Black people are trying to make me like Obama!

And the funny part is, I don't dislike him. I think he is a cool dude. A Great speaker but as far as a presidential candidate, I would rather see John Edwards. Some black people that I know seem to have a problem with this. The problem, it seems to me, is that I am choosing to endorse a white man over a black man. What can I say, I like Edwards better. Now in reality this whole discussion is irrelevant since Edwards is not even a running anymore but when people ask me who I like, I always respond with Edwards. This always gets it started.

So, as I said before, I don't actually dislike Obama. I actually think he's pretty cool but what I don't like is the fact that his black supporters are always trying to play the race card with me. As if I am obligated to support him simply because he is black. They often site how his appointment will mean so much for the back race and how it will magically change everything for us. I don't buy it and here's why:

1) There's no doubt about it, Obama is a black man. He's got the melanin in his skin and if he were walking down a dusty road in 1960's Mississippi, he'd be called 'Nigger' the same as me. I don't dispute this but what I call into question is the idea that because he looks like me(sorta), that he can identify with me....as a black man in America. This is a valid point because if I am supposed to support him because he is a 'Black' then this means he knows, personally, my plight. I don't think he can identify with me. As I said before, he's got the melanin but does he have the experience. His father was an African(not African American) and his mother was white. He was brought up by his rich white grandparents in Hawaii. For all intents and purposes, he did not grow up 'Black'. This is why I think it's funny when people think that I should support him because of his 'Blackness'. No hate toward him but these are the facts. Why not support Edwards over Obama? Neither one can truly identify with me so why base it on 'Blackness'?

2) I feel that the office of president is really just for show and the person that is sitting in that position at any given time has no real power and is actually a puppet for the bigger, unseen powers that be. There is an agenda that is being carried out and the person that is holding the office of president only follows what has already been decided. They make no real decisions on their own and should therefore not be looked to for any significant change for those of us on the lower rungs of the class ladder. I say this to say that in my mind, it really doesn't matter who is sitting in that seat. The plan will continue on course whoever it is.

There are more things that I could mention but for now I will leave it at this. Again, I have no problem at all with Obama. I just feel that his appointment into the office of president will really have no real significance for black folk struggling in America. Real political change should be started from the ground up, not from the top down. At any rate, if he get the nomination of course I am going to vote for him. He's black.