Yes We Can...And We Did

The World feels different…it moves so differently today…the tide turns in a different direction and the sun rose to the light of hope and a chance- a breakthrough. It doesn’t just feel “good” around here at the moment…it feels great…it feels amazing. Senator Barack Obama is now the President-Elect of the United States of America. The hearts of those that have dared to dream, the spirit of many that fought the good fight, the songs and stories of those that went through the struggle and torture of the past, now come to something peaceful, something transcendent, something simply beautiful.

As I watched the historic moment last night from my television, I thought of the children I may have someday. I thought of their futures and their blessed chance to live in a world with no limits, no ceilings, and no barriers. They can truly be whatever they want to be and believe with every fiber of their being that they have the power to make a difference. Last night proved that we are all “one.” There is no race more superior than the other or one culture that surpasses the next; we are all God’s children and we all have the chance to live up to our full potential. Some have cried for this moment…some have died for this moment…and their struggle were not in vain. Congratulations to Senator Barack Obama, our President-Elect of the United States of America. May we all hold this moment close to our heart, share it with each other, and respect it with all our might. To God be all the glory and praise…better days are coming…

HealthCare Needs Care: PART 1

Imagine going to the Emergency Room one day as you are in need of immediate medical attention. Imagine that the doctors and specialists examine your case thoroughly and have come up with a proper solution of treating your ailment. Suddenly, a financial consultant enters the room and asks if you have health insurance. Your answer: no. The consultant then goes on to ask if you have a credit card to pay for the care you are about to receive. Your answer: no. As required by law, they can not turn you away from receiving medical attention in the ER, but once it’s known that you have no health insurance or credit cards to pay for the costs of your treatment, most of the options that would have been presented to you for healing and therapy are now not proposed to you as you are one of the many without health insurance. It’s no secret that when you have health insurance, it’s almost like you get a ticket to receive better medical attention. You may even get to watch the show as the hospitals and insurance companies duke it out as one wants more money and the other wants to hold on to more of it. Greed rules- compassion fades.

Doctors and specialists have to earn their money like anyone else- no argument there. However there is a rising concern in regards to what will happen to those that desperately need medical care and feel compelled to stay at home and fight to wait out the pain and suffering for one of two reasons: fear of being treated differently because they don’t have health insurance and/or fear of the medical bills that will ensue from the visit.

I am no stranger to not having health insurance. I am all too familiar with that struggle and that’s why it’s something that fuels my heart on a variety of levels; our children and elderly being the most important. I have heard many stories of individuals that have lost their lives because they didn’t have the finances to acquire medical care. What can be done to ensure that all Americans have access to quality health care? You can’t say that a job guarantees it, because the economy has been on a whirlwind for so long that many employers can not even offer health insurance anymore. Most people don’t have enough funds saved to simply pay in full and most Medicaid programs won’t help with medical care unless you are a child or pregnant. What can you do?

Kei's Revelation: Lack of access to health care is serious and it must be dealt with; no games need to be played on that end from any politician or any health insurance CEO. What if some of the big tycoons of these health care companies go months to years without dental care or physicals? What if they were unable to care for their children when they become ill? Luckily that’s not a question many of the health care CEO’s have to face, but unfortunately it’s a reality that many families have to deal with everyday as they feel strength slip away from them as a result of what ails them physically and emotionally. We have to begin to find a way to use some of the tax dollars we spend to help all Americans get the medical treatment they deserve. Something has got to give…something has got to change. (Part 2 coming soon…)

Why Take The Choice Away From Oprah?

