon there will BE no more wealth to spread around. God help us all.
This is the same response I
This is the same response I put on The Obama transition team's site.
It demonstrates how a representative democracy is supposed to function. I never thought that I would witness it. It reflects that America has taken a giant step away from the institutionalized racial entitlement system of the past, and that the entitlements of citizenship, as described in the U.S. Constitution, can be a reality, and not just an ideal.
In addition, the Tenth Anniversary of the State of the Black Union demonstrates that there is an organized political platform and mobilization for addressing the issues that impact the Black population. It shows that we are not after a "hook up" just because Obama is in office, but that we are, and have always been, after representation and accountability from our government.
Thank you Tavis for sharing your gifts of editorial and commentary with us. I have truly been inspired (and sometimes convicted) to be more active. Love ya!
We need our president to
We need our president to issue an EXECUTIVE ORDER immediately to address affirmative action GONE WRONG!
As unlikely as it may sound, millions of immigrants and foreign visitors are eligible for -- and many are actually using -- affirmative action benefits to get a head start on U.S.-born minorities, not to mention white Americans. In effect, they are getting off the plane and moving right to the head of the line.
How is this possible? In the late 1960s, it simply never occurred to government planners that there would be so many aliens in the U.S. or that so many would be considered minorities.
The results can be startling. Take, for example, a company that has a goal to hire ten blacks. Nothing says these have to be African Americans, and they well may not be. All ten may be people who until now spent their entire lives in another country.
Whatever the long-term fate of affirmative action, Congress and the Administration should act now to put a stop to this bizarre extension of the program. A mere paragraph or two of legislation and a short executive order could end affirmative action for immigrants -- the entitlement nobody planned and hardly anyone wants.
Without 9/11 and the Arabs
Without 9/11 and the Arabs this day would never have happened. It is too bad we'd be seriously condemned to acknowledge that.
Really enjoyed you on Larry
Really enjoyed you on Larry King. Keep Barack honest Tavist. We're counting on you.
The inauguration was such an overwhelming wonderful experience - unbelief, reality, acceptance, and finally pure joy and pride at our Great First Family. So proud to be a black american this day and every day, even with all our ups and downs, and all of our myriad of wonderful black people, the good, bad, and the ugly. We need all of our people. Barack knows that. All of us cannot be Rhodes Scholars, nor should we strive to be. We are all wonderfully made. I do want for the black leaders on TV to recognize that, and stop being so harsh on our people.
Obama made the world happy
Obama made the world happy after a longtime of gloom. I am a proud black man Obama, but I support his love for all. Before I forget....Tavis, why are you so hateful and critical of Obama? I listened to you when you had day slot NPR weekly...until you got kicked off because of your rants, same with most progressive host who saw you to be toxic. Have some pride and stop trying to be what you're not. Trust me.....your desire to be the first black president is never going to happen...Obama is the President. Hate leads to sickness.....
Yesterday (January 20, 2009)
Yesterday (January 20, 2009) I looked at my son, a miniature version of President Obama, short hair, handsome, winning smile...Then I looked at President Obama as he took the inaugural oath and I saw my son 41 years from now and all I could think was that this is right on time, right on time! I could have used a Barack Obama when I was growing up in this cold racist world. A world where role models were scarce and where they did exist, for me, most white people were clueless of their contributions. It won't be that way for my son. His role model holds the highest authority in the great country of America and he and many other black boys and girls truly have hope! My son will never know what it was like "back in the day" and I am glad! Praise God for President Obama!
The inauguration of Barack
The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the U.S. means a lot to me and inspired me to write this poem:
God Bless America
by Lucille Victoria Rowels
©2009
A day we thought would never come,
is here and now we walk as one.
Americans yellow, red, black, brown and white,
walk hand and hand and behold the sight,
of a child born of Africa and America too,
who is now the man who will lead us through,
the hard times so many of us face,
as America unifies without regard to race.
On a day so cold yet hotter than July,
we lock hands together, our eyes to the sky.
He came from out of the blue, so many exclaimed,
Others still puzzled by his unique sounding name.
A snowball had a better chance.
The naysayers didn’t even give him a glance.
The agent of change moved quick and fast.
He ran a campaign with tenacity and class.
Who is this man who dared to win,
An office never held by any of his kin.
His name is Obama - O - B - A- M - A.
He is our leader and will show us the way.
