"Changing" times call for a specific agenda

Change.

It comes in many forms, and both democratic candidates are asking for it.

If a democratic candidate emerges to beat John McCain in the next few months, we’ll see a lot of change.

Following the amount of attention Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have drawn to themselves, and how little attention has been paid to McCain, the thought of McCain having a legitimate shot at the White House seems far removed from the daily realm of discourse and expectation.

After all the talk that has ensued, and the 21 debates, and the constant news coverage, it seems either Obama or Clinton is necessarily in line to take over the Oval Office.

But behind the usual chatter that seems to take over every conversation, news-talk program and newspaper front page, is a quieter, more ominous and biting topic.

It’s in these dark, underground conversations, that the rooted pessimism emerges and we hear whispers of another superlative for Obama; unelectable.

Hidden away from the news cameras and far from the poster boards calling for change and hope, are the mass e-mails sent out of Obama’s family in farming clothes, asking America, “Is this what you want for our first family?”

It’s the web sites with quotes from Obama, grossly out of context, painting him as a terrorist or, “too black” to run our nation, like this one from Obama, saying, “There are a lot of people in the world to whom the American flag is a symbol of oppression. And the anthem it self conveys a war-like message. You know, the bombs bursting in air and all. It should be swapped for something less parochial and less bellicose.”

It’s the Youtube.com videos made by the KKK calling for the ultimate destruction of the African American presidential candidate.

Those discreet, underground whispers say “unelectable” at the surface. But deep down, what they mean is “black.”

Unelectable.

And the conservatives aren’t the only ones who know that word. But in this politically correct world, the news media simply cannot acknowledge the existence of the deep seeded racism that truly exists in this country. If they acknowledge it, they accept it. And for a business run by ratings and advertising, accepting the existence of racism would be fatal.

Sometimes, the racism is characterized as “fanatic,” or something like that, but when we say fanatic, we imply that such a belief is the minority of the beliefs in this nation. Sadly, I think this is a mischaracterization, because racism in this country, still, is not the minority belief. Obama, himself, recognized that in his “race” speech.

Suddenly, it starts to seem like McCain doesn’t have much of a fight ahead of him, although judging by Obama’s performance thus far, it’s obvious he does.
The fight facing Obama, if he wins the nomination, is on par with the any of the greatest civil rights struggles in the past 100 years. Yes, I said a civil rights struggle, even in a society that calls itself accepting and progressive.

Between now and November, onlookers to this election cycle are going to be bombarded with conservative propaganda by a Republican Party determined not to change the past.
Maybe that’s the change Obama is asking for, that he won’t characterize as such, in so many words.

The change Obama asks for, is actually the change he needs. As people, we are inherently resistant to change.

Unfortunately for the rising star candidate, he cannot win unless we do change our views, and cut down those misinformed mass e-mails before they start.
Expect a lot more of this type of behavior before November.

Unfortunately for Obama, my grandparent’s generation is still around, at least for another couple of years, who simply won’t tolerate the change he needs to succeed.
My grandmother, who says Obama is a sleeper cell terrorist, so she’ll vote for McCain, even though she liked Romney more, is a huge obstacle for him.
Change.

It comes in many forms, and both democratic candidates are asking for it.
But maybe they’re not just asking for it for the nation’s sake. Maybe it’s not coincidental that both an African American and a woman made “change” their key platform.

Maybe they did it, because they know that without change, neither of them has a fighting chance. How far our nation would come though, if we could change.

As it stands, there has not been a more qualified candidate to lead our nation, in years than Obama. Now it’s time to see where our nation truly stands on matters of race and justice. After the 1950s and 60s, we have looked upon our racial progression with pride.

If Obama is shut down by the Conservative party, which they are no doubt gearing up to do before November, it should become clear that we have a lot further to go than we thought.

Change isn’t just what Obama wants; it’s what he needs.