Last month, I was a participant on a number of panels by The League of Young Voters, a conglomerate of some of most intelligent, grounded, and talented group of people I’ve come to know. However, whenever the topic of Obama came up sh*t got a little heated and everyone had the Rock’s eyebrow. Now granted, from a statistical standpoint most of these panelists were more equipped than I was. Still, when it came to the numbers I fell back. When the topic of Obama’s obligation to the Black and Latino community bent the corner, I had plenty to say, because now they were firmly planted on my block.
See, quite a few of us feel that President Obama is not obligated to do anything specifically for the Black and Latino community. I’ve heard, “He is not just the President of BLACK people, he is the president of all people,” or “Obama doesn’t control local politics.” And there is my all-time favorite: “So what you gonna do? Vote for Romney?” Yes, these are true statements – well, not the Romney bullsh*t. I would slap box with a bear before voting for Romney, but I do expect some things from my President, especially if he is a P.O.C. (President of Color).
If you Negroes didn’t expect anything from Obama, why in the hell were there lines wrapped around the corner four years ago? When I stand on a long line, I expect something when I get to the end of it – some cheese, an extension on my overdue light bill, or the new Jordans! You get where I’m going with this, yes? How about some concert tickets? Something!
Some of you will put more pressure on a pimpled faced teenager who got your McDonald’s order wrong than you will the President you elected in 2008. Obama is not your homeboy, your nephew, or your boo thang… he is your EMPLOYEE, and you are supposed to have expectations of your employees. The government is supposed to serve you! We spend more time critiquing reality shows than we do our own reality!
Well, I aint skurred, so I have made a list of things that I expect Obama to address in the next four years.
Here It goes… Dun Sun
20 Things I (and the ‘Hood) Expect From President Obama!
1. Stop ‘Stop and Frisk’ and Police Murder….
2. Prison Industrial Complex
3. Bring back the fried apple pies at McDonald’s
4. Legalize Marijuana
5. Dead all student loan debt. Yes, I said all!
6. Reparations
7. Free Mumia Abu Jamal (Bush let out John Forte, and he ain’t even put out a mixtape after being released)
8. Open the borders up (this their sh*t anyway)
9. Fix my suspended license
10. Come to HoodWeekNYC October 26-28, 2012
11. Say these names out loud…. Rekia Boyd, Ramarley Graham , Derek Williams
13. Send one delegate to every ‘hood to explain the electoral process before you ask for “just five dollars.” (And you can keep the damn bumper sticker)
14. Lift the bounty off of Assata Shakur’s Head
15. Convince Michelle to get a blow out and pose for one of those black, velvet zodiac portraits (preferably Aries because that’s my sign)
16. Do something about that NDAA sh*t (The National Defense Authorization Act)….
17. Breathe some life back into Detroit.
18. Tell our people in Chicago to put the guns down.
19. Mentor Chief Keef (see above)
20. Be the s#### we have all been waiting on.
For the record, I know he’s going win. Talking Black folks out of voting for Obama is like talking Ms. Mable out of Jesus, and none of us want to be hit with that big spoon she still has hanging on her dining room wall!
Everything on this list he has the ability to do – okay the McDonald’s Apple pie piece may be a hard one…but it is our job to make him do it! A closed mouth will never get fed…You already know if Romney wins, he is going to be loyal to his word, and Big Bird is a wrap!
We have to speak up for ourselves. If not, who will? You are just squandering your vote if you don’t take Obama to task… The LGBT community leaned on Obama before his four years were up making him earn their votes, so it is our duty to force his hand on things that directly affects our communities.
The ‘hood has to lobby for itself. We must organize around issues and lobby in the streets vote with a plan instead of with your loyalty.