When Race Becomes a Political Strategy
By Soldier4Hillary on July 18, 2008 at 2:00 PM in Race, Race Card
I will never stop fighting. I have the right to dissent. I have the right to choose.
No matter how many obstacles get thrown in my path, I will move around them an continue to push forward. I believe in something many may not know about, care about, or may have forgotten:Freedom, Respect, Dignity, Economic and Social Equality.
‘The Battle May Be over But the War Has Just Begun’
In 1789, African Americans were defined in the Constitution as 3/5 of a person for counting representation, and were not allowed to vote. This, is a reminder of our history for those that have forgotten or may not know… so please pay attention, and listen. So in 1865, after the Civil War, we were given the right to vote and the ’3/5ths clause’ was rescinded. The 15th Amendment states, article 1: ‘The right… to vote shall not be denied or abridged… on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.’ For over 80 years, states did all kinds of things to block the right to vote for so many people. Such things like ‘literacy laws,’ which required that a person be able to read before they could register to vote is one. However, during the Civil Rights movement in the 60s, the last of the racial restrictions were removed. But prior to the 1960s, the Supreme Court determined that schools could be ‘separate but equal,’. But during the 1960s, the Supreme Court enforced finally the desegregation of the schools on the grounds that ‘separate is inherently unequal.’
Never forget where you came from or you will never see where you’re going, because sometimes you have to look to the past, to be able to understand a persons future. I may not understand how party politics may work, but I deal in reality daily. I have fought on behalf of my country, I have fought for my family and friends, and I have even fought for things I didn’t even believe in but I always continued to move forward and not use the past as a crutch, but a reminder, a tool, a lesson, of what it was, what it used to be, and what it is no more. And for once, the one candidate we had that spoke for Me and millions like me, who not only fought on behalf of me, but all of us. There is a problem when a party affiliation believes their needs override the needs of the American people. There is a problem when those who place country before party are constantly attacked. When a party believes their welfare and what they believe we need, overshadow what the country needs and the people want, there is a problem. I have watched and I have listened, and I have decided. I will not forget in November.
When I started this journey that led me to become part of this election, I was on the brink. In a state of depression, one of the lowest points in my military career. Fighting a battle daily and reached a point where I didn’t want to move forward or go on. My biggest fear, became my reality. I wasn’t getting the answers from my doctors I was looking for, told the same thing, day in, day out, without change. I walked the path alone, but I survived. During that time my main concern if things would of progressed in a downward direction was wondering what would happen making the transition from the military I love to the civilian world, with a predetermined illness. So I researched, and I found an online article in reference to a Universal Health Care plan which led me straight to Senator Clintons campaign. I was not always a Clinton supporter, I was just like so many who believed what they were told in the MSM until I researched for myself.
What many may not understand is that the reason I fight is because of my will to live, to excel, and to take steps forward without having to constantly look back. It took a long time to reach this point and there is no turning back. It’s not based on hysteria. Its not based on grief. It’s based on trying to survive when things are constantly thrown in your path. There are millions like myself all throughout this country, but not everyone may feel that their wants and needs are important and even worse they may be ashamed to bring them forward to address them. And now I stand for them. This was meant to be our election. The People. But as the days and weeks and months progressed it became all about you. It’s We The People. Not ‘I’, or ‘You’, WE, as in all of us.
