iamforjustice: blog 
meet the browns
another reason why michelle obama is happy to be an american.
Published Aug 27, 2008Views: 270
Subj: An Elderly Woman Responds to Michelle Obama & Reverend Wright Controversies
Out of the mouth of a life experience comes wisdom ....and truth. Not bitterness ... This is definitely one to be shared & saved.
This truly is a wonderful piece; Read it, and re-read it, then let it soak in.? It has some powerful words and parallels.
As a 78 year old American of African descent, I feel compelled to
respond to all this 'much ado about nothing' when it comes to the statement
that Michelle Obama made about the fact that this is the first time in her
adult life that she has been proud to be an American.
The country needs to hear this from the Black perspective. ?Long before
I was born, my grandfather Joseph Burleson, owned a considerable amount
of land in oil rich Texas .
Because during that era, Blacks could not vote, nor could they contest
a nything in the courts of the United States , my grandfather's land was
STOLEN by his White neighbor My grandfather, who was literate and
better educated than my grandmother, drove to town.? Seeing my grandfather
leave, the covetous neighbor asked my grandmother to show him the deed to
the property. He snatched it.. She could not insist that he give it back,
nor could she have reported this THEFT to the sheriff because of the fact
that Blacks had no rights in the 1800's. The prevailing law at that time
was he who held the deed owned the land.
Do you think that is something that I am PROUD OF? Right now I should be
living off the oil and gas royalties.
In 1934 when my dad drove us to Texas to meet his family, when he
stopped to purchase gasoline, his daughters and wife were not allowed to
use the washroom. As a man it was easier for him to relieve himself in the
bushes, but not for the females. We were, however, reduced to having to
go in the bushes, also. Do you think I am PROUD OF THAT?
In 1938 when my oldest sister went to enroll in Hyde Park High School ,
she was told by the counselor that she did not want to take college
preparatory courses, she wanted to study domestic science.
Do you think I'm PROUD OF THAT?
Of course, when Beatrice Lillian Hurley-Burleson went to school the next
day, that was the last time anyone thought that the Burleson girls wanted
to study domestic science.
When in 1943 my parents attempted to buy the 2 flat at 5338 South
Kenwood, where we had lived since 1933, in Hyde Park, Chicago , IL we were
told that we could not buy it because there was a restrictive covenant
that said that the property was never to be sold to 'Negroes.'
Do you think I am PROUD OF THAT??
In 1950 when I graduated from college, I was unable to get a job because
I was considered 'overqualified'....the code word for they would not hire
me because of my race. All of the want-ads called for Japanese Americans
or Neisis (the word given to Japanese Americans at that time).
Do you think that was something that I should have been PROUD OF?
I understood that America was trying to make up for the interring of
innocent and patriotic Americans who were our enemy by association.
My cousin's barbershop was bombed in Mississippi in the 50's because he
was encouraging Black people to register to vote. His wife who had earned
a Masters Degree from Northwestern University lost her position as the
principal of the local school because of the voter registration activities.
Is that something I should be PROUD OF?
Now we get to Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the pastor of the Obama family. Rev.
Wright like so many religious zealots overstates many things, that many
of his members do not agree with. To suggest that Senator Obama shou ld
leave the church of his choice is not only a double standard, but it is
absurd.
Would any of the talking heads who are so alarmed by Rev. Wright's
thoughts and speeches suggest that Catholics should abandon their faith or
denounce and reject the Pope because so many priests have molested children.
These children were exploited and taken advantage of and they had no choice
to even know they could resist, reject and denounce. To me the situations are
parallel, except for the fact that the priest's behavior is a physical violation
of the innocence of children who are marred for life; and the priest's behavior
is a crime.
Rev. Wright's speeches are just words, that one can listen to or not,
the members have a choice. Should Governor Romney denounce and reject the
Mormon Church because some of their members practice polygamy?
As Senator Obama has previously stated, we have entered the silly
season.
