The Topsoil: The Little Things
Contributor Andrew Padula has been in situations throughout his life where he’s felt compelled to address racial issues from his unusual perspective. Andrew is a white, politically conservative, blues musician who’s been teaching and touring the U.S. and Europe since 1993. He can be seen with blues legend Bobby Parker on B.E.T. Jazz Central as well as on Carlos Santana’s recent DVD release “Montreux Blues Summit”. But lately, Andrew has moved into politics. This past season, he ran a Congressional campaign for a Republican candidate in Maryland’s 8th district. His point of view is critical to our discussion, so I welcome Andrew and his column The Topsoil to Allaboutrace.com. Andrew says it best: “You gotta turn the topsoil to plant a crop!”
It is beyond obvious that out of the gates our new President will have more crisis level issues to deal with than any President in history. Notice that I said “our new President”. Being a practical member of the regenerating Republican party, I for one, will accept the will of the electorate and support the nation that I love, it’s Constitution, as well as it’s new standard bearer. Unlike the last eight years, you can rest assured that there will be much less of the “my President, your President invective”. True Republicans love our country too much to denigrate it’s institutions and traditions, i.e. the concept of a loyal opposition. I am a firm believer in doing the little things that everyone can agree upon and fighting the fights that can be won.
There are two things that President elect Obama can do that could make a big difference in lifting the nation’s morale as well as improving the immediate situation of thousands of District of Columbia residents. The first is to appoint and or to consult more minorities and women when assembling his cabinet. I know it is early, but his first few forays into the field have looked like the old ex-Clintonista White guys club. He should consult or recruit individuals like Lt Gen. Russel Honre’ for Dept. of Homeland Security, or Thomas Sowell the respected conservative economist from Stanford University. So far, I see few women and minorities in his circles. Republicans can’t be criticized on equal opportunity appointments. It would be a shame for the nation’s first bi-racial President to break that trend. The children of today, who will be the leaders of tomorrow, need more than one visible leader that they can aspire to.
The second thing that he can do is put his kids in public school. The focused attention that this would bring to bear, as well as the obvious upgrades in staff and infrastructure, will markedly improve the performance of at least two schools, thus improving the lives of thousands of District residents. More than likely, the effect will reverberate throughout the District’s entire system and generate an attitude of striving for excellence that will make the schools worthy of representing the capital of the free world.
So I would encourage my new President to take the little steps like these to improve the daily lives of people and deliver on that message of “Hope”. I truly believe that these little things, that are visible and affect people at a personal level, create an impact that will help determine whether or not he is my new President for the next four or eight years.
i just hope the red states agree with u cause most folks a Pay check away from a pink slip
Andre, interesting post. I have no argument except with the part about putting his children in DC Public Schools. Sorry, but his children should never be sacrificed for “the good of the people.” The public schools in the entire country need rehabilitated curricula and better trained teachers. DC is close to Mississippi educationally. His children deserve and should have, as all kids, the very best that he can afford. He cannot afford to place his precocious daughters in a noncompetitive, lack-luster intellectual environment.
If I were the parent of a young, school-aged child, would not hesitate to get my child the best education possible. I have second thoughts now about not doing putting my child in a private school way-back-when.
I believe that Obama got elected for the content of his character (and his platforms), not JUST the color of his skin. He must surround himself with people who are the best, no matter what their color. President-Elect Obama has inherited a heavy weight, he needs the strongest people to help him restore our great country. I also agree with Chi Chi…as a mother of two school age children…one in private, one in public, I choose to send my kids to the best schools. Luckily for me I live in an area where I can at least take advantage of some part of the public school system.
karen, if a white president did that everyone would be up in arms
Andrew, I strongly agree with you about the complexion and gender mix of Obama’s top advisors. I know for a fact that there are brilliant minds of all colors and of both genders who would serve our country well.
It is the Obama administration’s obligation to reach out to those people. It is one of the reasons I have always believed that George Bush was not, as widely believed, racist. Further, I believe if not for Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice (sp?) we would not have President-elect Barack Obama.
It is not about his color, but Obama’s stated vision of inclusiveness, which he campaigned on, that I will watch with great attention. Obama does not get a free pass on inclusion because he is biracial.
fcg#p, I certainly believe that are many people of color who deserve to be amongst his cabinet, and that he will make his choices based on their experience and the content of their character…not just the color of their skin.
okay… looks like we are making a little bit of progress..
Hey Car, was this what you had in mind?
fcg#p – there’s a difference between picking a fight and sparking a conversation.
As far as Obama’s cabinet goes, I wasn’t too thrilled with his choice of Biden as a running mate (remember the 7-11 comment?), but he’s supposed to be the ‘go to guy’ as far as Democratic foreign policy. I imagine all of Obama’s picks will be based on skills. He might as well get Condi Rice for Secretary of State. I doubt anyone would notice the difference in policy – I imagine the execution may be a bit more tempered (I hope!)
I would also like to add that as far as public schools go, both of my children are in a ‘good’ public school. I would argue that it’s a good school because there are a lot of parents taking initiative with their children’s education. That’s the only way they can work well. I get a little tired of listening to people knock public schools.
(Whoops! Where’d that soapbox come from?)
Thomas Sowell? The Thomas Sowell? The Thomas Sowell who said an Obama win would be “catastrophic”? The Thomas Sowell who invoked the name of Hitler as a famous zig-zagger who played the public for fools like the slick talking Obama “fraud” who “knows what con men have long known” about “the gullible”?
That Thomas Sowell?
The Thomas Sowell who, when asked about Obama’s apparent victory-to-come prior to Nov. 4th and what it would say about America, besides making the canned remark that “it would make it harder to blame everything on racism” referred to the election of Obama as “demographic roulette”…?
That Thomas Sowell?
Don’t hold the Obama family hostage to ideology; those children will need a lot of special security, and their situation is pretty complicated. A private school may be the only sensible, feasible possibility. Simplistic litmus tests like these are just that: overly simplistic and unfair.
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