SHIFTING FROM A WORLD IN BLACK AND WHITE

Now a week removed from the inauguration of Barack Obama, I am encouraged by the hope engendered by our 44th President on both sides of the political middle where most of the people I know reside. It has been two months since I last posted something on this blog and in that time, I have listened to what many people have said and observed about President Obama and for the most part, it's been hopeful, encouraging and optimistic.

Those on the right, I among them, still take umbrage with some of the more socialist fringes of his agenda, yet for the past two months and now officially, for the last week, President Obama seems to be governing more from the center, than from the leftist flank guarded by the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Claire McCaskill and Barbara Boxer. Admittedly, there are 1,453 days left in his first term and he's yet to tackle the really divisive issues that concerned me in the first place. But for now, I too am viewing the glass as half full and am hopeful for the reconciliation that's possible from President Obama.

If nothing else, my one hope is that his presence in the White House will finally foster the notion that we will all be judged not for our pigmentation, but for our implementation of smart ideas, great concepts and productive actions that make our country, and potentially the world, a better place.

During the campaign and after the election, I heard many people talk about the end of racism. Finally, the end of stereotyping by color and as Dr. King so eloquently dreamed, the beginning of a time when men would be judged by the content of their character, rather than the color of their skin. If Barack Obama's election achieved nothing more than that, it would be monumental. The problem is, no matter which direction the negativity is flowing, racism is not simply a switch that can be turned off.

For many, the election of Barack Obama is a proclamation that race no longer holds any barrier for those yearning to achieve. It is a sentinel to every young African-American leading the way to higher self-esteem, greater self-worth and the belief that yes, anything is possible no matter what color your skin. In many ways, I think Obama's election is a philosophical passing of the torch from the generation of Dr. King, Jesse Jackson, Andrew Young and John Lewis who chose to stand and fight and use their race to rail on the establishment for the limits it imposed upon them. President Obama's election signals a new age where those limits and barriers have been removed, or destroyed, doesn't it? After all, if an African-American can be elected President of the United States, is there really any other position that cannot be attained?

In my mind, the question that still remains is what effect will the older generation have on the younger one moving forward? For our country to truly move forward to where race is no longer an issue, the separatist tenets of racial inequality have to be laid on the altar of forgiveness, contrition and understanding and then forgotten. Yes, there has been hatred and betrayal and fighting and mistrust. But there have also been moments of love, friendship, brotherhood and common ground. We are a dysfunctional marriage trying to be put back together. The question is, can we all get past it?

For many, I fear racism is a burden they will be unwilling or unable to lay down. For some, their entire identity is consumed by propagating the separation between black and white. Black and brown. Black and black. To agree that separation has now been abolished and that true equality is at hand is to suggest a diminished usefulness for organizations like the NAACP, the United Negro College Fund, Affirmative Action and the Black Miss America pageant. It's been so long coming, that even in the face of last week's inauguration, many simply can't imagine a country where truly, we are all judged on the merit of our actions, the content of our character and the difference we make in the lives around us.

That is how I will judge our new President. It too is how I would ask that he judge me.

As I type this, lawyers in New York are threatening a class action lawsuit against the major New York ad agencies because, according to them, there aren't enough African-Americans in the ranks of advertising and marketing. No real discussion as to background, portfolio, experience, education, or ability. Simply, that not enough African-Americans have been given an opportunity. Likewise, I heard a discussion last week before the inauguration lamenting the lack of black journalists in the White House Press Corps. Considering African-Americans make up roughly 12-15% of the population and of that only a fraction study journalism and of that group a smaller fraction ever go to work for a major newspaper and of that tiny universe of senior writers, that only a handful ever make it to the White House Press Corps, is it really surprising that the numbers are what they are? Look at professional sports. You could make the same assertion about white people in the NFL and NBA. Like those coaches, maybe those hiring in ad agencies and the Press Corps are simply putting the team on the floor that gives them the best chance to win. Racist? I don't think so. Besides, what does it say when the one thing being considered for whether someone is qualified to perform a job is their color?

