The word “pathetic” aptly describes the drivel televised, printed and programmed as news everyday in this country. The 1970’s film NETWORK’s famous line “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore” was the death knell for news. Real news was swapped for 30-second sound bytes and high network ratings. It was as though a media mogul was perched above Wall Street when he sent out a memo to the media at large throughout media land which said:

“Those of you that desire long term employment will institute, implement, and memorize these new policies. To insure that we have the most uninformed audience in history, we will no longer provide substantive, truthful unbiased news. Our corporate owners and shareholders desire a numb, dumb and ignorant audience. The rule of thumb is to push personalities before people – no relevant, poignant issues of the day. Always report conjecture, probabilities, possibilities, could be, maybes, and someone or sources said. Anchors, radio jocks and talking heads will be mostly white men, and if you question this don’t bother to return tomorrow and pick up your final paycheck now. Our job is to sucker punch our audience with headlines that choke their reason and ability to think. Our job is to control them emotionally, divide and pit them against one another. Scare, anger, incite, and confuse are the passwords that hold our audience hostage as we pander the issues that destroy the soul of America. The more idiotic you think a news story is, will be the one that will be our breaking news. Balloon boy, Sarah Palin’s Facebook page, political party’s infighting, Kate and Jon, Michael Jackson and Anna Nicole Smith is now the news. Under no circumstances will the casualties and cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars be headline news, fit those stories in where you can. Blackwater, KBR and Halliburton governmental contracts that kill innocent civilians, troops and drain the nations coffers aren’t as important as making sure we take down ACORN and the people that depend on the ACORN housing programs. If you don’t agree with our policies – quit, then try to sue us. The people that own us have the most attorneys, lobbyist and two or three Supreme Court justices. If you have any questions, concerns, or a conscience in regards to this memo, file them and spend your time trashing the current administration. That is what you were hired to do.”

When I thought about writing this particular post this morning, my spirit was heavy. How and why should I have to defend, explain and discuss how black and the blackness of our Commander-in-Chief are dividing this country?  Black – what does it mean? Webster’s Dictionary has a litany of definitions. Black, the achromatic object color of least lightness characteristically perceived to belong to objects that neither reflect nor transmit light, a person belonging to a black skinned race ep: Negro or Afro American; heavy, serious, having a very deep low register, dirty, soiled, reflecting or transmitting little or no light, very sad, gloomy or calamitous. My personal favorite is in-the-black, showing a profit such as a financial statement. Black the word and its connotations is a black cloud that disrupts the airwaves, is lodged in the minds of our citizens and is clogging our ability to disseminate, sort and analyze what we are seeing and hearing throughout all forms of media. Blackness is blinding and has blinded us to the truth and enormity of the issues this country faces. Everything from global warming, health care reform, the economy, education, justice, war and peace have been colored, covered and choked by the black dust filling the air that we breathe. Black used as a weapon, definer and conclusion of what can and should be accomplished. How did we get here? How did the color of our President’s skin give license for race to become the central theme of everything he does and put into question anything he has accomplished? I hear the proponents of equality, justice spouting the rhetoric that his race has nothing to do with the issues. Is that so? Let’s consider the following in reference to the actions, words and comments by the media at large, congress, talking heads and pundits when discussing or referring to anything and everything this President does or is trying to do.   Webster’s dictionary will serve as the expert on all things black.  Blackball an adverse vote esp. against admitting someone to membership in an organization. Let’s give that definition to congress; blackball, to exclude socially, ostracize, also the media, congress and talking heads. Black and blue darkly discolored from blood infused by bruising, that would be the daily berating, beatings and belittling passed off as news by the media and news anchors. Black book, a book containing a blacklist.  Black list, a list of persons who are disapproved of or are to be punished or boycotted.  President Obama’s name tops this list across the country. Black Death, the black patches formed on the skin of its victims. That would be the spot covering the souls and minds of the peoples of this nation. Black eye, a discoloration around the eye from bruising, that would be how other nations across the world see us as we continually attack and demean our president.  Black flag, to go immediately to the pits, which is where the right wing birthers and talk show hosts would prefer to pitch our president. Black gold, petroleum, one of this nation’s favorite form of black. Black guard, the kitchen servants of a large household, a rude or unscrupulous person, the first where many people think black folk still should be in the white house and the second the people that think and believe that. Blackhead, a small plug of sebum blocking the duct of a sebaceous gland especially on the face, in this case blackheads, block the brain and reasoning of congress and the media at large. Blackheart, a plant disease is which the central tissues blacken, in this case a disease in our hearts hardened to the truth.  Blackout, to become enveloped in darkness, temporary loss of vision, consciousness or memory, which blankets our nation. Black vomit, vomitus consisting of dark-colored matter, that would be what gushes out of radio and television anchors that disrespect, disregard and delight in dissing President Obama. Lastly, the black hole, a hypothetical celestial body with a small diameter and intense gravitational field that is held to be a collapsed star. But in this case the infamous black hole is not hypothetical as we spiral into its depths losing our ability to think and feel empathy, compassion or reason.  Black and blackness used to refer to a color in a crayon box. The color black is now used as a wedge to divide and enflame. Today be aware of the blackness that shrouds our nation and decide if you will remember it is only a color and not a condition or the essence of our president of these United States of America.