Do Not Follow Blindly

All I ask is that we do not behave like sheep. That we see the entire picture and then act accordingly. But we cannot do that if we don't have all the facts and cant see things from all sides. I make no secret of my dislike for Barack Obama as a candidate for the office of president. I don't want this man as our leader. I don't trust him. I think he has hidden agendas which do not and will not serve the American people.

And contrary to what his long time friend and former spiritual advisor Reverend Jeremiah Wright would like you to believe....My dislike for the man does not stem from the color of his skin or his religious preferences or that of his families. My dislike is based on the simple fact that the man is not what hes selling the American public.

From the outside he seems like a little slice of politically packaged heaven. He is educated...(a Harvard grad) Which means hes intelligent. Enough so that hes cleverly and charismatically wooed a large number of potential voters. Hes young, and well dressed, has a beautiful wife and children...which makes him look like a hip yet traditional version of the American dream. Hes well spoken which has definitely been a plus in his ability to hypnotize everyone who listens to him.

But all that is a shell game. Its not who this man is. Its who he wants you to see. He is like a magician who directs your eye in one way...while moving his hands in another. But just as with all magicians.....there is no real magic to his tricks...Its all slight of hand. And if you know the secrets...the trick is exposed.

I do not believe a man is just one isolated incident. He is the sum total of all his experiences. He is who he associates himself with. He is who he listens to for council. How he conducts himself past present and future. So lets look at other aspects of Mr Obama the man and possible future President of the United States.

This is Grandmother, Sarah Hussein Onyango Obama. Proudly pointing to an "Obama 08" bumper sticker.

Obama's Uncle shown here with Obamas grandmother who has been a prisoner in his own home, trapped by post election violence that has left more than 600 Kenyans dead.....said "If Barack Obama were elected, he would improve relations between Africa and America because he had his roots in Africa".

Malik Obama, older brother of Barack , holds an undated picture of Barak, left, and himself, middle, and an unidentified friend in his shop in eastern Kenya. By Karel Prinsloo, AP

Barack here showing his support for Luo Raila Odinga (Opposition Leader in Kenya who signed a "Shariah pact" with Muslims and claims to be Obama's cousin) He is married to Ida Odinga, they have four children - two sons and two daughters. His oldest son, Fidel, is named after Fidel Castro.

Barack's father, hard-drinker, raised Muslim.....Was married three times, also attended Harvard and then returned to Kenya. Obama claims he was an atheist, but was given a Muslim burial at Baracks family's request.

A young Barack shown here with mother Stanley Ann Dunham. In his own autobiography Obama writes, "How and when the marriage occurred remains a bit murky, a bill of particulars that I have never quite had the courage to explore". Fair enough...No ones family tree is without a few shaky branches. (His father was still married to his first wife Kezia in Kenya at the time.)

Obamas Father and Mother together during his fathers only visit to Hawaii while Obama lived there. Obama with his father on the same visit to Hawaii

In this photo Baracks mothers second husband Lolo Soetoro (Indonesian Muslim), their daughter Maya, and Barack.

Abandoned by his father and shipped off by his mother to his grand parents, Barry Soetero becomes Barack Hussein Obama. Obama would describe his grandparents as "white folk". ( His words not mine.) I would have described them as a decent man and woman who didn't abandon their grandson.

Here Barack stands behind Kezia (stepmother) in a Kenyan family shot. Including brother Abongo 'Roy' Obama who is a Luo activist and a militant Muslim, who argues that "the black man must liberate himself from the poisoning influences of European culture"

Obama wrote in Dreams From My Father: "Abongo's new lifestyle has left him lean and clear-eyed, and at the wedding, he looked so dignified in his black African gown with white trim and matching cap,that some of our guests mistook him for my father".

This is Obama's visit to Africa '06. There are no transcripts of the speeches he gave on this trip while campaigning for Odinga. But I do have to wonder what this man in this photo is about? Is this the same man who now wants to disassociate himself with inflammatory political statements? It appears that it wasn't that long ago that he was making similar statements of his own.

Then there is Obamas former Reverend Jeremiah Wright. It has been said that The corporate media and the racists have attempted to use the black church against the leading presidential candidate.

Oh really? It seems to me that the damage done there was inflicted by Wright himself. It was Wrights statements in his sermons that caused the firestorm that came back negatively to the candidate. No one created or fabricated that chain of events. No matter how much I'm sure the Obama camp would like it to be that way. Reverend Wrights well publicized quote:"Not 'God bless America,' 'God damn America," "God damn America for treating its citizens as less than human." should be in my opinion in the front of every ones mind.

WHY should this matter? Obama disassociated himself with it didn't he? And later with the Reverend for saying it. It should matter because no matter if hes publicly saying at this moment that he doesn't agree with the Reverends comments....He still sat at the mans knee for the past 20 years as a member of his church, and as a family friend. By Obamas own admission one of Reverend Wrights speeches "The audacity of Hope" is what prompted him to seek office. The man was a huge influence in his life. You cant be that close and be that significant to a person and not subscribe to his views.

Wright who appeared on the TV Show Bill Moyers Journal spoke about the positive side of his negative press. He said : "In response to the sound bytes, in response to the snippets, in Philadelphia Senator Obama made a very powerful speech in terms of our need as a nation to address the whole issue of race. That's something good that's already starting. That because of you guys playing these sound bytes now whats getting ready to happen as something very positive, and something very powerful that God can take what you meant to try and hurt somebody to help a nation to come to grips with the truth......To help a nation come to grips with mis educaton .....To help a nation to come to grips with things we don't like to talk about"....

Are you serious? You would like us all to believe that those comments you made about Damning our country and the negative media attention that followed are now a positive thing? That you Reverend are directly or indirectly responsible for this precieved positive attention? Who exactly do you feel your statements are educating? Who are they directed toward? Because I have to tell you speaking as a citizen of this country you speak of....I don't feel like this is about ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL. It seems to me that the only person who is making this about race is YOU. You and others like you who have lived in this country for generations, who have reaped the benefits of it, but would still like to be seen as the victims of its past.

I am so tired of people like you Mr Wright. Those like you who refuse to move forward. Let me put this thought out there..... If as Americans you have been so ill used and mistreated then why is Mr Obama being taken seriously as a candidate for the highest office this country has to offer? How has he been able to become a US Senator? How was he able to attend one of the most respected Ivy League Schools in our country, Harvard?

From examination of Mr Obamas family and childhood....He wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth. So tell me, how could a man who's father wasn't there, who's mother sent him to live with grandparents go on to become a potential candidate for President of the United States? Could it be that he took advantage of the things this country had to offer him? The same country he now wants to lead? The very same country his Reverend and friend Damns?

Mr Obama recently relinquished his membership to the Church he has attended for the past two decades....He did so because the negative press that came from his associate with its speakers was hurting him politically. So my question..... Is Mr Obama really against this type of thinking? Or is he only against it at the moment because it will have an negative effect on his chances to become President? AND...if we elect him, will we then begin to see the same sort of statements coming out of the white house that he is trying so hard to distance himself from now? Will we see men like Jeremiah Wright becoming his closest advisors? Are these the type of people you want to have your Presidents ear?

If as I suspect his actions are a political ploy to maximize his votes for the Presidency. Then he is the equivalent of a snake oil salesman. One who will tell the American people anything they want to hear to make the sale and when he has what he wants (the oval office) You find that the thing you thought you were buying doesnt exist.

We ALL need to ask more questions. We need to ask ourselves what sort of man we want to lead us? What sort of man we want to represent us gobally. This shouldnt be about party politics...It should be about OUR future as country.