(h/t ambboogie)
Gooooooooo Derrick!!!!!!! 
Derrick writes on CNN:
Like many Americans I watched Sen. Barack Obama deliver his speech titled “A More Perfect Union.”
I watched in a state of minor shock, not so much at the deftness with which he defused the sophomoric conflation of his call for national unity with the inflammatory rhetoric of the retired head pastor of his church — a conflation that would imply that we must each swallow whole the entirety of views expressed by our friends and associates.
It was not his repudiation of small thinking that struck me. It was the fact that here we had an American politician speaking with both candor and compassion about the proverbial elephant in our national living room.
Read more.
March 19, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Yep. Whether I agree or disagree with Sen. Obama’s views as expressed in that speech, I have to say that it’s first time in a loooooooooooooooong time a politician has stepped up to the podium and spoke like that.
March 19, 2008 at 8:19 pm
What leadership on display. Such brilliant acumen. Just awesome.
Derrick Ashong is representative of the deep and wonderful bounty of America’s youth.
March 20, 2008 at 5:24 am
Now they want to hold Barack Obama responsible for what a retired preacher said. NON - SENSE. One, the Rev isn’t running for the Presidency. Two, Barack can’t control what anyone says. Just like he couldn’t stop his Grandmother from making racist statements. The Rev. has a right to his own opinion, just as anyone else has. Three, if what he says is so bad, how come Oprah and 10,000 other people still attended his Church after he made those remarks. Four, He must have told the truth. Not one person has said that he lied. Can they say the same thing about the president?
Most people with any degree of understanding and a modicum of intelligence, grasp exactly what Rev. Wright was saying and no one can say that he lied. Incendiary language? Maybe, if you don’t want to hear it. But the truth hurts and Americans need to come to grips with the fact that there have been some mean and deliberate things done in these United States to some of the most faithful citizens they have had.
March 20, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Where we tonight shall camp?….The top blogs of the day. the newest report , see and reply me some comments. Thanks.
March 21, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I’m not a US citizen, I’m from the UK and I must say that I am truly inspired by what is happening in your country. Barack’s campaign and in particular his race speech was long overdue in a political sense and I give thanks for his prowess, and steadfastness in delivering what was an awesome, deep rooted, measured oratory.
We (as in my friends and colleagues) in the UK are enthused and excited by the prospect of having an ally that will actively pursue inclusivity and value the contribution that all people can bring.
As for Derrick, you are a shining example to all young black men. Your passion, your drive and determination, and your articulation of your beliefs was admirable. We in the UK need more of you here. God bless you.
Peace.
March 22, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Leon A. Walker March 17, 2008
Freelance Writer
Pensacola, Florida
leonwalker@cox.net
“Within This America”
We are in the midst of observing something incredibly thrilling and of mammoth historic significance in this country. I predict that future generations and perhaps we, will someday reflect on the Presidential Campaign of Senator Barack Obama, as a secondary story and in truth, that is how it should be.
Several months ago I watched the movie “The Queen” starring Helen Mirren. In my efforts to mentally locate a basis for what I wanted to express in this writing, that film seems great example. In short, from my perspective it is in large part, a film about progress and change. But perhaps more importantly, it is about leadership failing to take the measure of, and to respond to the will of the people. It is a film about blinding myopia and rigid tradition which were the basis for crippled leadership. This column is also about the potential for people, citizens with deep seeded beliefs and dreams having an impact and creating real possibilities.
In spite of my optimism, clearly we cannot predict what further level of success Senator Obama will enjoy through the remainder of his campaign. What I have come to know is that is possible, “a very real possibility” that he may become the next President of the United States. That realization alone, speaks volumes about this country, its citizens and the reality of the American Dream.
