THE HARD R: OBAMA WINS!
Well, it’s finally over. The presidential race was a hard fought battle and there was a clear winner that was chosen by the American people. Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows who I voted for. This isn’t a time for gloating. It’s a time of reflection and a time of congratulations to President-Elect Obama. It’s weird to type it but after January 20th 2009, it’ll be President Obama. It gives me goose bumps.
It’s still hard to digest. I’m really proud of the fifty three million people who voted in this election. I am surprised by the result honestly but I also expected it. It’s funny. The conservative talk show radio hosts are saying it wasn’t a landslide victory which I have to disagree. It was definitely a landslide. Not in popular vote but by strategic electoral vote. This was a brutal beating in wits and strategy which I think is way more important.
In 2000, Gore won the popular vote and it went to the courts. It was a close race with Gore taking the popular vote but losing the electoral vote. I used to have a problem with this way of setting up the vote but now I’m starting to understand what it’s about. Popular vote is checkers and electoral college is chess. It’s almost a way of preparing the next president for the strategic planning they have to endure throughout a term. It’s a very impressive win for Obama and he won it decisively. I’m happy about this because I thought if it were close the Republicans would have went to court and we’d still have eight more years of the same BS. Obama should be proud of the American people and the work his campaign did to overcome great odds.
After this historical win the bullshit is getting thicker. Ghetto black people are acting like they won something when in reality they only won a more shitty looking facade. I was walking off the ferry and I heard some asshole say with joy, “Can they still call it the White House?” Two ghetto dudes were laughing with him. I realized an Obama win raises the bar. Clowns like these look more stupid because they have a man of color in the highest office, not a “nigger”. Pardon my language.
This race politics or whatever you call it directly relates to God Forbid. We were a band with a 4/5ths African-American makeup. My brother and I are the same as Obama; Black and White. We were a band that never thought about the complications of being a band like that in a 95% white demographic. We never thought about it because we always believed and still believe metal as a community is color blind. I’m not as pure in my thinking now about it being color blind, but for the most part metal is color blind. I thought if we can make a career in this business then Obama could win the presidency. It makes me proud to be American that we had these opportunities and we actually did something. For the record, God Forbid are made up of some black guys, not niggers.
I don’t want metal heads out there to feel pressured or scared of us or an Obama presidency. I think we bring different influences to our metal and that’s where the buck stops. Would you say we’re upstarts to the scene and we’re going to tear it down and bring our “Black Radical Metal Bands” with us. No, of course not. Whether you voted for Obama or not, the rules stay the same. Obama’s metal community was the American people. He was a high road candidate for the most part and it worked.
It got me thinking alot about our career and how it relates to being the band we are. I sent our new album to Axl and Vince just a couple of days ago and as I sent it I thought to myself, “it’s going to do well.” I don’t think people will see the people in our band and say “fuck them, I can’t buy black music.” We’re metal music and whoever bought our record in the early 2000’s cracked the ceiling to a certain extent. And to the people out there who say us being who we are doesn’t affect the music we write, you’re sadly mistaken.
I think there will be a lot of hate from this point on but I think there will be more than enough hope to stamp it out. For me, this Obama win gets me looking inward and makes me forget about the petty arguments I may have with people. Arguing with people who have their minds set in stone doesn’t do anything but create dissent. Dissent isn’t healthy and I want to live in a more healthy world. I hope our band can help make our world a little better because I think what’s on the outside of something is as important as what’s on the inside. We are a different face for metal these days but fortunately I think our allegiance to the metal scene and our grade A metal will make us more than different faces but a staple in our community.
For those who didn’t vote, think about this: People died for you to vote. That’s more than enough reason to get your ass out there and respect them even if you think the game is “rigged”.
Enjoy your weekend!
[Check out Dallas’ new blog at IssueOriented.com!]
