Obama Continues Call for Social Responsibility
By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer
July 15, 2008 — Sen. Barack Obama told thousands gathered to hear him speak at the annual meeting of the NAACP’s convention he would not halt his call for African-Americans to embark on “individual responsibility” as part of the solution for improving the plight of Black families and communities.
Obama who is poised to become the first Black Democratic presidential nominee, said his journey to the White House, should he win, isn’t enough, stressing that it will require all Americans to exercise greater social responsibility.
His remarks during the civil rights organization’s 99th annual convention in Cincinnati Monday night praised those Black leaders, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rep. John Lewis, and the organization’s executive director, Julian Bond, for paving the way for today’s aspirating leaders. He told the crowd of 3,000, “If we’re serious about reclaiming that dream, we have to do more in our own lives.
”But with providing the guidance our children need, turning off the TV set and putting away the video games; attending those parent-teacher conferences; helping our children with their homework; setting a good example. That’s what everybody’s got to do,” Obama insisted.
He received thunderous applause when he urged Blacks to demand more of themselves, without mentioning recent criticism he received from the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Last week Jackson accused Obama of “talking down” to Black folks in his earlier comments on the issue of “responsibility” of Black men to their families. Jackson later issued an apology to the Illinois senator for his remarks.
But Obama reiterated the theme Monday night, saying, “I know some say I’ve been too tough on folks talking about responsibility. NAACP, I’m here to report, I’m not going to stop talking about it. Because as much I’m out there to fight to make sure that government’s doing its job and the marketplace is doing its job, … none of it will make a difference — at least not enough of a difference — if we also don’t at the same time seize more responsibility in our own lives.”
The 46-year-old, father of two, told those gathered at the Duke Energy Center that “when we are taking care of our own stuff, then a lot of other folks are going to be interested in joining up and working with us and taking care of America’s stuff. We can lead by example, as we did in the Civil Rights Movement. Because the problems that plague our community are not unique to us. We just have them a little worse, but they’re not unique to us.”
Obama revealed in his books that he grew up without his father and has spoken often about the importance of parental responsibility and fathers participating in their children’s lives.
Arizona Sen. John McCain (R) is scheduled to address the convention on Wednesday.
no comments i suppose meaning he is right? guys where are you??? being responsible has never been a suit of many, excuses have.
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OBAMA and Jesse are both right. Unfortunately, Obama may be black, but he really can’t totally relate to many of the experiences of blacks in America from the pre-Civil Rights era. Some of the stupidity we have allowed to go on in our culture deserves to be chastised. However, Obama would certainly have used a different approach if he would have been speacking to people of different ethnicity. Blacks chastising other blacks is nothing new, often practiced in the South during thoughout the Pre-Civil Rights Era. Is he really trying to help? Did Obama reley this message in his book when he spoke of his father’s dreams. Or is Obama just trying to show the other Americans that he is not going to give us our Reparations or show empathy for the black plight?
This is as funny as it gets…lol. Obama and left wing liberals are all about the government helping and doing. Now he is attempting to sound like a conservative who has been saying this same thing for a hundred years. Cosby says this and he is a sellout, and airing our dirty laundry….please.
You all are tripping for real. Obama is not attempting to sound like a conservative or using these ginuine pleas to african americans as a method to advance his career. Obama is a democrat with morals (hard for you to beleive). And furthermore he is one person in this world who understands that celebrity can and should be used for more then personal gratification- he says what he says because he understand his ability to inflict change and advancement in our community.
Go OBAMA! YES WE CAN!!!
Telling someone to be a responsible father should not just be limited to the black community. Both times he’s made a call for black fathers to step to the plate he was in front of predominantly black crowds. Is he afraid that if aires the black communities dirty laundry in front of whites, hispancis or asians that he will be viewed as pandering? Which is exactly what he’s doing. He’s changing his viewes daily and he’s showing he’s nothing more than a typical politician.
brandon:
this subject has been exhausted on another BET blog so save the sarcasm.
Obama has sparked in interest in politics like Tiger sparked an interest in golf for African Americans. This is a beautiful thing. We need to watch being so sarcastic and look at the bigger picture. Of course he’s going to cater his message to a specific crowd occasionally. I don’t think there’s anyone in the world that doesn’t do that! If you’re going for an interview do you answer all questions the way you feel or do you water down your answer to attain the position? If that doesn’t apply I’m sure you can think of a situation in your life where it does. Be real with yourself. His “black parent” comments are needed (and we all know that there is good and bad in every ethnicity). Can anyone say that he is not the most sincere politician in the last decade? Change is obviously what we all need not just in politics, but in our lives…espeacially if all we’re not doing what he’s pushing us to do.