As a child I would sometimes rush through the wonderful birthday meal my mother had prepared, only focusing on and anticipating the birthday cake that awaited me. Nearly completely failing to appreciate that two separate events were contained in that year’s celebration. As we continue to go about our work on behalf of our candidate, we should be thoroughly enjoying the “fact” that through this campaign to date, we have already orchestrated what is quite possibly the most significant event in this nation’s recent political history. I for one hope Americans never lose sight of or fail to fully appreciate this. Without question securing the Democratic Party nomination and the White House are further critical goals to remain intently focused on. But for many Americans such a reality is only just becoming fathomable.
Before I continue and in an effort to ensure my past ideological failings are fully exposed, let me share some insight into myself. I am an African American, fifty four years old and a native of Cleveland, Ohio. I am college educated and a retired U. S. Naval Officer and former business professional. In short, politically I am significantly right of Teddy Kennedy and perhaps even Senator Obama. So in truth, had you asked me one year ago if this level of success was remotely possible for this candidate, I would have responded that such a thing was both a pipe dream as well as a dangerous proposition. Let me say that I no longer believe either of the foregoing, and also that I was pointedly wrong. I was wrong in my manner of thinking, and wrong about America. I had mentally fallen victim to visions of the same depressing political paralysis that I had long despised.
.
Media pundits and long time politicians repeatedly tell us that speeches, passion, dreams and movements are not the stuff that political leadership is made of. In my view, one has only to recall even from youthful historic studies, visions of just those things as the basis for garnering support for forming and defending the fledgling United States of America. Not only have the long time political insiders seemingly forgotten this, but they also shamelessly and publicly state their disbelief in the importance and substance of it. I can only imagine that this is due in large part to deeply ingrained institutionalized concepts and political ideology that defy them clear vision of the very America that they have committed themselves to report on or the Americans they profess to represent. Oh yes, our career politicians want us to vote for them but they don’t think we really understand and appreciate their methods. Then selling this hollow notion of experience, while locked in an egotistical comma, failing to respond to our many in citizens living in most every variety despair. The reality is, they don’t fully understand and appreciate that the citizens have lost faith in their ability to adequately examine the needs of the people, or their willingness to even fully grasp and carry out such basic concepts as the “will of the people”. I am genuinely perplexed as to how on a grand scale, American politicians unknowingly wander lost into this unknown place. A place as in the aforementioned movie, where “they simply don’t understand that they don’t understand”.
In the history of this generation there is a new story, not only that of traditional vitriolic words, callous tactics and seedy improprieties which litter the landscape of our political leadership. There is now the far more compelling and intriguing story of the “Children of Light”, the many Americans who have loosed themselves from the grips of fear, myopia, silence and indifference. Citizens who have become galvanized by a purposeful dream and belief in an “America within” with the power to change America throughout.
So many have risen to work together for something wonderful in a unified quest for a new brand of leadership. I am heartened and energized by what I have seen and learned from my country of late. In spite of our many troubles and differences, many still believe there is within our grasp a magnificent reality of untainted leadership, equity and freedom to choose that should be thoroughly considered and fully appreciated. There is a visible movement of the many, the we, who are taking an active stance politically and simply refusing to eat “the devil’s hor dourves”. The diverse and delicately blended we, who are galvanized in casting our votes and having a voice in making our choice for the next President of the United States. We, who are joined in our effort to overturn this nation’s inefficient and rustic political machine.
Certainly, there are many challenges and disagreements to face and battles to fight. But now, no mater how daunting the task or how dismal the outlook, or how deeply painful the scars, I am convinced without question, that “within this America” of today, “there is something greater”.
L. A. Walker
© Leon A. Walker, March 2008
March 23, 2008 at 4:29 pm
[...] Derrick Ashong Does CNN Commentary on Barack Obama’s Race Speech [...]
March 26, 2008 at 11:41 am
Derrick, you and your articulation regarding the Obama campaigne and platform are expressed with intellect. You not only have empowered yourself but countless others who have had the opportunity to view both your interview and Youtube presentation. My prayer is that other young people realize as you have that they are going to be the catalyst for “Great Change” in America. Taking the America we dream of to the realization of the America we all can become.
