The Man..

i've pretty much stayed away from talking about Barack.. with everyone trying to make anyone who is siding with him a reason not to vote for him, i didn't want to be another Ludacris.. i'll come clean and say that i'm honored to know this dude.. to know him before all of this President stuff.. he lives around the corner from my Pop-Pop.. has attended my church.. shoot, he's in our family photos.. one of his mentors is the daughter of one of my mentors.. i have a couple autographed books from him.. books i still haven't read.. i'm bad, i know.. but that's my disclaimer..

so yea, i'm for this dude.. been in his corner, cuz he was in mine before he knew much about me.. Chicago love.. that's what i call it..

but this picture i snagged from today's NY Times.. it was fitting.. it puts in perspective the pull he has on people.. young, old.. white, Chinese.. doesn't matter.. the dude moves us.. and i know we don't need a glorified coach or public speaker to lead our country, but he's more than that.. yes, "he speaks so well".. so can i.. so can many of you.. so let's build that bridge and get the hell over it.. that ain't what he's about.. (yup, i said ain't right after i said i can "speak so well").. the dude just makes sense.. which is hard to find nowadays.. do your research.. not what the media puts out.. not the sly Fox's of the world.. do your own research..

whether it's his take on the gas and whether to dig or not to dig.. or his take on the war.. or health care.. or the economy.. or education.. whatever it is, do your own research.. you might be surprised at what you find..

but let's not get it twisted.. what's wrong with being popular (like that McCain ad tried to poke fun at)? really? what's wrong with so many people wanting to be on your side and wanting to support you? what's wrong with the fact that other countries have already come out and said that they would have a newfound respect for the US if we elect Barack? what's wrong with having a smooth dresser and athlete in the White House? can anyone deny the fact that if we see Barack in that position, then it would have a lot more kids actually wanting (and believing) to become the President? probably more than an NBA player.. what's wrong with that? what's wrong with all of the excitement this man brings to an area that no one really cared about in years past?

i just don't get it.. i mean, i do, but my mind goes back to it being a matter of race.. which i don't really want to cry about, but it gets harder.. i'm sick of hearing about how this or that becomes racism.. especially when minorities are not the ones screaming it.. it's like that one Vanity Fair (or whatever magazine that was that i don't read) that had LeBron on it with that one white actress.. immediately the press made a big deal out of it saying that it's racism, cuz LeBron was being portrayed as King Kong or some other beast trying to snatch a white woman..

really?

was i really thinking that before you said it? it never crossed my mind, and i was (and still am) upset that the media ran with that.. Black ppl didn't come out to say that.. we didn't immediately scream racism.. we saw LeBron as LeBron on that cover.. not some gorilla.. there was no "G-Unit" call or anything like that.. if anything, i can see it as some "move over, i'm here now".. but they do that with Barack, too.. somehow bringing race into a discussion that doesn't need it.. now that's not to say that there isn't a bit of that going around, cuz it is.. it's actually a lot of it.. but not in every dang case.. some times it's just pure hate.. point blank..

but i'm excited about this.. because i believe he's our next President.. i believe it just as much as seeing Usain Bolt crush the 200 and break a record i never thought would be broken.. i believe it, cuz it's needed, too.. we need a change.. i don't want to bite on his stuff, but it's the truth.. nothing is going to change immediately, but i hope and pray that he'll have 8 years to start to right the ship.. the first 4 years will be hard, because there is too much stuff to undo.. but i believe in his mission.. and i believe that when it's all said and done, i'll be able to say that i have a friend in the White House.. i believe you will too.. cuz i honestly believe Barack is a friend to all of us..