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DEL.ICIO.USGroup pride in a member’s success
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Nathaniel Brown has never voted for a Republican. It’s a track record that will continue Tuesday when the retired civil rights activist gingerly makes his way to the ballot booth. A stroke and heart attack have slowed the Norcross resident. His health, he jokes, will prove handy come Nov. 4.
“I won’t have to wait,” he said, chuckling.
Brown experienced first-hand the segregation and inequality that many of us have only read about. As a school-bus driver, he drove a “relay bus” that ferried the Norcross-area’s black students to Duluth. There, they’d catch another bus that took them to an all-black school.
In the mid-1960s, he helped lead a successful, violence-free effort to integrate the county’s public schools. The Ku Klux Klan held a rally in Norcross’ downtown Thrasher Park to protest the start of the school year.
It’s history that’s as fresh in the 77-year-old’s mind as the current presidential bid that pits Sen. Barack Obama against Sen. John McCain. For Brown, the thought of a black man possibly occupying the West Wing is something he never thought he might see.
“My generation,” he said. “We’re almost extinct.”
In America, race is everything. To that end, much has been made of the overwhelming support blacks have given the Obama candidacy. Some political pundits have attributed the support to skin tone and skin tone only.
How insulting. They know full well the support runs deeper than that, that it’s greater than the candidate’s melanin. Concerns about the economy and dwindling retirement funds are on everybody’s minds, regardless of color.
Besides, blacks typically vote Democrat. Democrat John Kerry nabbed 88 percent of the black vote in the 2004 presidential race. In the November 2000 presidential contest, Democrat Al Gore received 90 percent of the black vote nationally.
Still, there’s a ring of truth to the notion that familiarity and likeness hold political sway. At the very least, they are factors that can open the door, make folk listen, even if they vote otherwise. Everybody likes “one of their own.”
Mitt Romney, the 2008 Republican presidential hopeful, spent millions of his own money, but he benefited greatly from donors of the Mormon church, especially in Utah. When John F. Kennedy became the first Roman Catholic president of the United States, practitioners of the faith felt, generally, that they had arrived. That they had become part of the political process. That they had broken the barrier.
It would be no different with Obama, should he succeed.
“I guess it would be one of the most historical things that I have ever seen,” Brown said. “Most of my kids have gone and voted. They keep saying, ‘Daddy, why don’t you go vote?’ But I told them, this year, I won’t have to wait in the back of a line.
“I have the advantage.”
Permalink | Comments (27) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Comments
By Success
November 1, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this
I have met many white people who have or plan to vote for Obama as well as many black people who have voted or plan to vote for McCain. This tells me that most Americans, whether Black, White, Hispanic, Indian or Oriental don’t really care about the color of one’s skin. We, the American people have risen above this attitute of division. However, there are still a handful of people who want to continue to stir the pot, especially the news media. There is one term “African American” that implies segregation while it also implies discrimination. What if Jane Doe, who is black, wants to just be considered “American” even though her heritage is Africa. What if Joan Doe, who is white, and is a legal immigrant from Africa wants to be called African American. I am offended by this term and the person who decided to put this label on black people needs to think things through. There are many applications and forms that ask for race and the category will ask “African American or Black” on one line. Why can’t we all just be called Americans and throw out the term “African American” that is offensive to many white and black people. Thank you Rick for not using the offensive label “African American” in this blog.
By JAMES MCCOY
November 1, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this
What about the term African-Americam makes some
By JAMES MCCOY
November 1, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this
What is so frightening about the term African-American.No one seems to have a problem with German-American,Irish-American or any other european sur name.
By Michael H. Smith
November 1, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this
Because those terms and the prerogative that purveys them are un-American, separatist and divisive.
By LT5000
November 1, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this
Do blacks know that a Republican freed the slaves?
Do blacks know that the Democratic Party still hosts ex-KKK member Robert Byrd?
I guess it’s all about them government checks.
Another Obama infomercial brought to us by Blubbering Badie.
Hey fat boy, why don’t you discuss the fact that the AJC suffered the largest circulation drop of any major newspaper last quarter?
