Co-signing this sentiment, all the way.

In a way, it is fostering dialogue about mixed children, though it's going in an awesomely bad direction.

We need to be focused on issues, on guiding this country out of the clusterfuck it's embroiled in, about civil liberties and respect for persons, and racial dynamics. But not in the way we've started.

Great post, Nez. I love it when you read my mind and you translate it into something comprehensible. ;)

I like Obama, I like what he stands for. I remember his speech at the DNC in '04. Takes guts to what he is doing. And the Murka doesn't like him, not one bit, because in order to accept him they must accept that something is rotten in the state of Amerika.

Good points.

Remember when Tiger Woods was coming up so fast? The "Establishment" couldn't fall over itself fast enough trying to point out that Tiger was "from a Thai mother". Fuckin' priceless, I tell ya.

I'm still on the fence about Obama (and all the rest of the candidates.. it's way too early to even think about it), but I agree with most of what you are saying. I've been thinking pretty much the same thing.

All this talk about "Is he *really* black" and all that, has been mostly started by right wingers (including black ones) and, of course, pushed breathlessly by the media, which reads confirmation of their suspicions in the polls that show that... what, black folks aren't ready to commit to Obama yet, or whatever it is.

Besides it' being too early, I think many people are just in a waiting mode, to see what he's going to do - I can imagine folks saying... "Just give him a little room, a little space to do what he has to do now", which is to become cemented in the mind of white america as a viable candidate. Someone who *can* win, and who they can be comfortable with. He is, indeed, walking a very thin tightrope and, to have any chance at all, he'll need to make very few missteps.

Anyway... how in the world did we wind up starting the presidential race the day after the mid-term elections? gah!

that's how bad we want to see a new person in the White House! we're like...."well, if we just start talking about the next election now, it's almost as if bush is gone in a way!"

seriously, it must be one of those burgers i ate, infected with Bush Derangement Syndrome. because i loathe that cat so much i will throw a huge bash the day he vacates the oval office. party like it's 1999.

lol yes, well I want to see him gone too (as does the majority of the country, apparently), but that doesn't mean I thus want to see the faces of all those who want to replace him!

eriously, it must be one of those burgers i ate, infected with Bush Derangement Syndrome. because i loathe that cat so much i will throw a huge bash the day he vacates the oval office. party like it's 1999.

You know... that wouldn't be a bad thing. Especially if it could be coordinated nation wide, lol. The spectacle of people dancing and partying in the streets, yelling and whatever, the moment the reins are passed (little matter to whom, at this point). If it was big enough to make international news, *that* would also be part of Bush's "legacy". In addition to Katrina, Iraq, economic devastation that is still to come, etc.

but they have such cute faces. :(

And hair... don't forget cute hair.

Even Biden's, almost... as long as you don't look too closely.

i wont vote for obama until i see him rockin a do-rag

I have no opinion on him as a potential candidate for President (it's too damn early to even think about it), but what's interesting is that the "Barack HUSSAIN Obama" complaints fell apart, so now the right is trying a new tactic -- not "black enough". Enough for whom? Maybe it isn't really a "new" tactic, but just a moderized version of the old use of "race" to keep people who should have a common interest divided... sort of the way "race" was used after Reconstruction to keep poor rural whites and ex-slaves from making common cause.

Pam's Blend made the common sense observation that the guy "looks black" and people think he's "black" (and he goes to a "black" Church) which I guess makes him... black.

I'm kinda tempted to point out that the republic to the South of the U.S. has had several mixed race presidents (including two who were considered 'black" -- Vincente Guerrero and Juan Alvarez -- in the 19th century, and the greatest of all Mexican leaders, Lazaro Cardenas, who was proud to include "blacks" among his ancestors), but -- realizing I write about a "backwards" people, wouldn't presume to suggest alternatives exist to American racist obsessions.

