In the words of my ever so insightful mother...
McCain's pick of Sarah Palin for his running mate brings up some serious questions about his judgment. Picking someone with only one year of experience (as governor of a state with less people than Charlotte, North Carolina), when you are 72yrs old, at risk for heart disease, and after being diagnosed with skin cancer... is just insane to me...
It also speaks to his sexism... to McCain, all women are the same... any woman will do, regardless of her [lack of] qualifications..
Polysigh makes an excellent point about how the acceptance of this nomination brings up some serious questions about Sarah Palin's judgment as well... Especially after she has admitted that she knows nothing about the position...
For more comments about the Republican VP selection check out The Kitchen Table and On The Dig.
In the meantime...
I hope you have enjoyed this weeks coverage of the Democratic National Convention.... South Side Scholar will be going on temporary hiatus until after September 20...
During my absence please continue to check out past blogs and leave comments... and come back after the 20th to see what new stuff South Side Scholar is up to!
peace.
Showing posts with label leadership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leadership. Show all posts
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Final Day of the Democratic Convention
I was deeply moved by the speech of Rep. John Lewis who did the introduction to the tribute to Martin Luther King jr. Rep Lewis is the last living main speaker from the March on Washington.
(Although Dr. Irene Height... one of my sorors/former president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc... was also on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March and Washington and is still alive and was present at the convention today)
Jennifer Hudson's rendition of the national anthem was absolutely beautiful
LOL... side note: I love Spike Lee, when interviewed by MSNBC about what he thought about Barack Obama, he said "I think history will be defined as B.B. and A.B... Before Barack and After Barack..."
I know ya'll are going to want to burn me at the stake for this... lol... but I really didn't get into Stevie's first song... don't get me wrong... I LOVE me some Stevie Wonder, but I just think his song choice was lacking... However, in typical Stevie fashion he proceeded to bring the house down :-)
Unfortunately I don't think the live version of will.i.am's "yes we can video" worked out very well...
Al Gore's speech was so poignant and so powerful... the comparisons he made between the critical nature of this election and his 2000 election really struck a cord with me...
One thing that I can't help but be amazed by, is the way in which all the major Democratic heavyweights... both Clintons, the Kennedys, Al Gore and John Kerry... are all coming out to support Barack Obama... a black man... in such a big way... I know most of you are like... "well they don't have any choice... he is the party nominee." But think about it... this time last year, the chances of this occuring seemed next to impossible... but the people spoke and the party was forced to let go of their "chosen daughter" and listen to the voices of the primary voters... I don't know about you... but I continue to be awed by the power in that....
John McCain's rinky dink commercial congratulating Obama on his nomination had absolutely no purchase for me... After teasing the media relentlessly about his VP pick in the middle of the Democratic Convention and the loads of petty and childish commercials (which had absolutely nothing to do with politics) that hes been shoving down my throat for the last three days... McCain has made it clear that Obama isn't the one who has no idea what he is doing... I'm predicting it now... once the debates start... any gains McCain has made are going out the window....
It's amazing... Obama managed to draw 90,000 people to Mile High Stadium... McCain is having a hard time convincing 10,000 people to show up to his acceptance speech... yet somehow pundits are describing this as a problem for Obama?
Lets be honest... McCain is the media darling... he absolutely gets away with anything and everything... How is it after weeks of negative commercials, he all of a sudden is "gracious and classy".... ??!!
Onto pleasanter things...
I did think it was appropriate for Sen Dick Durbin to introduce Obama... those democrats love them some symbolism huh?
But onto the most important part of the night....
I LOVED Obama's speech... he did absolutely everything he needed to do. Like Micheal Eric Dyson told Wolf Blitzer on CNN prior to the speech... the trademark of agreat orator is to draw the audience in emotionally, and then to lay out the meat and potatoes of his political policy... and that is exactly what Obama did...
He described himself in a way that everyone... regardless of race or class could identify with... from talking about growing up with a single mother to his and Michelle's struggle with student loans... it would be ridiculous for McCain (with his seven houses) to think about calling Obama an elitest...
and yes... his discussion of individual responsibility and the necessity of "fatherhood" did make me a bit squirmish... but I did appreciate his ability to link issues and to make an arguement about how folks from both sides of the aisle can begin to see eye to eye on issues like domestic benefits and abortion...
And he finally REALLY critized John McCain!!!
My favorite lines?
"this election isn't about me... this election is about you..."
"at the defining moments of history... change didn't come from Washington, it came to Washington"
"I don't know about you... but I'm not willing to take a 10% chance on change"
and lastly...
"America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess..."
That scripture is actually from Hebrews 10:23. The full quotation is as follows (international standard version):
Let us continue to hold firmly to the hope that we confess without wavering, for the one who made the promise is faithful.
peace.