The Florida Federation of Republican Women (FFRW) has decided to launch a boycott of all things Oprah Winfrey. This comes after many sparked debates over whether or not Oprah should have Republican vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, on her show. Those that wanted to see Palin as a guest on the show were upset with Oprah because they felt Palin was receiving unfair treatment seeing as how Oprah had Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama, on her show twice. Following the criticisms, Oprah released a statement where she basically let everyone know that she would not have “any” of the presidential or vice presidential candidates on her show until the elections wrapped up in November. Oprah expressed the fact that since this was her first time taking a public stand in support of a presidential candidate, it would be bad form to use her show as an avenue for any of the candidates during the election season. More importantly, keep in mind that Barack Obama was on Oprah’s show BEFORE he made his announcement that he would be running to be president. It all makes sense now, right? Oprah’s decision seems fair now right? Well not to the FFRW. They are urging supporters to not tune in to “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” along with cancelling subscriptions to “O” magazine. CNN.com’s Political Ticker for September 6, 2008, included an article that highlighted the details of the FFRW’s decision to boycott. The article notes that Linda Ivell, President of the FFRW, states: “Women in Florida helped build Oprah into the icon she is today…[…].” It then goes on to discuss the “disappointment” Mrs. Ivell feels in regards to Oprah’s decision to not have Sarah Palin on the show. Of course, I feel that women and men everywhere have helped to make Oprah an icon, not only the women in Florida. And I can understand the disappointment of any supporter of a political candidate, when a show such as Oprah’s refuses to have them on. But let’s get real and get to the heart of the matter…

Oprah decided to go public with her support of a political candidate. Was she wrong for doing this? Absolutely not! She has a right just like anyone else to support whomever she wishes in the elections. Celebrity does not equal “immortal” or some status that claims that you are above everyone else when it comes to the world of politics. She may make a lot more money than your average American, but why is it wrong for her to take a stand for something she feels will make a difference? Whether it’s Obama or McCain, what is so wrong with Oprah doing this? What is really “unfair” is the way some individuals are trying to put her on the chopping block for voicing her choice. I have never seen any legislation that says celebrities must keep quiet about their political preferences. Everyone is subject to some ridicule and criticism when they make choices in politics and decide to go public with their support of any candidate- period. And the fact that Oprah chose to do this, not only shows that she may truly care about this country and wants the change so many seek, but it shows that she cares about the future of this country more than the ratings and revenue of her show.

In regards to Oprah having Obama on her show and not Palin, again, keep in mind, that Obama was on the show BEFORE he announced that he would be running for the presidency. That’s “before,” not “after.” And also, “McCain” is the Republican presidential candidate, not Sarah Palin. How unbalanced would that be? If Oprah were to have Obama on her show after he made the announcement, than she would be wrong. The only way she could have one candidate on the show at this point in time, would be to have “all”candidates on the show. It wouldn’t be fair to put Palin on the show and not Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden. How can you put Obama on the show and not McCain? Therefore, Oprah’s decision makes perfect sense, especially since she has actually made it clear who she supports in this election. It is better for her to stay clear of having any of the candidates on until the elections are over. It’s not only smart, but it’s appropriate.

Some say that Oprah should want Palin on her show because she is a female, and Oprah has always been a strong supporter of women making their marks and showing that they have the ability to do anything and achieve anything. This is true, but let’s also note that Oprah is a “black” woman, and she also believes that Black people that have suffered just as much as women in this country, have the ability to do anything and achieve anything. It would be impossible for Oprah to make all happy in this equation, because if she supports a woman, than some black people would feel as though she is a traitor to her race. If she supports the black candidate, than some women will feel as though she doesn’t care about women’s rights, but only her race. She can’t win for losing in this folks. Is that fair? I am a black woman, but I am not for supporting black candidates simply because they are black. I am not for supporting female candidates because they are female. I am for supporting the candidate that I feel comes as close to the truth as possible, and maybe, just maybe, will take their time in the White House to bring real, positive, change to the country, not just empty promises. Why is it so bad that Oprah may have done the same? Doesn’t she deserve an opinion?

