"One nation under GOD, indivisible with Liberty and Justice for All"
If you just take a look at the Pledge of Allegiance you can see as a Nation we still fall short for we are very divisive according to race, gender, and religion. Technically speaking it's two (2) America's! One for the haves and the other well, is not the have nots but the have need of..........
Watching the debates from incumbents seeking to hold the job of CEO of USA is chilling and humorous at the same time. Listening to how they all would "change" the way Washington Politics are done. Getting more accomplished here in America. Even universal health care system that will potentially make us all sick. Just from the red tape it will bring and penalties for not having it. My take is nobody is sure how we will get out of this current recession. Spending tax rebates is there only solution to date.
But, lets go deeper...............
The mainstream media has declared John McCain the front runner for the Republican Party and their nominee although Huckabee and Mitt Romney both seem to have a better strategy of getting things done to save US economy. Huckabee is a strong candidate because in spite of them stuffing John McCain down the GOP constituency throats and convincing them that he's their man for the job he stated that in a democracy you must have opposing positions in order for "the people" to all feel that they have participated in the process.
The Democratic Party is pulling a totally different stunt in order to get their "establishment selection" a shot at winning the nomination. If McCain can barely win in South Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the rest and be proclaimed the "Front runner", then WHY is the DNC afraid and mainstream media outlets to proclaim Barack Obama as Democratic as it's Front runner. It took 10 consecutive wins in Key states Potomac Primaries, South Carolina, Iowa, and the like if you look at the numbers statistically without Super Delegates he's still the in the lead for the nomination. But, loyalty to previous Administration "The Clinton's" has prevented this historical debut of what everyone is feeling. Barack Obama is the peoples choice overwhelmingly and he's winning the hearts and minds of ALL Americans not just the so called "Black vote," Obama managed to run a good campaign without any scandals or people being fired or resigning. He has managed his campaign funds which is a good indication of the kind of leadership he can bring to the US and abroad.
He has proven based on his qualifications alone the ability to lead, being mulatto gives him the ability to see the world from a whole different pair of eyes, uniquely he has what it takes to UNITE this country whose main theme is hung on "with liberty and Justice for ALL," and "O say does that star spangled banner yet wave?"
Not for the Middle class and Impoverished people. America is home for all Nations and Nationalities but we have not evolved as a people enough to stop hatred, hunger, and basic neglect of our country. Our children of the 21st Century also have different pair of eyes. We need a fresh and new approach to the way we do business here in our Nation. If we really are a land of Christians we need to ask ourselves are we Christ-like as a people. To often you see polls about women over 50, White men under 30, Black Men under 25 death toll, and Latino who are here illegally. We categorize and compartmentalize way too much and never do we research our information being feed to us via various media outlets, but now we have the Internet which allows the whole world to see. IF we are the example of what a Nations is supposed to be like, how it's suppose to look. We have failed we aren't looking so great.
We do have a chance to become a more powerful Nation if we can UNITE as it is written in biblical scripture, "a house divided against itself shall not stand." Our Nation has to put a end to bigotry against race, religion America is where you have the Freedom to believe and practice any religion. We need to have more open forums and town halls to discuss these issues and work on a solution collectively. White have to open up to the idea that all are supreme beings made by GOD as you see HIM and understand HIM to be. Stop being a silent racist open your circle of friends to include people other than your race. Don't let fear prevent you from being a blessing or receiving one.
Muslims are being stereotype and we fear or become skeptical about anyone whose religion is Muslim. WHY?
Look, when you live in a glass house you can't throw no stones.
If a man can call himself a GOD fearing Christian blood washed holy and sanctified and believes in the right to life and has so much passion about it that they it moves them to go out in protest and blow up a clinic with expectant mothers in the name of GOD or a Tim McVeigh who blows up a building in broad daylight that housed a Daycare Center in the name of Waco and Ruby Ridge didn't make our friends abroad scared of those radical extremist Christians.
What if the world turned against Christianity?
Already you have people who want to change how we practice our faith at Christmas, and Pledge of Allegiance they want to take GOD out of everything. Gays and Lesbians now have the right to marry.
We all get on our high horses and want to pass judgment on people who are different or look different from us.
Bottom line, we are all guilty of silent bigotry. But, when you hear politicians say but their are some good Muslims who aren't radicals. Well, you can say that about any number of groups from all persuasions.