I will say I told yall so….if he gets elected
whether you like it or not - a little introspection and discussion can only help.
I don’t think Obama is putting the black community down or airing out our dirty laundry. I believe that he is trying to ecourage the black community. We have to look at what we do as an individual before we blame other people for our short comings. The people during the Civil Rights Movement faught hard for the things we take for granted today so before we point fingers lets take a look at ourselves.
The remarks made by Jesse Jackson was shocking and inevitably unnecessary. Obama is right about Black men standing up and taking care of their responsibilities. We have generations ranging from the 1960s to 2000, who didn’t not have a father to raise them. Many said that he is airing our dirty laundry. Trust me when I say that the government and “white people” know more about us than we do. They know our next move because we as a people are too ignorant and stupid to listen to truthful leaders such as Obama who are not only speaking the truth and helping us, but has also went through the same exact things most Black people who have gone through. I’m tired of people saying that he is not entirely Black. We have many celebrities that are accepted by Blacks such as Lenny Kravitz, Halle Berry, Alicia Keys, and Evan Ross who are mixed, but we don’t question their ethnicity. But when someone is trying to change us from our old ways we have a problem. I wish that Black people would stop complaining about things and do something about it. And that’s the truth.
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Yeah OBama is 100% correct. We as hard working black parents expect our chrildren to reach farther heights than we have. We work hard to put our son’s and daughters through college. The only thing I as a parents ask of my children is to take advantage of the oppurtunity to be privalege to be able to get an higher education. In my day you had to get it on your own and now that I have pulled myself up by the boot straps I expect own children to take a step farther. Be responsible for your actions and expect and strive for perfection. The life trend of our young men walking around with their pants hanging off ther behinds and our young girls showing it all has to come to an end. Respect yourselves and love yourself enough to want to look intelligent and be respected.
I have no problem with Sen.Obama stessing responsibilty,however too single out Blacks is a bit much.Some Blacks are not the only ones neglecting resonsibilty.Sen.Obama should be all inclusive,stressing too all Americans the same virtues.That way there will be no backlash from anyone.
Obama is not and has not said anything that is untrue about the black community. We need to pull it together not only for our children to have a better life, but so that we can have a better life. What is so wrong about telling black men to stand up and take responsibility for the children they help bring into this world? As an educated black woman from an upper middle class upbringing, many may say that I have no business commenting on the plight of black america! The truth is we have all experienced what is like to be BLACK IN AMERICA!!! Education is the key and we need to ecourage our children, our friends and maybe even our parents to achieve more than our surroundings. We as a community need to start SUPPORTING one another and not critizing and calling each other “sellout” for bringing the truth to the forefront… We need to stand together as those who came before us did to make our future bright!!!
OBAMA 2008
Why is everyone worried about the fact that Obama stated that “Black” men need to take of their responsiblity and not other races? We need to worry about home and not others!!! While it may be true that the same speech needs to be given to whites and hispanics, we still should not be worried about that!!! AGAIN FOCUS ON HOME… we can not change them, we can change ourselves!
I respect Obama and he will get my vote, and I know that our community struggles with some major issues and we need to get it together. But, I think Obama is wrong for making all of these speeches about our race in a ‘general’ way: because not all of us are baby-mommas, baby-daddys, uneducated, lazy a$$holes. I agree with the previous poster who feels that Obama is saying what ‘they’ want to hear in an effort to show that black-folk wouldn’t get special treatment if he does become President. Like I said, there is some truth to his remarks but they don’t apply to ALL of us. I knbow I personally cannot get anymore RESPONSIBLE or moral than I already am! And I hope Obama doesn’t make a habit of speaking negatively about us cuz it’ll piss people like me off and he may lose some of OUR votes because of it.
reparations?. what you ARE STILL WAITING ?. well, dont hold your breath or you will run out of air…
and the question beggers belief why does it have to be asked again?.
Rosie, you go girl~!!!
Johnell
Sen.Obama is running for President of all the United States, so for him too single out one group in a speech about taking responsibilty comes across as “pandering” to whites that he is not above being critical of his own race at the exclusion of others when the problem involves ALL races not just Blacks.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
BET,
Fix you website. I’m seeing the previous bloggers name and email.
