T he so-called "African-American" vote is not a homogeneous block, all

appearances to the contrary. "Brotherhood" or what binds individuals is an

"Attitude-in-Common" not "a set of physical features in common" therefore, it is
unfruitful to group individuals on the basis of physical features. Yet people persist
in neglecting this common sense fact.

Indeed, true brotherhood is not determined in the physical but rather in the realm of
ATTITUDE or meaning! Thus what binds people who see themselves as "Blacks"
for instance is a culture of negritude in The United States and it's colonies. This
culture is pervaded by and dare I say defined by a residual attitude of social
resentment and is most entrenched in the ghettos of lower socio economic groups.
However, this attitude is not necessarily shared by all people of color; such as many
highly cultured U.S. minorities, foreign born nationals and immigrants of color. The
fact of this missing resentment in most "foreign immigrants of color" accounts for
some ambivalence and even hostility by natives to immigrant of color or even to
citizens of color who grew up abroad such as Barack Obama . There is no more
scornful fellow than one who is perceived as a sellout or one who flew over the
cuckoo's nest.

Thus, we hear "Who is this guy Obama?" Who does he think he is? He doesn't fit
in with our stereotypes. He seems alien. He is neither fish nor fowl. He is not black
enough. He is too comfortable in his own skin. We are not used to this. He seems
like a man of color, but where is his underlying resentment? He is too clean (
meaning too dispassionate). The detractors from the other end say "he is not the
stereotypical black so is he perhaps a closet Muslim? These slurs will continue to
be among the slings and arrows assaulting what is seen as Obama's Achilles' heel -
his nonconformity to a stereotype.

"African-American" Resentment is a big challenge faced by Barack Obama because

it is dripping with emotional fuel. Winning politics is an exercise in appeal to
passion rather than the appeal to reason, which explains how a G.W. Bush could
defeat an Al Gore and a John Kerry. As a political strategy , passions of social
resentment are masterfully exploited by politicians and protest leaders who offer
solace to "the aggrieved" in exchange for political power. Many self-serving protest
leaders realize on which side their bread is buttered and hesitate to support the
image of a Barak Obama because it is missing in this element. For example, the
wily New York Congressman Charlie Rangel and Rev. Al Sharpton canilly exploit
this nectar from their classically programmed and oblivious "constituents" in a tacit
symbiosis with the great "white benefactor" (dubbed: The "first black U.S.
President" ). Therein lies the challenge to Senator Barack Obama: How to bring the
resentful ones into the fold while maintaining the moral high ground by not
pandering to their resentment, while on the other hand not seeming in denial of the
inequities of US Social History.Thus, he needs O.Winfrey to counteract Hillary
Clinton benefitting from her husband's PATRONAGE of that certain constituency.

What are your views?