Perspectives
The 2008 Election: Historic, Whether Obama Wins or Loses
By Ron Walters-Guest Columnist- We may be about to witness what political scientists call a “critical election” which promotes a realignment of American politics–in this case, from Republican to Democrat. But more important than that, it may signal a realignment from the conservative politics that have gripped this country for the past 30 years to a more liberal version going...
The Psychology of Deception (Pt.2)
America is a capitalistic country, hence all of the political and social issues trace back to “profits for the power brokers.” There are no accidents. It is highly likely that the recent banking crisis is being strategically orchestrated consistent with a strategy that was devised in Europe during the 1700s and transferred to America during the 1800s. The strategies...
Obama and the funding of Black community turnout
By Ron Walters-Guest Columnist- While all of us are understandably proud of the showing that Barack Obama is making this presidential election, I continue to also point out the cost. Symbolic of this is that while the National Baptist Convention was meeting in Cincinnati recently, Barack was in Akron giving a major education speech just 52 miles up the...
The Psychology of Deception
Sen. John McCain’s choice of Alaska Governor Sara Palin as his Republican running mate may have more to do with Alaska than Governor Palin. Sen. McCain praised her ability to fight corruption and entrenched bureaucracy. He cited her work with grass roots organizations and her ability to understand working class people. Gov. Palin described herself as just an...
Language, Thinking and Culture
A Perceptual Transition for Black People While visiting in Accra, Ghana, I was listening to locally televised community dialogue that was strangely similar to many I have participated in. The subject was the low academic performance of Ghanaian students. Earlier that day I saw a commercial in which a teacher stood in the front of the class and harshly...
The Death of Black Politics? Hardly!
By Ron Walters-Guest Columnist- When I read Matt Bai’s piece in the New York Times with the title above, I thought that he was fooling, but it turned out to be a serious article that put forth much of the thinking that has passed for this “post-Black Power” even “post Civil Rights” generation. On second thought however, I am...
Race: A double-dutch problem for Obama
By Ron Walters-Guest Columnist- I was asked by a reporter at one point during the primary elections whether the issue of race would continue to play in the fall campaign and I responded that it would as long as Barack was Black–which meant that his race would be an unavoidable target for his opponent and that his own community...
Time to end GOP follies?
Historically, Republican political philosophy and African American advancement have been in accord. Why not now? Foundered in the 1850s by industrial and anti-slavery activists, the Republican Party has helped Black Americans’ advancement from the beginning. In the 1860s Abraham Lincoln and Republicans worked to pass the Thirteenth Amendment, which outlawed slavery, the Fourteenth, which guaranteed equal protection under the...
Both Personal and Collective Responsibility
By Ron Walters-Guest Columnist- Lou Dobbs of CNN prodded his panel the other night to explain what was underneath the awful image of castration used by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., in voicing his frustration with Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee. His panel completely missed the lively underground disappointment among some Blacks who support Obama, reflected in these...
Obama Distances Himself From Blacks: Is There a Cost?
By Ron Walters-Guest Columnist- Is There a Cost? Just back from the Rainbow Push convention in Chicago sponsored by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., I was struck by the fact that neither Barack nor Michelle Obama showed up and they live virtually right down the street. The symbol of Obama’s absence was made even more vivid to me because he was out...