Leon, what a beautiful and thought latent piece. The dept you have taken us to in this piece is most profound. It should rouse us from our sleep of complacency, we in American have been in a dreamless sleep too long. We the American people of have allowed UN-American interest to cloak themselves in so called Patriotism and banish us to the reality of their self interest. Arise Americans and answer the call for the “Great Change”. Thank you Leon for helping to rouse us “ALL”, IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG OVERDUE.
March 26, 2008 at 9:28 pm
thank you, derrick. i just came upon your you-tubed encounter in los angeles at the kodak theatre, and i was heartened. this is why we need obama: for people like you–young, gifted and black. and for even more still…those of us who are maybe not so young, so black, or so fortunate. i’m hopeful as i haven’t been in a long time, and i have obama and the 20-somethings of this nation to thank.
OBAMA ‘08!
March 28, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Obama/Ashong ‘08!
March 30, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Like Sharon, I am not a US citizen. Nevertheless, You Tube, the INTERNET, CNN and technology generally, have propelled these matters to the world stage; and so even from my island of Jamaica in the Caribbean, we follow the issues with great interest. Barack Obama’s speech on racism was good medicine for the rest of the world, not just the USA. We are happy to to see a young man like Derrick breaking the stereotype of what the networks have tried to cause viewers to perceive the Obama supporter to be. The Networks should realize by now that they are less powerful than the INTERNET that has shaken the ability of the media to shape the thinking of of persons around the globe. It is the primary tool that the Diaspora of so many countries, which makes up the population of the US, uses to communicate the facts to the rest of the world. In its various forms, INTERNET communication has eroded the media imperialism that for years has fed us the spin on one event after the other. We now rely on the internet for the truth. We can make our own judgement on issues and don’t need to rely on the Networks interpretation of Jerimiah Wright’s statements. We possess the intellect to and the understanding of language to do a far better job of that than the Networks.
I wish to go back to an old matter that Barack Obama never bothered to put at the top of his agenda. But we the viewers are a little more than just seemingly intellegent and we do see through the spin of who can handle the call at 3:00 a.m. A case is being made to railroad the Obama candidacy by suggesting he is incapable of making that important decision at 3:00 a.m. Well the truth is that any President who has to take a critical decision at that hour would not have been running an effective team. Any call at that hour would only be to inform a President of an event of a critical nature. With the vast capability of the US intelligence services and the US military, there is little that would not have been planned and decided and the various options for response predetermined. So no President should have to make any critical off the cuff decision at that or any other hour for that matter. To suggest that woulf be to suggest that these agencies are asleep or keeping facts away from the Commander on Chief. It would suggest that daily intelligence briefings do not occur. It would suggest that efforts are in place to undermine the presidency. We would wish to think that the systems of checks and balances that is a part of America’s proud and well guarded democracy is in fact not a farce.
The question is therefore quite simple. For those remote events that may require a split decision at 3:00 a.m. or any other time of day for that matter, who can the people rely on to exercise the soundest judgement having been armed with the knowledge available to any president? I put it to you that the balance, the character, the leadership, the ability to unite, the clear understanding of the issues and the nature of the mind; all displayed by Barack Obama, could make him the ideal person to handle critical decisions at any time of day or night.
May 12, 2008 at 11:29 pm
First, I want to applaud Derrick for all the obvious reasons. Good show, lad.
I support Obama because this is his time in history. He is a leader and statesman and this is a time when the world cries out for such as he.
The old ways are relevant only in terms of the conflict and misery they persevere.
Regarding Reverend Wright: The old Marine (you’re never an ex-Marine) said what he fought for the right to be able to say. The Reverend actually believes that the United States of America injected people of color with the A.I.D.S virus and that 9/11 was an inside job.
This particular interpretation of reality shocked and angered a great many citizens.
But perhaps this would not be so shocking if they knew the details of “Operation Northwoods” or the “Tuskeegee Experiment”. Google is your friend.