Theory #8644: The Revolution Will Be Televised Printed on A T-Shirt...

I think I should preface this theory by stating that I voted for Barack Obama, and it wasn't because he's Half Black. I wasn't swept up in "Obama-mania" before he stated on policy idea like a lot of his supporters were. As I'm sure you've heard, voter turnout among Black people in my age was tremendous. It also presented a strange paradox in my mind. On one hand, I loved the mass mobilization that Obama's candidacy created in the Black community. However, I can't shake this feeling that it's now become trendy to be revolutionary.

That is a picture of the lovely...lovely Halle Berry wearing a T-Shirt supporting the President-elect. However, Obama is not the first historical/revolutionary figure to grace the fashion industry. Lesser known activists such as Che Guevara and Mumia Abu Jamal are some of the faces that have become popular choices for T-shirts. Whenever I see someone my age wearing a shirt like that, I'm immediately intrigued positively because I'm a fan of shirts like these. So if I have the time, I'll strike up some small talk about the person on the front of the shirt. A couple of times, I've been met with a response similar to, "Oh, I don't know who this is. It just matches my shoes/fitted/jacket/belt buckle." Needless to say, I was irritated.

Creative Obama T-shirts are the latest in this revolutionary fashion fad. The obvious problem that may arise is that this newfound urge for change will fade away, and that we are celebrating Obama's victory for all the wrong reasons. Black people: This is not an, "In your face!" moment that we should throw in White people's faces. Bear in mind this statistic: if every single African-American man, woman, and child had voted in this election, it would only be 8.8% of the entire popular vote (according to the 2000 census). That means that there were millions of White people that voted for Obama as well, and he wouldn't be elected without them. My fear is that we're celebrating this as we unfortunately celebrated OJ's victory in 1994. Michael Irvin said it best:

What a historical moment that was last night. ... From an African-American standpoint, I watched my people -- watched my people -- celebrate the not guilty verdict of O.J. Simpson. They were so hungry for a victory of some kind that they celebrated -- we celebrated -- the verdict of O.J. And I was thinking to myself, 'Two people are dead. Two people are dead' Now, I'm not talking about my people, I'm explaining them here. They were just so hungry to say 'We have a victory.' And I cringe when I even think about that.

I hope that isn't the same thing that's going on in the minds of Black people that voted for Obama. I hope that we really want to change our thinking, instead of just wearing it on our clothes.



Peace.

KoS Theory Guest Theory: Jeff Scott

This piece was written by Jeff Scott. I've known Jeff for somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 years, and he's a very intellectual brother. He also will hopefully contributes to my other blog, Fundamentally UnSound. Peep his thoughts on the election process after the picture.

The Politico: Things I've Learned

Well with only a few days before election day, and a spirited debate with 30 commenters left on my status, it's clear that things are getting more intense as we come down to the wire. There is so much division in America in regards to this presidential election. And without sounding like a Black Panther or Black national conspirator, it's slightly because it involves someone who doesn't look like the norm. With that said, I'm going to address topics by number, and call the said list the "Things I've Learned".

1. Sarah Palin is the worst decision John McCain could have made for VP.

Okay, let's get this straight. I don't have any personal problems with McCain, Sarah Palin, or even Joe Liberman's ability to turn coat (expletive). Conservatives use a "barometer" for Barack Obama that they don't use on themselves. Case in point: They try to make a guy like William Ayers a factor in the integrity of Obama, saying he "pals around with terrorists." So does that mean Obama is a terrorist, which most rednecks and skinheads believe? Guilty by association, eh? Well, John McCain chose an uninformed and questionable running mate in Sarah Palin. Does this mean that John McCain is uninformed, because I'm pretty sure he's "paling" around with Sarah Palin. It was a stupid move for the GOP to even make it an issue, especially when the polls show that no one really thought it was an issue.

