Obama's Acceptance: It's Time To Work

Hardy Brown

Obama gave a powerful speech outlining the ills of America from eight years of the George Bush, Dick Cheney Administration taking from the poor and giving to the rich. He pointed out that if you like Bush then you would love the Republican nominee John McCain. Obama reminded the 85,000 people in attendance and the 40 million watching on television that the Democratic Party was a political organization with a history of protecting the country and providing services for the middleclass and poor. He cited that under President Bill Clinton worker's wages went up $7,500 per year while decreasing $2,500 under the Republicans and if you elect him prosperity will come back to the working class which Blacks will benefit.

Yes it was a night that will be talked about in the Black community forever. I can see it in barber shops, beauty salons, bar-b-que cafes, churches, around kitchen tables and written about in Black owned media. He will be described as this tall, good looking, well educated, very articulate, confident man speaking with authority while saying to his opponent, I'm here bring it on I'm ready with my army of supporters and Senator Joe Biden second in command. My personal thought at that moment was that for so long Black men had been taught not to look a White man in the eyes when you addressed him and please don't tell him what you thought. Many Blacks have been denied promotions and even put in jail for speaking their mind and now one of us was accepting the nomination to become president in a country that generations ago sold them as property.

Boy what a night, only to wake up to another political play by John McCain and the Republican Party. McCain decided to announce to the public that he had selected Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska to run as his Vice President to be the first woman to ever have that honor for the party. I want to remind women and especially women who voted for Senator Hillary Clinton, like Lloyd Bentsen told Dan Quayle, who compared himself to Jack Kennedy, "Dan I knew Jack Kennedy and Senator you're no Jack Kennedy".  I say to the women in the Democratic Party you know Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin is no Hillary Clinton.

You have to know the Republican Party gave us a Black Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, to replace Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to serve on the highest court in the nation, and Clarence Thomas is no Thurgood Marshall.

Just because they come in the same color or sex does not mean they support the same values or beliefs as you. Sarah Palin can shoot a gun but that does not make her Annie Oakley.

Likewise John McCain is touting to us he is a reformer while being surrounded by all of the same people who gave us George Bush and Dick Cheney, so don't fall for the old political rope-a-dope of his offering a woman as his sidekick. We have some Black women who are falling for this line and forgetting they had to ride in the back of the bus and could only clean in neighborhoods they could not live in.

So let us not forget that the real work is before us until November 4th if you want Obama to lead this nation to its greatness. It will only happen if you register others to vote and then see to it that they vote. Obama is doing his part, let us do ours by supporting him with our dollars and telling others of his program to really reform America. Feeling good with pride will not get the job done. Saying I'm a Democrat will not get the job done. Talking about Palin's daughter will not get the job done. Talking about Obama is not Black or White enough will not get the job done. And if you think celebrating his nomination is in order forget it because the conservative Christians are praying up another storm for Obama. The problem they cannot tell God when and where to send the storm. They had prayed it would rain on Obama's acceptance night of August 28th but it was a glorious summer night for a historic crowd to witness history. Now it's time to get to work!