As the sun sets on January 20, 2009,
the faithful know that everything will be fine.
In a day no, but in due time yes,
Our leader will not settle for less.
So our hearts fill up with the joy that the day brings,
as we stand shoulder to shoulder, the whole world sings:
God Bless America
Today the world is moving
Today the world is moving into history! I'm so proud of Barack Obama as a black man first, to have ever held the seat of the President of the United States! Barack has given the world hope in the face of impossibility. He has given our children the spirit of courage and determination, that through focus and hard work, anything is possible. This is not just a day of celebration for this nation, this is the day that little black boys and girls that were unsure of what they can become here in the United States, can now say, “Yes I Can.”
This is the day that the Lord has made (predestined) to show the world that there is still hope in the face of adversity! There is an extremely pipeline message that underlines today’s event. Yes we can celebrate the first black president of the United States. We can stick out our bosoms and walk with our heads high, but God has a deeper message for us all and that message is to… Never Give Up on Hope! Everything is possible through him. I believe as a Christian woman that God wants the word CAN’T, taken out of our vocabulary and especially as children of God.
I just want to say today, January 20, 2009 “THANK YOU GOD ALMIGHTY FOR THIS DAY THAT YOU PREDESTINED. Thank you God for allowing this day to take place in the United States of America. I have always believed that together we can make a difference. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I believe through hope, and unity, we can accomplish our goals. I want to see as Martin Luther King Jr. prophesied years ago, that one day all God’s children black children and white children, Jews and Gentiles will be able to sit down at the table of BROTHERHOOD, together as sisters and brothers embracing unity. When this world has come to an end and we all meet up in heaven, (for those of us that make it to heaven) we will see that there is no separatism in the Kingdom of God! There will be no Red States, Blue States, rich, or poor, it will be harmony for us all. Thank you God for having the heart to love us unconditionally, and not separate us by our sins! Thank you for not putting us in separate quarters, according to our sins. Thank you for seeing us through the blood of Jesus! That’s what true love is all about. Loving a person, even through there short comings, as the bible says “covers a multitude of sins.”
The inauguration of Barack
The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States has to be the greatest historical moment of my lifetime. This is something that, while somewhere deep inside of me I have always thought it was possible, I don't really know if I ever believed that it would happen until I was old and gray. As a mother and a teacher of black boys, it is truly a remarkable moment, because for the first time I can honestly look at my sons and my students and tell them that they can grow up to be anything they want including the President of the United States.
I think that Barack is the perfect first black president because he represents both worlds. Unlike any other president, he has the unique ability to identify and relate to people of all races and understand their plight. I don't think it ironic that this happened just a little over 40 years after the death of Dr. King, nor that he is being inaugurated the day after we celebrate Dr. King's birthday. I believe that his becoming president is a portion of what Dr. King was talking about when he said that he'd been to the mountaintop and had seen the promised land. This does not however mean that we are now a post-racial society. I don't think it is possible for us to ever be a post-racial society because our country is made up of so many races. My hope is that this is the beginning of us moving to a post-racist society where all people in this country will get to the point where we celebrate each other's differences and judge people by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. I believe that more white people voted for Obama (including some Republicans) than are willing to admit it and watching all of those people fill up Washington D.C. has been a truly magnificent scene. The fact that people from all over this country from all racial groups have gone to witness this historical event gives me hope that we are moving in the right direction.
Good job on Meet the Press Sunday Tavis!!!
It means that this nation can
It means that this nation can vote for a lighter-toned black man, when it is obvious that he is the intelligent candidate who will bring change to Washington, D.C. and America. While most whites did not vote for the President-elect, a good percentage did. Does this mean that America is post-racial? Absolutely not. In spite of the fact that most whites didn't vote for President-elect Obama, racism has a lot to do with stereotypes. When people get to know a person, those stereotypes tend to diminish. This is why when people get to know others in a stereotyped group, they can identify with them, and become friends. This is precisely why whites who have black friends can still hold stereotypical, racist views about blacks. When people get to know a person, many unsubstantiated assumptions they hold about that person, shrink. Likewise, when people of all races got to know the President-elect, many of their racist assumptions about African Americans were not cast upon the President-elect, though many people will still cast their views on other African Americans whom they do not know.
The inauguration of Barack Obama is an exciting event--but it does not cure those who remain negatively affected by systematic, institutional, and individual racism.
Congratulations to the new President of the United States.