Barack and Michelle Obama, and Joe (married to Jill) Biden are 3 the hard way. Each of these individuals has personal tragedies and triumphs that a vast amount of Americans can identify with. Barack and Michelle’s stories we have heard often along the campaign trail for the past eighteen months and they are stories of perseverance and stamina. If you are unfamiliar with the Obama’s story you can read here and here .

Another story that you may not know as well is that of Joe Biden . Where Barack Obama is cool and measured the type of man who is the lighthouse in a stormy sea. Joe Biden can be viewed as fiery willing and able to give a dissenting opinion. Joe Biden after the death of his first wife (Neilia Hunter) and daughter showed a grit and determination a steady resolve to continue to serve his country.

Joe was able to do all of this while keeping his family first and ensuring his sons were raised in a well balanced home. For five years Joe was a single father working in Washington until he met Jill. Jill is a force of her own and would be a great national asset with two Master’s degree and a PhD. in Education. Jill is almost more qualified than a certain Vice-Presidential candidate the only thing she is lacking is that she can’t see Russia from her home.

This is how my story fits with my chosen candidate and his running mate. Raised by a single mother, with the help of wonderful grandparents, I lost my grandfather during a pivotal moment in my development. I was able to attend one of the best private schools in Texas, and continued on to grad school. Barack, Michelle, Joe, and I share an American dream; we are the American realization.

Barack’s proposed policies, Joe’s unrelenting persona together are focused on repositioning America as a dominate force in the world and removing the mockery that has become the last 8 years. There are three weeks left so get to know these candidates better, to see who really shares your story and in doing so you will see who really will have your back in Washington.

As the election date draws closer both parties should focus on issues and leave trivial lipstick on the pig non-issues behind. I am curious as to what readers and potential voters are focusing on as their must haves in a candidate. I

s shared religious views, shared hobbies, and extracurricular activities enough for you to base your vote? What are we as voters deciding to base our votes on this year?

The media is having a veritable field day with gaffes and fodder, but there is little to no accountability for substance. I have visited both candidates’ websites intensively and have chosen education, health care reform, and the protection and reverence for our senior community as paramount issues that must be addressed to my satisfaction in order to receive my vote.

I am concerned for those individuals that are only receiving their information form media sources and push polls. So as a voter what issues are you using to determine which candidate receives your vote? Let me reiterate this is not a post as to why you are NOT voting for someone but a post regarding why a candidate is receiving you vote.

What issues are most important to you and how does your candidate measure up. Please be truthful and factual your answers may sway someone who is still undecided in ’08.

This election is beginning to remind me of the time I ran for my high school senior class secretary position (which I won, yeah me). That election was solely based on how many people knew your name, what they knew about you, and what others said about you.

Basically it was a popularity contest. Politics can be regulated to being a popularity contest (except for in the case of Al Gore). This election is going to be determined by how much do I identify with the candidate for a vast amount of America versus which candidate truly has the progressive view for our country.

Never more strongly have I believed in a candidate  as I do Barack Obama his plan and vision for this country will propel us back as a dominated world leader with restore morality in the eyes of our counterparts.  Obama’s election will change the last 8 years of our misplaced trust in a President that everything but our best interest at heart.Obama’s election will change the last 8 years of our doubt in government and bring accountability to the White House and transparency.

There will be no more big brother is watching as under the Bush administration there will be no more violation of civil liberties, no more stretching the dollar. There will be change you can believe in. Who would not want affordable health care, better public schools, adequate mental health coverage, immigration reform (that will work for all), and a stable economy.

I guess we will find out on Nov. 4^th

By Jazzy of Because I Said So

Gov. Sarah Palin delivered a well rehearsed personal character assassination against Obama which, I expected, she is a conservative Republican, after all. I did learn a lot about her, I, I, I, I was the recurring noun for the night. For a hot second I almost forgot that she was only the Vice pick.

Seriously, with all of her executive experience (for a population of 675,000 that’s less than South Oak Cliff, Tom Leppert is better qualified) why is she not at the top of the ticket. Does her executive experience not apply to John McCain who has none as well, or does he get a pass because of his POW status. I was also disappointed by the crowds chant of “Drill baby Drill” as a resolution for energy dependence.

There were absolutely no talking points about the Republican direction for the country. I did not hear her mention or define her role as a potential Vice President. Overall the Pit Bull with lipstick delivered politricks as usual.

I have no doubt that her speech was effective for the home base but not those Republicans that have become aware that our country can not continue in the failed direction of the last 8 years. Those were the people she was brought on board to reach and I think she failed in that capacity last night.

I will be looking forward to the debates now as the conventions draw to an end. There was one thing the Republicans mothers obviously forgot to teach them at that was “Don’t poke at a hornets nest”. Another phrase my husband is fond of using and aptly applies here is if you put  yourself in a man’s place then don’t cry foul when you are treated like a man.

On a side note I was happy to see that the Republican Party is becoming more inclusive, I counted 5 Negroes and a Latino. WOW!

Much ado about nothing as usual is surrounding Presidential hopeful Barack Obama and his use of text messaging to announce his VP running mate. I personally am elated with the idea of using commonly used technology to spread his much anticipated running mate.