Kei’s Revelation: The fact that Oprah Winfrey has decided to wait until the elections are over before she has any of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates on her show, should not ruffle any feathers. It is the right thing to do. We should be in support of celebrities playing a role in the process to better our communities and our nation. They have a right to make a choice, and to voice their concerns as much as anyone else. We must ask ourselves if it would really make sense for Oprah to have Palin and only Palin on her show simply because she is a woman, after Oprah has announced her support for Obama. It does not. And I do not want to ruffle any feathers, especially of those that would love to see Palin on Oprah’s show, but try to be un-biased and see this in clear lenses. If the choice is made to boycott Oprah’s show and magazine, that’s fine, no one can take that choice away from those that choose to do so. But don’t take the choice away from Oprah to try and do what’s right as the elections draw closer to November.

Let Me Tell You Why "Community Organizers" Are Important...

I try to refrain from political talk as much as possible, but when I see the suffering of so many in various communities all over this country, it’s hard not to get swept up in the wave- especially when I feel as though those that are high in political power, or at least have the ability to rise to a higher political power are ignorant of it.

I admire Republican VP hopeful, Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska (photo on left), for her tenacity and her ability to rise above the notion that a woman can’t take care of her family and lead fast-paced, demanding careers; I respect her so much for that. But she disturbed and more so “disappointed” me when she attacked Senator Barack Obama about his role as a “community organizer.”

My disappointment comes from her failure to realize exactly how important a community organizer truly is to any area of America that needs guidance, assistance, and leadership to get them through some of the toughest times, especially when Washington ignores their cry. Community organizers work to keep jobs from going overseas, help with employment training services, and fight for beneficial after-school programs and other extremely important reforms. When Obama graduated from Columbia University, he could have gone on to seek jobs at lucrative firms, especially later on when he graduated from Harvard after being the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. Can you imagine the types of deals he was getting? Instead, Obama chose to be a community organizer in Chicago with a salary of no more than $10,000 a year. Did we all get that? No more than $10,000 a year! Let’s envision trying to live on that today with these gas prices and failing economy! And of course, let’s not forget the $2,000 that his recruiter for the organizer job gave him to purchase a car to help him get around in. Obama chose to forego tons of dollars and a luxury car that his expertise could have landed him, and instead chose to take very little pay and a busted car to go into inner-cities and fight against problems like harmful landfills and sewage plants that affected the community.

He was like family to many of the people in the he helped, because he got down and dirty, rolled up his sleeves, and worked hard for them. He didn’t just come down with a crisp white shirt, and a promise. He surrounded himself with their woes, their frustrations, and did all he could to lead them to something better. If a “community organizer” can do this and make change, than he should probably have a shot at being president, because in past experiences, especially the last 8 years, I don’t see much of what the current president has done that has been so great or beneficial.

Kei’s Revelation: Talk to the parent of a child that has been apart of Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” initiative and find out how it feels when they realize their child has been taught one thing all year, and ultimately given a test that somehow doesn’t measure what they’ve learned, leading them to repeat the same grade. Better yet, talk to the parent of a child that has no access to a quality, grade-school education or after-school program, or have been victims of teachers that pass them on to the next grade without properly and efficiently instructing them and see how they feel. Talk to the parents that are not able to afford the medicine they need because they were forced to choose between getting medicine, food, or school supplies for their children, and see how they feel. Strike up a conversation with the elderly man or woman that can’t afford all of her medications or is not able to have a much needed surgery because of inadequate health insurance and see how he or she feels. Talk to someone that has lost a child because they could not afford the medications or treatment to keep them alive and see how they feel. How about the young man or woman that can’t afford to go to college and has to push their dream of being a doctor or a lawyer aside- find out how they feel.