So in saying that, for those of you who are delusional and are conveniently overlooking the documented truth that happened in the primaries because you lack the strength to stand up to the majority. Get Ready. And be Prepared. If you’re on the right side. The one with the American people than this doesn’t apply. But if you intend to put your candidate over your country, you have a problem. I did not find my voice to lose it now based on pac contributions, racial divide and fraud. I may be only one, but I am one of many. Those responsible will be held accountable, and no stone will be unturned, no matter how long it takes, what party you belong to or who you are. We no longer have to accept, the unacceptable, and if you can’t do your job you were elected to do, step down. If you can’t do it on your own, there are those that can help you in November. So this message is for ALL of you:
Tina Abbot, Yvette Alexander , Rev Willie Barrow, Rep Joyce Beatty, Rep Sanford Bishop Jr, Anita Bonds, Cordelia Lewis Burks, Rep GK Butterfield, Carol A. Campbell, Andre Carson, William Lacy Clay, James E. Clyburn, Eric Coleman, John Conyers Jr, Dr Jeanette Council, Mike Cryor, Rep Yvonne Davis, Ralph Dawson, Elijah E. Cummings, Rep Joyce Cusack, Rep Arthur Davis, Rep Danny Davis, Rep Lois Deberry, Arrington Dixon, Al Edwards, Rep Keith Ellison, Adrian Fenty, Carnelia Pettis Fondren, Ken Foxworth, Yvonne Gates, Lauren Dugas Glover, Janice Griffin, Steven Horsford, Ben Jeffers,Rep. Alcee Hastings of Florida; Rep. Corrine Brown of Florida; Del. Donna Christensen of the Virgin Islands; Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri; Rep. Kendrick Meek of Florida; Rep. Maxine Waters of California; Rep. Diane Watson of California; Rep. Edolphus Towns of New York; Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York; Rep. Laura Richardson of California; Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas and Rep. Yvette Clarke of New York, Albert Russel Wynn, Lottie Shackleford, Virgi Rollins, Gilda Cobb-Hunter, Alexis Herman
The 2008 election will go down in history. But not for the reasons you may think. It will be remembered and referred to as a time elected officials and surrogates and a majority of those above, allowed an individual to use the backs of those in the African American community, threats of ’riots’ and labels of ‘racism’ as a path to make it to 1600 Penn Ave. I don’t care who any of you chose to support. You have the audacity to stand aside and allow the hard work of Civil Rights Leaders & Activists black and white, that died for a cause, be thrown aside to appease Senator Obama’s feelings off entitlement based not on his character or experience, but his color.
The Civil Rights Movement began because of systematic disenfranchisement, segregation, exploitation and violence towards African Americans. Because we didn’t have anyone to represent our interests, we didn’t play a part in the justice system or law enforcement. We wanted to be equal. We wanted to be judged by our character and not our skin tone. We wanted respect. People fought for it. John Duffy, the leader of the Montgomery Improvement Association, church leaders like Rev. C. K. Steele of Tallahassee and Rev. T. J. Jemison of Baton Rouge; and other activists such as Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, Ella Baker, A. Philip Randolph.
In 1959, three women, three courageous women, Septima Clarke, Bernice Robinson, and Esau Jenkins, started the first Citizenship Schools in South Carolina’s Sea Islands. They taught literacy to help black people to pass voting tests. These people lived and fought during a time when true racism existed. There wasn’t just black activists but white ones as well. To have the audacity. The nerve and the gall to step forward and state that my vote, my right to choose, my ability to be part of the same process that history tells us our Civil Rights Leaders died for. So we can play a part in the system. To not be judged by the color our skin. To not be denied anything based on what we look like on the outside, because its what’s inside that counts. You want support for a individual based solely on what we fought against and to overcome. Being judged by Race and Race being an important factor. You will not destroy what they have built. You will not allow their sacrifices to turn into a political tool. This will not become a political strategy. their achievements for us will not be in vain and it will not be sacrificed to put any political candidate in any office be it Democratic or Republican.
If your selected nominee is unable to make it on his own merit and you intend to use ‘racial pandering’ for him to win, you will have a fight on your hands from county to county, and state to state. You have sat aside and let these commentators step all over their backs each and every time they have falsely labeled any and everyone racist who didn’t fall in and go their way.
You have denied the chance for our country to move forward by putting the best candidate forth, but it will be a cold day in hell before anyone will allow someone who doesn’t know our history, destroy our history. You allowed my vote, my right to choose to become meaningless, the moment, and the second, you stated, pressured and cajoled those to endorse and vote solely on race and not the issues. Your words will forever be a reminder years from now on what you attempted to achieve. The false labels of ‘racism’ applied to those who used their god-given right to choose who they wanted as the next Commander in Chief had the ability to cause political careers to end, based on false charges.
I have soldiers of difference race, gender, demographics and nationality. My job, my responsibility to do my job, cannot be defined by color. Because one thing I realized, Baghdad IEDs and mortars do not differentiate between race. I am above race. I am above gender. I am above demographics and nationality. No one individuals life, is more important than the other. I do not need to focus on any of those things to do my job. You sat back and allowed the label of ‘racism’ to become a strategy, to achieve a goal. You allow the world to think we will ‘riot’ if something is ‘taken away’ from Senator Barack Obama. You have managed to give the impression to the world that the only thing we care about as a whole, is race. When we have those who fought to not let race be a determining factor. So strong in your delusion, you have managed to selectively forget, that the candidate is of mixed heritage.