2. Joe the Plumber...Yeah...

At first I felt sorry for the guy cause he became a symbol during the final presidential debates for the average American, and then the media just put all his business out there. He asked about Barack's tax plan (which he probably states 49 times a day) and what it would mean for him because he wanted to "start a small business". Well I lost all sympathy and the dot of respect I had for him when I learned that not only is he not a licensed plumber, but he owes taxes. Why would you place yourself out there asking about taxes when you owe them? Not a good look, Joey. But I lost even more respect for the political process when he began campaigning with John McCain. WHAT?! Shouldn't someone be arresting him or something? Is that someone you really want to blaze the campaign trail with you? Oh well, if you're John McCain, I guess it's the cool thing to do. Maybe Joe will shout McCain out on his country music album.

3. I am not a Democrat or a Republican, but after this election, I don't think I could ever vote for a conservative candidate.

I have been shocked and appalled at the disdain, disrespect, hatred, ignorance, evil, racism, bigotry, and sheer disregard displayed by people voting for the McCain-Palin ticket, not only toward Obama, but anyone with opposing views. The first straw for me were the reports of people at McCain rallies shouting "terrorist" or "kill him" when McCain even mentioned Obama, and the reports of people carrying around stuffed monkeys with Obama gear on them. Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia was here [at Liberty University] speaking in convocation and advocating for Barack Obama, and as soon as a sound come out of his mouth, he was showered with boos. When he said anything that opposed their views, the crowd would erupt negatively. That is utterly disgraceful that one of the people who had a hand in Liberty's "Register to Vote in Lynchburg So We Can Pad McCain's Virginia Votes" Register-a-thon would be met with such disrespect. That was the last straw for me. I lied. That wasn't the last straw. This was.

4. Finally, this entire thing is far from over.

If you believe that the madness will end after November 4th, you are sadly mistaken.
Why is Sarah Palin disagreeing with McCain on issues? Because she is setting herself up to run in 2012. Win/win for her, right? If McCain wins she's VP (Hooray!). Then, given McCain's current physical state, she has the chance to be President. If he loses, Palin can say, "It wasn't me (even though it was, partly)," and turn around for President herself. And with as many Palin fanatics as there are now, God knows how bad it will be in the future.

In conclusion, whether your political affiliations reside on the left or the right, conservative or liberal, if you're the same or a Martian, just get out and vote. If I know you and you don't vote just because you don't want to, I will have to question our friendship. Sorry, but thats just lunacy.

Love, Peace, and Hair Grease
Jeff

And by the time of Armageddon, the Bucket List had long been done.

I don't mean no disre-speezie, but let us take a moment and consider the oh-so-imminent and sizable turnover currently threatening the sociopolitical world stage.

If you haven't noticed, some of the globe's consummate badasses have finally peaked. Since the dust settled from the original 1960s, your favorite dictators, (Western) terrorists, and "post-colonial" cronies are, well, still your favorite dictators, (Western) terrorists, and post-colonial cronies.

Robert Mugabe is 85 years old. Fidel Castro doesn't seem to be getting up from his sickbed--Raul ain't exactly no spring chicken.The President of North Korea has just been admitted to a PR whirl of sicky-pants rumors.

(fig. 1.1: the pimp hand.)

But if they don't in fact outlive Methuselah, who will pose the rookie assist to Chavez and Medvedev? Who will bring the second coming quicker?

Any takers?

Theory #2114: An Aura of Invincibility

I was going to write this post for my sports blog, Fundamentally UnSound; but I feel this issue has traveled well outside the sports realm. Former Dallas Cowboys defensive back Adam "Pacman" Jones has, yet again, had another run-in with the law; thus resulting in a second suspension from the NFL by Commissioner Roger Goddell. Granted, in this particular instance, no charges were filed against Jones; but because of his more than questionable past, Goddell was forced to discipline him.

This isn't another internet post bashing Jones, or talking about how he's wasted a privilege for which the average person would become homicidal. It's already understood that Pacman has wasted an incredible opportunity. I'm not writing this to add to all the negative reactions to Pacman's decisions. I'm going to delve deeper inside a theory that we in the Black community use, but are too afraid to say publicly (read: around White people); and present you with a some hypothetical rhetoricals for you to toss around in the recesses of your mind.

