Swagger or Swagga...Either way, he has it !!!

I'm about to talk to you like I talk to my boys! You all know what I'm talking about.

Does the boy have swagger or what? He's got a little sumthin sumthin going on. He's got that "What" behind him. He's got that "Yeah" "Yeeeeah" with his walk. Can you imagine the conversations he must have with his boys? It might go something like this.

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His boy – Do you feel like the man B?

Pres B – I do. I'm just doing what I do. You feel me?

His boy – I feel you. But does it get hard when you get attacked from the front, the back, and every other direction?

Pres B- C'mon man! It's been hard for us from day one if you're looking at it from that perspective. I don't see it any worse than growing up with an assumptive target on my back. You know that target. The target of people saying that I'm going to fail, he's from a broken home, so he's definitely going to fail, blah blah blah. Listen, I'm trying to change the game. I can now affect the game, and more importantly, I'm going to keep my word. And if you think it's cocky, then it's what it is. I look at it as being confident with what I do and how I do it.

His boy – I hear ya bra!

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Ok. I took some creative liberty on the dialog, but I believe that that's how it goes. President Obama has that Swagger. He also has the "IT" thing too. However, I'll talk about the "IT" thing in my next blog (Not everyone has the "IT" factor) because only a few have that "IT" factor. Ali had "IT.," Lena Horne had "IT.," Ella Fitzgerald had "IT," Joe Namath had "IT," Dr. King had "IT," Jordan has "IT." Denzel has "IT," Collin Powell has "IT," Tom Brady has "IT"…and come on, you know Bill Clinton has "IT." Again, we'll handle the "IT" factor in my next blog.

Let's talk a little bit about swagger.

Swagger – Definition: Swaggering manner, conduct, or walk; ostentatious display of arrogance and conceit

The swagger is not over-rated, and a lot of people have it. I say that because in my community growing up, it was prevalent. While playing sports, it was so prevalent that you wanted to sometimes knock it out the person who had it because sometimes they couldn't back it up. I certainly recognize it when it's in my face; I think we all do. We all talk about these people. I'm not sure if you need substance, credibility, or a track record for success, but you need confidence. Having said that, President Obama has the substance, credibility, and track record to back it up (at least he has that somthin somthin that allows us to think that he has all of that).

Let me give you an example of some people in the media that has that swagger. Kanya West, Puffy, Lil Wayne, Britney Spears, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Beyonce, Kid Rock, just to name a few…you get my point, right? Some are worthy of the swagger, and some aren't.

President Obama is certainly worthy of the swagger. I can really identify with him and how he conducts himself in public. It's a trip how easy it is to recognize the ways of another brotha in oneself. I notice how he addresses the common folk, politicians, and international partners. He invites them in. I see him being inclusive in many as many cases. Inclusive seemed to be a natural gesture within my community growing up. I recall always being able to expand friendships and gatherings based on including all who were present, who may have been Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, etc. They all were welcome. This was especially true with my parents and parent's friends. Thus, I see that thing in President Obama, that inclusive thing.

That swagger he has is just how he rolls (stealing a phrase from the younger generation). My man even got his swerve going-on when he walks down the step of Air Force One. C'mon…you'll know exactly what I'm talking about! Democrats, Republicans, Independents, whatever your party affiliation, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Yeah I said it!

When does everyone stop blaming President Bush for everything? Yeah…I said it! And Yeah, I’m talking to you! Matter-of-fact, I believe that half of the people don’t even know what they are complaining about. Yeah, I said it! Half the people just hear other people and or the media complain about “how President Bush destroyed the economy and or the US's foreign appeal. After hearing the negative complaints, they go and act on it by telling their friends and or the other political party members about what they heard. Now, let me ask you this! Specifically, how are you and your household impacted by Bush’s reign as President? How were your friends impacted? Do you think that it would have been different or worse with Kerry? Do you even know?

Here is my bet. In most cases, half don’t really know, the other quarter wasn’t really affected, and the last quarter can't actually measure the adverse effect. Needless to say, most are looking for a spiritual lift and are not looking inward on leveraging the opportunity to build from within their circle of influence (Household, volunteering, friends, and family). It will take more than just a new president! We need to create a sense of urgency and empowerment to lift up all of the proclaimed doubt and turmoil. I kept hearing “no more eight years” during the presidential campaign! Now, we/I can personally say, “This is a new start”! However, I/we can’t say it if it really isn’t a new start! And how do I/we know it is a fresh start if I/we can’t address “personally” what went wrong during the old new start!

Yeah, I said it!

We Have Arrived.....

President Elect Obama ultimately represents change in the government and in the nation. Today he and Michelle are metaphorically measuring the drapes in the White House. Today The Obama’s will visit the White House, and President Bush and Laura Bush will be hosting this big event. Yes, I said event! This, like every move that has taken place prior to this event has been historical, and a first in our lifetime. It’s amazing how much we will be tracking visit today. The cameras will follow every move that President Elect Barack Obama and Michelle take within the White House. It’s like watching reality TV, where the reality is a real event that has incredible impact, as well as sends a wonderful message.