After all of this…if you want to take a chance and find out how good it feels to have the help of a community organizer, talk to some of this country’s people of color that have been subjected to racism, discrimination, and prejudice, and find out what a blessing it was to have someone like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stand up and organize so many from all races to fight against that kind of hate that in due course has helped to open up new doors for all of our children’s futures, and then you will know the true benefit of a community organizer. To dismiss the significance of such a demanding position is heartless, especially if someone is trying to be president of an entire country. Because for those that didn’t know, being president of an entire country, means helping those that are rich and helping those that are poor. It means caring about those that own businesses and are high-powered CEO’s, and those that are mere employees working from paycheck to paycheck. It means fighting for the rights of those that are suffering and in poverty, and even those that were born with the silver spoon in their mouth. Stop ignoring the cries of those that truly need the government to put our tax dollars to use and solve some of their most burdening problems. For once, let it be about the betterment of society instead of some ego-driven political agenda. Let’s thank those that have the courage to be community organizer’s giving the weary the hope and results that compel them to be encouraged, to try again, and believe in themselves when the typical politicians won’t.

Granddad, You Won’t Believe What Happened Last Night…

When I was a little girl, I recall many times when I would listen to my grandparents talk about the struggles many black people had to endure in this country. I was filled with sadness when my grandmother would talk about the days that she worked in tobacco fields and wasn’t allowed to drink from the same water cooler as her white boss. Despite the lashing of the sun and the smothering waves of heat, she and the black field workers were left to thirst if they ran out of their supply of water, because they were not about to have a taste of the prestigious water from the prestigious cooler. I would cringe when I listened to my grandfather speak of the many times he had to hold his head down and take the unfair pay and treatment he got for heavy, back-breaking labor. The condescending, patronizing, tone that was used towards them and their children they lived their life to get by on less, while they helped some of the white people that surrounded them to get more.

My grandparents would speak about leaders and activists that fought hard to change things and bring more unity to the country. Leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., President John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Malcolm X, and so many others that didn’t just talk about coming together and helping each other, but acting and doing just that. Our country began to run on a different course and the burdens that so many African Americans had carried for so long were becoming a little lighter in weight because of the sacrifices of those that cared to stand for change. Regardless of the advances that were beginning to take place, there was one thing my grandfather told me that he believed would never happen: my grandfather told me time and time again, that we would never see a black man have the opportunity to become President of the United States.

I dared my grandfather to dream, to see the possibilities, to imagine it happening, but to no avail. My grandfather had endured so much racism, prejudice, and negativity, that even though he was now granted the right to share the same restroom as a white man or send his children to the same school, he just could not imagine a black man being allowed the acceptance and recognition of leading a country. “It will never happen bay (“bay” is short for baby, the nickname he used to call me). There is no way a black man can make it that far in this country.” Well granddad, you won’t believe what happened last night…

Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away in 2005, and my grandmother passed away years earlier in 2001, but if they were alive, I could only imagine the sense of amazement, pride, and achievement they would feel in Senator Barack Obama. Their joy would be about more than politics, more than a presidency, but would center on the fact that people of all races have come to point in their hearts where a man is truly judged by more than the color of his skin, but his ability to do far greater things to reach out to those that are in need of help, whether they are Black, White, Latino, Asian, or Native American.

Kei’s Revelation: To be respected, admired, and treated equally, even if not to a perfect degree, is still so much more than minorities had many years ago. Think back on Harriet Tubman that led the slaves through the Underground Railroad in hopes of helping them find freedom, far, far away from the lash of the whip that bruised their backs; or the young African American men and women, that were forced out of all-white schools and punished with gusts of water from fire truck hoses. Think back on Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, and their courage to put them selves on the front lines to help black people find a more equal line with others. Think of all those unknown that took many a beating, cried many a tear, and suffered a great deal, for us to get to the moment where we can be just a little more accepting of each other. When Barack Obama took the stage and gave his acceptance speech for the nomination for the presidency from the Democratic party, I got chills. For me, like my grandparents, it was about more than the politics, or a presidency, but it was about realizing just how far we’ve come, even if there is a longer way to go. God will have to step in before things can be perfect in this world, but for those that try to do their part to make it a little better, or live just a little more righteously, it’s enough to keep any hope alive. (Photos courtesy of Reuters.)