A Pause of Concentrated Thanks

This is the day that many people groups, in their own manner, celebrate a moment of thanks. For what exactly? Well, for the pilgrims that came over; that family member who is still with us; the news of distress, which turned into eustress and all good things followed.

On this day--I am thankful for the plenty, the little; the large, the small; the successes and the failures; the pleasure, the pain. Most of all, I am thankful for the memories.

My beautiful better half is with me on this day, and I am fully elated. Our adversity cannot even begin to compare with all the rich blessings that have unfolded our way! And, yes--for that I am thankful, thankful, thankful.

Many people will play it "cool" on this day, and settle for some reductive and materialistic nomenclature to sum up this moment, this event. It is rightfully called Thanksgiving Day--period! Still, whatever you wish to call it--be thankful, give thanks.

Bill Maher said what?

So I am sitting on my couch listening to Larry King--Live on CNN. The time is 12:15 a.m. Larry is interviewing Bill Maher. Yeah...an interesting night. Bill Maher is rattling off some witticisms and trying to be funny. At one point he succeeds.

Maher states that Obama troubles comedians because he is intelligent, loves his wife and children, is skinny, and just plain likable. "Nobody wants that kind of person around!" Ha. Ha. Then it happened.

Maher continues to suggest to King that we, as comedians, need to put Obama in the on-limits category. He is after all the president. Maher further states, "He is not a black man. He is the president."

I thought to myself about this statement, and wondered if in context Maher was attempting to continue the punchline. This would be me being gracious, and giving him the benefit of the doubt. Let's just assume though that he was not being facetious and that the comment was made by a sagacious agent.

To think of Obama in the category of "president--only," minus the black hue he embodies, is to diminish his ontology to its fullest sensibility. Like it or not--Obama is categorized in this country as the first African American president of the United States; the Obamas will be the first African American family in the whitest of houses; Michelle Obama will be the first African American First Lady of the United States. I do agree with Maher that Obama as a political cartoon icon hopeful is not off-limits, but to state that his new "job," his new "status," his new "estate" is to be president absent from being a black man--is silly, wrong and itself comedic.

On 4 November 2008 Where were You?

At 11:15 p.m. a young, African American male was elected as the 44th president of the United States. He is an educated man, an experienced man, an African American man.

His candidacy, verified as not only a viable Democratic representative, but now as a president of the country.

As a young, African American man, I have not wintessed the atrocities of slavery, the disimissal of the human tag due to the color of one's skin, or the shameful tolerance and ignorance of (in)visiblity.

I will remember the journey from within my generation, from the geo-political spaces I have since traveled, and for my future family, my children.

I will note this, however, I am not fully convinced that this country is still without its culpability, its racism, its shortcomings. Still, I am quite lucky to be alive. In terms of electoral votes thus far: Obama 338, McCain 156.

This moment, this event is tearful to all, and if MLK, jr. had survived, if DuBois had been alive, and others had witnessed what I have had the privilege to follow, to behold for the last 2 years--just...awesome.

Here are the facts: Barack Hussein Obama, a reflection of the African, a reflection of the American has transcended the color line--at least long enough to be judged amidst his peers, his citizens to be the 44th president of the United States.

There will be many, many, many blogs, books, op ed pieces and so on. To quote The Preacher, "of making many books there is no end." I urge us all to embrace this moment, and enjoy the present. I am overjoyed, humbled. I now believe.