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…n-e-way
to The Facts, well said!
its not “pandering ” to tell the truth about something that needs to be addressed but is sunk under a sea of “its not us , its them” … that is sooo tired and dead in the water.. key word.. RESPONSIBILITY.. yes, whites are deadbeat dads but blacks have now made it a speciality like fried rice is to the chinese… !!i wonder, was bill cosby “pandering” to whites when he stood up and spoke out, or is oprah another “panderer ” to whites cos she emphasizes education and training not hip hop and rap stars on her shows?. of course whites watch her a lot.. might have something to do with those book clubs …
Olounwa
It comes across as a pandering when the problem is not exclusive to just one race.Had he made the speech to all then this dicussion would not exist.It is true that there are some irreponsible blacks but it’s also true there are some irrepobsible people in all races so it is pandering to whites for votes when the problem is wide spread to all races and classes
For sombody too think irresponsibilty is limted to just blacks I recommend they take a second,third and fourth good,long look at what is really hapenning.
I agree with Mr. Obama 200%!!!!! People need to snap out of it and stop the denial. Self-destruction!! Some of us need to take responsibility. Look within……
OMG… Yes the problem is widespread, but that doesn’t change the fact that is especially a problem in the black community!!! perhaps we as a community do not want to hear it or own it, but that doesn’t not change the fact that it exists. Forthermore, we should be more like “let’s change this perception of black america” and less like ” look at the other races, they are doing the same thing”!!! And yes, there are many of us doing the right thing. But that doesn’t change the fact that many more of us are not. We should stop the debate about who’s right or wrong and work amongst ourselves to make changes in our community for the better.
johnell
We do agree that the problem is widespead and I don’t think people are saying:”look at other races”.The reasons for this type of behavior vary fom person to person.I do think that in many instances the problem is not the child,but with one or both parents not getting along with each other which makes the child the victim and is a sad and disgraceful shame
I just think the dude is playing politics as usual and he has campaigned on being a new type of politician. He’s a panderer. He goes in front our other groups and say stuff like “You need to make sure your child could speak Spanish” when his children can’t speak Spanish. These problems are not new to our community. And as a democrat he believes in creating programs to maintain irresponsible behavior (not all the programs the dem’s do some good, not a lot but some). So I don’t get. He needs to concentrate on being President of the United States not Moral Overseer of Black America. But somehow he gets a pass. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson loathes what Cosby said but I saw him on the Fox Channel the other night praising Obama for speaking out on these issues. And we can all agree Obama and Cosby are speaking the same language. It doesn’t make sense to me. And how can he truly stand up now and talk. Wasn’t he a Representative for the south side of Chi-town? Did he tackle the behaviors of that community or is it that we are the black community he didn’t know. I surprise he hasn’t disowned us yet.
Obama is so right because he can relate to both sides. Black American men should be more responsible in taking care of their families.It’s happening in all nationalities but in reallity everyone always try and make the Black culture look the worst. I’m behind Obama 100% because he has a zealous concern for his people.
We need race overhaul in the worst way! I,m proud that we are getting more involved and aware of what people are saying and thinking about us. We should care so much that we should stand up when we feel that we are being sigled out. This shows that we do care “now” if we can we can put into action how much responsible we really are. We can do this by our black men “all of us” truly being men the way GOD intended. Lead by example and show our women and children the way. johnell I agree with you every word!!!!!!!
Alex, why should obama “own ” your just because of the colour of his skin.. thats just a stupid statement. he does not own you or owe you. you dont have to vote for him because he is black ,,infact you dont have to vote for him if you can vote or can be bothered to vote follow your concious or not. barack obama is a politican not the second coming and he is not about to lead the isrealites into the promised land.this is as good as it gets there is no “eden” where “black people can do as they did before their ancestors were brought over here” . absentee fathers/non existant husbands are a real problem in all black communities within all western govts . welfare has not help blacks it has hindered them greatly..a chain is as strong as its weakest link, the black non-existant family is the weakest link, like it or not.
truth is.. black popular culture that is the most visible comes from black america.. the most visible of this culture is purely based on the rap and hip hop street culture and based on the criminal elements that have now been glorified and demonised within this genre.. this is not a good thing for all black people as its being imitated and copied.( very badly) by blacks in other western cultures ..unfortunately its seen as something to aspire to.. gone are the days of decent values that have virtually disappeared under a morass of greed and bluster…. obama will not be popular amongst blacks who are not used to being told what they dont want to hear. but i dont blame him.. he wants blacks do step up their game and do better . its not about money or bling.. its about responsibility … funny word that.. not one that is of major concern to those who dont use it much.
olounwa,
The “disowned” comment flew completely over you head. It obvious you are an uneducated voter not and don’t know who you are voting for.
