CRITICAL THINKING - AFTER THE HISTORIC WIN!!!
America, your new President, BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA II!!!
I say his full name with pride, secure in the fact that in America all things are truly possible. That here, we do indeed live up to our creed. I have been and always will be proud to be an American. As I type this, my faith and trust in the ideal that is America stands vindicated. YES WE CAN!!!
It took me some time to get around to writing this. I had to absorb the impact of what has happened. Sometimes, I say it, and shake my head in disbelief. My President is going to be a black man. ON JANUARY 20th MY PRESIDENT WILL BE A BLACK MAN! I so wish my father and father-in-law had lived to see this. I can't begin to express to you the profound joy and pride that I feel when I consider this most momentous of events. My President will be Barack Hussein Obama II. A man not unlike myself in appearance. A black man. A proud American Black Man!
Examine the picture of the man above. I believe in the person he appears to be. He is a critical thinker, measured, and appropriate, filled with essential cognition, able to adjust the gears in his mind and respond appropriately to a given challenge. This is a man we can be proud to call our President.
As I have watched him, and taken stock of what the man has said, written in his platform and expounded on from sea to shining sea, I have grown more and more impressed. I watched him in debates. I listened to him on the stump. I listened critically as he defended himself in measured responses. At times, when I felt he should have said more and defended himself more aggressively, he did not. It was only afterward, as I absorbed the full wisdom of his method did I understand. He stood strong against his detractors, and only fought back when it was necessary and impactful. He let the rest just fall away, and quite literally ... BRUSHED HIS SHOULDERS OFF! I smiled at his style, and chuckled at the zen of his logic.
There have been and will continue to be questions about his readiness. The challenges he must deal with as the incoming President are some of the greatest and most pivotal our nation has ever faced. Let's all of us, black, white, brown, whatever smile at the subtle undertone of the situation. Those that are diverse enough to know and empathize with the black experience know that we never come by the prize easily. And, once achieved, we turn the corner only to find another, greater challenge. It never comes easy for the blacks.
Yes, we smile. Those of us that strive, and desire and demand to be the better examples for our wayward brothers and sisters. We smile at this folk axiom. We do indeed know that we have no exclusivity on hardship, especially in these harsh economic times. Still, we recognize the old axiom, take a deep breath, flex our hardened muscles both mind and body, and step forward leaning into discomfort, leaning into the challenge ... with a smile plastered on our faces. This is what we do. Obama detractors have stated that we in this country will need a smooth hand at the tiller. That man with the even hand is below. He is ready to face the great challenges of our time: economic recession, terrorism, health care, education, energy independence, you name it we've got it.
President elect Barack Obama is equipped with the inner strength and intellectual acuity required to meet the challenges of the 21st century. We are in uncharted waters, uncommon and unsuited to the leaders of the last century, the old American Century. What is required now is a man that is just as uncommon as the times, able to connect to the America that is truly now changing to reflect its creed and living up to its ideal. We need a man of varied backgrounds, that can relate to the multiple viewpoints that comprise our modern political landscape. We need a man that can speak to the world and is truly of the world. We need a man of uncommon intelligence and wisdom, able to take the measure of other world leaders, work with them, challenge them where appropriate, face them down when necessary, and bring powerful action to words when required. Steady hand at the tiller people, steady hand at the tiller.
The saying is behind every good man is a great woman. Considering who's being brought to bear as our nation's next leadership, I think this statement certainly applies. Michelle is as much an achiever as her husband. Not only will she be our nation's first African-American first lady, she will be a first lady of style, beauty, presence, strength, and most certainly intelligence. She will be a guiding force in the White House ... essential support for the man with the steady hand. All of us can be proud of this dynamic partnership, this new leadership for a new century. When you hear the detractors, remind them of this. Remind them that they should be proud to be Americans.
So here he is. A man with vision, a man of promise, the proponent of change. Here is the 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Hussein Obama II. We have made it to the promised land ... or have we?
What now?
Please, allow me a moment to share my thoughts with you on what is next. First, if we are considering the achievement of a black President as having made it to the Promised Land, then people we are simply at the front door. On the other side is a vast vista filled with hope, change, challenge, success, failure, and possible defeat, but more importantly probable triumph. We still have so very far to go. But hope is what lies at our core, it is the energy that provides for providence, fuels new ideas, and promotes change. With hope we instill energy into the axiom, YES WE CAN! With hope we hold fast to the belief that change is happening right here, right now, and that WE are that change. What do we do?
