Your Not-so Friendly Reminder

Your Not-so Friendly Reminder

Earlier in the week it came in the form of a tasteless prank at a New Jersey Walmart, but for Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga and Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind hate manifested itself outside of the Capitol as angry protestors called them the dreaded “N-word” and one demonstrator reportedly went as far to spit on Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo. All of this has given true meaning to “March Madness” and pulled back a few layers of the cover-up known as Post-Racial America in the age of Obama.

Who knew health care reform was about race? I thought it was about ensuring that Americans and others within the borders were entitled to proper health care to push our country forward in a direction to reflect the vision of the forefathers when they were kicking it writing the Declaration of Independence? I know that Big Business and the gangland-like pharmaceutical companies are stressed looking at the bottom line, but I always envisioned the division as class, the haves versus the have-nots. Damn I was kidding myself; this is a racial issue along many lines, but for those protestors to resort to that ugliness is a case of displaced anger.

Each Black Congressman or Congresswoman they saw yesterday wore the face of President Barack Obama, Public N-Word #1 in their eyes and the hate spewed from their mouths, literally and figuratively, is the culmination of frustration since November 4th, 2008. For Rep. Lewis, yesterday had to remind him of years gone by when he was on the frontlines for many of the battles during the Civil Rights Era, days I’m sure he thought he had seen the last of. Yet, here he was again thrust in the middle of the fire and the ire of an angry crowd steadfast to keep the status quo of a system shown not to be in the best interest of the inhabitants of these United States.

What amazes me is the gall some of these folks show when a microphone is shoved in their face and they’re given the opportunity to articulate why they vehemently oppose reform to our health care system. One protestor said health care reform is the first step to communism; others feared that gun control was next. Are you serious? We don’t need a universal health care plan, but lax rules about guns are cool? Is this 2010 or 1960? Next thing you know, someone is going to say it’s not right to have their children sitting in a classroom next to a Colored boy!

I’m sure Lewis and other African-American politicians know they are carrying extra weight these days in the middle of a debate that has not only divided Congress, but caused splits in their own party and been a lightning rod for discussion across the country. As we close in on another vote that can change the course of the country, it just crossed my mind, would Hilary Clinton’s health care reform plan had gotten so much resistance?