To verbally state that African Americans should support a certain candidate based on the pigmentation of their skin, makes you know better than the ones who prevented our ancestors from voting based on the pigmentation of their skin. As a black supporter of Senator Clinton, I have received threats wishing my death the next time I deployed, called a sellout and took verbal attacks daily all because of my choice. The same violence used as a tactic during the Civil Rights Movement for those who wanted more and not be judged based on skin color. Is the same violence used as a tactic for us to vote based only on skin color. I watched pundits in the news at every turn cry ‘racist’ until the word has no more meaning, and they used it only when someone admitted they chose to not support your selected nominee. Now, for those who actually experience it and have it happen to them, they have now become powerless. Your actions have ruined the chance and opportunity for those in the black communities to seek higher office because everyone will remember how the label of ‘racist’ was used as a political strategy. You never thought to think how this may impact your community. The resentment it would cause due to erroneous charges and labels of ‘racist’
You will reap what you sow. You are unable to see the writing on the wall. You align yourselves with an individual whose supporters and paid bloggers have put people through hell all because of their choice. You support an individual who feels as if they have the right to tell me how to run my life and what I am doing wrong, as if they had a clue about our history and past struggles. Do you think they look favorably upon us as they listen to words by Al Sharpton stating they will ‘riot’ in the streets? Riot? Why? What has Senator Obama done for our country? Name me five things he has done, and I can tell you 100 I have done for mine. Look around you. The economy, people losing jobs, can’t afford the basic amenities, health care and some struggling to put food on the table and can barely make it to point A to B. But instead of getting a speech on what he will do, he is giving speeches on what you have done wrong and what you should of done.
The deception used is causing events to unfold that would of never arose if you would of explained how the Democratic process worked. Instead of focusing on the number of registered Democrats, you should of also informed them how the primary process worked. You used their ignorance against them to achieve a common goal. From not explaining the difference between Delegates and Super Delegates and the fact that ‘presumptive’ comes with the required ‘Delegates’ and not a mixture. As well as the fact that the ‘Convention’ ‘Nomination’ & ‘Roll Call’ is not something created this election to ‘take something away’ from Senator Obama. And that makes you know better than the same ones who are attempting to deceive them.
I come from a long line of fighting women and men and it will be a cold day in hell before I ever sit quietly by and watch people get elected who are unable to look any further than the color of their hand. I will never, ever support racial divide. I have soldiers from different states throughout this country who are different races and come in all shapes and sizes. They are treated with respect, they have dignity and pride in what they do. They work, they deploy and they know the possibility they could lose their life, when they get on that plane. They deserve fair representation. Whether civilian, military, or a homeless man on the street. Do your job. If you are an elected official and do not have the ability to see past race and gender your a disgrace to the office you seek, or the office you may hold.
I am not against Senator Obama and the Democratic Party. I am for my country. I am against racial divide. I am against using labels of racism to achieve a goal. I am against racial pandering and slurs. And I am against those who use our history as a way to achieve a goal because they lack the ability to do it the honest way. What you fail to realize and what you choose to not acknowledge is that for almost a year your constituents have sent email after email, letter after letter and even cans with messages on them to you, to listen. They provided visual evidence that could be read, heard and watched. But you chose to ignore it. Not for the greater good, but yourself. Money.
You can have fundraisers from now until November but it will not erase the fact that when they wanted you to stand up and speak out you chose to allow them to weather the storm by themselves the best way they knew how. And they did. You ask of us to support your elections up and down the ballot but you didn’t have the fortitude to even acknowledge then and even now the truth of these primaries. You can lie to yourself, but don’t lie to those that elected you. Politics is grimy. I get that. But the thing is, this year, we have the ability to have a new form of politics that will be led by the people, and not pac money. No money in the world can get back, what this party has taken away from those who I have met through this campaign that have been part of the Democratic Party longer than I have been alive. No ads can be ran that can explain how you remained silent. And no amount of money will get back what we lost. There are no justifications or explanations. The Democratic Party we knew, is the Democratic Party no more.
