Forget Me Not

So commentator Chris Matthews forgot President Obama was Black…for an hour. I believe Mr. Matthews is in the minority as you can believe that the rest of White America has definitely not forgotten our president is Black. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reportedly remarked “The country is ready for a Black president. Especially one that is light-skinned and doesn’t have a Negro dialect unless he wants to have one.” Racist? Perhaps but far more insulting was the comment reportedly made by former President Bill Clinton who made it clear how he sees President Obama when speaking of him to Ted Kennedy before the 2008 election, he stated “A few years ago this guy would have been getting us coffee.” Really Bill a Harvard grad top of his class would have been getting you coffee? Far more racist, in my opinion. From the date of his statement, 20 years ago would have been 1988 and I’m fairly certain that at that time future President Obama would have told future President Clinton he could kiss his black ass and get his own coffee.

The simple fact is folks no one has “forgotten” the skin color of our 44th President least of all President Obama himself. Republicans pundits and Right-Wing Whackos remind him of the fact daily. Those who claim he was not American born or that he is a Socialist bent on destroying America. Those who claim they want to “take America back” and put it in the hands of “real Americans” remind him of the fact. The Republicans whose answer to all things Obama is a profound NO remind him. Disrespectful Senators and Justices who interrupt or mouth indignation during his speeches remind him that not only is he Black but that he doesn’t deserve the respect traditionally reserved for any man in his position. They remind him daily.

And what about us, Black America? Have we forgotten? Have we forgotten the sense of pride and accomplishment we felt on November 4, 2008? Have we forgotten what followed? The humiliating and racist characterizations and cartoons, the all out attacks from Conservative commentators and the vicious and virile assaults on his character and his allegiance to America. The websites, the email attacks, all designed to malign him simply based on his color. No for African-Americans forgetting President Obama’s color is not an option and certainly not one I would choose if given the chance.

Finally, Chris Matthews also suggested that President Obama was “post racial”. Just what the hell is post racial anyway? By definition it would suggest that racism has become a thing of the past and is no longer prevalent in American society. Really? Tell that to the promoters of the white only basketball league. Tell that to 18 year-old Jordan Miles of Pittsburgh, PA who just last week while walking from his mother’s to his grandmother’s house was ruthlessly beaten by the police who mistook a soda bottle for a gun. For that matter tell that to Professor Henry Louis Gates a personal friend of President Obama who was arrested for breaking into his own home just last year. If in fact we are in “post racial” America as Mr. Matthews suggest, then why would he have to remember or forget that our President Mr. Barack Obama is indeed a Black man? Why would it matter?