Vote for him - because he's Black
by Greg Palast
No question, Mr. Bruce was my favorite teacher in junior high.
I went to this Loser-ville school in the San Fernando Valley. It was all Chicano kids and working class white losers like me. Everyone had to take 'metal shop' so we could work the bottom-end jobs in the Chevy plant.
My brain was dying - until Mr. Bruce showed up, the new science teacher. DOCTOR Bruce, actually - the only Ph.d teacher in the place.
At lunch hour, instead of hanging out in the teachers' lunchroom, Mr. Bruce would invite me and my friends into his classroom. Over coffee made on a Bunsen burner, he would talk about topics from Einstein to Buddha while munching on this strange stuff called "organic" food.
He was simply like no adult I'd ever met - an exceptional guy who could make us dull-brained students sizzle.
My parents had him over for Sunday brunch and he talked about his work as a 'honey-dipper' in the Deep South where he grew up. The honey-dipper was the guy who hunted for lost glasses and whatever else was dropped in outhouse cesspools. Dr. Bruce said he enjoyed the work because it taught him pleasures of quiet grace, of dignified acceptance.
The kids were crazy about him, but not all the parents. Some called to complain about the school hiring him.
So he left. Months later, Mr. Bruce mailed me a letter from Japan where he'd taken a university post.
It's odd, but it was only this year that I put it all together: his exclusion by the other teachers, his job as a honey-dipper, his need to escape America.
Dr. Bruce, of course, is Black.
So, I'm going to do something that Dr. Bruce would think little of. I'm going to vote for the Black man.
Because he's Black.
The truth is, I'm wary of Barack Obama. His cozy relations with the sub-prime loan sharks who funded his early campaign; his vote, at the behest of his big donor ADM corporation, for the horrific Bush energy bill.
But there's one thing that overshadows policy positions, one thing he cannot change once in office: the color of his skin. The same as Mr. Bruce's.
I'm going to say something that I know the Obama campaign will just hate; but that many others are feeling but won't say out loud. We must vote for Barack Obama because he's Black.
For four centuries, our nation has poisoned itself with the corrosive venom of racism. From the slave trade, to our still-segregated schools, to the Bush family stealing the White House by cynically, and sinfully, calling Florida Black voters felons; to the exile of a brilliant science teacher four decades ago.
The time has come to cleanse the wound that will not heal.
********
Greg Palast's investigative reports appear on BBC Television and in Rolling Stone Magazine. Palast is the co-author, with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., of "Steal Back Your Vote," the investigative comic book available for no charge at StealBackYourVote.org and www.GregPalast.com
Palast is a Nation Institute/Puffin Foundation Fellow for investigative reporting.
Zach Roberts the Palast office's producer is not voting for Obama. You can go to his blog, www.ZDRoberts.com to find out why.
Print This Post
Why isn't this the same as voting against him just because he's black?
The best piece you have written to date. Bravo!
One could say some of the same things about misogyny. Women still do not have the same place in society as men. (Even in many jobs that are traditionally female, women earn significantly less then men.)
I do agree with the importance voting for an African-American candidate - even being able to vote for one.
But I also believe in the importance of voting for a candidate that has good positions on the issues of the day, the economy, both wars, energy policy, civil rights, the environment.
Lucky for us we can vote for a African-American candidate, a female candidate, and a candidate that has the right stands on the issues by voting for Cynthia McKinney the Green Party candidate. (And at the same time vote for a Puerto Rican woman Rosa Clemente for VP.)
This is a historic chance, and I hope we take advantage of it.
-Roger Snyder
[...] Palast has an interesting opinion piece at his blog entitled “Vote for him - because he’s Black [...]
I put a letter that looks something like this draft in the local paper last Tuesday:
Here's the deal. Whether you like it or not, you don't vote for president. that's right, you don't vote for president, you vote for electors who elect the president. This means that each state assigns it's electors based on the popular vote. Each state, simply put, holds it's own election. That's the Electoral College at work. Ya gotta love it.
But this isn't about getting rid of the Electoral college in favor of a direct popular vote. This is about those electors.
In support of a third party candidate one strategy is the "Safe State" vote. The Safe State Vote logic goes like this: If one of the major candidates is a sure win in the state it is "safe" to vote your conscience for a third party candidate. The point was made by a member of the Fox Valley Peace Coalition in the Post Crescent on October 20th ("Election talk puts Iraq war on bench" by Steve Wideman.)
The Safe State strategy is not being supported this time around by the third party candidates as a sure thing. But for those of conscience who wish to cast a vote for peace the Green Party has fielded a candidate, Cynthia McKinney, who would withdraw troops immediately as stated in the above Post Crescent item.
A vote of conscience is not dependent on a result a few minutes after 8 pm on election evening to provide immediate satisfaction for the voter and who won "the horse race." A vote of conscience is cast to influence policy for the future of the US and it's soldiers.
Mr. Palast: Long time reader, infrequent writer. I too had a "Mr. Bruce" in my life and am thankful I've moved beyond the fear and racism I was taught in the 1960's. Thanks for your consistent work, courage in telling the truth and willingness to continue. I've already voted in Oregon.
Vote for him - because he's Black
You've gone over the edge, huh Greg?
I'm voting for a black too. I'm voting for a black that is a
liberal not a corpo-rat controlled, war criminal like Barry. I'm
voting for a person who really is one of us. Who has the experience
to be president, who didn't vote time and time again to keep the
war going, who didn't vote to let con-gress and the telecoms off
the hook, who isn't an elitist, who happens to be black. I'm voting for someone I don't
have to be embarrassed to support, who will actually end the war
and not start new wars. Someone who isn't a fascist, I'm voting
for Cynthia and Rosa, two blacks and two women. Why aren't you?
