2008 May 13 «

So Whatcha Saying? No I’m not talking about the song by EPMD, “So Whatcha Saying”. I’m asking Mrs. Clinton what she is trying to suggest by her “Hard-working White Americans” comments she made the other day.

The notion of saying that people will vote her only because she is White is ridiculous. Implying that people will vote for her only because she is a Woman is ridiculous, regardless of race. Suggesting that voters over 50 will vote for her only is ridiculous. These arguments made by anyone suggest that the Americans you’re referencing are unsophisticated, uneducated and are easily wooed by the media and/or public opinion. I’ve made the mistake of saying that Republicans wouldn’t vote for a Democrat and vice versa, but I was wrong.

I’m just a hard-working American or to put it how Hillary and some others would put it, a Black Guy. I am the first to say that I’m not an authority on “hard-working White Americans”, nor do I know what it’s like to be White. I can not fathom what being a woman is like and have no desire of finding out. I pray that one day I will experience life past 50, but I’m happy with my 35 years I’ve lived so far. My common bond with these labels is that I’m subject to the same outrageous prices, taxes and disparities as the hard-working White, Latino, Asian and every other hue of America that you can come up with. Of course there are some prejudices that Black Americans face that others do not. But there are prejudices that White, Latino and everyone else or subject to that I as a Black American would not face. I almost don’t want to use this phrase, but it fits, “can’t we all get along”.

When will the day come that you get just as offended by these types of subtle suggestions and publicly speak against them? If you truly revere the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “…be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. …” and not agree because it’s socially expedient then you will speak out on these types of comments.

Just because I’m of a particular racial identity doesn’t mean that anyone of that same identity will or should agree with everything I say about race, nor should I with them. We may have similar experiences, but who says that my best friend can’t be a White Woman or a Black Man. Why can’t I relate to the elderly Latino man living down the street from me or the gay man who always talks about music with me? Why can’t I find an area of ideological agreement with my Republican friends? I have something in common with you and you with me. You may not see it at first, but if we are willing to be open enough to find out what it is we will be better off?

I’m sure that this will come up again, so in efforts to cut this short I’m asking not only Hillary, everyone including myself, “So whatcha saying?” What are you saying either in terms of your verbalizations, gestures and thoughts towards others?

As I referenced before, I’m just a Black guy, but I’m just as hard-working as any other hue found in America and the world.

A Few References:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-05-07-clintoninterview_N.htm

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/declarations.html

http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080511/OPINION/805110317

http://blackstarnews.com/?c=125&a=4531

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/08/roland.martin/index.html