Voting means nothing if you don’t know what you are voting for. You tossed away your core base in the primaries. You called them racist. You attacked their chosen candidate day in and day out. You allowed her to be labeled ‘waiting for and assassination’ to explain why she continued forward. You pushed her out, you turned your back, you paid bloggers that hacked accounts and emails and websites, calling people homes threatening them and their families, sending hate mail, posting personal information online for the world to see. A Super Delegate replying to emails stating ‘Clinton Supporters are vile, repugnant). Telling us to stay home on election day and that we are not needed. The foundation of the Democratic Party. Individuals that are consistent, that would of stood against the Republicans by your side, paving the way to a Democratic victory all the way across the board. For new young voter registration and campaign donations made by Republicans. Those new voters were voting for Senator Obama. Period. Not straight down the ballot, but voting for Senator Obama. That was all they knew and know and cared for. They didn’t and don’t care about the Democratic Party, all they concern themselves with is ‘taking something away’ from Senator Obama. Contributing to Senator Obama. So where do you come in? Why donate to you when they can donate to him, which would allow you to be basically just puppets waiting on a handout.
You can buy all the ads and tv space in the world with huge sums of money, but you can’t buy your constituents who elect you. And that is why Senator Clintons Army is 18 million strong. Why there are over 200 websites and 2.5 million individuals standing behind her, and her message. Not because we want to disrupt the Democratic party, but due to the fact in order for her to keep her promise to us, to continue to fight for the things she stated, we could not, and would not let her be held down with a debt that would of been used against her and prevented her from doing the job she is currently doing in the Senate. If we want change, it will require us to change how we do business.
CNN, MSNBC, FOX, had the ability to sway public opinion. The national television news coverage of the civil rights movement helped transform the United States by showing Americans the violence of segregation and the dignity of the African American quest for equal rights. In the American South, local television news coverage had immediate and significan’t effects. So now news coverage is used to strip away the rights of the American people by twisting words, story lines and headings all while giving your biased opinions as fact. The reason your unable, as well as the online blogs to focus on the issues. Is because the stance on the issues for Senator Obama change from day to day and it would be written proof, evidence, that he does change his opinion depending on the crowd and the day of the week.
I found my voice threw her in the primary just by watching the constant verbal abuse, actions of those in the MSM, the Obama campaign, and even this party itself. To be able to push forward when almost every online blog and online newspaper put her down day in and day out and continue to move forward is the type of leader this country needed. She spent eleven million dollars of her own money to give us a message, to not give up, that yes, this is worth fighting for, knowing the Democratic Party had already selected its candidate. Back when I was naive and under false allusions in the primary and listened to her continuously state so passionately how hard she would campaign for Senator Obama if he was elected (based on delegates), simply amazed me.
To work so hard for a party that turned its back, who supporters and paid bloggers who have said the most vile and despicable things towards you and your candidate daily and is willing to support them, these are the type of people who make history. We watch individuals come out on the news and state how they supported Senator Obama from the start but somehow mysteriously ended up being part of the Clinton campaign. She has done everything you have asked for her to do. Her supporters have stood by her and suffered every single up and down this entire time. It’s bad enough to watch her campaign and raise money for an individual who came up with only 100,000 dollars, when the coalition has raised Millions. Who hired individuals to attack any and everyone and everything Pro Clinton. No matter what words are used to ’describe me, ‘. I stand behind Senator Clinton because many chose not to. You chose to follow the money, and some chose to follow and continue to support a real leader.
The thought of having anyone with the power to turn Democrat against Democrat, and Democrat against those in uniform, is extra motivation to push forward. I, as others serve our country because we love our country but since this election, I have become equivalent and called ’Republican Trolls’ on and off the blogs for having the audacity to actually ask questions or have concerns. Everything is not a ‘gotcha’ game. This ‘by any means necessary’ motto should not apply in this election. Anyone able to use the words in a sentence that an individual was ‘tortured’ easily or state it was their fault because if something does not apply to Senator Obama, then they are against it, and will destroy with words, threats and comments, whatever is effective all in the sake of proving their point.
If anyone can go that route and to that extent to win, then we don’t who will be on our side? The elected officials we currently have? On both sides Democratic and Republican that haven’t spoken up yet for their own constituents?. Both parties are to blame. There is a serious problem when people will go so far as to attempt to demean military service, during a time such as this, when we are about to be spread far and wide with almost fighting two war. No one wants their loved ones reading the ignorance of others, watch those in the MSM twist words to benefit one side more than the other. We have a long way to go, because, when we begin to use label of ‘racist’ as strategy and tactic, attempt to suppress public opinion. And will go to great lengths to silence someone’s voice. There is a problem.
I do this not for me, but for them, those ‘delusional’ ‘racist’ people who have the audacity to not just ‘do what you say’ based on ‘just your words’. Those ‘creeps’, ‘dead enders’, & ‘republican trolls’ you suppose to represent but you forgot about.
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