From the time the United States was founded, discriminatory and back handed politics have successfully stopped blacks from becoming president of the United States.
But with the changing political atmosphere, the dream of a black U.S. president may finally come to fruition.
Although the next presidential election is not until November 2008, the air is already buzzing with talks about Democratic Illinois Sen. Barack Obama’s potential to hold the highest leadership position in the country.
Even though Obama has only acknowledged his consideration for running for president, recent polls indicated that he has become the top alternative to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The election of a black president would be the biggest feat for black Americans since the abolishment of Jim Crow laws.
Finally, there is a potential black president that, unlike the Rev. Al Sharpton, is liked by many black and white politicians and constituents.
Since a black president seems to be more attainable than ever, it is time for black Americans to become mindful about the inappropriate manner in which they portray a potential black president in all the comedy sketches and stand-up comedies, namely BET.
White people pay attention to that.
Black people should stop the self-sabotaging.
Black people should support Obama if he decided to run for office because doing so could open all sorts of doors for blacks in the political arena.
And after Obama’s term is over, a black woman may run for office just like Shirley Chisholm, who ran who ran in 1972, and Lenora Fulani, who ran in 1988.
Gheni Platenburg for the Editorial Board.