With the acquittals of Black "superstars" such as Kobe Bryant, O.J. Simpson (the first time), and Wesley Snipes, I can't help but wonder if Pacman—and, for that matter, a lot of today's Black superstars—believe that they have an aura of invincibility around them because of their fame. I wonder if they believe that they can wriggle out of any trouble they get into because of their celebrity status.

But what if the money Kobe and O.J. had laid down for those high-priced attorneys wasn't enough to protect them from a sentence? What if every Black superstar was treated like Rae Carruth instead of Snoop Dogg? Would Pacman Jones had take Terry "Tank" Johnson's conviction more seriously if he was an all-Pro? Would Pacman had learn his lesson, or would there have even been a lesson to learn? What I mean by that last question is that maybe Pacman wouldn't be act so nonchalant towards his situation if he had already known that he wouldn't get any preferential treatment. Perhaps he wouldn't have even been arrested anymore times after the first one at West Virginia University. The main question I'm asking is: Who, or what, is responsible for this arrogant invincibility that a lot of the people in my current generation possess?

Some blame hip-hop (as always) for the way most young people act. Some say that the glorification of gangster/mafia movies such as "Paid in Full," "Scarface," and "Goodfellas" have aided to the youth's false perception that everyone in that lifestyle lives successfully for years to come. And some believe that the large bank accounts these entertainers and athletes have allows for the to feel they can buy protection from the judicial system that has screwed over so many of their racial brethren.

I think we as a Black community made the mistake of being elated when O.J. was acquitted because I feel we were happy for the wrong reason. We weren't excited that an innocent man was found innocent, we were excited that a Black man was able to pimp the system that has pimped many of our own. We liked the fact that a man that the majority of the public—regardless of race—felt was guilty was able to buy his freedom. I think that future Black athletes and entertainers saw O.J.'s verdict and realized that the only color that the judicial system cares about is green. Maybe if the ruling was different, we wouldn't be worrying about whether or not Pacman will finally wise up and realize what blessings he has been given.

I don't know what's the right answer to those hypothetical questions, but I do know that my generation has to change our mindstate if we really want to be taken seriously.


Keep that third eye open. Peace.

My Favorite Presidential Characteristic

So I'm watching Obama's speech, and something strange popped into my head. I began mentally listing the characteristics that are required to be a viable Presidential candidate. I started with the obvious ones: intelligence, composure, and leadership head the list. However, there's one little-discussed trait that's essential to be the leader of the country--extreme arrogance.


Regardless of how much humility a candidate may possess, or how much he's "a common man," it takes an immeasurable amount of confidence for one to sincerely believe that he or she is a logical choice to run a country. That person looks in the mirror and says to themselves, "I am capable of being the head of the greatest nation in the world." I find that kind of moxie amazing. Granted, being the POTUS isn't the same as a dictatorship; but the President is still a very powerful person.

I'll use Still President Bush as the perfect example. A friend of mine gave me a very profound statement. He said that, "George Bush doesn't have anything to worry about because he's George Bush...and his father is George Bush." What this means is that Dubya is not concerned with how the public perceives him because he's the President. He and his administration sent one city into a frenzy and drowned another, yet the man still does things like this. One has to be bold enough to look a large amount of people in the eye and give them massive piles of verbal BS; and know it's BS. I don't know about you, but to me, that says a lot about his character.


The Mighty O(bama), whether or not he's really about "change," possesses the same amount of arrogance as Bush #43. He believes that he can lead an entire nation better than anyone else. Now that's a true example of, "Yes, [I] Can!"



Peace.

With The First Pick, America Selects...