When will the AJC learn that it’s the morons they allow to write for the paper that are bringing it down?
LT5000
By Michael H. Smith
November 1, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this
The Republicans, half freed the slaves and allowed the Democrat’s South to keep their decedents under foot for about another 100 years. The Republican North may have won the war between the states but the Democrat South won reconstruction a.k.a. “separate but equal”.
By Mark
November 1, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5p3OB6roAg
So blacks aren’t voting by color, eh?
By Michael H. Smith
November 1, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this
And whites aren’t voting by skin color?
Some people are dumb enough to vote for their skin color because that is the only issue that matters to them.
By LT5000
November 1, 2008 2:14 PM | Link to this
Blubbering Badie,
Did you bother to fact check Nathaniel Brown? Or did you just write his lies as fact?
I have extensively searched for the supposed KKK rally that occurred in Thrasher Park in Norcross.
No references or documentation exist. Could you please post verification that this did occur?
I really don’t expect Blubbering Badie to move his butt from the bench at Denny’s to investigate this. It would destroy the meme of his Obama informercial to discover the truth.
Badie, try to act like a journalist and actually fact check your stories before posting.
LT5000
By Sally
November 1, 2008 3:01 PM | Link to this
barrack obama is the oprah of politics.
By What're you an idiot
November 1, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this
Let the right-wing nut jobs spew their filth for a few more days but on Wednesday we’ll be waking up to a new America.
By justmyopinion
November 1, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this
I’m sorry James McCoy but I have never run into anyone who calls themselves “——-American” except for black folks. Nice try though.
By Call-Them-Out-Guy
November 2, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this
OH, Mr. Badie, shame on you. Let’s break it down:
“In America, race is everything.” False, false, false, false!! You should have been frank and said: “In America, race is everything to some people”
“They know full well the support runs deeper than that, that it’s greater than the candidate’s melanin.”
What planet have you been on, sir? Numerous actual quotes (recordings), polls, & surveys have been presented where black voters have clearly cited his race as the reason for voting, or in a “round-a-bout” way.
Obama’s voters have been called out by several no-nosense talk show hosts including Hannity, Boortz, & McConnell. But the main media glosses over facts that exist.
Of course, another perspective can be pointed out against young whites who are “hip” or “in the know” regarding Obama, but refuse to answer questions regarding his policies.
Vote on a candidate’s policies and how they will affect our country. Any less is dishonest and selling out your fellow Americans.
But please let’s not keep pretending it’s not because of his race in many instances or that things will “magically get better” if a certain candidate wins.
By BW
November 2, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this
Anyone who believes race is not a factor in this, is a Republican or that very small percentage that still believes Fearless Leader has done a great job and McBush will carry on the torch.
By Cindy
November 2, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this
BW, I don’t understand your comment at all. I read it a few times and each time right when I thought I caught on, it still seemed to prove nothing. What am I missing?
By Sally
November 2, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this
Cindy, BW was double-speaking to see who would be dumb enough to swing at it. I guess he found out. You. What a fall guy. What a clod. What a maroon. Chuckle-snort. Bipplenook. Guffawwww.
moron.
By African-American
November 2, 2008 9:46 PM | Link to this
Hey Success, why are you so threatened by the term “African-American”? Must we pretend that there are no differences in order to accept each other? If you really accept and embrace people for who they are, then you should not get so uptight about someone calling themselves African-American……unless you have a problem with Americans of African descent.
By the way, my best friend…..proudly refers to herself as Italian-American. It’s what makes her who she is and I like that about her.
By Sallied Parry
November 3, 2008 5:37 AM | Link to this
Hey, afro amer, does your italian american girlfriend have an older sister 4 me?
By Point In Fact-or
November 3, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this
The term “African-American” is largely an inappropriately used term, often used as a self-applied label, and in some cases a “crutch” for those who cannot assimilate into modern society without worrying about race.
No one is “threatened” by someone’s self-applied “African-American” label.
However, you are not African. Give it a rest!
The real Africans I’ve known (who moved to the USA) have had some ahem rathering interesting things to say regarding the racial behavior among some blacks here.
