After serious consideration to the possibility of a Black president, once the public has ventured beyond the five mental and emotional stages of shock; denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, and reality sets in, we will actually know the benefits and possible setbacks to having a Black president.

Though polls misleadingly reveal that America may be ready for a Black president, we all know polls lie; so before Black America get their hopes up too high, the fact still remains that America may never elect a Black president for the simple reason of the history of race privilege. The idea can possibly become a reality, but remember, this is America.

However, for the sake of argument, let us pretend that a Black man (or woman) were to become president of this country, ask yourself this, would it be the result of the true sentiments of the people or would it be part of some grand scheme? Thus we have the pros and cons of a Black president.

Pros
If the people were to elect a Black man for the presidency, it would be for one of two reasons; either America in its maturation of a new and up-coming generation have truly learned to become color blind, or they are so desperate to rid the country of the good ole boy network who have always run the country that they will take anyone besides a white male.

If the former were true, then this transformation was one destined from afar off with the changing of generational positions about the world and life in general. Once the old generation of rulers dies out in any society, there is always a new, more advanced generation of minds ready to take its place. This would mean that racism, as Black Americans and the world knows it, will at some point recede and give way to true racial tolerance and diversity.

Moreover, if the latter is true and America has truly become fed-up with the good ole boy network running the country, then again, this generation is becoming wiser than their ancestors and realize that leadership should represent the people and not the interest of a certain clique, regardless if that leadership is a man (black) or a woman (white). This would also mean that the current state of the country has dropped to its lowest point ever and the people have finally gotten a chance to speak out against age-old cronyism.

In the best case scenario, the concept, reality and then actual reign of a Black president would place America under the ideology of a Black male, which is by God-given is an extremely different one than a white male, and not in any negative way. But a Black man by nature - and if he is in his right mind - tend to look out at the entire social atmosphere of the people and consider their troubles and needs whereas white men look only at his surroundings and how to benefit himself and those around him. This does not mean that all US presidents had their own interest at heart, but when we look at the current state of America and its foreign and domestic affairs, one must take into consideration that someone, people, and nations had to be shafted to make room for those currently at the top.

Neither is this to suggest that a Black man would bring complete world peace and racial harmony to pass or that he could solve all the world's problems, (which is something whites would hold to the task of a Black president just for the failure factor, even though they know solving the world's problems to be impossible even with one of their own), but a Black man, any Black man - in his right mind - would first dedicate his time to the current domestic problems of the country, making sure everyone is warm, safe, and fed before yielding to the demands of foreign lands.

He would then reach out to the world more as an ally to anyone in need instead of as a threat. A Black man as president of the United States would make sure that America has more friends and is well-liked and respected morally and ethically instead of militarily by making enemies because Black men in this day in age feels a need for friends more than enemies, and the concept of unity more than division. So any Black man - in his right mind - would do the same when he is a leader.

Money would be another factor on the to-do list of a Black leader, in terms of it flowing in and around the domestic community as opposed to the world. Spirituality, peace, and integrity would also play crucial roles in the leadership ideology of a Black man as president. He would definitely stand and protect the country in times of military need because most Black men will defend themselves against any type of attack when provoked to no end, but he would not exert his powers unnecessarily for the sake of show. Defending the country's best interest at home would be top priority for a Black president.

The people would rise higher behind a Black president because the spirit of the underdog would permeate throughout the country giving rise to new and more logical voices that have been drowned out for decades even centuries, not only Black voices, but other minority voices including that of whites who want only the best for the country. But in the mist of that rise of peace would come turmoil just as powerful. Thus we have the cons of a Black president.

Cons
America having a Black man as president means more attacks on Black America from the racist faction of America. Not only would the president's life be at stake 24/7 from the threat of jealous and angry whites, but his image, personality, and dignity would be trashed constantly by mainstream media. And because white America has a tendency to think in terms of generalizations when it comes to Blacks and other minorities, any attack on the president would be an attack on all Blacks, and Civil Rights leaders would be in complete hysteria defending those attacks, which would only bring more animosity on the Black community.

The negative political and Jim Crow cartoons, the reference to stereotypical Black culture by white writers in Hollywood, television, and advertising, the negative portrayal of Black men, women and children in mainstream society would increase dramatically because whites have an evil yet playful hatred in their hearts for Blacks that they cannot control or conceal.

