By Derek Joy
Presidential politics keep heating up.
President Barack Obama taking hits for his campaign strategy that has seen its attack ads send soon to be GOP Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney reeling on the defensive ropes.
Romney has questions to answer regarding his role in the Bain Corporation, his outsourcing of jobs, his tax returns and a Swiss Bank Account.
And in the city of Miami Gardens, the political drama unfolds too.
A confidential source took exception to my criticism of “Lame Duck” Mayor Shirley Gibson, who is challenging Miami Dade County District 1 Com-missioner Barbara Jordan.
Gibson, after several unsuccessful tries at unseating Frederica Wilson, first from the State Legislature and then Congress, has her campaign challenge aimed at Jordan at the urging of businessman Norman Braman.
The source didn’t like the idea of my calling Gibson to task on a critical issue. Many voters still want to know why Gibson hired an Anglo for the job of city manager. Miami Gardens population of more 100,000 is predominantly Black American.
Yet, a Black America Mayor chose to ignore all of the qualified Black Americans.
And the source simply said” You have to have a White in there are they won’t work with you. You won’t get funding from the various sources and businesses won’t come to the city. I’m telling you how it is,” the source said.
A scant two weeks ago America celebrated her 236th Anniversary of being an independent nation.
Yeah. Blacks had long been brought here in chains. Enslaved to labor in building the nation with just compensation or recognition. And still no reparations.
Granted. Black Americans have been legislated out of slavery.Legislated past some discrimination. Even legislated to people of color including in the political process of elected and appointed offices.
But in the year 2012 we still have those among us who yield to a slavery mentality that Black Americans cannot competently do a job.
Such attitude exists despite the fact that Obama shattered the mold in becoming the first ever Black American President. One need only look at what obstacles he has faced to see the evildoers at work.
Regrettably, the evildoers have convinced some among us to believe that unless Whites are at the helm, there will always be designs to assure failure. And that’s discrimination at its most blatant economic form.
Will that continue to be the case in Miami Gardens, where seven candidates – including incumbent Council members Oliver Gilbert III and Andre Williams – vie to replace Gibson as Mayor?
It would be tragic to say so. If for no other reason than that would mean no Black American should hold elected office.
Now, with that being duly noted, should we take a hint from the Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes mega hit of the early 1970’s, when they sang, “Wake up everybody, no more sleeping in bed. . .”
