With this year coming to an end at such a quick pace-and I mean quickly, I know I’m not the only one that’s like “Damn! Is it almost Christmas again!!!!!” I want to take a look back at the year of 2008 and the wonderful year of 2009 that lays ahead for our nation, families, and more specifically the Black Man in America. 2008 has been a great year as a whole; yes the economy is the slums, the housing market is decreasing daily, and Wall Street has lost its luxury status, but better days lie ahead. Ironically enough, something that used to be considered a negative trait of our race is manifesting itself to a positive in our nation. And that’s the ability to survive with less. A trait that our people have mastered because we have been doing it for years. Hell, the street named M.L.K. that is in every city in the U.S. is more respected than Wall Street right now. Because believe me, no matter which city or town you are in, if you go to Martin Luther King Drive, Boulevard, Street, Road, or Lane there is a positive profit being made by the end of the day. It may not be all legal taxed profit, but more people made money than lost it. We can’t say that for Wall Street these days, you get my drift. That’s a completely different topic so let’s get back to the point.

2008 has been a year where we have seen the African American Race soar in many different aspects of life. To no surprise, we soared in the Olympics by winning more medals than any other race. We now have a major movie studio that is black owned in the predominantly black city of Atlanta. Created by Tyler Perry; a man that just a decade ago was sleeping in his car, a man that never gave up on his dream, a man that is a now a multi-millionaire. If that’s not inspiring by just reading that, you need a gut check ASAP!!!! In the Music industry, Lil’ Wayne, a southern rapper from New Orleans, sold a million records. To you and me we’re thinking so what, people go platinum all the time. But realize Lil’ Wayne broke through musical barriers this year in one week! In a world where downloading and leaked music paralyzes record sales. We see just as many White, Asian, and Latino chicks screaming this dude’s name as you have Black chicks. “LolliPop” could be heard at the corner store blasting from a Chevy on 22’s, or in the parking lot of a Fortune 500 Company of the now-or future- head of Marketing. He has become not only a Rap Icon, the kid is the closet thing to Hendrix and Marley that we’ve have seen in a long time …He is a real life Rock Star. We’ve had the blessed opportunity to hear, read about, and potentially elect one of the most articulate, respected, and strong black men this nation or the political world has ever seen. We finally have a major league player playing in the right ball game….. Politics. Please don’t take that statement as me saying that Barack Obama is running solely for the African American Race because that is not the case. But he is one of ours and we plan to back him 100%! Not only because of his skin color, but also because of his campaign (I don’t need to go into that you all have seen the debates). We as a race have had other great leaders Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, and even Reverend Jesse Jackson when he put the dignity of our race before his jealousy and greed for personal gain. Those people were brick layers building a road to get us to this point. Martin was a great speaker but could not vote in Congress. Malcolm gave us a sense of self dignity but could not veto Discriminatory Bills. Jesse could P.U.S.H., but could not make tax cuts. See what I’m saying? We are now playing the right game, and if that’s not a step towards a better day, I don’t know what is!

Another blessing of 2008 was the CNN documentary of “Black in America”. It was almost like a mirror being placed in front of our race saying this is who you are, these are some of your negative aspects, and now you must start working towards being better. It not only gave us a look at our Race from inside out, but also gave other cultures and races the opportunity to do the same thing. The opportunity to see what it is to be: a Black Man, Single Mother, Death Row Inmate, Middle Class Parent, Interracial Couple, Successful Black Woman, etc. Can someone really know our struggles by watching 100 hours of documented footage? No. But I can guarantee those who really paid attention and listened have a much better understanding.

In closing the year 2008 has been a good one. We as a nation have taken great strides and I believe we will continue to do so. We as a nation have become more involved in the Political Process. We have better understanding of how this Nation “really” works, and the dream that we could one day become President of this country is less than 30 days away from becoming true. Take this year as a new beginning. The number 8 represents new beginnings in biblical aspects, the day after completion. Our ancestors’ have run their leg of the race and they are tired. They have now passed the baton to us. We don’t know how long the race we are running is, but we do know that this leg of the race is going to better than the last one.