Black America would hear more Don Imus type comments and insults, bear the brunt of public humiliation over and over from the old racist regimens and it would at some point stir anger in all whites against Blacks. Any retaliation against young Black men from police would be fire power for racist newscasters and political pundits to make accusations that there is no difference between a Black leader and a white one and that maybe the country would be better off under white rule after all. This would be a major talking point in mainstream media.

To make Black people believe that a white man would be a better leader would be top priority. To destroy the self-esteem and confidence of every Black child and student would become an objective in the mainstream and among scholars who publish reports for the public to see. So when the next election roles around, the people could vote a white man back into office and never again want a Black man president because we did such a horrible job and de facto the Black president did nothing for Blacks in general according to their reports. In fact, the media would attempt to make the Black president seem so bad in every area of social life and would probably be successful at it because of the media's power to influence, that by the time the next election roles around, the current Black president would be toast, a scorned and mocked byword, and then a mere memory.

Furthermore, think for a moment. What other reason would a Black man become president of America for? (Ever heard that term, The President of America? Ever wonder why you have never heard that term used in the media? Because there is no President of America, only the President of the United States).

The only other reason a Black man would become president is because the country is in such bad shape right now and has such a negative image around the world, that if the face that represent this country is a Black one, then all the world can look upon Blacks as negative. With the falling American dollar, the threats of war against America, the slumping market, the housing and economy recession, and all the racial tension mounting world-wide, it would be better to blame the Black man instead of a white one. The psychological warfare continues.

Think hard and long about having a Black president people. On the one hand it is a prideful moment but on the other it could mean the future elimination of the Black race altogether. Do we really want to be the cause of the fall of America? Many whites already blame Blacks for the sub-prime mortgage fall; do we want the entire fall of Rome (America) laid on us too? Are we ready to take the blame for all that the white man has destroyed for the sake of having a Black man in office, to make a statement of Martin Luther King's dream? Furthermore, is having a Black man as president the fulfillment of that dream or the beginning of the end?

A Black president would not in any way be the result of the dream of King, because the dream of King was for Blacks to live without fear in a country they helped build, not to have a Black man as president. To tie a Black man as president to the dream of King would be ludicrous as well as foolish. A Black man as president would be the result of a changed society in terms of power, not race. If race were the determining factor, as stated earlier, a Black man will never become president based solely on race. Would it be a result of King's Dream? No. Until Blacks and whites live together in harmony, King's dream will never come to fruition, yet Blacks and whites are not living in harmony and probably never will as long as racist live in America.

A Black president would be the direct result of a change of power. People are tired of power resting in the hands of the few while the populous suffer. The people are tired of having laws passed without their approval, knowledge, or vote. The people are tired of being drained of domestic resources such as jobs, resources, and simple liberties while a few enjoy all that and more while having free reign to the resources of the world. The people want a leader that has the best interest of the country at heart regardless if they are Black, white, or a woman.

Black leaders today are so distant from the realities of life that they are stuck on stupid. They believe that a Black president means more jobs, opportunities and power for Blacks and possibly even equality, not realizing that a Black president actually means trouble is coming our way. They are so stuck on the fulfillment of the Dream that they have not taken the time to think ahead and weigh the pros and cons of having a Black president.

With one Black man in the Whitehouse yet hundreds of thousands, even millions of Blacks still living as substandard compared to whites and even other racial-ethnic groups in America, how can anyone believe that a Black president makes well for a Black America? Or that Black America has arrived. If one Black so-called Civil Rights leader suggests that Blacks have arrived because of a Black president or the run of a Black candidate, they are truly sadly mistaken and disillusioned by white misinformation and deceit.

Yes, it is good that a Black man can possibly reach this far and make president but it does not, have not, and will not eliminate the racial tension and hatred that stems from the white mind. We will continue to face threats, public humiliation, discrimination, and second-hand treatment as long as whites have the money. When Blacks have the money, we will have the power. One of us can become president but if economic power and social liberty does not reach the hands and lives of all other Blacks. Is that something to be proud of?

© Jan 2008 By CR Hamilton