Is racism over as some have suggested? No, but I certainly like the direction we're heading. Let's give it a little time and see what happens. In 1,453 days, we'll find out whether people laud Barack Obama's achievements as those of a great president, or simply those of our nation's first African-American president and then we'll know.

For all of our sake, I hope he's as transcendent as advertised.

THE HEIGHT OF HYPOCRISY

Today, for the second time in three weeks, Congress asked the chief executives of the Big Three automakers to give up their salaries and work for $1 in 2009. When Ford CEO Alan Mulally was pushed on the question before Thanksgiving, his response was, “I think I’m O.K. where I am.” But since then, his position has changed.

Today, as part of their assistance from the Federal Government, Mulally, General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner and Chrysler head Robert Nardelli all pledged to take a salary of $1 for the coming year. And while millions will be cheering, I will not be among them. Not because these overpaid, underachieving execs will take one in the shorts. But because, in my opinion, they’ll take it in the wrong pair of shorts.

Are the CEOs of the Big Three overpaid? Probably. But in most cases, their salaries aren’t the problem. To the average American, a salary of $500,000, $1 million, $2 million seems completely exorbitant because 99.99% of us will never even sniff that kind of salary even though, in all fairness, many of us work as hard or harder than the guys in question. The difference is, we’re not responsible for hundreds of thousands of employees, productivity of a dozen car lines, and if you believe the press over the last month, a large part of the financial solvency of the United States. These guys earn their salaries. Where they deserve to get hammered is in their bonus structure.

If you want to get outraged about something, be angry at the Freddie and Fanny execs, the Morgan Stanley execs, and all the other execs who made millions in bonuses while their companies went down the tubes on their watch. Get pissed at the execs who continue to earn millions in bonuses at companies that have failed for years, but have been too stuck, rutted, short-sided, lazy – whatever - to get fresh management. Shoot, reach back and stoke your ire at Enron and WorldCom. Bonuses are by definition an earned extra. In principle, they should be tied to the financial performance of the company. But in too many companies, bonuses and stock options are guaranteed regardless of company performance.

Who the Hell do these guys think they are? Professional athletes?

Now we have Congress, standing on a whopping 12% approval rating, calling out Detroit for inefficiency and overindulgence asking its leaders to take a 2 million% pay cut as a largely symbolic gesture. Talk about hypocrisy. Had Congress done its job over the past 12 years, much of what we’re going through right now could have been avoided completely. And I certainly don’t see anyone in the Senate or the House stepping up with solutions.

You want to send a message to America, pay these guys their $1 million dollar salaries and either tie all their bonuses, ridiculous stock options, company jets and spa trips to the Mediterranean to the performance of the company or get rid of them all together. And while you’re at it, figure out how to tie the Unions into it too. As long as every car coming off the line at Ford, GM and Chrysler has five times the legacy cost of a Honda or Toyota, they’ll never catch up. As long as Union rules require three people to do the job of one and allow for laid off employees to earn 95% of their salary for up to two years for sitting in a “job bank” playing cards with their buddies, they’ll never catch up. As long as innovation is stymied because it’s too hard, too costly, or might cause a negative quarter, they’ll never catch up. And neither will we.

Since rejoining Apple in 1997, CEO Steve Jobs has taken a salary of $1 per year. In 2007, he exercised an option on 120,000 shares of stock that were set to expire worth $14.6 million. He owns almost 5.6 million additional shares of Apple stock worth more than half a billion dollars. The company gave him a $90 million jet. Steve Jobs makes plenty of money and you know what? Nobody begrudges him a dime of it. iPod. iPhone. iTouch. Macintosh. Apple has consistently produced the most revolutionary products of the 21st Century. They have earned their way to category dominance.

When the automakers finally decide on evolution or revolution and can match Apple’s sense of innovation and customer connection, their money will come and it will come in a Tsunami. It’s all out there waiting. The question is, who wants to step up and earn their way.

SEARCHING FOR COMMON GROUND

Since starting this new blog on Monday, I've had a number of discussions with friends of both parties about the election of President Obama, the campaign, partisan politics and where we go from here. But more than anything else, it seems we've all discussed a genuine hope that perhaps now will be the time we can all work together to find common ground. To build on what we agree on, and to respectfully debate that which we don't.

