Open Letter to Roland Martin - Syreeta McNeal, JD CPA

Reject the "Forget the Dream Ticket"

To: CNN Contributor Ronald Martin
From: Syreeta L. McNeal, CPA, JD

Mr. Martin,

I have to disagree with your recent jab of the "dream ticket" with Clinton-Obama or vice versa. (link: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/04/roland.martin/index.html) For this reason, ordinary politics and personalities are not dictating this outcome. Carpe Diem ("seize the moment") is. Obama did that by announcing his presidency. Hillary is doing that by announcing hers.

As you have asked America and others to embrace the fact that an African-American male (bi-racial father from Kenya and American born mother from Kansas) can be the President of the U.S. even though 400 years of history has regulated blacks to being 3/5 of a person (as slated in the Constitution in 1791) and the threat of violence from KKK, Neo Nazis and those who support the Confederate South is ramping up to make a realization of a black man's presidency an unsustainable reality.

Also, America is embracing the possibility of a woman becoming President as well.

Change is happening. We can thank President Bush, Jr. for that one since his presidency was like Nero's and brought about the Fall of the Roman Empire.

But, what you are failing to realize is what Douglass (and other abolitionists) failed to realize when not allowing women to be included in the 15th Amendment with the Right to Vote as advocated by Feminists Anthony/Stanton in 1870. Our strength is in our UNITY among the perceived oppressed citizens (e.g. black, brown, yellow, women, young). If you have a more experienced Woman (with a former President along her side) who is generating the interest in women and Latino voters and a Black Man who is generating the interest in young voters and blacks, there is the ability to forge ahead and create the change needed.

The excitement that is existing is because the old way of thinking (racism, sexism) is being challenged. Do not just be a Douglass (or abolitionist) who wants to advocate black men being equal to the white man and women wait their turn. If you and others realize that TOGETHER we can impact positively the federal government operation to help the American people, then WE (not just black men or women) will bring about change.

The message for 2008 is for us to learn from the mistakes made in 1865 to 1870 from Douglass v. Anthony/Stanton debating over the 15th Amendment including women to have the right to vote. TOGETHER (not apart) they can make history and make a difference in American's lives. America needs HELP not just hope to fix our problems and we are willing to embrace a woman and a black man to do so.