Friday, March 28, 2008

Governor Eliot Spitzer, Racism, Rev. Wright and The Presidential Election







I am not surprised that Senator Obama’s relationship with Rev. Wright is sitll an issue in the current news cycle. The story about Wright and the tapes have been available for months yet they became a political liability and hot story only after Hillary Clinton’s super delegate Governor Spitzer’s secret sexual and possible criminal lifestyle was exposed. In the political world the group or party that is in power will do anything to remain in power.

Is it a coincidence that the videos tapes of Rev. Wright’s sermons were released during the Eliot Spitzer’s sex scandal? Obama’s pastor views and statement not Obama’s views or words have ended the news that included daily reminders and comparisons of President Bill Clinton’s sexual involvement with an intern. Monica Lewinsky was 22 years old during her affair with President Clinton, which is the same age as Eliot Spitzer’s hooker or the political correct term Spitzer’s high paid call girl.

I don’t know Rev. Wright or his personal struggles with racism in America. It is my belief that Rev. Wright recent televised statements are his own personal views and experiences on race relations and/or racial inequality in America. I do know that discrimination and retaliation has left a hole in my heart, mind, and body.

I am a black female and I experienced discrimination while employed by New York Department of Corrections. From 1993 to 1996 I was the victim of a continued hostile work environment, discrimination, and retaliation at Albion Correctional Facility.

In January 1996 black officers employed at Albion called the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Orleans County. The president of the local chapter of the NACCP agreed to meet with the officers to discuss discrimination at Albion CF. At the officers request the January 1996, meeting was held secretly at a local church in Orleans County. In an effort to disguise the true nature of our group and because of the fear of retaliation by Albion supervisors we called ourselves “the Focus Group.” (Yes in the State of New York in 1996 Blacks were afraid for their financial lives).

I must admit that I want Spitzer exposure to remain in the news. His character flaws include the way that his Attorney General Office handled my discrimination lawsuit and his failure to make me whole in his role as Governor of New York.

Governor Spitzer was the New York State Attorney General when a member of his staff Mike Russo, Assistant New York State Attorney General, willfully filed seven perjured declarations and affirmations in the United States District Court of Western New York. Spitzer’s staff successfully had my discrimination case dismissed. I believe that by filing the perjured declarations New York State Attorney General’s Office also victimized me.

In the introduction to my book “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined” I stated, “A strong racial divide currently exists in this country. Many white people believe that black people unfairly play the race card. On the other hand racism for many blacks in America is real and very painful.”

Racism continues to be real and very scary to me. I didn’t want any of my family and friends to suffer the way that I have suffered. Therefore, I didn’t write their last names in the acknowledgement section of my book. I didn’t want any of my family and friends to experience the retaliation that wrecked my life.

Senator Obama as a candidate for the Presidency has given me and countless other voters “hope.” We now believe that as a united nation that we can address an issue as painful as racism. It is time for this entire country to have a meaningful discussion on institutional racism both past and present. As a nation we can and must rise above the discriminatory and racist reality of our past and current environment.

On September 11, 2001, I watched in horror as this country was attacked. I could not believe that we were at war. I cried like a baby as I held my eight-month old grand son in my arms. I cried for my country and the innocent victims and their families.
We came together as a caring and God loving country after September 11, 2001. I believe that with Obama as President we can experience the pride and unity of post 9/11. Oh yes we can come together again as The “United” States of America.

On March 15, 2008, Obama addressed the Rev. Wright issue during a town hall meeting in Indiana. In my view he did an outstanding job. It is so ironic that Senator Obama has gone from being an alleged “Muslin” to now having to denounce and reject a Christian minister that everyone now admits that Obama has shared a twenty-year Christian relationship. I see the hands of God at work in this instance (Romans 8).

Obama’s March 18, 2008, speech on race made me teary eyed. Senator Obama’s personality, charm, intelligence, and willingness to comprise are great traits that he will use to united and inspire all of us to greatness.

All of Senator Obama’s supporters must pray, trust God, and hold on because it is going to get worst before Obama becomes the next President of the United States of America.

Vera Richardson is the author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

From: BLACKS4BARACK.org

Hillary/Media's 'bitter' tactic against Obama desperately PITIFUL !

Here we go again ! When the campaign started in 2007 Obama was said to have not been 'black enough' as per the media as they touted Hillary's 82% support from Black Americans. The Clinton camp scrounged and dug as deeply as they could to find some kind....ANY kind of smut they could use against Obama, even searching as far back as his kindergarten writings. Couldn't find a thing. Then as Americans of all races learned more about the real Clintons, while learning more about the great qualities and capabilities of Obama, the inevitable was no more. So the Clintons (and the media) decided if they couldn't find anything negative on Obama, why not search through video tapes of Obama's preacher. Yea ! That's the ticket. So they scrounged and searched through years and years of video taped sermons and found a few somewhat harsh statements from the preacher....looped them all together....played them on the news 1 or 2 million times, in hopes that they could paint Obama as this anti-American-black militant type person....exactly what he is not (maybe they forgot he's also half white). But, polls showed their masterminded plot to be ineffective. Now what ? Ahhhhh. Obama makes a statement discussing how many Americans are fed up with government failures and are 'bitter'. The Clintons....McCain....the media....ALL decide....here's something we can jump on top of.....Obama called Americans 'bitter' ! So he's an elitist out of touch with real America!




This is the weakest attempt so far. How in the world can they try to claim that a little black boy who's father left at age 2....raised by a single white mother...so broke at times that she was on food stamps....a boy who grew up and went to college through grants and scholarships....riding to school daily in a ragedy jalopy.....just recently paying off his student loans thanks to proceeds from a book he wrote....(entitled 'The Audacity of HOPE') who's entire life has been devoted to helping the disadvantaged....the poor....sick....the struggling....THIS IS AN ELITIST ?




Hillary, McCain and the entire media should be ashamed of themselves for this weak, pitiful attempt to literally make-up truth. They should be concentrating on REAL facts such as the 109 million the Clintons have made during the last few years...or the 300 mill McCain's wife is worth.....or what about Hillary's secret religion known as 'The Family' which CNN didn't ask a single question about in the so-called religious forum...or what about her election fraud case going on right now in California? Did we mention McCain's wife's stealing of drugs and her rehab stint ? There's so much more....it's pitiful !




The fact is.....Obama is about as elitist as Hillary ducked sniper fire in Bosnia....Stay focused people. They are all (Hillary, McCain and the media) getting more and more desperate everyday. That's a real good sign !

Greg Jones
Visit: BLACKS4BARACK.org (Official Site)