I got an email this morning from a dear friend who doesn't particularly share my "lean to the right" and who has been troubled by much of what he's read in previous blogs of mine. He wasn't sure he could stomach more of it and was considering simply not reading. What I told him this morning, as I said at the end of the blog on Tuesday, is that I want this to be a discussion rather than a monologue. I'd love for these posts to be not simply my opinions, but conversation starters for all of us to talk about. Will what I write be conservative and tilt to the Right? Most likely. But I will base my opinions on what I know to be factual., and not simply rhetoric. I will call out good ideas when I hear them no matter which side of the aisle they come from, and I will write what I hope will encourage smart, positive conversation about how we can make a positive impact on our country.

Case in point - last night, I received a wonderful post on my Facebook page from another great friend named Jonathan Rice who is a gifted designer and art director here in Dallas. Again, Jonathan and I do not always find ourselves on the same page politically, but we do enjoy the debate and certainly respect each other's opinions. I asked him if I could post his work here and he graciously said I could. Here it is.

THE FABRIC OF OUR NATION: HOPE, NOT FEAR

I hope after the overwhelming vote for Obama that the opposition will not lay this victory down at the feet of dishonesty and corruption. And I hope those people will not continue their spirit of fear towards our new President and the positive changes he may bring. I am excited for our nation's future for the first time in over 12 years. I know many people's thoughts about potentially higher taxes, bigger government and that the very fabric of our country will change over the next several years are big issues that they fear. And some of that may be true. Time will only tell. But, as a friend of mine said this week, everyone has to change their clothes from time to time -referring to the fabric of the country. And in our history we have changed that fabric many times.

We changed from the fabric of servitude to the fabric of independence in 1776; from the fabric of slavery to freedom in 1865; from the fabric of men only voting to all people voting regardless of sex in the 1920's; from the fabric of racial hatred in the first half of the 20th century to racial equality in the last half; and now from the fabric of intolerance to that of inclusion; this is what America has done all along its history — change.

Change for the future. For the betterment of our society. I think this is what happened yesterday. And I think it good. And with every change there were always those folks who feared it. Feared that our country would be worse for it. Feared that they would lose their way of life. The slave owner feared what would happen to their businesses. The men feared what the women would do to their government. The whites feared what the blacks would do to the country. And now, the religious right fears what will happen to their potential Theocracy. For those people who have spread fear or have an abundance of fear, especially my Christian brothers and sisters, I have one thing to say — 2 Timothy 1:7 " God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and love and self-control."

When major Christian leaders put out fear-filled propaganda about what COULD happen under Obama, they were wrong to do so. The fear they were using wasn't the fear of God, but the fear of man. The fear of losing their position of power. The fear of the unknown. It is the same kind of fear I was raised under as a kid in a very right-wing religious home. The fear that said going to a school dance was a sin. The fear that said don't drink because it's a sin. The fear that said to my cousin in the 1950s that she couldn't continue to skate competitively because it was a sin. The fear that said I couldn't go to a movie because it was a sin. The fear that woman shouldn't wear pants because it was a sin. The fear that owning a TV was a sin. And now, the fear that some modern day Christians had about Obama, because voting for him was basically a sin. To these far-right, fearful people, I say to put your trust in God and stop being afraid of change. If the past eight years didn't teach you something about the consequences of this fear doctrine, then I pray that maybe eight years of a hope doctrine will.

I look forward to the future with hope and anticipation, NOT because of Obama, but because of a shift away from the doctrine of fear and ignorance to one of hope, intelligence and inclusion.

HISTORY WILL TELL

It's a new day in America.

Barack Obama, a young, eloquent, mixed race, ultra-Liberal socialist is the 44th President-elect of the United States.

Endorsed by Oprah Winfrey, the most influential woman and African-American voice in America, sheltered and shielded by an unabashedly leftist press and buoyed by a Bush Presidency that's been at best a disappointment, Obama rode America's wave of displeasure to what even 18 months ago seemed unlikely and unbelievable.