Please Comment

Frank Charisma

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As this moment spread throughout the media, many African-Americans likened his impassioned remarks to racial betrayal and subservient shuffling. Theories circulated that Harris was a plant for the McCain campaign. ESSENCE.com talked with Harris, who describes his political beliefs as being “right of Rush,” about how he ended up at the town hall, receiving hate mail, and how he really feels about that hug with John McCain.

ESSENCE.COM: How are you doing?
JAMES T. HARRIS: Girl, I’m getting my butt spanked today!

ESSENCE.COM: I can imagine. You’ve generated a lot of buzz. What attention have you been getting since the rally?

HARRIS: I’ve heard from Americans of African descent, scattered across the fruited plain, to the tune of about 1,000 or more. I’d say 99 percent of it has been straight up hate on a level that I find a bit overwhelming. They’re coming through my blog, Facebook, e-mail and my business site.

ESSENCE.COM>: What are people saying?
HARRIS: Let me just pull some up now. [Reading] “Hey man, are you the plant that sucked up to McCain? What were you thinking? You should be ashamed of yourself.” “Are you that self-loathing bastard?” This is just at random. “You are lost, sad and worthy of pity. I will not hate you; I will call you by your rightful name: House Nigger.” And that was mild! [Laughs.]

ESSENCE.COM: Have you gotten positive feedback from people applauding you for standing up for your beliefs?
HARRIS: I would say the mail coming in is 12 to 1—for every 12 negative, I get one positive. There’s been some really heartfelt stuff I’ve read from people across the nation. A number of these e-mails say I spoke for millions of conservatives who are frustrated, like I am, that Senator McCain isn’t engaging Barack Obama on these issues. I’m getting letters like, “You said what many of us have been dying to say.” That’s encouraging. That’s coming from someone who’s my ideological brother. What I find shocking are the people who say they are my brothers in race, who are upset to say the least.

ESSENCE.COM: Going back to those negative comments, a lot of people do think you were paid by somebody to say those remarks. How did get to participate in the town hall event?
HARRIS: Through my public speaking work I’ve had an opportunity to speak to the Republican Party in Waukesha on two occasions. And my radio show is popular in that area, so people know who I am. I contacted the Party in Waukesha and said, “If you have two tickets, I would love to be there to show my support.” And so they had me pick up tickets, and my wife and I went to the event. While waiting in line I was standing right next to the parents of the chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, whose wife was my son’s first grade teacher. This is by pure coincidence. My wife notices her name on the envelope, and we start laughing and talking. Now, the father has health issues so they called their son and said, “We can’t wait in this long line.” And when the security guard came to get them, the father said, “That’s James T. Harris.” The security guard said, “Come with me.” So, we walked in and we sat in reserved seats. I said, “You can seat me anywhere you want,” but seeing as we were two of only four or five Black people out of thousands of people there, they strategically place people where they’ll be seen. There’s nothing new in that. So that’s how we ended up in that area. I had no idea I’d be that close. I didn’t go into that event knowing I would speak and ask a question. When I read stuff about me being a plant, and that I’m speaking on behalf of the McCain camp, it’s laughable! There was no plan to this.

ESSENCE.COM: At the town hall you said McCain should talk more about Obama’s connection to the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. But last spring you could barely turn on the news without seeing Rev. Wright. Don’t you think there’s been enough attention given to that relationship?
HARRIS: Again, this is further evidence that this thing wasn’t scripted. I thought I had said something different. I wanted to say Barney Frank and Harold Raines, because I believe their fingerprints are all over this economic demise. These people were in my brain, and yet I didn’t articulate it. I went blank. It’s not just Rev. Wright and Reverend Pfleger. It sounded like I was saying, “Bring up all these old things and beat him over the head with it.” Well, you should, in conjunction with the new names that have come up over the past few weeks. I’m sitting in this town hall meeting, and Senator McCain is talking about what he’s going to do about global warming and all these other things. At one point I just raised my hand and said, “I want to know when are you going to take it to Barack Obama?”