Have you been bought and paid for too? Do explain the difference
between old wet start and Barry, oh yeah even Johnny wouldn't vote
for FISA!
Your radical pal,
Ernest
Honest, and poetically true.
Sorry to break the news to you, but Barack Obama is not black. He's mixed race, 50% black, 50% white.
I'm sorry, I've admired you for so long but did you take stupid pills this morning? Obama the brand is one hundred and eighty degrees different from Obama the man. He's Bush on Steroids when it comes to the faith-based initiative, money, FISA, the Bush-Cheney energy bill and more. He has no core values. He's a flip-floppin' fraud.
VOte for him because he's Black? Well, 95% of African Americans will and I can totally understand their pride and support. But that would be like telling people to support Lieberman because he's Jewish and we've never had a Jewish president; or Romney because Mormons haven't had a shot at the presidency. Or Hillary because she's a woman--oh, I forgot it's not fair to mention that.
Anyway, I'm voting against his white half. I hope he and the DNC go down in flames. This has been the most corrupt theft of democracy going back to Iowa when Obama bused people in from IL to the Iowa caucuses and continued thru TX caucuses. But you won't examine that because it doesn't play into your neat narrative, will you?
Hi Greg,
Yes i'm more and more tempted to vote for Obama. I have seen people
react in ways i never expected from _them_. An example : A dutch
newspaper started a campaign where an old granny purportedly was beaten up
by two slight colored kids.
Obama wants the rich elite that owns 90% of everything to pay taxes.
The problem is that these taxes then get converted into higher
prices in products and services, hurting the little guy even harder.
Obama should step away from Green taxes and Global Warming taxes, most
certainly when the less fortunate barely can pay their Gas and
Electricity bill. Don't start taxing when the real physical economy is
on the brink of collapsing and dying. If Obama skips the tax crap, until
the economy is back on its feet, all be fine.
Another argument in favor of Obama, was given by The Chicago Tribune,
one of very few newspapers still doing their homework, and came up with
the following :
"5 possible nominees for Obama"
November 3, 2008
Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-supreme-court-charticle-obamnov03,0,7384219.story
1. Diane Wood, 58, judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit.
2. Sonia Sotomayor, 54, judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.
3. Kathleen Sullivan, 53, former dean, Stanford Law School.
4. Seth Waxman, 56, former U.S. solicitor general.
5. Hillary Clinton, 61, senator from New York.
Where i think that Diane Wood and Seth Waxman would make an excellent
choice. Compare this with the five lesser gifted (or of lesser morale?)
(possible) candidates by McCain :
"5 possible nominees for McCain"
November 3, 2008
Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-supreme-court-charticle-mccanov03,0,2927760.story
1. Miguel Estrada, 47, former assistant U.S. solicitor general.
2. Janice Rogers Brown, 59, judge, U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit.
3. Consuelo Maria Callahan, 58, judge, U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
4. Larry Thompson, 62, former U.S. deputy attorney general.
5. Maureen Mahoney, 54, former deputy solicitor general."
Here's a story which has been kept under the radar by all parties
involved i.e. the GOP _AND_ DEM, Official _AND_ Alternative media :
"The Re-election of Rep. William Jefferson"
http://www.niburu.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16684
Barack Obama will have only one chance to earn his legacy, and that
is for him to allow Rep. William J. Jefferson of Louisiana to
complete his work, and have the black citizins of Louisiana and New
Orleans to return to their houses as HOUSE OWNERS.
Obama can do some really good things, which only need half a finger
wink, but Obama's constituency, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC)
surely knows when a faul play is at hand with Pelosi and Emanuel.
Cheers,
Robert
--
Robert M. Stockmann - RHCE
Network Engineer - UNIX/Linux Specialist
crashrecovery.org stock@stokkie.net
I will vote for Obama, because I do not want Senator Mc Cain to be elected president & have to put up with another 4 more years of the same type of politics.
I am bracing myself because I am reading a lot about vote manipulation & intimidation.
Tomorrow I am going to go vote & then will drive out somewhere and forget about politics for one day.
I do want to wake up wednesday morning with the good news that Mc Cain lost.
[...] President Obama at dawn. I will try and write something about it tomorrow. Meanwhile, here’s Palast’s endorsement: The truth is, I’m wary of Barack Obama. His cozy relations with the sub-prime loan sharks [...]
You've got to be kidding me. A childhood story about white guilt and honey dipping so we should vote for Obama? Seriously, you're kidding, right? I'll pretend you're not and say something:
What if Obama is being used for just this reason, for his skin color? But by ignoring all the important reasons you mentioned for not voting for him, plus things like FISA and expanded warrantless wiretapping, Pakistan and Afghanistan war expansion, the Banker Payoff Bill, and Zbigniew Brzezinski (c'mon, you're old enough to remember the Carter years), he becomes the scape goat for his puppeteers and gets demonized so badly that racism becomes an even bigger issue.
Don't ever make race the issue, Greg.
Best,
Michael
[...] Palast advocates a questionable electoral stance. He says, “We must vote for Barack Obama because he’s [...]
Mr. Palast!
Loser-ville school in the San Fernando Valley?
I resemble that remark.
And, I remember Dr. Bruce. But, I only knew him as Mr. Bruce.
What a flashback.
Thanks.
Deb
I voted for Obama on the basis of race, for sure.
I didn't vote for McCain, because I didn't see
him as a member of the Human race.
Obama was obviously an intelligent member of the human race.
So I voted for Obama, on the basis of race---The HUMAN race.