Is America Ready for Its Second Black President?

John W Lillpop


Barack Obama has set America on fire by announcing the formation of an exploratory committee to study a possible presidential bid. The senator from Illinois said he would announce his final decision on Feb. 10.

While the Mainstream Media and most liberals are thrilled at the prospects of an Obama in the White House, there are those who are not exactly infatuated by this turn of events.

The most obvious dissenters would be the Clintons, Hillary Rodham, and William Jefferson.

Hillary is not amused by the Obama candidacy because of her own designs on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. With just two years to go until January 20, 2009, Hillary was ready to sublet contracts for renovation of the White House, including a high-technology security system with a "Bimbo detector" to keep William Jefferson honest.

And William Jefferson is still basking in the glory of being America's "first black" president. With a "real" black man in the Oval Office, Clinton's legacy and connections within the black community might be diminished. He might even have to actually spend time in his Harlem office to keep up with Obama.

All of this may be moot if that exploratory committee comes back with a negative recommendation for Obama.

But in all honesty, when was the last time an exploratory committee advised a candidate that his or her chances of winning the White House carried the same statistical probability for success as George W. Bush winning the Nobel Peace prize?



John Lillpop is a recovering liberal, "clean and sober" since 1992 when last he voted for a Democrat. Pray for John: He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where people like Nancy Pelosi are considered reasonable!

Should MLK Birthday Be a National Holiday?

By John W. Lillpop

One cannot dispute the fact that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an icon in the civil rights movement, a champion for African- Americans, and a symbol of hope for downtrodden and oppressed people everywhere.

Nearly 40 years after his assassination, Dr. King's words and actions continue to inspire, guide, and illuminate.

But does the birth and life of Dr. King warrant the forced closure of American government, education, and vast segments of private enterprise for an entire day every year?

Compared to the other national holidays observed in America, is Martin Luther King day really appropriate?

Consider please: Martin Luther King day is the only holiday named for a specific American figure, although Dr. King was never elected to political office, nor did he serve the entire nation and all people in any official capacity.

No president, war hero, educator, religious leader, or other individual American in our history has been so honored. Why should Dr. King be the exception?

Further. consider why we celebrate the other national holidays:

We honor those who have given their lives during war (Memorial Day), we celebrate America's independence and establishment of the most successful democracy in human history (Independence Day), we honor the tens of millions of blue-collar workers whose labor has built this great nation (Labor Day), we honor all the men and women who have served and are serving in the U.S. military (Veteran's Day), we observe a day of thankful reflection for the many blessings bestowed upon the American people by our Creator (Thanksgiving), we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ along with billions of people throughout the world (Christmas), we celebrate the start of a new year (New Year's Day), and we honor those who have served as America's Chief Executive Officer and commander-in-chief (President's Day).

Given the substance behind America's other designated national holidays, does Martin Luther King day really seem warranted?

Or is this holiday really all about easing white guilt over slavery and racism in America's past?

John Lillpop is a recovering liberal, "clean and sober" since 1992 when last he voted for a Democrat. Pray for John: He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where people like Nancy Pelosi are considered reasonable!

You Have Never Used the “N” Word? Can You Prove That?

By John W. Lillpop



















Because life in the great state of Virginia is as close to Heaven as God will permit, politicians running for office there are at a loss to raise important issues with which to dazzle voters.

As a result, the race for the U.S. Senate involving Republican incumbent George Allen and Democrat challenger Jim Webb has deteriorated into a petty word game of charges and countercharges over the use of racial epithets.

The latest “Breaking News Headline” involves charges from well-known political-science professor Larry Sabato that Senator Allen did in fact use the N word in the 1970s. Go here:

Meanwhile, Jim Webb is making his own headlines by denying that he ever used the N word. Go here:

Heaven knows, I do not advocate the use of racial slurs on any occasion or for any purpose. But before we turn an important political debate into a PC urinating contest, a bit of reflection seems warranted.

To begin with, who among us can truthfully state that the “N” word, or its equivalent, has never found its way into a casual conversation?

From personal experience, I shall always remember mentioning to an uncle from the Deep South how excited I was at the prospect of seeing baseball star Willie Mays play in San Francisco. My uncle took the wind out of my sails when he bluntly asked “He’s a N*****, ain’t he?”

My face turned a deep, deep purple at this racist denigration of a baseball hero, and my speechless embarrassment spurned great hilarity among my cousins who were obviously accustomed to their father’s indelicate language.

Later in life, while reading a biography of President Harry S. Truman titled Plain Speaking, I was astonished to learn that the thirty-third President of the United States used the N word regularly. But Truman was also credited with integrating the U.S. armed forces at a time when doing so was not the PC thing to do.

Lyndon Johnson, the thirty-seventh President of the United States, was also allegedly one to drop an N bomb now and again. Of course, President Johnson was instrumental in getting the Civil Rights Act of 1964 signed into law.

However, black “rap” artists are by far the most prolific users of the N word. Without it, rap music as we know it would not exist.

A different N word—“Nip”—was used during World War II as a slur against the Japanese. Nip was used prominently in television comedy shows like McHale’s Navy, which is still rerun--with Nip intact--from time to time.

The point is that it is neither reasonable nor responsible to dwell solely on racial slurs that one may have used 30 years ago.

Without knowing the exact context and environment in which such words were uttered, it is impossible to make an intelligent evaluation as to whether or the individual involved is worthy of trust in 2006.