ESSENCE.COM: McCain has already addressed a lot of these issues, including Bill Ayers and ACORN, in campaign attack ads. What specifically do you think he should do, to “take it to Obama,” that hasn’t already been done?
HARRIS: That’s different. That’s ads. Barack Obama said yesterday that, “McCain hasn’t said this to my face.” You know what? He’s right! Forget all these campaign ads. Say it to his face. I said, “We have one debate left, and we have a few weeks left; I am begging you take it to Obama!” That was the context. Not “Massa, please. Massa, please.” That wasn’t it. That’s the context that’s being looped on CNN and on blog sites. Nobody played the full clip. Maybe I’m just kind of jaded because of all I’ve been going through. I’m like, “Oh my God, this isn’t right.” I really do understand how this is an emotional thing, and people think Stepin Fetchit. But that wasn’t the case at all. I don’t think I carried myself like that, and I don’t think my question was whining.

ESSENCE.COM: So, let’s talk about that hug…
HARRIS: That’s another thing I want to clear up. When he came over to me and was bending down, I was like, “What, is he going to hug me?” He didn’t. He whispered something in my ear. He actually just put his hand on my shoulder. But in that moment I was like, “What am I going to do? I can’t not hug him. I can’t pull away. But if I hug him it’s going to look crazy! This is like Sammy Davis, Jr., with Nixon!” But he wasn’t trying to hug me. He just leaned down and whispered something in my ear.

ESSENCE.COM: What did he say?
HARRIS: I’m not going to tell you. That was between the Senator and me. After the next debate I’ll be willing to talk about it.

ESSENCE.COM: The Obama campaign says personal attacks are a distraction from the issues. Why do you think it’s so important to go negative on Obama, rather than focus on what McCain will do for America?
HARRIS: Something happened in Wisconsin, because for the first time in this election, Senator McCain came face to face with his angry base. We’re frustrated with the fact that John McCain didn’t hold up his part. You can talk about the issues and global warming and how you’re going to have buyouts for homeowners. We are getting decimated, and we believe it’s because you’re not fighting for the values that you say you believe in. You fought in Vietnam, you fought against corruption, and you reached across the aisle. So why, in the final stages, are you capitulating? That was the mood that was in the town hall meeting.

ESSENCE.COM: Speaking of the mood there, along with other recent McCain rallies, it seemed very angry and hostile. At some rallies people have shouted that Obama is a terrorist. How do you feel about this being the face of Republican voters right now?
HARRIS: That didn’t take place at the town hall, but I am aware of some stuff that happened in Ohio. I have to be honest with you, after the last 24 hours, no one can roll up on me and talk about hatred and inciting violence after what I have experienced.

ESSENCE.COM: In your gut, who do you think is going to win?
HARRIS: John McCain. And, oh Lord, Lord, Lord, if that happens! As much as the followers of Obama are invested in this thing, it’s going to make Bush Derangement Syndrome look like a cold. There’s going to be severe backlash; people are going to lose their minds. Black people are going to say, “Voter suppression, voter fraud.” With the allegiance and almost worship of Barack Obama, I think if he loses it’s going to be very ugly.

ESSENCE.COM: Don’t you think it could be just as ugly if McCain loses?
HARRIS: No. If McCain loses, you know who conservatives are going to blame? McCain. You’re going to have people say, “Grandpa McCain lost this election!” People get emotional because they don’t see him running this race right, and that’s what McCain saw Thursday night.

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“I believe there’s been more personal interviews with Sarah than there has been with Barack”
SHENANIGANS!!! People…PLEASE VOTE!!!!

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Barack Obama vs. John McCain

Presidential Debate is going down tomorrow night in a town hall format, Belmont University, Nashville, TN. Starting at 9pm eastern, 6pm pacific time and last for 90 minutes. It will be aired on every major broadcast network such as CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX. They will also be aired on cable outlets such as Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and many others.

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