Look at history and American politics is cyclical. Since 1980, Republicans have been in the White House for 20 of 28 years. But now, at least for the next 4 years, that will change. Tonight, ABC News had an interview with Oprah asking her for her observations on the historic night and her response, "I haven't seen our country this united since 9/11." Not surprisingly, many of the press had similar sentiments.

The truth is, Obama carried about 52% of the vote. Reagan 1984 was a mandate. With all respect, Senator Obama won a split-decision.

Indeed, our country remains split this morning. By income. By ideology. By what we believe about the man our country just elected as its next President. Just a day ago, a USA Today/Gallup poll had 48% of those polled saying they didn't think Obama was qualified to be President. But today, that doesn't matter.

This morning, I still disagree with much of what Barack Obama has promised for America. I do not agree with many of his ideas or how he proposes to achieve them. I'm sad and disappointed that Senator McCain is not our next President. But like our country, I must find a way through those feelings. I too want change. I too want to be hopeful. I too want answers to how our generation will reconstitute the America we all want to pass down to our children.

We live in the most extraordinary country in the history of civilization. A country that has reinvented itself a number of times, when in our greatest hour of need, we found the best in our citizenry, the best of ourselves. This is clearly a time when we must do that again.

History well tell if President Obama is the socialist many of us fear. If he will indeed, redistribute the country's wealth as promised. Or reset the Supreme Court. Or raise taxes on more than those earning over $250,000 a year. For at least the next two years, he will be flanked by the protection of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and a largely Democratic Congress with the only saving grace the fact that the Republicans held on to more than 40 seats in the Senate.

For those of us who believe in a conservative imperative for America, the foreseeable future will be an uphill battle. But a battle clearly worth fighting.

Today, I respect the will of the American people. I recognize the historic step our country has taken by electing an African-American to be Chief Executive of the United States. I am moved by the tears shed by Jesse Jackson and John Lewis knowing what this election represents for them and their lives work. And I hope for God's blessing on our very troubled nation. Today is a day of national celebration. But tomorrow is another story.

Tomorrow, the Republican Party and the guardians of conservative values must begin finding a way to reconnect with America. We have to get younger, smarter, more inclusive and learn to solve problems rather than point fingers. We must find a way to make the values that built this country relevant and resonant again. Not just to Republicans, but to those who found in Senator Obama the connection, the promise and the validation of a better country and a better life.

I hope for common ground. I hope for bridges we can build together. I hope for opportunities to reestablish America's greatness side by side. Obama has been characterized as a transformational figure. As the great uniter. I pray that will be the case.

History will tell.

WHERE DEMOCRACY BEGINS

Tomorrow, our country will elect the 44th President of the United States and when we do, history will be unalterably changed. Over the last few months, much has been made out of what is expected to be a historically large turnout for a Presidential election, yet no matter what happens, 60 to 70 million people will make the decision not to vote.

Gore Vidal once commented, "Half of Americans have never read a paper. Half have never voted in an election. We can only hope that they are the same half."

I can remember how proud I was the first time I got to vote in the Presidential election. In was 1984 and I had turned 18 just a month before the election. At the time I didn't know much of anything about politics but I read the paper, I watched the debates, and studied what each of the candidates was putting forth as policy. When all was said and done, I realized I was most closely aligned with President Reagan and that's who I voted for.

Three months before, I had gone down to the Post Office to register for the draft - where we ever to need one. I remember coming home and telling my mother I had registered and she cried. At that moment, she felt her baby had grown up. I didn't feel it then. I felt it 97 days later when I walked into the voting booth and cast my vote as an American adult for something that mattered. Suddenly, my voice was just as important as everyone else's. I've never felt more like an American than I did that day.

I have a friend who's a fellow dad in my Boy Scout Troop. He is Middle Eastern and has lived all over the world in countries where we now find ourselves fighting, in others most of us would be challenged to find on a map. He has lived through all kinds of governments, all kinds of ideologies, all kinds of freedoms. Two months ago, he became a United States citizen and tomorrow, for the first time, he will vote as an American citizen.

Win or lose, he has a voice. We each have a voice. And no matter what it takes, tomorrow, it is our responsibility to use it.