Written June 28, 2008:

In light of the Democratic Presidential nomination being all but wrapped, I'm compelled—for a few reasons—to speak on what seems to be America's new number one draft pick: Barack Hussein Obama. This won't be about his policies or his Iraq strategy, or anything...political, per se. If you frequent this blog, then you know I like to focus on the underlying ideas and theories that aren't mainstream enough to be regularly discussed. I'm going to present Senator Obama as if he followed the paths of a few famous/infamous draft prospects. But first, let's review his scouting report...

Based on the speeches, interviews, and debates I've seen, Barack Obama is a very charismatic individual. The way he speaks, one could believe he could read a cooking recipe and receive a standing ovation. He has excellent social skills. If his intelligence isn't already evident, he graduated from Harvard Law School writing the law reviews. That means he told other Harvard Law students what to write and how to write it. In sports terms, he possesses all the tools.

As with potentially franchise-saving players, Obama has a lot of outside pressures that are placed on him. With everyone still reeling from the Dubya Administration, the prospect of someone with new ideas is welcome with open arms. Then, throw in the fact that he's a "fresh face," and now you allegedly have a previously uninterested demographic now wanting to vote (read: most Black people). With his scouting report done, I'll now project him in the light of a few recent #1 overall picks.

Lebron James

This is the pick most people expect Barack Obama to turn out to be. Most Black people want him to be the savior of all that is African-American. They expect him to swoop in, like some sort of Super(Half)Negro, and rescue everyone. However, this isn't limited to just Black issues. People expect him to instantly lower gas prices, make health care free, and bring the troops home before dinner time. Regardless of how he develops as a President, whatever ideas he has for the country will take a minimum of two years to really blossom. Most people believe Lebron will win his share of titles in New York Cleveland; just like most expect Obama to work wonders from the Oval Office (insert Bill Clinton joke here). While supporters like myself have become witnesses, let's not forget that even King James needed Daniel Gibson to rise up to help him get to the Finals. And when Lebron's teammates didn't show up against the Spurs, he wasn't strong enough to carry him alone. This is the fate Obama will suffer if people don't realize that change starts with every person, not with the President. This brings me to an idea that few people refuse to acknowledge; and it's the path the next #1 pick traveled...

Kwame Brown

There's a notion that a lot of people aren't willing to accept as a possibility. What if Barack Obama, will all this hype, is a terrible Commander-in-Chief? What if he's in over his head, like Kwame is in the Association, and can only manage flashes of potential? Face it, folks. That can happen. I don't know what makes him oblivious to mistakes, when it's a known fact that he has very limited experience. This is not to wish any negative things on him. I'm just refusing to wear the rose-colored glasses that most supporters seem to put over their eyes when discussing him. Just because he's charismatic doesn't mean he's infallible. Now, he can't be traded like Kwame was; but he'd only be guaranteed the next four years...and that's if nothing happens. Conspiracy, anyone?

Michael Vick

Obama's time in office could go along the path of Michael Vick. Things could start out great, with him being the most electrifying President&mdashdespite not being totally adept at the position. He could perform his equivalent of being the first quarterback to win a game at Lambeau Field. Then, some event could be his presidency's version of Ed Hartwell breaking his leg; and the series of happenings could cause his term to be cut short. I'm not implying anything criminal...well on his part, anyway. I'm just saying that they shot John F. Kennedy. From that, I gather that no P.O.T.U.S. is safe...

Joe Smith

This is the path that has the most realness to it. He could be University of Maryland's own Joe Smith, a number one pick that manages to revive his career from the ashes. For the first part of his career, Smith was widely viewed as overrated. Now, especially after his trade to Cleveland, he's somehow underrated as a player. Obama's possible term to follow the same road. The policies and decisions he makes could leave him ridiculed at early outset. But as his term progresses, his judgment garners more and more appreciation; and he'll be undervalued in U.S. history. To me, this is still a letdown when one considers the tremendous fanfare Obama has going into the election. I guess his charisma could be his version of Joe Smith's 15-foot jumper...

No one knows what the future holds for Barack Obama. The only thing certain is that his draft stock can't get much higher. All that's left is to see how he develops over the next four years. Oh, and he does have my vote.



Peace.