I am a text messaging fiend will respond quicker to a text message than the actual ring of the phone. Anywho I guess its no wonder that the haters are out in full force. Truly, is it any wonder when the competitions party refers to “The Google” and “The Internets” that they might find the thought of text messaging a bit daunting.

I do know that the VP candidate will not be Edwards much to my dismay; Edwards embodied a smooth come on over I’m your neighbor let’s have a chat type of vibe. I do know that I Do Not want to see Clinton’s name come across in my inbox or I might have my first official problem with the Obama campaign. Other than that I will happily await the “good news” and eagerly anticipate the flurry of text messages to follow among friends.

Past immigrants came to this country seeking refuge from oppressive governments and economic freedom. For many of them they found their American Dream through hard work and education.

Today’s immigrants have arrived in America for many of the same reasons. But the genetic makeup of immigrants today has shifted dramatically from solely Caucasians to include a number of people of color and other ethnicities.

I imagine that most immigrants have a very forgiving view of America and an “I’m so happy to be here” (excuse the Coming to America reference) attitude. They may find it confusing and wonder why Black people have had such a difficult time adjusting.

America was our oppressor we had no other country that opened its arms and said come here and begin a better life, no other country to offer economic freedom. America to Black people is what so many immigrants ran from.

America for Black People only became the land of “opportunity” at the end of Jim Crow. So while, immigrants came to this country believing they could do better we have lived in this country hoping to achieve the same.

Whereas immigrants have had family businesses and the ability to accumulate wealth for decades to pass onto future generations, that was not to be the case for the America Negro. We are playing catch up, running a race where the leader is yards ahead. So if my outlook is different than yours please don’t think that I am ungrateful to live in this country just know that I sure as hell don’t feel indebted.

HIV/AIDS is often compared to other chronic illness which, in my opinion could pose a problem for intervention. By definition HIV/AIDS does fall into the Chronic illnesscategory because it to date still remains incurable. However, with the increase in HIV/AIDS AIDS infection rates among Black women maybe a different terminology should be used to convey the seriousness of living with HIV/AIDS and its complications.

HIV/AIDS is unlike any other disease recorded in history. It’s mechanism of infection of seek and destroy, at present has made it difficult to create an effective system of containment. Health educators can teach the importance of self protection but for many they, are still willing to participate in risky behavior.

Dr. Berkley believes that because HIV/AIDS is now becoming viewed as a chronic problem treatable with antiretrovirals, and the fact that less than 10 percent of people who are infected know their status makes interventions for prevention and treatment difficult (Koop, Pearson, & Schwarz, 2002).

It is my personal belief that a lack of self appreciation and gender respect helps to proliferate the spread of HIV/AIDS. Women often find themselves placing the needs of others above their own. The mental and emotional stress from this mentality has lead to a neglect of self, which in some ways are allowing HIV/AIDS to invade at high rates.

Two Local Organizations:

SAAVED

AIDs Interfaith Network Faith Based

Information for those looking to fund a HIV/AIDS program

National Prevention Information Network

By Jazzy

Education and hard work are the consistent mantra that permeates the essence of the American Dream. Education, as we know, is not created equally nor is it extolled equally. Schools in lower socioeconomic areas are rife with underperforming curricula, in desperate need of updated teaching materials, and innovated ideas to excite beaten down students to achieve a goal they believe unattainable in the first place.

For many students in lower socioeconomic areas the belief that they have a chance to enter college is surreal. Many struggle with the basics because they are never driven to learn or even taught but rather pushed on to the next level. For those not lost in the public school systems they head off to college earn their degree and look forward to their future. A future, according to the America dream, should grant them privileges and entrance into a new world far from what many of them knew.

Even though -according to data-there is a closing in income among Black household incomes in comparison to their white counterparts, a glaring disparity exists between white men and black men to the tune of approximately $10,000 with the same degree and experience.

Soledad Obrien mentioned in the CNN special Black in America that White men who are ex-cons are more likely to receive a job offer in comparison to black men with an education, because the perception is that black men are lazy and don’t know how to dress properly.

There are no more visible chains and shackles than these biases, but what remains is far more pervasive, unjustified perceptions and insidious stereotypes that are used as excuses to permit and mask underlining racial prejudices; be they conscious or subconscious.

So what then happens when you do everything according to the playbook and you still come up short? How do we keep young Black adults encouraged when they realize that even with the Great American Equalizer they still come up short?

By Jazzy

Which comes first my womanhood or my blackness?

This is a debate that I have had within myself since my sophomore year in college. A debate that I discuss often among my friends. Can you be a woman of color and differing ethnicity and separate these traits from your womanhood or must one take precedent above the other.

I remember reading the Invisible Man in college and often felt invisible myself and wondered who if anyone has so eloquently written the story of the invisible black woman.

Who do I belong to first? Who am I? Who needs me the most: the black community or women? I have come to the conclusion for me the two are inseparable. I am not one without the other; my womanhood is shaped by my race. I am unable to separate blackwoman into two words.

Are there any other race/ethnicity of women/men that go through this struggle or do I alone struggle with reconciling these feelings?