I think you missed might point. That’s okay it happens – probably my fault. My point was Obama needs to stick with trying to be President of the USA not go on this “Black men be men” campaign. I agree with you on the rest of your points about voting, welfare and the family. That’s all fine and true, but we know that already. What he can do, if he really wants to help, is talk more about our potential as a community. Talk about our greatest. Talk about our rich history of innovation. Talk about our great universities. Talk about the large number of blacks that our CEO’s and business owners. He should be selling our virtues to mainstream America not kicking up dust. And again we know good and well about our lack of family structure – everybody in America knows our strife. I would like him to speak about our POSITIVE influence and greatness in America.
The question has never been whether Barack Obama is speaking down to black people. If we were to view it from that premise it would mean that we agree with white national news agencies that call him “elitist”, which is another word for “uppity”. Obama has always voiced his concern for the black community and their personal responsibility in what their lives have and can become. To ignore his early community activism is to act as if he just started dealing with these topics. No, he has been on the scene for more than twenty years organizing Black and Latino communities and encouraging them to do more and do better. He was doing this long before John McCain was in Arizona voting against Dr. King’s birthday as a national holiday. Obama was in the trenches, while Jessie Jackson was visiting the White House promising yet another white candidate the black votes needed for victory and building his own kingdom. There’s not one self-respecting black person that feels disrespected when asked to take responsibility for their children and their choices. Its empowering not, devaluing. I have absolutely no problem with the Black America Obama invisions.
Dont get me wrong, I agree with Obama, and I am voting for him…I agree with Vee on this one, Not all blacks are menaces to society, not all blacks are irresponsible, I feel like his speech could have uplifted our race of people….But its like you are never going to hear white america beating up on their race, you will never hear that, You never hear about whites having a forum and them beating up on their people who are a detriment to society, they just dont do that, why cant we do the same…..I mean we see that it doesnt work, What Bill Cosby, said a few years ago, while I agree with some of what he said I dont agree with how he came across saying it, he did more harm than good and that’s not a good look!!! But overall I got what Obama was saying, but we should not paint with such a broad brush, , because there are only a few nuts out there that make our race look bad, as well as other races….Our people have been kicked down and talked down to for so long!!
It seems that perhaps we are more focused on the fact that it is thought that Obama should have tiptoed around the issue(s)of black america. We have issues and we need to own them and try our best to correct them and uplift one another. From what I can tell is everyone seems to be focused on what white america does and/or doesn’t do and how that somehow compares to black america. We take things offensively because it is the truth. Until we accept the issues and own the issues how can we begin to correct the issues?
and furthermore… if you think that someone missed your point or misread a comment posted there is NO REASON to call them “uneducated” or down talk to!!! A debate and/or disscusion is great and we need to express our points of view without being critized or being talked down to… Which is by the way what many seem to be saying about Obama.
It’s nice that Obama has the whole NAACP speech up on his website, but 23/6 has got a hold of the, erm, edited version that is much more hilarious. By far. And he’s still got nuts!
http://www.236.com/news/2008/07/15/barack_oballsa_makes_an_appear_7750.php
johnell you are right. I’m sorry olounwa.
Amen Alex, You are right on point, I mean everyone knows the rhetoric of the deadbeat dads story,the people on welfare, everyone knows the situations surrounding them, What are we going to do to address these issues, we can talk til we are blue in the face, I think our black race has so many positives than negatives to preach about!!!! Why not focus on those things, people hear and see the negative about our communities everyday, when there are so many great things that have come out of our community!!!
Baraack is absolutley right we need to take a long hard look at ourselves as a people and ask if Martin Luther King was here would he be pleased that man died for us to have the same rights as whites yet we don’t take care of our neighborhoods or schools lets be an example let us rebuild our achools and communites so everyone can look at us and say wow instead of running away we are smart innovative people let us show America how great we are
My opinion: Obama is an empty suit that happens to be a great orator. If he is giving a speech, or on the stomp, he is great, but during debates or ANY tough questions…the guy stutters, long winded, and dont make sense in many cases. I commend him for an execellent campaign, and he deserves to be the nominee. Now when its time to vote, I will vote for whats best for my family, me, then I began to look at what I believe is right.
