Davey D, ThugLifeArmy
– This past Sunday over 1200 people showed up at Salem Methodist church in Harlem to listen and weigh in on a discussion that has been raging on in our communities but oftentimes swept under the rug. The historic election of Barack Obama has been a source of pride for many. Record numbers of Black people came out and voted for him. His largest percentage, a whooping 94% of Black folks punched his name in the ballot booth. However, many did so wondering if an Obama election will lead to pressing issues within the African American community would be addressed, or if his election would symbolize to those outside the community that racism was a thing of the past?
One of the nagging concerns that surfaced during Obama’s historic run was him distancing himself from anything Black. He stayed away from key events ranging from Tavis Smiley’s annual State of the Union where rival Hillary Clinton showed up to the 40th commemoration ceremonies in Memphis, Tn for the death of Dr Martin Luther King. His republican rival John McCain showed up for that event.
There were always grumblings that Obama was distancing himself from the Black community to appease skittish white voters who lived in the middle of the country who oftentimes made no bones about their reluctance to vote for a Black man. many of us held our tongues and rationalized that Obama ‘had to play the game’ and ‘do what was needed to get elected.
