The Black Informant

For some time now, I have been combing the Internet for any type of list that shows the reasons why African-Americans should vote for Kerry. To this day, I have still been unable to find such a list. Most of the African-Americans that are voting for Kerry this Fall, weather they want to admit it or not, to them, Kerry is nothing but a figurehead and not a true leader. Not only has Kerry failed to lay out any kind of real strategy for the African-American community, but he is continuing the tradition of exclusion by prominent Democrats by not having a significant inclusion of African-Americans part of his campaign (well, I forgot to include his wife). Yet we still manage to look over these inconsistencies and make excuses for them.

What can have so much power over the political consciousness of African-Americans that will have us refer to Bush as “the rich white guy” when Kerry clearly has more money that Bush? How can we be so dedicated to the Democratic party: a party that has never appointed the number of African-Americans currently serving in this administration’s cabinet- yet we still consider Bush to be a racist? How can we stand for a party that has contributed so very little to the same public school system that we complain about? This party also sneers at the idea of families in bad school districts having the option to homeschool their children. Our very own civil rights organizations rebukes that notion as well. Why then are African-Americans flocking to Kerry’s support? The reason is because of his stances on Affirmative Action and Civil Rights. Sadly, our culture has become so addicted to government hand-outs until we will easily look beyond character and gravitate towards the one that is giving stuff away. This is not to make a generalization that all African-Americans lack the ability to make sound political judgments. Instead, what you must realize is that if you take a people and systematically indoctrinate them through government programs that unless they view government entitlements as a necessity for success in life, it becomes very difficult to think “outside the box”. Only a massa could have this much power over an individual.

I have yet to hear a convincing argument from an African-American that totally believes in the leadership of John Kerry outside the Affirmative Action and Civil Rights issues. Just think, all Kerry had to do was to show up at the NAACP conference, say a few anti-Bush statements and leave. Not one challenge on the issues. That was enough for us to give him our vote.

So all of this brings me to this question:”Are we truly looking for someone that will lead this country as well as function as a world leader, or are we just looking for someone that can just give us stuff?”

More and more, I am hearing about other African-Americans that are leaving the plantation of the Democratic party and are moving to greener pastures. This does not mean that green pastures will always be Republican. What it does mean is that African-Americans are starting to discover the other options that are out there.