We be the best individuals we can be. We use the God given gifts at our disposal in order to ensure the success of us all. We commit to thinking, more importantly we commit to thinking critically. We remain committed to participating in the continuing American experiment. We remain involved in the political process. We process facts, and we ask questions. We teach our young men and women to be accountable, responsible citizens of this country. We show them how this is done by example.
HOLD THE PRESIDENT ACCOUNTABLE!
Understand, President Barack Obama will expect nothing less. He has already stated that he is the American President. He is our President for a new century, a new way of thinking and acting. He will expect us to hold him accountable, and we must remain committed to the task. I still don't agree with taxing big oil because I wonder where it will lead, and I will continue to say it. The moment I think I've caught our President slipping I will hold him accountable. We must all commit to doing the same. Ensure our President's success by being involved in the process of government. Understand what's going on around you. Discuss it with your friends and family. Don't sit idly by as life happens to you. WORK YOU PROJECT, make it happen, be a critical success and strike your mark upon life! Look in the mirror and re-arrange your personal picture to be more aligned with the change that's happening around you. Know that you are indeed living in interesting times. Be a willing participant.
Barack Obama can't fly ... without a plane.
Barack Obama can't walk on water ... without a boat.
Barack Obama can't pay your rent ... that would be stupid.
Barack Obama can't put only black people in Cabinet positions... SPOONS ...again, that would be stupid.
I'm already hearing black people complaining that he's not surrounding himself with enough people of color. My friends (as SENATOR John McCain would say), we should only want success for our new President. If he has to surround himself with nothing but white people in order to achieve success, then that is what he will do, and we should support him in this. Don't be spoonish.
Know that the expectations for our new President are unusually high, and he will no doubt disappoint some. However, again ... black man's burden. Lord knows the man could not have gotten in office if times weren't hard. Exceptional people often rise during extraordinary times in order face almost insurmountable obstacles. It is during these harsh times, where men and women of mettle and grit come together in order to achieve success that we come to know our true measure. Our limits as well our capabilities become clear, and if we remain committed to the task, we find the strength to walk the path, and achieve true critical success. People, I'm halfway down the road. You wanna catch up?
I say his full name with pride, secure in the fact that in America all things are truly possible. That here, we do indeed live up to our creed. I have been and always will be proud to be an American. As I type this, my faith and trust in the ideal that is America stands vindicated. YES WE CAN!!!
It took me some time to get around to writing this. I had to absorb the impact of what has happened. Sometimes, I say it, and shake my head in disbelief. My President is going to be a black man. ON JANUARY 20th MY PRESIDENT WILL BE A BLACK MAN! I so wish my father and father-in-law had lived to see this. I can't begin to express to you the profound joy and pride that I feel when I consider this most momentous of events. My President will be Barack Hussein Obama II. A man not unlike myself in appearance. A black man. A proud American Black Man!
Examine the picture of the man above. I believe in the person he appears to be. He is a critical thinker, measured, and appropriate, filled with essential cognition, able to adjust the gears in his mind and respond appropriately to a given challenge. This is a man we can be proud to call our President.
As I have watched him, and taken stock of what the man has said, written in his platform and expounded on from sea to shining sea, I have grown more and more impressed. I watched him in debates. I listened to him on the stump. I listened critically as he defended himself in measured responses. At times, when I felt he should have said more and defended himself more aggressively, he did not. It was only afterward, as I absorbed the full wisdom of his method did I understand. He stood strong against his detractors, and only fought back when it was necessary and impactful. He let the rest just fall away, and quite literally ... BRUSHED HIS SHOULDERS OFF! I smiled at his style, and chuckled at the zen of his logic.
There have been and will continue to be questions about his readiness. The challenges he must deal with as the incoming President are some of the greatest and most pivotal our nation has ever faced. Let's all of us, black, white, brown, whatever smile at the subtle undertone of the situation. Those that are diverse enough to know and empathize with the black experience know that we never come by the prize easily. And, once achieved, we turn the corner only to find another, greater challenge. It never comes easy for the blacks.