It’s pretty cool to have a cool President! The honeymoon period is great because we get the chance to see some of the inside dealings, and behind the door workings of a citizen that is about to take over the highest office in our country. I’m particularly taken back by the reports on Sunday that President Elect Obama works out at a local gym, especially on Sunday’s. That actually got me fired-up, as I was sitting on the couch drinking coffee, reading the paper and listening to CNN. The first thought that came to my mind was that I should be working out too! It is this very notion that we as a nation, me as a citizen can be impacted by an individual that will change the landscape of politics. Yes, I said politics! But this is more than politics; self-esteem has been infused through the country and probably the world. Yes, I said the world! I’m not easily moved or influenced by people in general, but the energy that I am noticing and feeling is unlike anything that I’ve experienced. I can only equate this to the motivational message I was exposed to at 7 years old, and that my parents, family and the nation felt after the “I have a dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King. Thus, I am going to assume and hopefully conclude that this positive feeling will perpetuate throughout our inner cities, suburban cities, and country sides. I hope that every person is touched to do something positive. I hope that our people are touched to stand up and strengthen themselves. What a great, natural infusion that we have received!

How cool is he? The President Elect is shown today dropping off his two kids at school. The President Elect is shown getting off of an American Airlines plane today in Washington DC, and shaking hands with a welcome committee, then getting into a darken limousine to be taken to the White House. Our President Elect was shown being greeted by President Bush and first Lady Laura Bush at the White House. How cool was it seeing our first lady to be Michelle Obama go off with the first Lady Laura Bush on a tour of the grounds. How cool was it to see that this was an African American couple that seemingly represented all of America getting invited in! How cool is it to know that they will live and reside on the top of the hill.

Yes we can!!!!

Now that Barack Obama is the first African American President-Elect, how do I really feel? I’m the same age as President Obama, African American, and married with kids. I assume we share many of the same experiences as a child of the ’60s, and 70”s, a teenage young adult college graduate of the ’80s, a career-minded 30 something of the ’90s, and now a discerning 40 something of the 2000s. The life I have lived can be told by many yet experienced by few outside of my race. My mother, father, aunts, uncles, and elderly cousins have shared their experiences growing up in the Jim Crow era. I’ve listened to the struggles of their times and the struggling experiences/ times of my grandparents and their grandparent. I didn’t understand the depth of those struggles until I was in my late 30’s. My personal efforts were certainly different than theirs. Yet, from their generation to mine, we have been told that we have come along way. To this day, I am still amazed at the earlier struggles that came before me, and I admire their fight for rights and equality. Barack Obama being elected President of the United States is the most significant statement that I have ever experienced. His appointment bellows through the bowels of us all, especially as African Americans. It sends a very positive message to our kids, young adults, and discerning adults who lived through the early part of the African American/minority movement. As a young child of the ’60s, I have memories, some good and some not so good. Although I didn’t experience the harsh discrimination of my family before me, I have experienced a fraction of discrimination. I thank God for the people of civil rights conviction that came before me, and I also thank God for the blessing of knowing and believing that someday, in my lifetime, we would have a president that is different from the status quo. The moment I heard Barack Obama’s speech at the 2004 Democratic convention, I felt that this could possibly be the one. This is a great start to the continued development of minority self-esteem. We can now imagine ourselves as president of the United States of America. We can now look at a picture of the president and visualize the possibilities. We can and should now look to empower ourselves and restart ourselves. Let’s hoist this energy and positive movement towards dismantling the negative stereotypes that precede us and that exist today. Let’s bring an uplifting spirit to those minorities who say that they can’t. Let’s now hold people accountable! Let’s not buy into the “I didn’t have a father,” “I didn’t have a mother,” I didn’t have a traditional family,” etc., story/excuse. Our new President-elect didn’t have these things, and yet he achieved! Let’s now go beyond our walls and believe we can achieve greatness. Let’s act with confidence and move out of poverty and welfare. Let’s finally take action and say farewell to government subsidies. Let’s clean-up our streets, and build jobs in our neighborhoods, and employ our people. Let’s go beyond street cred and excel in school, and look towards being a college graduate and beyond. Let’s then pass it forward by coming back to volunteer and being that role model needed in our community. Let’s be accountable and be of service and value to one another. Let’s invest our time and efforts to be great! I caution everyone who reads this, as many of us are caught up in the moment. Celebrate and be happy for President-Elect Barack Obama, but please do not for a minute believe that the playing field is even. There is still racism, a lack of tolerance and double standards still exist. We have come a long way, but the road has not ended; however, it is very encouraging. There is still work to be done, and now is the time to enact change. Let’s leverage this energy within our inner cities, our poverty-stricken areas, and throughout our household. Let’s become better fathers, better mothers, better friends, better neighbors, and better citizens. As a people, a change has come, and a change is needed, and a change we must continue to be. Thank God for the people of today, that they as a whole, black, white, and others have elected an African American to the office of the President of the United States of America. Thus a new start and a new beginning to greatness are upon us! Let's make a choice now to be different and to make a difference in someone's life!