"Judged By The Content Of My Character"

"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1963

It has been 46 years since Dr. King uttered those words to America. It was a historic and momentous occasion that still reverberates throughout the world. Yet as much as we (Blacks) have worked to be judged by our character and not our skin tone we are constantly being held back by our very own people.

Congresswoman Diane Watson made the following comment during a town hall discussion over health care reform in this country; "They are spreading fear and they are trying to see that the first president that looks like me, fail." These are some very damning words when you think about how long we have tried to distance ourselves from being looked at from a "skin tone" perspective but from a "character of works" perspective. Never mind that she went on to praise Fidel Castro and the Cuban government's health system. If Cubans are so happy with Fidel then why do they risk their lives and the lives of their children to set sail for the U.S.? But I digress.

I wrote my thoughts before the election about what I felt would occur should Obama get elected and many of those thoughts are being played out daily. The biggest being that any opposition to this president would be met with the big trump card of RACE. Since when did it become racism to disagree with the disastrous and ruinous financial policies of a sitting president. How would it have looked if white people would have screamed reverse racism after Kanye West made his "George Bush don't like Black people" remark. Sounds silly doesn't it. Then so does Ms. Watson's comments about a "president that looks like me."

"...In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds...We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plain of dignity and discipline...The marvelous new militancy that has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone..." Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1963

I know many of us have heard the " I have a Dream Speech" but I don't think many of us have read it and understood what Dr. King was speaking to us about. At least many of our black leaders need to heed his words. Stop blaming the man. Stop using the race card and start self examination of our deeds and actions when it comes to being Black and in America.

Some reading this may refer to me as an Uncle Tom. A characterization that has be inaccurately used for many years. My blog friend Digital Publius posted a piece about this topic last week. Others will say that I am a hater of all things black. Those are typical responses from blacks who support liberal philosophies even though many blacks on most topics are conservative in thoughts.

Black people when are we going to stop being victims and start being owners of our destination. You can no longer say that the "man" is holding you down because the "man" is now Black or in Obama's case semi-black. Above all stop looking to the government to fix your situation. It cannot and will not without making you a slave to their rules of living. If you want to be free then be free...of a tyrannical federal government.

To quote a Clinton..."Free your mind and your ass will follow" George Clinton, Parliament Funkadelic circa 1972

Some of these are my words (credit given where necessary)! Please post yours!