When Barack Obama is elected president, he’ll be screening a different kind of movie at the White House. This one will be called Re-Birth Of A Nation.
In February 1915, when the Black Fives Era of basketball was just hitting its stride with teams like the St. Christopher Club and the New York Incorporators, this country had a president named Woodrow Wilson who staged a movie screening at the White House of a film called Birth Of A Nation.
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This, despite widespread protests about the film’s viciously racist depiction of African Americans and glorification of the Ku Klux Klan.
“It’s like writing history with lightning,” said an enthusiastically overwhelmed President Wilson afterwards. “And my only regret is that it is all terribly true.”
The stain of that film has helped define political strategy in America ever since. But that era is now over.
When Barack Obama is elected president, he’ll be screening a different kind of movie at the White House.
This one will be called Re-Birth Of A Nation.
It’s for all Americans and the whole world to see.
As our nation transforms, so will our world. So will your world.
Vote Obama.
Make history now.
(Please remember to vote, regardless of who you wish to see in office.)
I’m with you, Claude.
And I know that your endorsement has nothing to do with Sen. Obama’s respectable BBall credentials.
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It does but it doesn’t but it does! :-)
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Claude,
Excellent choice. I have never been more excited about a political campaign in my life. To put it in Oprah’s words, Barack is simply “brilliant” and I think he is the only candidate who can bring all of us together to get something done.
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Right on, Cousin!!
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I just saw the piece you wrote about all the presidential candidates, back on 1/29. Glad to know you’re right on top of current events.
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I’m at an Obama rally at Hartford Civic Center where the fire marshal had to turn people away due to over capacity but people just stayed and talked and “mingled.” A wide variety of people and ages. Everyone was happy and mellow. CT is important and our primary is tomorrow.
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Obama is a phenomenon – but not the fadish kind. He’s the kind that makes me have a new sense of hope for politics. I heard that in Iowa, more people came to his rally than there were registered democrats in the state. That’s amazing. I’m voting for him.
Even though there is unprecedented interest in this election, let’s not take for granted that folks who can vote will indeed vote. There’s still need to activate passive voters. If you care about representative elections, please take the time to make a difference – Adopt a voter!
Everyone knows someone who could vote, but possibly won’t for one reason or another. Most of us know a few. Adopt one or two of them and make sure they get to the polls. If they aren’t registered to vote, get them registered, and then get them to the polls.
Remember, if your person isn’t registered, check the registration deadlines for his/her state of residence. For online registration information, visit http://www.declareyourself.com. To obtain a National Mail Voter Registration Form, visit http://www.fec.gov or call 800-424-9530.
It REALLY MATTERS!
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Just want to share this one email I got:
Thank you. Don’t you just love kids?!
And here’s another one, somewhat in contrast:
Gotta respect that too.
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hey claude,
tuesday is a big day, but nothing will be finalize (unless barack’s support is amazingly strong!).
the notion that i want to share is that a lot of hillary’s support is very thin. they can be converted, sometimes with little effort. they just need a little hand-holding to hear the song.
yes we can, and we can be polite in doing so!
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brett you tryin’ to say this wasn’t polite?! :-)
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Si se puede!
Spent the weekend phone-banking for Barack — even my Friday night! — in Manhattan and making calls from home in the BK. The energy at the phone bank and the response from people I spoke to on the phone was incredible. I’ve got a great feeling about tomorrow.
People are fired up and ready to go!
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Tim, thanks. By the way you guys do a fine job over there. Was checkin’ you out!
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Hey Claude – this is old Europe calling.
I share your feelings towards Obama. For America’s sake I hope that he can be the one to redefine US domestic politics. Equally important, for everyone’s sake I hope he can be the one to restore America’s credibility in the world and make America the force of good in world politics it used to be.
The world needs America but America also needs the world to believe in it.
Let’s hope he can do it!
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Carsten, I love you man! I’ll see you in May! :-)
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This is a tough decision for me. Hilary Clinton would be a strong leader, I believe, but Barak Obama presents a fresh and energetic agenda, one this country deperately needs. And I would like to see him as our President. John Edwards would be an excellent running mate – Yes, we can!
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Thanks Susan. I would love a female president, even more than a male, because I believe the world needs a certain type of “uncontainable” and unconditional grace, encouragement, passion, love, nurturing, healing, creativity, relations, reconciliation, invitation, appreciation … all emanating from the classic feminine essence. When I think of strong women I think of these qualities.
We make the mistake of thinking of women as “weak” by comparing them to classic male qualities like tasks, commitment, forcefulness, toughness, goals, projects, milestones, reasons. In fact, we need both. What I find incongruous about Hillary is that she is obviously a woman but doesn’t seem to trust her ability to be a force using those classic attributes, so she doesn’t show them, which I believe makes people think she doesn’t possess them.
There’s something else.
When all of that mess happened with Bill Clinton’s desk, one would have thought she would take a public stand of some kind, either to call their relationship into question, or to state that they were both working to figure out what role each other played in letting the situation get to that point. It was a private matter, of course, but I mean, examining one’s own self and seeking to take responsibility for that part which was your own doing, that’s what the rest of us would do, right?
So when she didn’t do that, it seemed to give a public signal to all women that what happened was OK. That political ambition is more important than a healthy relationship with your spouse, or with yourself. I think that non-reaction is still sitting out there subconsciously with people, men and women alike. It’s like people are saying, “Hey Hillary, what ever happened with that, girl?” Particularly women. I mean, if I were a woman I’d wanna know how Hillary handled that while remaining true to herself.
I mean, I’d wanna know, how did she reconcile it?!
Or didn’t she?
In my opinion that’s where that visceral sense of distrust comes from that you hear people talking about but yet they can’t really articulate why.
This is way, way off topic of course for a “basketball” blog, huh?
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Today is a big day ( Super Tuesday and Fat Tuesday, as well). And after it is over, we will see which way the country is going. Everyone, Please go to the polls today and vote, if you are one in one of the 22 states that vote today.
I also want to say that I like cluade’s anology of the W.D. Griffith film “Birth of a Nation” in the Woodrow Wilson White House. I don’t know that we need another film. The election of Barak Obama will be the beginning of the Re-Birth of A Nation, here in America.
This election is so important to the future of our country and the direction will be going in.
Great Dialoogue for today Claude!
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Hey Ed, thanks.
I didn’t mean there’d be an actual movie as that for me is just a metaphor for things unfolding in a new way.
I look forward to speaking with you and Nikki soon!
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forget obama, i’m voting for claude johnson in 2012! run for pres–you da man!
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Bob, you’re too kind, thank you, stop it some more! But hmmm … maybe 2016! :-)
PS – Check that, I’m not eligible as I was born overseas!
Here’s a great blog post that does a good job articulating what a lot of people feel (about any presidential hopeful).
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Barack the Vote… I too endorse him and voted for him yesterday!
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And here’s a great piece from Atlantic Monthly called Why Obama Matters.
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This is another perspective on politics and voting. The wisdom is coming from the Source Energy called Abraham which is speaking through and being channeled by Esther Hicks (from the original The Secret DVD).
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[...] Politics Black Fives Endorses Obama For President [...]
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[...] this is what I wrote in my February 2008 endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President: When Barack Obama is elected president, he’ll be screening [...]
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