(Although Dr. Irene Height... one of my sorors/former president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc... was also on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March and Washington and is still alive and was present at the convention today)
Jennifer Hudson's rendition of the national anthem was absolutely beautiful
LOL... side note: I love Spike Lee, when interviewed by MSNBC about what he thought about Barack Obama, he said "I think history will be defined as B.B. and A.B... Before Barack and After Barack..."
I know ya'll are going to want to burn me at the stake for this... lol... but I really didn't get into Stevie's first song... don't get me wrong... I LOVE me some Stevie Wonder, but I just think his song choice was lacking... However, in typical Stevie fashion he proceeded to bring the house down :-)
Unfortunately I don't think the live version of will.i.am's "yes we can video" worked out very well...
Al Gore's speech was so poignant and so powerful... the comparisons he made between the critical nature of this election and his 2000 election really struck a cord with me...
One thing that I can't help but be amazed by, is the way in which all the major Democratic heavyweights... both Clintons, the Kennedys, Al Gore and John Kerry... are all coming out to support Barack Obama... a black man... in such a big way... I know most of you are like... "well they don't have any choice... he is the party nominee." But think about it... this time last year, the chances of this occuring seemed next to impossible... but the people spoke and the party was forced to let go of their "chosen daughter" and listen to the voices of the primary voters... I don't know about you... but I continue to be awed by the power in that....
John McCain's rinky dink commercial congratulating Obama on his nomination had absolutely no purchase for me... After teasing the media relentlessly about his VP pick in the middle of the Democratic Convention and the loads of petty and childish commercials (which had absolutely nothing to do with politics) that hes been shoving down my throat for the last three days... McCain has made it clear that Obama isn't the one who has no idea what he is doing... I'm predicting it now... once the debates start... any gains McCain has made are going out the window....
It's amazing... Obama managed to draw 90,000 people to Mile High Stadium... McCain is having a hard time convincing 10,000 people to show up to his acceptance speech... yet somehow pundits are describing this as a problem for Obama?
Lets be honest... McCain is the media darling... he absolutely gets away with anything and everything... How is it after weeks of negative commercials, he all of a sudden is "gracious and classy".... ??!!
Onto pleasanter things...
I did think it was appropriate for Sen Dick Durbin to introduce Obama... those democrats love them some symbolism huh?
But onto the most important part of the night....
I LOVED Obama's speech... he did absolutely everything he needed to do. Like Micheal Eric Dyson told Wolf Blitzer on CNN prior to the speech... the trademark of agreat orator is to draw the audience in emotionally, and then to lay out the meat and potatoes of his political policy... and that is exactly what Obama did...
He described himself in a way that everyone... regardless of race or class could identify with... from talking about growing up with a single mother to his and Michelle's struggle with student loans... it would be ridiculous for McCain (with his seven houses) to think about calling Obama an elitest...
and yes... his discussion of individual responsibility and the necessity of "fatherhood" did make me a bit squirmish... but I did appreciate his ability to link issues and to make an arguement about how folks from both sides of the aisle can begin to see eye to eye on issues like domestic benefits and abortion...
And he finally REALLY critized John McCain!!!
My favorite lines?
"this election isn't about me... this election is about you..."
"at the defining moments of history... change didn't come from Washington, it came to Washington"
"I don't know about you... but I'm not willing to take a 10% chance on change"
and lastly...
"America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess..."
That scripture is actually from Hebrews 10:23. The full quotation is as follows (international standard version):
Let us continue to hold firmly to the hope that we confess without wavering, for the one who made the promise is faithful.
peace.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Mandela's 8 Lessons of Leadership
In honor of his 90th birthday, Time Magazine published an article on Nelson Mandela's 8 Lesson's of Leadership
I encourage you to read the article... But I thought I would share the lessons that I found most poignant
No.1: Courage is Not the Absence of Fear, it's Inspiring Others to Move Beyond It
Mandela talks about how necessary it was to "pretend and, through the act of appearing fearless, inspire others" during his tenure at Robben Island.
Although he was constantly afraid in the prison, he knew that his fear would only function to instill fear in the people who were risking their lives everyday to fight against apartheid outside of the prison.
He knew, that by appearing to be fearless in facing the horrors of Robben Island, he could inspire others to face the horrors of Apartheid.
It's an interesting idea.... and brings up the question of what exactly are the functions of "leaders" and what constitutes "leadership"?
Is it primarily a symbolic label as Mandela seems to suggest? Is leadership merely the ability to inspire/motivate/convince others to accomplish the work that must be done?
And if this is the case, one has to wonder about the ways in which this idea of leadership simultaneously disempowers people.
If "leaders" are never really the ones responsible for the work being accomplished (as one could argue was the case during the Civil Rights Movement, particularly in the ground work of getting major tactics like the March on Washington and the Birmingham Bus boycotts coordinated), and it really is the work of the "community" that creates and sustains movements. Then what does all the credit for the work of these movements being attributed to these symbolic leaders do for the communities feelings of self-assurance?