Barack Obama is an adult, and most importantly, he is an exceptionally
intelligent adult. Like most of us adults, fortunately, we do not accept
all we hear or see. If we did, the world would be more amoral, debased and
perverted than the world of today is. I see all these 'so called'
pondering's as an attempt to marginalize the candidacy of Senator Barack
Obama. I cannot truly call this racism because some ignorant Blacks have
also spoken disparagingly about him. I accept this as the darker side of
mankind who because of their own inadequacies, they project their
deficiencies on others.
Barack Obama is a very rare individual, the likes of whom the world
seldom sees. Like most geniuses, they are often misunderstood. They are
objects of envy and jealousy. They are suspect because they soar above the
average man who does not have the intellectual ability to understand the
greatness of special people. They are also targets to be pulled down to the
level of the mediocre who cannot stand to see an individual with deep
convictions and high standards.
We have not seen a phenomena like Barack Obama in many years and many
generations. Like Ghandi, like Jesus, like Einstein, like Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., like Mother Theresa, genetically, intellectually and
spiritually, these people offer the world so much, but they are often
maligned and misunderstood. Barack Obama is a Christian in the true sense
of the word. A true Christian loves his fellow man unconditionally. A true
Christian wants the best and tries to bring out the best in his fellow man.
A true Christian wants to unite and bring the world together in peace and
harmony. This is what Senator Obama stands for; but, unfortunately, he has
had to get off point to answer these false charges, innuendos, and just
plain lies
We are in the presence of an angel unaware in Senator Barack Obama, and
this country needs him, more than he needs us. He is the only person at this
time in history who can restore respect for America with the world's people.
Because of his family background, the influence of his beloved mother who
instilled great values in him, the influence of his absent father who
vicariously inspired a son to go to Harvard as the father had done, the
influence of a minister who brought him to an understanding of the value
and meaning of Christianity, the influence of a brilliant Harvard educated
wife who inspires him and keeps him grounded; he is the epitome of a citizen
of the world. He is of the world because the world is in him; and this is what
American needs to bring us out of the abyss to which we have sunk in the eyes
of the world.
Like, Michelle Obama, after living in this country all of my 78 years,
loving my country and not understanding why my country has not loved me,
I now for the first time in my adult life feel PROUD OF MY COUNTRY because
I sense a maturing, a recognition of talent and character, and not color,
and a field of candidates aspiring to lead this nation coming from very
diverse backgrounds of gender, religious beliefs, national origin, ethnicity,
age and experiences. This to me is the HOPE that America is coming into her
own and will begin to CHANGE and will embrace the philosophy upon which this
country was founded, where all men are created equal and are entitled to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Now I truly believe, YES WE CAN!
Filed under: Human Interest
close24 Comments
![[no avatar]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/presentation/v1/images/golo/noavatar.gif){kind=avatar}
top-voted stories
most recent
Welcome to GOLO, where WRAL.com visitors can comment on stories and create profile pages, blogs and photo galleries.
You must be a registered WRAL.com user to use these tools. Click here to register or log in.
GOLO member since July 3, 2007
August 27, 2008 5:51 p.m.
GOLO member since December 11, 2007
August 27, 2008 5:59 p.m.
GOLO member since July 17, 2007
August 27, 2008 6:02 p.m.
GOLO member since July 7, 2007
August 27, 2008 6:04 p.m.
GOLO member since July 3, 2007
August 27, 2008 6:05 p.m.
I've been working/living as a woman in a mans's world so long in my life, I'm sorry, I have no sympathy for 'poor old me, I've had it hard'. Everyone has had hardships to go through, everyone has been treated badly, cheated, lied to, treated like they were second class at some point. My male counterparts make twice what I make, and always have. So what would I say to someone who is 'just now' proud to be an American? If you don't like it here, leave. And don't let the screen door hit ya.
GOLO member since July 3, 2007
August 27, 2008 6:15 p.m.
GOLO member since July 7, 2007
August 27, 2008 6:17 p.m.
GOLO member since August 22, 2007
August 27, 2008 6:21 p.m.
GOLO member since July 5, 2007
August 27, 2008 7:00 p.m.
Only thing that will change IF he wins is that we'll have more frequent government cheese handouts at the fairground...
August 27, 2008 7:08 p.m.
Please log in to add comment.