Well, you never know. Certainly that would provide competition to Edwards' bouffant... especially as Edwards wouldn't be able to (effectively) don a do rag himself. And it would have the additional benefit of adding a bit of pizazz to Obama's Brooks Brothers look.

(One thing is certain... there is no way either of us will ever be hired as campaign consultants ;)

Richard, I'm glad they are getting all that out of the way early... I guess that's one advantage to having a primary/election season that seems as if it's going to last 10 years - by the time the actual elections roll around, all the attacks will seem like old news.

In my opinion, people are backing Obama for the wrong reasons. Yeah ,he's black. He also supports bombing Iran for a nuclear weapons program which doesn't exist. As far back as 2004 he advocated attacking Iran. He's a black Hillary, a fucking weasel:
" we must communicate clearly and effectively to the factions in Iraq that the days of asking, urging, and waiting for them to take control of their own country are coming to an end. No more coddling, no more equivocation."

So far we've coddled maybe three quarter of a million Iraqis to death. Fuck Obama.

705 more days until Bush leaves office, says my Bush Out-of-Office Calendar!

And this pre-election preparation does feel stranger than in previous years. Grown folks playing with the internet and such.... Something big is going to happen in November '08.

hey joe (did i just hear a hendrix lick up in here?), i know you said "people," but it sounds like you are assuming i am backing him because he is black. i hope that's not the case. 1, i didnt say i was backing him, please note. and i didn't say he was not a weasel. because i think they are all weasels, as i said! honestly, i do.

2., if i did back him it wouldn't really be because he is black.

if feingold or gore ran i'd support them over obama, probably. due to their anti-war stance and Integrity®. but i still say he's braver. and it would be hard enough to get a black man elected president in Murka. try getting a black man elected president who is anti-war and in the midst of this war-parade we're in right now. sooner or later, a Brown man will be president. we have to shatter the wall in increments, i think. you know? if you ran a dark-dark skinned black man who came from the full "black descended from slaves in america" experience, and was all hellfire no caution anti war, etc there no WAY he'd even get as far as obama has! so obama is greasing the skids. he's getting a wedge in the door. and no matter who wins pres, it's a good intro, good progress. i really do think we've had enough White Men up in that house. one day soon i's love to see a big change from that.

all this being said, i really think the answer is to impeach and press criminal charges against bush. and his crew. i mean sure, some say im' a dreamer. but you know, i think i'm not the only one. maybe some day you'll join us.

;)

Yeah, Bush is going to declare himself the Eternal President, that's what!! (After all...his IS the Decider.)

Q-vo Nezua, no I meant people as a general statement. And you make a good point, that's exactly what my daughters say about him. And they make some similar points about Hillary, wanting a woman. I wasn't referring to you as backing him. Like I said, just a general "people". I have heard people at work or on the bus here in Oakland talking about Obama, they like him without knowing much about his politics. Kind of like the same way I used to like Ben Night Horse or Larry Echo Hawk. Both hack politicians but cause they were ndn I supported them till I started getting more political. I didn't read most of the post, probably I should have. The names Obama and Clinton just kinda set me off.

Hey Joe brings back memories. Wasn't there a long version called Hey Pinche Daddy ?
Ten cuidado man

cool, i gotcha now.

yes, if you read the post you would see that i was relating his bravery to enduring all the racial flack and what he will have to face, and also in withstadning so much outside decision on who he is ethnically, which i was relating to myself and my own experience. thus your brusque comment felt a bit pointed. but i know you're cool, and we can handle moments of misunderstanding, so i didnt start crying or anything, i swear.

YEAH, Hey Pinche Daddy, that's right. the Mexican version!

Orale. If I could select the next president I would go with la Brown Beret Mujer. You know she has good politics, and tu y yo could be her secret service agents. You know we'd take a bullet for her, probably get into chingasos over who who was gonna save her and probably put her in more danger que no ?

jeje probably. chingazos over Our Jpg Lady of the Brown Beret. but she'd be worth it, eh? just dont beg her to take you shopping, vato!