Self-determination and democracy

It’s morning in America again, and this time a hung over morning. The left, and most of all the black left, is only beginning to rouse itself from the Obamaland stupor and stumble out into daylight. The president after all, is not necessarily an ally in the fight to deliver health care, or education, or halt privatizations, bankruptcies, foreclosures or unjust wars, or most of the other things that need delivering or need stopping. Now progressives and the wide awake are beginning to leave Obamaland¹ in droves, abandoning the automatic stance that the president is an ally in the struggle for peace abroad and justice at home.

On Nov. 4, 2008, I was one of a small number of people who didn’t give Obama the benefit of the doubt. No, I didn’t vote for McCain. Nor was I a disgruntled supporter of Mrs. Clinton. I voted for Cynthia McKinney. I had countless debates with my online community about my support for McKinney and my attempt to pull a Harriet Tubman and free the inhabitants of Obamaland. The basic political line of most of the folks I debated was that McKinney has no chance of winning. But you know what? I knew that she didn’t have a chance of winning. I’m sure the candidate herself knew that she didn’t have any chance of winning. The more I debated the more I became convinced of my position. The thing that concerned me was what would happen when black people get disillusioned? It’s not as if they/we can turn to the Republican. And even though I voted for McKinney as the Green Party candidate, I’m not convinced we can turn to the Green Party. I was telling this to a friend of mine who won’t try and tar and feather me for being anti-Democratic/Republican Party (regardless of the color of the candidate/office holder). She said that the disillusionment would be a positive development in the political growth of the black community. I have to agree with her take.

The only viable place to go (for those who are genuine) after defecting from Obamaland (and consequently the Democratic Party) is down the avenue of self-determination. It’s time for a black political party with black political objectives running its nerve center. Or should I say it’s time again for a black political party with black political objectives controlling its nerve center?