If you were born here you are not African! Undeniable FACT.
Most sensible people, myself included, could care less about your race, and don’t need self-applied labels to get by. People ARE TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT YOUR RACE, GET OVER IT!
By Point In Fact-or
November 3, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this
The term “African-American” is largely an inappropriately used term, often used as a self-applied label, and in some cases a “crutch” for those who cannot assimilate into modern society without worrying about race.
No one is “threatened” by someone’s self-applied “African-American” label.
However, you are not African. Give it a rest!
The real Africans I’ve known (who moved to the USA) have had some ahem rathering interesting things to say regarding the racial behavior among some blacks here.
*If you were born here you are not African! * Undeniable FACT.
Most sensible people, myself included, could care less about your race, and don’t need self-applied labels to get by. People ARE TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT YOUR RACE, GET OVER IT!
By Sallied Parry
November 3, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this
What is African? What is a genome? What is a cloned mitochondrial mutation? Would not a bad hair day in any gene pool be just as big a disaster? Let us not quibble over the reflective properties of light. But as one people, in a great land, we move forward in a new era of the Dream Fulfilled.
Obama 08: America takes over.
By The Oh Really Factor
November 3, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this
?? WTF Sallied Parry??
African: (1). Of or directly to that of the continent of Africa. (2). Of direct descent or relationship.
Would you care for a dictionary?
Obama 08: Your post makes no sense. :P
By Michael H. Smith
November 3, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this
One people have no need of hyphens to identify or unify themselves; nor is this one country under the rule of, or confined to, the definitions of any dictionaries.
For that we have one Constitution.
Would anyone care to read the 14th amendment?
Section. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Gee… no mention of decedents, foreign relationship or hyphens preceding the word “citizens”. Guess the people who abolished slavery and ended all discussions about who is an American should have read a dictionary, before so nonsensically declaring freed former Africans to be Americans?
By klink
November 3, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this
I disagree, MHS—
Section. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States;
In that case, why the need for Civil Rights Acts? Or Voting Rights Acts?
Seems that we don’t do a very good job of following our own constitution.
Peonage cases, anyone? How about our present day prison system which is skewed against Blacks and Latinos?
Guess the people who abolished slavery and ended all discussions about who is an American should have read a dictionary, before so nonsensically declaring freed former Africans to be Americans?
The very same people that declared freed slaves to be Americans abandoned them in any number of ways (the creation and dissolution of the Freedmen’s Bureau in five short years, voting rights corrupted within ten years).
The 14th amendment has been abused by those wrote it and inherited it before the ink dried.
By Michael H. Smith
November 3, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this
Disagree or agree, facts remain the same. Dividing this country by ancestral linage denies unity, promotes separate agendas, many of them foreign agendas, and is unconstitutional and un-American.
Be glad the majority in this country does not share your myopic ethnocentric views, klink - or Mr. Obama would never have made it this far, let alone become the next President of the United States of America. As apparently he shall.
By klink
November 3, 2008 3:07 PM | Link to this
MHS, this country has been divided over ancestral lineage since the moment of its conception. It’s the American way.
As far as myopic views, you seem to be the one who lacks discernment and refuses to see the nuance in race relations. Race matters. I wish it didn’t, but it does. I didn’t make the rules.
Let’s hope that Obama can lead us to a post-racial society.
By AIRBORNE
November 17, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this
point-in-fact,you have irish-americans,italian-americans,german-americans,the list goes on.whats wrong with being called afro-americans? What do you call the people that where here before columbus? In case you did’nt know, the native americans are the true people of this country.I’ve lived in countries overseas,and believe me,they don’t have to much good to say about any race in this country.Try going to a foreign country and find out what they think of mickey mouse and disney world,you’ll be surprised.We’re just as proud of being called afro-americans as any other group of people whose ancestors landed here.Check your history,Obamas dad is from africa,his mother is from kansas and is a desendant of Jefferson Davis,the first confederate president of the south,it old jeff all this time to get in the white house,thanks for creeping in the slave camps at night,see how life is? Now you get over it,and let Obama do what he has to do with no favorites to any one.