The Campaign, Written in 4 Parts -- Part 4

Bill Quigley

30 Oct 2008

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7_foot_poet_upright_250wide by Kemet Mawakana, a.k.a. the Seven Foot Poet

What do campaigns and elections mean? What and who changes? What else and who else stays the same? Why does it matter? Lots of us have ideas, but the Seven Foot Poet knows and shows from open to close.

Click the link below to hear for yourself.

7_foot_poet_upright_250wide by Kemet Mawakana, a.k.a. the Seven Foot Poet

Click the link below to hear for yourself.

The Campaign

(Written in Four Parts – Part 4 of 4)

by Kemet Mawakana, a.k.a the Seven Foot Poet

To hear this original work performed by the Seven Foot Poet, click the flash player below.

Click the flash player below to listen to or the mic to download an mp3 copy of this BA Radio commentary.

He’s up 10+ points in the polls

It’s going to be a landslide!

But wait -- euphemisms are taken to a whole new level

When racism/white supremacy is attributed to

A black man and

Called the Bradley effect!?! – but I digress.

He’s up in the red states and the blue states by at least 5-points!

But wait – the margin of error is +/- 7

So is he down 2 or up 7 or down 12 or up 12? – but I digress.

The rest

Of the electorial map looks like it’s a wrap

And the popular vote too!

But wait – was that 88 or 92 or 2000

When something happened I can’t recall

People voted in Ohio or Florida or somewhere and

Chad got hung or someone

Didn’t count or get counted

Or something like that I forget

Delusional amnesia is convenient

Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.

I either owe Senator Barak Obama a huge apology

Or I am about to give McCain/Palin

a foolproof – which for them it must be -- campaign hail mary

But thank you Obama for your promise to

Grant Assata Shakur a pardon

Clear the Garvey name

Release Eddie Conway

Cancel Africom – and so on and so on

But wait -- he didn’t promise that to you

He made promises to

Every constituent or special interest group but yours and you

Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.

I asked my “Ivy League” educated friend

who years ago started working for the Obama Campaign

I asked my “actor” friend

who quit their job to go volunteer for the Obama Campaign

I asked my “lawyer” friend

who is working to combat voter suppression for the Obama Campaign

I asked my “conscious” friend

who got on a plane to volunteer for the Obama Campaign

I asked my “traditional African spiritualist” friend

who got on a train to volunteer for the Obama Campaign

I asked -- tell me because I really want to know

Why do you support Obama?

Could it be Carter G. that their education makes it necessary

that they act in accordance with laws that govern falsified consciousness? – oh God I hope not.

Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.

But I didn’t ask my non-black friends

Because I know why they support Obama – it’s clear.

A Bagger Vance dance and Green Mile smile and presto-change-o

Everything is back to “normal” a return to a stable American status quo?

Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.

I asked my friends -- their reasons were all rational well thought out

too numerous to list I even learned that according to them

Obama was Afrocentric!

There was the standard “hope” of assimulationist integrationist fantasies

And the standard this is how you play the game refrain

But one response struck a nerve with me

Someone said go vote your ancestors died for that right

I said oh really?

My ancestors killed and died – in that order -- to be free

for justice for sovereignty

not to run for or reach high office in the perpetrators’ hierarchy

not to save this founded upon atrocity country.

Imagine what enslaved Africans in Louisiana thought 1843

When they saw an African in the big house

running a plantation that he alone owned

Bet they never thought they would live to see that day

Were they proud of his “accomplishment”?

Did they say now there’s progress?

Did they get a renewed sense of hope?

Were they happy that their kids now believed they could grow up to be anything? – even a plantation owner?

Should they really be proud and believe in that change?

One of there own an African had risen to the “pinnacle”

was head of the plantation that was oppressing them!

Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.

The point is don’t hate – congratulate.

Back away from the Hater-aid.

Ease off the Hater-aid.

Because it’s a great -- hustle

Obama promotes a post-race America

no white America no black America

race doesn’t matter – a new day

But wait

If he loses people will say -- its because he’s black

If he performs badly in office people will say -- its because he’s black

If he gets shot and killed people will say -- its because he’s black

Yet if he wins and does well in office – it’s a new non-racial day

Damn being black is still only catching the blame.

Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.

What’s really going on – what’s really going on?

A spook who sat by the door or noir

Who will end up Wright I right?

Just watch and see after the election

Just watch and see after the reelection

Just watch and see after the protection of his legacy

Just watch and see . . . . . who the winner will be

Just like in a game of 3-card Molly.

By Kemit Mawakana (aka The Seven-Foot Poet)

Peace (when appropriate) War (when necessary)

Kemit Mawakana (aka “The Seven-Foot Poet”) is a highly acclaimed spoken-word artist, and has published two books A . . . Z . . . Infinity and Crucifixion of My Soul. The collective body of his works presented weekly in BAR are in tribute to Listervelt Middleton, Dr. John Henrik Clarke, and “For The People”. Currently, he is a facilitator at AYA Educational Institute (www.ayaed.com) and can be reached at sevenfootpoet@gmail.com.

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