I Wrote The President Last Night

[Oscar Carter]

President Barack Obama                                                                 December 2, 2014
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

 

 

Mr. President,

 

I am honored you would take the time to read my comments, related to your policy and actions following Michael Brown’s death, as conveyed by Attorney General Eric Holder in his email which I received this evening; subject “Following through after Ferguson.”

 

I have no idea what makes me think you will recall meeting me at the 2009 White House Cinco de Mayo celebration.  For some reason I think you will.  It is not that important except that the bold accusation I made to you then closely relates to the comments I am about to share with you here.

 

My White House Visit. 

 

I approached you during the reception following your and other officials’ remarks, barely introducing myself to you if I did at all.  I accused you of “stealing Creating A World Community” from me.  You looked at me not quite sure what to make of my accusation and in my mind I thought you might be saying to yourself, who is this tall “Black” guy approaching me and accusing me of anything.  You had only been in office 5 months.  However, that didn’t stop me.  I said it to you again. “You stole Creating A World Community from me.  At that point, beginning to feel a little nervous that I might be carrying the joke a bit too far, and thinking it might be time for the Secret Service to step in while asking myself who am I anyway to be approaching the President of the United States in that manner, I stated “I read your book the Audacity of Hope and repeated that you stole Creating A World Community from me.”  You looked at me straight in the eye with command, yet with a joking eye, you said, “You know, yes I did!”

 

Allow me to attempt to redeem myself from all that quickly.  I concluded my remarks stating to you I felt you were doing a fantastic job.   I then handed you my card with Creating A World Community on it that you put in your pocket and I took my leave.

 

OK, to the point.

 

President Obama, as hard as I worked (it really never felt that hard) campaigning for you in both elections in Harlem, New York and in Philadelphia, I am not afraid to admit that I have not closely followed your policies as President.  I kept my eyes and mind glued to my business, my family and my health.

 

However, in reading Mr. Holder’s email and having read a very short news hand out this morning while taking my daughter to school, I want to say that attempting “to strengthen the trust in and effectiveness of the policing of our communities” is not what’s needed and your policy will do little to better those relations. 

 

There is only one action that will resolve this nation’s challenges with “race.” It is an open and genuine conversation that occurs in communities across the nation about ALL the biases and prejudices we ALL harbor sometimes knowingly and sometime unknowingly.  Your 2008 “A More Perfect Union” speech in Philadelphia came close to that conversation. You boldly and valiantly spoke to the concerns and sentiments of both Black and White Americans.  Voicing the level of concerns and real sentiments of Blacks and Whites to hear together at one time has never been done before.  I am sure your speech was a test for you.  It was certainly a test for the nation to give fair and honest consideration to all you had to say.  I think most people agree, your speech was enormously successful evidenced by the nation causing you to win the Democratic Presidential Nomination at a time when the nation appeared divided more than ever in recent years.

 

The Continuing Challenge

 

In your speech, you stated your “…conviction rooted in my faith in God and my faith in the American people — that, working together, we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice if we are to continue on the path of a more perfect union.”  I am not aware, however, of any activity that has taken place to move that commitment further.

 

Attempting to “move beyond some of our old racial wounds” with the focus on policing and bettering the relations between the police and residents in our communities will not come close to getting that job done.   I know you know that because you addressed the larger underlying issues of equal access to jobs, our education and health care systems and an improved economy for all in your Philadelphia speech.  I want to say here that I have never been, nor do I ever expect to be critical of your policies as President.  I have no knowledge, although I may have suspicions, of all the information you must consider and the constraints you must bear each day in dealing with any issue.  You see; I really believe I know who you are, as well as I know anyone, having read both of your books and having had that very short conversation with you in the White House.

 

Having stated that, while not intending to be critical and to reiterate, I believe in your speech you were calling for a “ much broader conversation” to deal with the issues of “race” in this country.  That has not occurred nor does it appear anyone is making plans for it.

 

I do not want to say more here.  I will, however, direct you to two blog posts I have written.  One I wrote last night the other last week following the “no indictment” decision in Ferguson. (See Below)

 

If I can be of assistance to you or the Administration in carrying forward the conversation I am suggesting here and in my posts or in your good counsel you wish to direct me otherwise, I am open for further discussion and consideration.

 

Thank you again in reading this email, assuming it reached your desk.  I am honored having met and spoken with you, The First Lady and The Vice President that celebratory evening at the White House. 

 

Because of you and your Administration, I am very proud to be an American.

 

Sincerely,

 

Oscar Carter

World Transformer

U.S. Vietnam Veteran 

 

My Blog Posts:

Race Gone... Right Along With Racism And Racist(s).
http://creatingaworldcommunity.ning.com/profiles/blogs/race-gone-ri...

Black Killings By Police... What's the source?
http://creatingaworldcommunity.ning.com/profiles/blogs/black-killin...