Senator Barack Obama is against reparations – surprise, surprise.  Barack Obama “supports” Affirmative Action but not “handouts” or “quotas.”  The only thing that Barack Obama seems to be able to speak about concretely and emphatically is what he will not do for black folks. The man who has been called out on numerous occasions by friends and foes alike for flip-flopping on issues like the war in Iraq, the gas crisis and ways to improve the economy, is as solid as rock on issues pertaining to Black people.

There will be no special treatment or concern for issues that are pressing to Black communities. There will be no special attention paid to the African American community. Barack Obama is running for president of the entire United States of America, not just the African American community. In case you missed the memo, speeches, political platform, web site, news broadcasts, crawlers or interviews -- he is not going to focus on the African American community if and when he becomes President of the United States of America.

Those of you that are supporting or voting for Senator Obama because you think that he is going to take a special interest in the African American community is going to have hurt feelings. If you are African American and middle-class, then you will probably benefit from having Senator Obama in office, not because you are black, but because you are middle-class. Some of you may be thinking that this is old hat. However, I am still hearing people pontificate about what Senator Obama is going to do for the African American community. I wonder if these folks have taken the time to read, listen to or hear anything that the man is saying. Why does it seem that black folks are always looking for a savior?

Well, I hate to break it to you, but no mortal person is coming. Senator Obama is not looking to be a savior, just a politician at the top of the food chain and the world’s stage. I liken this situation to drama-filled relationships. One person believes that the relationship will end with some magical moment, even though the other person has been up front about his or her intentions. When this magical moment never surfaces, then the person with starry eyes becomes enraged even though his or her partner was upfront about his or her intentions. Why? Because he or she projected onto him and the situation that they wanted to exist instead of accepting or rejecting what it really was.

Many in the Black community have starry eyes about what Senator Obama will do for African Americans, when Senator Obama has been more than upfront about his intentions. His intent is to serve all people and to not focus just on one group, which quite frankly is the problem with most politicians. These politicians focus on people like them (their constituents and supporters) and forget about people unlike them. Senator Obama intends to focus on all of America as opposed to some of America. His intentions may prove false, but at this moment, we have to take him at his word. So listen closely so that if he gets into office, there will be no drama, backlash or hurt feelings.

Dr. Nsenga K. Burton