Why? Or is the question; How do we learn from our past mistakes and embrace this change? My answer is simple we have got start with our thinking to become indivisible .
I have friends from different towns, cities, parts of the world who call themselves Americans and are good and decent individuals. As expected we do have different beliefs culturally speaking from mine but it makes our friendship that much richer because we are sharing experiences and growing up together.
Finally, too many people died for our right to Vote, people lets take up our places and UNITE. We are a family, you never get to choose family just gotta love em! But you can choose your friends and how you look at life think positively about embracing change. Remember no change comes without sacrifice and struggle.
Each one teach one!
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming ... - 2006 - 594 pages
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Blacks in Hollywood: A Dream Deferred or Delivered?
On the 80th anniversary of the Oscars, have Blacks finally arrived in Hollywood or does the struggle continue? EBONY profiles 70 box-office heavy hitters in Hollywood and offers advice on red carpet fashion for various body types.
Two Sides: Do you have to go to church to be a Good Christian?“Yes. The church remains a force for political and social change,” said Rev. Clarence L. James Sr., who is founder/president of Youth Leadership Development Programs and national evangelist of the Prince of Peace Sanctified Baptist Church in Chicago. “No. Organized Black religion is failing,” wrote Haki R. Madhubuti, poet, founder and publisher of Third World Press and University Distinguished Professor and director of the Master of Fine Arts Program at Chicago State University.
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Books: 'Divided America'
Divided America» Links to this discussion
Earl BlackCo-Author, "Divided America" Thursday, February 21, 2008; 12:00 PM
Earl Black was online Thursday, Feb. 21 at noon ET to take your questions on his book "Divided America: The Ferocious Power Struggle in American Politics" -- coming out in paperback March 25 -- and why no matter who wins the Democratic primary, the prospects of a general election landslide for either party are slim.
Black is a professor of political science at Rice University. He has written several books with his brother, Emory University government and politics professor Merle Black, about the transformation of Southern politics.
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Earl Black: Good afternoon. This is Earl Black, co-author with my brother Merle Black of Divided America: The Ferocious Power Struggle in American Politics. Simon & Schuster will publish the paperback edition of this book next month.
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Harrisburg, Pa.: I understand and agree with you that politically Americans are very divided. What happens if the voters are divided even further, meaning that a "leftist" candidate (such as a Nader) and/or "rightist" candidate (such as a Ron Paul or a Tancredo) further divide this divided population? Who is more vulnerable to being divided further, the Democrats or the Republicans?
Earl Black: Divided America shows that the national party battle is the product of two competitive minority parties. Neither party can win national elections simply by uniting their partisans and turning them out. Many of the 50 states are generally safe for one of the major parties. Democrats rely on tremendous support in the Northeast and Pacific Coast, and Republicans rely on tremendous support in the South and Mountains/Plains. But these regional strongholds don't add up to national majorities. The Midwest is the nation's swing region, and Ohio would be the most important swing state in the Midwest.
Splinter candidacies (right or left) might be very important in a few states where the party balance is very competitive. Nader's campaign in Florida in 2000 might well have taken enough votes from the Democrats to affect the outcome. In most states, one party usually has a large enough advantage to win despite third parties.
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Laurel, Md.: When I was growing up, the Senate included a few liberal Republicans like Charles Matthias, Lowell Weicker and Jacob Javitts, and some conservative Southern Democrats. In my opinion, this allowed a certain breadth to the political process because every issue wasn't necessarily both ideological and partisan. There was a measure of the spectrum a couple of years ago that determined that it has become almost one-dimensional. Robert Byrd (closest thing to an old-fashioned Southern Democrat anymore) and Lincoln Chaffee were the outliers that roughly defined the second dimension. Does the fact that the parties have little internal breadth make compromises more difficult?
Earl Black: As we show in Divided America, both parties today are much more ideologically pure than before. Conservative southern Democrats are a good example. That was the dominant pattern before the civil rights revolution and the Reagan realignment of the 1980. But no conservative southern Democrats could win a Democratic primary today. Similarly important shifts have made it very difficult to nominate moderate to liberal Republicans across the country. The consequence is very stark partisan and ideological differences in which many elected officials in national politics spend much time responding to the latest partisan outrage. As you point out, this ideological purity in Congress really does make compromises more difficult.
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