Yeah, Right, Whatever

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

When I was in high school, I was on the speech team. I was chosen to represent the school in a competition where I had to deliver a speech already made by someone else. My coach asked me to choose a famous speech and let her see it. Immediately, I thought of the speech that Dr. King gave at the March on Washington, DC, in August of 1963. It was powerful, moving, and I firmly believed (and still do) in that color-blind society that Dr. King longed for. Unfortunately, my coach shot down that idea. You see... I'm about as white as you can get- if you took away my freckles, I doubt there'd be any pigment in my skin at all. And, my coach was worried about offending someone. So, instead, she offended me. (I don't remember what speech I ended up doing... it didn't really matter.) But, I guess I need to thank my speech coach, because she helped shape my views on race relations. She reaffirmed my desire to see that world Dr. King dreamed of, where color doesn't matter- it's who you are inside that counts.

So, I, Little Miss White Chick that I am, have to wonder what African American leaders are thinking when they do stuff like this:

Black leaders debated Saturday how to develop a checklist of political priorities that could be submitted to politicians seeking support from black voters.

Tavis Smiley... initially offered the checklist, or "contract," as a political sword, but others said it would be better used as a self-improvement tool for black Americans.

"The next time you come calling on our vote, you come correct on the contract or you don't come at all," Smiley said at the sixth annual State of the Black Union Symposium, which also included the Rev. Al Sharpton and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

I'm not sure which part of this bothers me more. There are so many things to choose from.

First, there's Smiley's assumption that all Black voters are going to follow, lock step, with whatever these goons say. The last election should have shown them that the Black community has begun to second guess their self-appointed leaders and are taking the time to study the issues and make their own decisions about politics.

Second, why do these "leaders" think that politicians will cave into their every whim? I mean, sure, the Democrats have groveled at their feet for years, but they never actually followed through on any of their petty promises.

Third, I have to wonder at the relevance of contracts like this. Are they necessary? What do they want? If they are looking for equal access and equal rights- all United States citizens have that. Demand that current laws be enforced. If they want special treatment, then they're out of luck. Equal rights never has, does not, and never will mean special rights.

I dream of that nation, that place Dr. King dreamed of. A truly color-blind society. I can't help but think that the 40 leaders gathered to discuss this "checklist" are quite content to have these divisions in our society. After all, it keeps them relevant... and employed.