“If I was the president, then I would state facts/You leave it up to me, I paint the White House black”:
There’s only a few hours left before President Obama gives his first State of the Union address, and this might be the absolute worst time to comment upon less substantive matters related to the Obama Administration and its occupation of the White House.
But where I come from, it’s still worth remembering that until very recently, the thought of a brown-skinned man (let alone one named Barack Hussein Obama) addressing the country as its Commander-in-chief would have been laughable.
It was so laughable, so implausible, it was a joke.
So, in a lot of rhymes, comedy skits and stand-up routines, we heard a lot of people fantasizing about painting the White House black. In effect, artists were substituting one ridiculous fantasy for one that was even more absurd.
For some, absurd wasn’t even the word.
We’ve come a long way since MC Breed pondered grabbing some paintbrushes and storming 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
And I realize that’s not nearly enough for those of us who want health care reform, an end to our occupation in the Middle East and an expansion of marriage rights, among other things. This ain’t a game, or some silly joke.
But … it’s still something Breed never lived to see. It’s still better than President McCain. Or President Edwards. And it’s obviously a lot better than this.
Now we just need Obama, President Obama, to do better. Starting tonight.
No paint necessary.