Since no one outside of the southside of Chi-town knows obama, we must look at his RECORD in the U.S. Senate where he has voted on all major issues governoring this country except to go into Iraq (but he keep voting to fund it). I am a right of center guy who is a hawk on fiscal issues, and more liberal on social issues, and obama is the TOTAL opposite of this, so how in the hell can I vote for this guy other than the fact he is half black? My vote will be casted based on the history of both candidates on issues important to me (taxes, iraq, drilling EVERYWHERE, reforming social sec, and many other programs that are vaccums for my money).
Again, when Cosby tell it like it is (and puts his money where his mouth is), he is called a sellout, buster, etc, now a half black guy who didnt even come into the black community until he was an adult is praised for a speech.
for the record: I supported Bill Cosby when he made the speech he did… he was right then and obama is right now!
Johnell, thats good to know, but most folks never heard of you….lol unlike dyson, b.e.t., and other prominent blacks who BLASTED Cosby.
What Obama said was true, he didn’t say all black men. He was making that speech on father’s day, he is not talking down to anyone. We do need to take care of our children,look at our families. I don’t care if it’s a problem with other groups, I’m concerned about our children. They already have it hard just by being black, half-black, three quarters black, etc. Maybe McCain should say it, I wonder how people would react to that.
As black man I am proud of Obama! How many of you calling his comments pandering are running for president? We need to hear this every five minutes! White males and others are not under attack like we are. Why would Obama waste his breath speaking on that? I don’t know where some of you brothas and sistas live but we are in serious trouble. So personally I think it’s stupid to bring up pandering when this man is telling the truth. Just like Bill Cosby, Obama has a platform to say what black fathers need to be doing. Whites, hispanics and asians males have nothing to do with our issues. So it childish even bringing them up. Your enemy is never going to help you! WE MUST HEAL OUR COMMUNITY OURSELVES
BLACK FOLKS!
Obama is right….the longer we take dealing with re-becomimg the black family we were….the whiter we get!!!…so…we as black men need to step it up for our children. Remember…BLACK IS NOT A COLOR…IT’S A WAY OF LIFE!
John, tell that to your elementary teacher…i was always tought black is 1 of the 8 primary colors….lol, just kidding, but remember, obama is half black and has far more of a white back ground than anything black. Again, the guy didnt find the black community until he got to chi-town as an adult. He is no different than that white priest who went off on Hillary except the priest is not half/half. They are cut from the same cloth after being apart of that inner circle on the southside. To each its on, but I dont subscribe to this way of educating, helping, etc, the black community.
alex.
african men are men. there is no welfare state in any black african country to speak off. if you have children outside marriage you take the consequence of that..its not considered normal. men do not parade criminal activity and parasitic behaviour as something to emulate and admire.. no society is perfect and its not prefection you should aim for but as they say, “physican, heal thyself”.. you have to tackle these problems head on..if you dont ..it will sink you.. and not only you .. most of you dont realise that you are just a tiny spec of the wider black experience on this planet.. as americans tend to think in isolationist terms, black americans think the same way whites do .. assuming that all blacks are alike and all black people on this planet are go thru the same exp. they have .. not true. what you do have is exposure within the western world context… you have access and the means how you choose to use these tools is the contentious issue. i agree with obama and the stance he is taking.. white america knows more about black america than they do.. so he doesnt have to talk up anyone..its not about selling the latest hiphop rap album.education should be your one and only priority but it isnt… thats the truth…and those who face the truth amongst you are the ones hated on and shot down …its a shame, but the truth is that WOMEN are the ones training boys to BECOME MEN.. and it just doesnt work that way… you dont have to be fabulously wealthy to step up to the plate as husbands and fathers… but as i said, its now a rarity to find black husbands and real hands on fathers within the black communities in western societies and it shouldnt be the case..
ps… why do you ASSUME am an american?. i know what i put out there.. if you dont understand it ask.
Responsibility!!! This has to be a serious joke.
His 850 billion dollar giveway programs that he is proposing will make people even less responsible.
Obama desires for men and women to be more dependent on government instead of being responsible for their own actions or lives.
When liberal socialists and radicals like Obama speak about responsibility, they are just talking.
B.E.T., where is the critiq (sp) of McCains speech at the NAACP?? I would like to know your thoughts.
