I was with a few of my friends yesterday at a small get together. Had a good time and some great conversation as usual when I get with my close friends. Well, it is hard for anyone to come together and not discuss the political climate and the Obama call for change in this country.

Now, I agree that change is necessary and needed in this country more so than many others. If you recall in my last blog post, I mentioned that I have some issues with this country. Well, I guess today is as good a time as any to let some of my beef out.

Our discussion began with the issues of public health care, education, and aid. I have a really good friend that I have watched evolve into a Republican, but he is in denial of the title. He has all of their classic arguments, but doesn't want to be called a republican. LOL! It is kind of funny, but it is what it is. So natuarally, when you start talking about assistance and helping people out, he carts out the classic argument that you want a small percentage of hard working Americans to take care of the rest of the country. Which as a hard working American, I am certainly sensitive to this matter.

He mentioned that a person should only have 4 years of public assistance and if they cannot get their mess together after that, then they should be cut off. Hey, who would argue with that? I conceeded that he makes some interesting points and they may in fact be true. Sure we could debate the time frame, but why?

Another friend of mine said, "What about the children?" You have to have them on longer because of the kids, they cannot fend for themselves. My first friends comes back again with the classic Republican view that you are creating dependence if you do this that will cycle into generations of people on aid and weighing down the government. All great points!

I like to come from the reality that if your neighbor cannot feed himself and his family, then you are not safe. I don't understand where people come from thinking that they can exploit and degrade a people to the point where they cannot feed themselves and you are just going to live in this country next to them and not have any problems.

If the people around you are not eating and satified, I don't care what type of car you drive, house you live in, job you have, conversations you engage, you are in trouble because that person will hit you or anyone else in the head to fee their babies.

My point: We are all in this together weather we realize it or not!!!!!!!

Here is another question: When did it become so EVIL to want to help out other people?

I get that you don't want to support the people that are just laying on the system, but when did the concept of giving back and helping others pick themselves up because such a bad thing? I just don't understand it. We act as if we are suspended on an island these people are not ever going to effect our lives. We must wake up from this dream.

Second debate: Barack Obama.

Let me get straight to the point. Being a so called "black man", it is difficult to say anything that is seen as not 100% total support of Obama, but I have never been a person to follow the grain, so I will say what is on my mind.

I am not a big believer in this guy because he is a politician. I am not that old, 32, so I have not experienced many presidential canidates, but I am an advit reader and love history. Historically, Politicians have lied, cheated, stole, and said anything to get into office. Once they get there, they don't do half of what they said they would do. So, I just don't get caught up in the Obama hype.

To prop this guy up on a pedistal as the end all be all of so called "black America" is dangerous because what if he turns out to be a crook like the rest of them. Now, I get the significance of him running and the powerful statement that could make, but this guy is not the top of the ladder. We were once Kings and that is the image that should be driven into the hearts and minds of our children. We are the creators of civilization. It donesn't get any bigger than that.

But my point to my debating audience was to be careful with Obama. We found out during the Democratic process that what we see ain't always what we think it is. Example, before the race "black people" loved Bill Clinton and thought he was the greatest thing since sliced bread, but during that election the truth came out. He is not a great supporter of "black people" and wasn't even that great of a President. In fact, many of his policies and proceedures led to the state the country is in now.

With that, I said to be careful with Obama....he just may not be what we think he is. I won't even go into his political affiliations and many of the organizations that he is a part of that have been responsible for state of being we find ourselves in today...ie the Council on Foreign Relations and more.

At the end of the day, I hope I am wrong about Obama and this country. I hope it is as great is the ideals posted on paper. My problem is actions speak louder than words and the words of this country and have been in lock step with the ideals written on paper. Where I am from, when your actions don't match your words....you are known as a hypocrit.

I don't think that is too far off! It may be strong and something you don't want to hear, but you cannot call it a lie. And that, my friend, is the truth!