BUCKWHEAT GOT SHOT!

"Don't tell me the federal response was slow!" - President George W. Bush

Remember that old Saturday Night Live sketch where Eddie Murphy played Buckwheat? Remember that?

Buckwheat was representative of the perceptions of the Black man in America. As funny as it was seeing this character, I must admit that it was rather clever.

The sketch in particular was a take on the shooting of President Ronald Reagan back in the day. I was a youngster, but I could remember everyone being saddened by the news. But when Buckwheat got shot, we laughed. Having said that, is it any wonder that the lives of Black men and other ethnic minorities are in fact a joke in America? I'll let you ponder that one while I move on.

Speaking of Presidents, did you catch President Bush's final press conference? It was a press conference but for obvious reasons, I consider it to be more like a post game interview the likes of professional athletes. Why do I say that? Well, just like the professional athlete, he gave little props to the competition, and never once held himself accountable. He never at least once said, "Damn I kinda fucked that up didn't I?" Nope never once he did. Instead, he passed the buck, and came off sounding like Terrell "I can do no wrong" Owens who plays for the Dallas Cowboys.

He even went on record as saying that not finding the weapons of mass destruction was a disappointment. He said it was no mistake, but a disappointment. How about it being a lie all along? Nope, that would be to noble to admit culpability. Instead, just blame it on the officiating. That's right, blame the referees. Yup, it's all about the wrong information he was given.

This coming from the highest office in the land, its easy to understand our culture of placing blame on the victims. I say that because I still hear people today who are quick to blame the victims of the hurricane Katrina aftermath. I still hear today in response to the now infamous Air Force One flyover photo-op, that those people were foolish and should have left town. On this site recently I read a comment from an individual who said "those people" stayed behind intentionally in the face of Katrina, just so that they would be able to loot.

::BLANK STARE::

So, per the current lame duck President, the federal response time was quite appropriate. Never mind all the well documented evidence the likes of eating birthday cake with John McCain on the very morning the storm made its landfall. Yup never mind that. But yet, he pledged his support to ending poverty and racial strife in the aftermath that ensued. Well I'm sorry Mr. Bush, but it looks like you just shot Buckwheat again on live TV. This time around, we're not laughing.

We're not laughing because as he in his exit tries to re-write history, or his legacy as some have already referred to it as, we the people who were here, now know the truth all too well. But just in case I'm not alive to read it, just as he, Mr. Bush himself so eloquently espoused, I'm glad that in this information age, true journalism is the first line of history. Who knows, maybe somewhere far into the future stuff like this blog entry would be dug up just like the Dead Sea Scrolls; Who knows. But if that were ever to happen, I could only hope that it could be worshiped like the bible, and the truth. I say that with full knowledge that history, is often written by the victors, and not the victims. And that means you too Buckwheat.

In closing, I'll ask you this question: With all the talk of the fear of the assassination of Barack Obama (i.e. Buckwheat), would it sadden you if the same predicament would befall President George Bush anytime soon? I don't know if its just me, but there has been an increase in firearms purchases since Obama's election. And I suspect that the majority of these new purchases have been made by White citizens. They attribute it to their fear of them losing their right to bear arms. But could it be their fear of a Black America instead? Could it be the reason there has been an increase in Black hate crimes since November 4th? Could it be the reason there is a hyper vigilance by the police when it comes to encountering Black males lately? I mean seriously, could it be that the police are just doing their best to protect Black men from all these gun totting White citizens? I mean after all, Buckwheat got shot didn't he? If I remember correctly, he was always wukin pa nub in all da wong places, wukin pa nub.

RECOMMENDED READING: History Cannot Save Him By Helen Thomas