Obama is right. We had black people do need to take a stand and be responsible black men and women and stop using the white man as an excuse.No matter who gets to be the next president. We all need to take a stand for our actions and change comes within. We will only be a better people if we take responsility for our own actions. Change come with in.
Olounwa:
How do you know what black Americans think?
White America does NOT know more about black America than we do.
Do not lump ALL black Americans in the same boat because those of us who know better and do better are ashamed of those of us who don’t. We realize that there are segments of the black community that need to be fixed and that will only come from within. If it takes more speeches and more hurt feelings and such to change the thinking of some of us, bring it on!
EDUCATED, RESPONSIBLE, PRODUCTIVE BLACK AMERICANS ARE NOT OFFENDED BY OBAMA’S SPEECHES… WE ACTUALLY AGREE WITH HIM!!!
I can remember a few years ago when Bill Cosby made the comments about the black community, There were not too many positive responses, as with Obama today, How hypocritical we can be!!!!
seschris
Olounwa knows everything there is too know about Blacks in America,she probably thinks that we are a bunch of teenagers,so don’t waste your time.
well, considering most teenagers only listen to themselves what can i say?. case closed.
“Most teenagers listen to themselves”,I don’t think so.However I can understand why they don’t listen to you,so there is nothing you can say.Case closed.
really?. and what do you know about teenagers jfffnn, got any yourself?. mmmmm?. think not.. again.. CASE MOST DEFINATELY CLOSED…
no,they are grown now.
By the way who did your daughter say she don’t wan’t too be like ? having asked that, case most defintly closed
once again, how do you ‘dont think so~” when you dont know any teenagers!!!lol!! how funny… its like the blind man telling the man with sight how a tree looks.. once again… jfffnn.. CASE CLOSED…!!
I realize you are going through the change of life so now would be a good time too go get some exercise.
Wow…
Congratulation!!!he is a great man,support him.
many fans on a tall dating site ____Tallloving.com____ will be happy now,especially those models.
Olounwa
Seriously,thanks for the laughs this morning so have yourself a nice weekend.
As a young black woman & mother I totally agree with Sen. Obama. What’s wrong with taking individual responsiblity. Stop blaming the government and society for everything. stas. shows that there are more black males in jail than college. There are more absent fathers in the black comunity. HIV/AIDS has had especially ravaging effects Within the Black community.
According to federal crime figures, homicide is the leading cause of death among African-American males aged 15 to 34. They also indicate that between 1976 and 2004, 94 percent of black murder victims were killed by black offenders.
Therefore this man is saying what any good father would say to his children.
We as a people should see how we are portrayed, lets try to change that by working on ourselves one person at a time.
Susana, unfortunately, the policies that Obama is advocating negates all his words on responsibility.
His 850 billion dollars worth of welfare expansion will give men more excuses not to be responsible because there will be a big paternalistic government to usurp their roles as father.
It is time for all Americans (black, white, etc.) to begin the gradual transition from perpetual dependency on government programs to become responsible adults that can support themselves and their families.
just had a chance to look at jffnn’s comments.. not sure what they were about but they didnt make much of a point.. ..( americans are funny creatures …)
Olounwa
My point was from last week when we were going back and forth about teenagers(getting old huh).I really enjoyed the banter,you made me laugh because you like too argue for no reason at all. Now pay attention to your blood pressure.
Olounwa:
Sort of like all of your comments huh??…not sure what they were about but they didn’t make much of a point…(strange african know it alls…)
arrogant foreigner’s venting about america…I see a pattern here!!!
Susana and Patrick I totally agree with you. Even though I am not an Obama supporter, I do aqree with the social responsibility aspect. We as Black Americans need to accept responsibility for our community and actions within that community. Lets stop blaming the “white man” because that song is old! I was born and raised on a sugar-cane plantation, but work my way through the military from enlisted to officer corp and acheived my Master’s Degree in International Relations. I did it through “MOTIVATION for SELF IMPROVEMENT”. No excuses, just hard work to become something special and hopefully give back to the community.
This political race has become all about RACE and not about issues. Barack does not owe the Black voters anything special, but we as Black-Americans need to take self-interest on the issues of why the high-school dropout rate is increasing, why is the percentage of black college graduates low, why are black men evading responsibility of fatherhood and not motivating themselves to get a good education to compete in a growing, globalizing economy. The “white-man”, nor policeman have nothing to do with that.
We as a culture need to become better through social responsibility.