Obsession. . .

Anyone need a bath other than me?

I've reserved comment all day, now into day two, waiting for the flotsam and jetsam of a collective human ejaculation to subside and it appears, at least on the surface, that it has.

America should be proud of her rightful place as the leader of our troubled planet and as much as some liberals and some countries dislike that idea, it's true that we are in front. Our innovation is the headwind that buffets the faces of the rest of the world and today, as we move ahead with another historical precedent, we should be proud of our accomplishment.

That being said, I thought today's proceedings were marred by one or two events that spoiled an otherwise unique, and uniquely American moment.

First, the media.

Sure, it's a spectacle, but the frothing gush of admiration, the constant panting and gabbing about ridiculous details, such as the discussion I heard on NPR of just exactly what color dress Michelle Obama was wearing. Was it yellow? Mustard yellow? Buttercream with brocaded fabric? Oh, but leave it to the media to not miss such critical details of an important event and the fashion debate ended with someone declaring that it was very "Jaqueline Kennedy."

Hardly.

I liked some of the more honest debate I heard, like a man interviewed by NPR who was also a community organizer, his mother and father also community organizers, who described this moment of historical importance through a different light. He grasped well the gravity of this moment and begged that all people should take this event as evidence of what an education, good values, working hard and striving can do for a person in America irregardless of color or creed.

But here came the media again, in rapturous flux and drunk on the cult of personality which is Barack Obama, injecting race where it need not be and of course, throwing last minute jabs at the Bush/Cheney administration at every chance.

I am happy for our country and kudos to Obama for bridging a long gap that has been present in this country for many more than the last eight years of George Bush's presidency, eight years so maligned by the media. I was glad to see the diverse ocean of humanity that arrived for this historical precedent. It was pleasing to see whites, blacks, Latinos, Indians, Asians, all shades of color together for a common, deserving purpose representing what makes the United States so incredibly unparalleled, our diversity and tolerance.

Yet, the moment again tainted, by the vague, incoherent ramblings of Reverend Joseph Lowery; a tired, backward looking windbag from a bygone era. His benediction, while pertinent at face value, yielded nothing but the same, worn-out mantra by virtue of his closing comment, "when white will embrace what is right."

Dear Rev. Lowery,

FUCK YOU!

Sincerely,
Burnt Toast

To stain such an important, modern and revolutionary moment with 1960's fight the power rhetoric is simply offensive to all people and most certainly indicates that Rev. Lowery is a bigot himself.

Let me explain to Rev. Lowery what has transpired in the last 160+ years, it's reeaaaallllly easy to understand.

You are a free man. Your people have been free from slavery for over 150 years. Full civil rights were granted to you more than 40 years ago. Laws were enacted by the skee-jillion to help you find your way through life. Laws enacted that openly discriminate against academic achievement of whites and are simply there to help promote "diversity." Governmental programs were launched to help elevate your people from the bondage of poverty. Welfare, WIC, affirmitive action, welfare to work, educational grants, just to name a few.

The failure of your society to educate itself is the real tragedy. Billions of dollars a year are poured into inner-city school districts, which annually post graduation rates far lower than suburban areas. Fault? White people's apparently.

We'll never win the propaganda battle against the long, bony finger of racism, when there is a destructive, pervasive double-standard perpetuated by people like Lowery, the Hip-Hop industry and other fringe left black leadership, that say, "Yes we can and no you cain't!"

Had a white man stood at that podium yesterday and mentioned red men, yellow men and insinuated that the black man needs to embrace what is right, that white man would never have made it out of town. But, since the comments were made by an old, black, civil rights reverend, it's ok.

Well, I'm not ok with that.

For all the preachy preach and feel-goodyisms yesterday about togetherness, leaving the eight years behind, moving forward together? Well, you can just flush all that shit down the toilet after Lowery's benediction. The line in the sand has been drawn, the pilings of our fragile bridge of togetherness made weak by the ramblings of a narrow-minded bigot.

We've moved on, our president is black.

And as I think about that diverse crowd, it begs me to offer this question. . .

. . .if a sea of diverse humanity can weather, by the millions, a fierce January morning for our new, black president, where were they for all the white presidents we've had?

Now who are the real racists?