Hey, I appreciate the shout-out. I hope you know that I always take great pleasure in reading what you have to write as well.

But there are a couple of things in your blog I want to address.

Foremost, in my completely biased perspective as an self-identified African American... I think that your blog has a false premise. That being that a great number of African Americans voted for Barack Obama because he is African-American.

I think Obama's platform spoke specifically to alot of African Americans because a) he is a democratic, b) he barely opened his mouth without making some type of promise to the middle class (many of which I am sure he'll have to backout on). c.) he spoke to the problems of the nation that disproportionately effect blacks [without ever directly addressing blacks] (education, fair housing NOT welfare because contrary to popular belief the white folks are getting most of that).

But, I think something like 90% of African Americans generally vote Democrat, this election...that percentage went up 5% not much of a difference. (A staunch republican black, yellow, brown, orange, or blue would have a hard time voting for Obama, he's alright w/ gays, he's alright with abortion, and in a capitalist society he is talking about penalizing the rich [taxes] which is what we all think we are [250,000+] , or want to be.)

Also, I think the definition of "black" among African Americans varies much more than it would in America at large. (Similar to whites-- very few Caucasian Americans are from or have heard of the Caucus Mountains). I am Jamaican-- many Jamaicans will tell you in a heartbeat they are not black (because most of them like me are not African American.. my family is 2-3 generations of Jamaicans who descend from the British and Chinese... think I can trace at least 5 generations...nothing African).

Others define African American by way of culture. In which case Obama was raised by a white woman and is a double ivy, far from the typical "Black experience" in America-- (Only 5% of African American males marry/procreate w/ white women & having to guess I would think the % of blacks who are double ivys is probably pretty low as well) (we went to high school together, whenevr I speak about anything in academia, or politics, or I say I've never so much as tasted a collard green, or a watermelon you've probably witnessed the kneejerk reactions I face from whites and blacks alike of being told..."you're not black" or "you are not REALLY black."

Think this might be why some votes were cast for Obama as well because he never cast himself as Black or African American. Never calls himself the first black presidential nominee, just a presidential nominee, who happens to be black.

Finally, there is skin color. Which I think probably secured him more white votes than black. I think alot of white people had the opportunity to prove how they weren't racist and jumped all over it...sadly. But you know elections have turned on even more trivial issues. (I.E. the House Reps. and Senators generally get elected by how much the voter likes their names, or party affiliation because most people (including me) never hear these names until they go to vote). Also Palin was chosen because she was a female and took every opportunity her integrity was questioned to cry sexism-- (her being a spend thrift, her illegitimate grandchild(ren) because that is really the only thing going for her.. she is about the most anti-feminist female to ever be given a platform. And Alaska is #1 state of violent crimes as against women but i suppose that's politics.

Rufus will have some patently racists things to say chiming behind some of the facebook statuses I had the pleasure of seeing. (What would Abraham Lincoln think now... what do JFK, Lincoln and Obama have in common--nothing yet...)

Finally, my black experience and I would think others, is not tied to slavery. There are small grievances that African Americans suffer everyday. (Ones I fear will become even more unnoticed since blacks have apparently "made it" / "arrived" now that the president is black).

But generally, a white guy won't walk into a store and be followed by the clerk.

A white guy won't have english shouted at him, because it is ASSUMED that he does not know how to speak english.

Racial profiling, assumed stupidity, and overall blatant distrust/disrespect are all issues that most if not all white people will never have to think about. altho the rise of minorities in this country has caused a bit of backlash (minorities who distrust whites to the extent of not renting to them i.e. asians only renting to asians or blacks only to blacks or non-whites).

I think McCain more readily injected race into this election albeit implicitly... but the "we don't know him" and "terrorism" claims are what was used to cast fear in white people's hearts as against every "Other" minority to ever step foot into this country. And then the misclassification of Obama as "That One" revealed if not racism then at least insensitivity to alot folks (essentially removing his personhood... going to bring back flashbacks for many blacks of times when they were in fact less than a person.. they were legally property.)

That said, you are a minority. And any positive exposure we can get in this country we are going to cherish. "WE" meaning minorities. Think about the effect of having an African American president on today's African American youth who are taught by the media they can do nothing without a ball or a microphone.

For Asians there are fewer examples but those that do exist rattled this country. Yao Ming allowed for a bunch of disgruntled azn ballers to tryout. And post-Jabbawockeez there was an OUTBREAK of Filipino dance groups.

I'd be lying if I said that it doesn't feel good to see a face like your own doing something positive in a place where YOUR COUNTRY pretty much tells you they can't.

Like for Asian Americans i.e. Filipinos being like first in the class or breaking 1500 on the SAT--gen no fuss--(pretty much expected to be good at academics)-- but not basketball (yao) or dancing (jabba).

For blacks, it's the polar opposite-- we can ball, and dance-- so if we see blacks balling and dancing who cares...but we are told by media outlets (if not our shitty educators) we are dumb and lazy so if we walk into a college classroom and see a black professor--that's a BIG deal just because of the hurdles have to jump to get there.

Likewise, merits or self-identification, I am sure you might have been hard pressed to find a Filipino person who would have voted for Status Quo.

The illusion of a barrier being broken usually is a step toward it ACTUALLY being broken.

Finally, let's be honest. This is not a color-blind nation.
If we are in a class together for the first day... during Chem. I can almost guarantee someone will pick you as their lab partner before they'd pick me based solely on appearance...
and I can also pretty much guarantee that I'll get picked before you in pretty much any athletic endeavor. (this used to get to me because in hap almost every asian kid, ok that's an exaggeration, but A LOT of azn kids in hap--mike, a.a. etc.-- were wayyy better than me at basketball but I would generally get chosen first based on my skin color whereas they'd have to "prove" themselves.. basketball seems pretty trivial. but imagine if you were cast as the underdog for jobs/academia basically nething involving an interview, (so the white guy gets picked first because you are never given the opportunity to prove yourself).

We are not racist. We are American and seeing color first has been engrained in us. It's wrong. But all we can do is keep hoping barriers are shattered.

I am sure there are folks who voted for Obama because he is black-- and that sucks. But I think that it also holds true that a percentage of people voted for McCain just because he is white.

And I don't think either of them asked for it to be that way. In fact both called for people to look at the issues.

But I can go on about this forever, and probably have lol. I sent you a link on facebook..

I hope this gets across as I intend. And I had my own misgivings about both candidates (Obama's campaign to me was like hitting on a girl after she just dumped her ex.. Bush the bad ex-boyfriend..but come to me I will bring "hope" and "change" are very flowery words that he chose purposefully to distract from the issues...and McCain is 72 statistically he has 3 years to live...the fact that he ran in the first place means to me he might not have this country's interest at heart because he probably won't live for the totality of the term. not to mention he chose freakin Palin who can name only name one sup. ct. case as his running mate.)

but what's done is done. let's hope for the best. in an ideal world... huey freeman would be president.

wow, that's incredibly long haha. glad it went through.