In a time where the black community is constantly lamenting the lack of "black leadership" and looking for the next protest movement (a la the 60's and 70's). An important question would seem to be whether or not our communities addiction to symbolic leadership has prevented us from recognizing and acting on the (already demonstrated) power in grassroots activism.
No. 8: Quitting is Leading To
This seems to be another poignant lesson for black leadership in the United States.
Mandela was determined to set a precedent for all who followed him — not only in South Africa but across the rest of the continent. He would be the anti-Mugabe, the man who gave birth to his country and refused to hold it hostage. "His job was to set the course," says Ramaphosa, "not to steer the ship." He knows that leaders lead as much by what they choose not to do as what they do.
This seems to speak for itself. The author of the article points out that in many ways, Mandela's greatest legacy as President of South Africa is the way he chose to leave it. When he was elected in 1994, Mandela probably could have pressed to be President for life. But by stepping down, and allowing others to take part in the leadership and development of South Africa, he reached beyond himself and did what was best for his country.
In a time where today's black leaders are the same people who were "black leaders" thirty years ago. It seems that their inability to find the humility to step down and not only allow young black men and women to take on positions of leadership, but to train them to take on those positions of leadership, has paralyzed the evolution of black activism in the United States.
We are stuck in a cycle of trying to recreate the 1960's-70's in a political environment that requires a new form of black politics. Until as a community we are willing to free ourselves from the belief that the civil rights and black power movements were a high point that we are obssessed with trying to reach again, we will continue to cycle through ineffective political strategy after ineffective political strategy.
Mandela's lessons on leadership have a lot to offer us in the United States. I encourage you to take a look at the article and let me know what you think!
peace.
I encourage you to read the article... But I thought I would share the lessons that I found most poignant
No.1: Courage is Not the Absence of Fear, it's Inspiring Others to Move Beyond It
Mandela talks about how necessary it was to "pretend and, through the act of appearing fearless, inspire others" during his tenure at Robben Island.
Although he was constantly afraid in the prison, he knew that his fear would only function to instill fear in the people who were risking their lives everyday to fight against apartheid outside of the prison.
He knew, that by appearing to be fearless in facing the horrors of Robben Island, he could inspire others to face the horrors of Apartheid.
It's an interesting idea.... and brings up the question of what exactly are the functions of "leaders" and what constitutes "leadership"?
Is it primarily a symbolic label as Mandela seems to suggest? Is leadership merely the ability to inspire/motivate/convince others to accomplish the work that must be done?
And if this is the case, one has to wonder about the ways in which this idea of leadership simultaneously disempowers people.
If "leaders" are never really the ones responsible for the work being accomplished (as one could argue was the case during the Civil Rights Movement, particularly in the ground work of getting major tactics like the March on Washington and the Birmingham Bus boycotts coordinated), and it really is the work of the "community" that creates and sustains movements. Then what does all the credit for the work of these movements being attributed to these symbolic leaders do for the communities feelings of self-assurance?
In a time where the black community is constantly lamenting the lack of "black leadership" and looking for the next protest movement (a la the 60's and 70's). An important question would seem to be whether or not our communities addiction to symbolic leadership has prevented us from recognizing and acting on the (already demonstrated) power in grassroots activism.
No. 8: Quitting is Leading To
This seems to be another poignant lesson for black leadership in the United States.
Mandela was determined to set a precedent for all who followed him — not only in South Africa but across the rest of the continent. He would be the anti-Mugabe, the man who gave birth to his country and refused to hold it hostage. "His job was to set the course," says Ramaphosa, "not to steer the ship." He knows that leaders lead as much by what they choose not to do as what they do.
This seems to speak for itself. The author of the article points out that in many ways, Mandela's greatest legacy as President of South Africa is the way he chose to leave it. When he was elected in 1994, Mandela probably could have pressed to be President for life. But by stepping down, and allowing others to take part in the leadership and development of South Africa, he reached beyond himself and did what was best for his country.
In a time where today's black leaders are the same people who were "black leaders" thirty years ago. It seems that their inability to find the humility to step down and not only allow young black men and women to take on positions of leadership, but to train them to take on those positions of leadership, has paralyzed the evolution of black activism in the United States.
We are stuck in a cycle of trying to recreate the 1960's-70's in a political environment that requires a new form of black politics. Until as a community we are willing to free ourselves from the belief that the civil rights and black power movements were a high point that we are obssessed with trying to reach again, we will continue to cycle through ineffective political strategy after ineffective political strategy.
Mandela's lessons on leadership have a lot to offer us in the United States. I encourage you to take a look at the article and let me know what you think!
peace.
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