Dear Barack:
A wise man once rapped: and even though it seems heaven sent, we ain’t ready to see a Black president.
I steadfastly held onto that belief. The words of the prolific rapper would echo in my head every time I conjured up those grandiose thoughts of one day being in a position to take a shot at the Oval Office myself. Those words would even echo during my more pessimistic moments as well, when I downgraded my hopes to those that saw my children in a position to vie to become the Leader of the Free World.
Yet, the unspeakable is now widely spoken about. On June 3rd, 2008, you secured the Democratic party’s presidential nomination. Despite a refusal from your candidate to accept to that her bid has come to an end, there was very little that could rain on your parade.
However, I must warn you that the road ahead is treacherous. Although you have seemingly reached the mountain top, be mindful of the fact that standing on the pinnacle in politics only makes your fall all the easier. Throughout your candidacy, you have been anointed by the media as the next great hope in America – due in large part to the moving speech you deliver in 2004. Still, not even media favoritism can prepare you for the stops that the GOP is prepared to pull out in its quest to maintain its monopoly over the White House.
And just so you know, your speech tonight in St. Paul nearly brought me to tears. The enormity of pride and awe that swelled up inside of me is beyond description. I always wanted to say that I was “proud of America for the first time in my adult life.” Then, after a brief pause, I realized that that would cause me to catch a lot of the flack that your wife has been taking for the past few months. But I digress…
Unfortunately, this magical moment can’t last forever. Now comes the time for you to realize that even those that are your most devoted fans will take issue with some of the things that you do. You will not always handle situations in a fashion that pleases everyone. In fact, I am already prepared to criticize your actions. If you take office on January 20th, I’ll be prepared to discuss your shortcomings on January 21st. So is the nature of the political arena.
You stand on the shoulders of giants, indeed. Yet and still, you possess those intangibles necessary to make those giants grow. Your legacy will be built upon your ability to expand and advance those ideals set forth by those great leaders – native and foreign born – that litter the pages of history books.
Scrutiny and pressure will continue to mount. Days will turn into night. This new mountain that you must climb will at times appear insurmountable. Yet, when you are weak the resounding voice of America will push you forward. It has often been said that America is the world’s last best hope. In many respects, you are ours. Continue to fight the good fight and continue striving to make history in November. Don’t just do it for America. Don’t just do it for yourself. Do it for me and all of those out there who believe each time you proclaim (no matter how corny it sounds): YES WE CAN!
PS – Seriously, if you’ve had any affairs in the past you need to go ahead and diffuse those situations now. And if not – KUDOS to you! I’ll see you out there on the campaign trail.