Yes, we smile. Those of us that strive, and desire and demand to be the better examples for our wayward brothers and sisters. We smile at this folk axiom. We do indeed know that we have no exclusivity on hardship, especially in these harsh economic times. Still, we recognize the old axiom, take a deep breath, flex our hardened muscles both mind and body, and step forward leaning into discomfort, leaning into the challenge ... with a smile plastered on our faces. This is what we do. Obama detractors have stated that we in this country will need a smooth hand at the tiller. That man with the even hand is below. He is ready to face the great challenges of our time: economic recession, terrorism, health care, education, energy independence, you name it we've got it.
President elect Barack Obama is equipped with the inner strength and intellectual acuity required to meet the challenges of the 21st century. We are in uncharted waters, uncommon and unsuited to the leaders of the last century, the old American Century. What is required now is a man that is just as uncommon as the times, able to connect to the America that is truly now changing to reflect its creed and living up to its ideal. We need a man of varied backgrounds, that can relate to the multiple viewpoints that comprise our modern political landscape. We need a man that can speak to the world and is truly of the world. We need a man of uncommon intelligence and wisdom, able to take the measure of other world leaders, work with them, challenge them where appropriate, face them down when necessary, and bring powerful action to words when required. Steady hand at the tiller people, steady hand at the tiller.
The saying is behind every good man is a great woman. Considering who's being brought to bear as our nation's next leadership, I think this statement certainly applies. Michelle is as much an achiever as her husband. Not only will she be our nation's first African-American first lady, she will be a first lady of style, beauty, presence, strength, and most certainly intelligence. She will be a guiding force in the White House ... essential support for the man with the steady hand. All of us can be proud of this dynamic partnership, this new leadership for a new century. When you hear the detractors, remind them of this. Remind them that they should be proud to be Americans.
So here he is. A man with vision, a man of promise, the proponent of change. Here is the 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Hussein Obama II. We have made it to the promised land ... or have we?
What now?
Please, allow me a moment to share my thoughts with you on what is next. First, if we are considering the achievement of a black President as having made it to the Promised Land, then people we are simply at the front door. On the other side is a vast vista filled with hope, change, challenge, success, failure, and possible defeat, but more importantly probable triumph. We still have so very far to go. But hope is what lies at our core, it is the energy that provides for providence, fuels new ideas, and promotes change. With hope we instill energy into the axiom, YES WE CAN! With hope we hold fast to the belief that change is happening right here, right now, and that WE are that change. What do we do?
We be the best individuals we can be. We use the God given gifts at our disposal in order to ensure the success of us all. We commit to thinking, more importantly we commit to thinking critically. We remain committed to participating in the continuing American experiment. We remain involved in the political process. We process facts, and we ask questions. We teach our young men and women to be accountable, responsible citizens of this country. We show them how this is done by example.
HOLD THE PRESIDENT ACCOUNTABLE!
Understand, President Barack Obama will expect nothing less. He has already stated that he is the American President. He is our President for a new century, a new way of thinking and acting. He will expect us to hold him accountable, and we must remain committed to the task. I still don't agree with taxing big oil because I wonder where it will lead, and I will continue to say it. The moment I think I've caught our President slipping I will hold him accountable. We must all commit to doing the same. Ensure our President's success by being involved in the process of government. Understand what's going on around you. Discuss it with your friends and family. Don't sit idly by as life happens to you. WORK YOU PROJECT, make it happen, be a critical success and strike your mark upon life! Look in the mirror and re-arrange your personal picture to be more aligned with the change that's happening around you. Know that you are indeed living in interesting times. Be a willing participant.
Barack Obama can't fly ... without a plane.
Barack Obama can't walk on water ... without a boat.
Barack Obama can't pay your rent ... that would be stupid.
Barack Obama can't put only black people in Cabinet positions... SPOONS ...again, that would be stupid.
I'm already hearing black people complaining that he's not surrounding himself with enough people of color. My friends (as SENATOR John McCain would say), we should only want success for our new President. If he has to surround himself with nothing but white people in order to achieve success, then that is what he will do, and we should support him in this. Don't be spoonish.
Know that the expectations for our new President are unusually high, and he will no doubt disappoint some. However, again ... black man's burden. Lord knows the man could not have gotten in office if times weren't hard. Exceptional people often rise during extraordinary times in order face almost insurmountable obstacles. It is during these harsh times, where men and women of mettle and grit come together in order to achieve success that we come to know our true measure. Our limits as well our capabilities become clear, and if we remain committed to the task, we find the strength to walk the path, and achieve true critical success. People, I'm halfway down the road. You wanna catch up?
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