FCNNEWSSOURCE
(FinalCall.com) – After the election of President Obama and amid flag waving, cheering and praises for America’s transition to a “post-racial” society, there was a voice of wisdom and caution. It was the voice of a very influential man who had remained largely silent during the election. Despite attempts to draw him into the historic election and use him to derail the Obama candidacy, the man said little.
The man was the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the day before Mr. Obama won the White House he issued an insightful warning. He urged Black America not to engage in excessive celebration and to remain aware of their surroundings and the climate in the country.
Min. Farrakhan pointed out that while there was great celebration in America, there were millions who were not happy, millions who were angry and who wanted to lash out.
His wisdom in warning Obama haters would take their anger out on innocent Blacks if they could not get to the president was shown Sept. 11. In a New York courtroom, four young White males were sentenced that day for violent acts against Blacks on Staten Island. The group, angered by the election results, singled out victims solely because of their race. Blacks were beaten and one man thought to be Black was run over by a car.
“By their own admission these defendants, motivated by racial hatred and a desire to punish those they believed had voted for Barack Obama, participated in violent attacks that nearly killed one of their victims,” said a law enforcement official involved in the case.
Some may have thought the Minister was out of touch or that racial times had changed in November 2008.
But not even a year later, President Obama has endured more death threats than any president in history. His presidency has been called illegitimate. A new movement, the “Birther movement,” has sprung up–devoted to the idea that the president is not a U.S. citizen and therefore cannot hold the office. Sadly, the idea is not limited to the lunatic fringe, but has had such venerable figures as CNN talk show host Lou Dobbs essentially asking why won’t the White House respond, if it has nothing to hide. The president had earlier released his birth certificate and a copy of the birth certificate was shown on CNN with the official raised seal.
In the name of constitutional rights, protestors have shown up at some Obama speeches with weapons at their sides, or slung over their shoulders.
The president has been called a Socialist and was accused of trying to turn America’s young people into a modern version of Hitler’s Youth, who would worship him as part of a cult of personality, for White House plans to speak to public school students.
One member of Congress called the president a liar during a major address to federal lawmakers and another was caught on tape whispering to a woman that she agreed that the president was illegitimate, but the courts had ruled against that view.
Voices that have condemned these attacks have been countered by voices that defend his attackers and offer unabashed support. Rep. Joe Wilson, the Republican from South Carolina who called the president a liar, apologized once and doesn’t plan to apologize again. As the House considers sanctions against him, his Republican colleagues have rallied to his defense, saying the matter is over and the Democrats are playing politics. Meanwhile Rep. Wilson, who is running for reelection, has found about $1 million in donations flowing into his campaign coffers–that’s a pretty strong show of support.
Pastor Steven Anderson, in Tempe, Arizona, prayed for the death of President Obama as part of an August sermon called “Why I Hate Barack Obama.” Pastor Anderson told his flock God hates Mr. Obama because the president supports abortion rights. “Barack Obama is one of the rulers of the darkness of this world,” he said. The comments drew some complaints, but the pastor remains unrepentant and unashamed of his words.
Right wing radio and TV hosts have lambasted the president, accusing him of putting death panels in place and preparing to pull the plug on grandma as part of his plans for health care reform.
Some signs at rallies for the so-called Tea Party movement, which purports to be about protecting American rights and standing against the onslaught of an overbearing government, have depicted President Obama as a Hitler, a monkey and an African witch doctor, complete with a bone in his nose.
When questioned about the hate groups within the movement, a leader for the group responded that there were various philosophies and people represented within the Tea Party. He conceded some were motivated by racism. But, he added, this is America and no speech should be muzzled, not even hate speech. People have a right to say what they want, he maintained.
Thousands turned out over the Sept. 12 weekend in Washington. Diatribes were aimed at the president and speakers railed against misuse of federal money–despite eight years of spending billions on a military misadventure, tax cuts when the country was in a deficit and expanded funding for some health programs. There was no outcry when George W. Bush was spending, observed James Carville, a political analyst and former Clinton administration powerhouse.
Min. Farrakhan’s injunction to “rejoice intelligently” was more than a timely warning for Election Night 2008, it was divine guidance. It was a call for Black America to be vigilant and not let the euphoria of a moment blind her to harsh realities that still exist, old hatreds that would rise to the surface and animosity that doesn’t seem to have an end in sight.
