Well, I've walked and driven down MLK in Dallas, and never got shot, or stabbed, or even looked at funny.

Metropolitan, Malcolm X, and Fair Park too...

Now, Pleasant Grove, on the other hand... (j/k)

 

Funny. I ride toward downtown high rises and see crackheads and panhandlers. Rent is $2000 a month downtown. Who would have guessed? - Og

 

- Og

 

I actually live only a few blocks from malcom X. As long as you are on the North side of I30 your OK. Once you go south of there it gets bad.

Fair park isnt to scary. Lots of Mexicans in that area. I am not afraid of mexicans as you are not afraid of the black neighborhoods since I can fit right in with them with my Cuban/Italian skin.

I am not even to worried about walking down MLK if I had to. As long as it was day time! But if I were a white guy I would be terrified.

 

The name has nothing to do with it, but here in Houston MLK is not a place you would find me unless I was in a vehicle passing by during the daylight. Its a rough part of town. In reality though its hardly the name of the street that caused it, just a terrible part of town

 

We don't know Obama will be a bad choice.

Besides, how could he mess up any worse than Bush? What's he gonna do, paint the White House black? Let the grass grow up? Basket Ball goal in teh rose garden? Late for press conferences? What?

What's the REAL concern?

Is he of age? Yes.
Is he American? Yes.
Is he educated? Yes.
Is he intelligent? Yes.
Is he Christian? Yes, not that his views on religion should be paramount, in a country that's getting further and further from Christian ideals every day.
Does he have the experience required to lead the nation? Who does? Anyone who gets the job will require OJT. There's no logical step into the Presidency, unless it's the Vice President- and let me tell you, eight years under Cheney has been enough.

So, what's he missing???

I'm a bigger fan of his today than I was a few months ago, but I hear so many people talk about his qualifications. Tell me what makes him unqualified...

Peopel say he's gettign a lot of favor because he's black. Well, I say he's getting a lot of downtalk because he's black too.

 

I don't agree with his personal choices, his goals for this country, his plan for reformed helthcare, his increase of aid to other nations, and the list goes on. I wouldnt care if he was bright pink, I dont agree with his views

 

If you read through the Obama Bashing threads you will find many reasons why he shuldnt be president.

One of the main ones being his ties to radical racist preacher Rev. Jeremiah Wright for 20 years.

 

Try moving somewhere where it's 97% white, and you're the only black man you see in the malls, on the streets, at the grocery store, etc...
That was in 1997. Plano was very much like Arizona when I moved here in 1997. Arizona was worse though. I'd go to the Tucson Mall, and I could be in there an hour before I saw another black person. So, we may not show it, but- we get nervous too.

I see more blacks now, since Hurricane Katrina. And, while I knew I stuck out like a sore thumb, it didn't bother me much- until I'd go to Wal-mart at 10:0 PM, and see a gang (8 - 10) white kids hanging around the door. But, I'd be just as nervous had I walked up on 8 - 10 blacks, Asians, or Latino's just hanging around the door.

No, if you want to be scared- walk down "Telegraph" in Oakland, CA and try to get some money out of an ATM, where 5 - 6 guys are all just standing there, within 3 feet of the machine... That, is a Maalox moment right there, unless you're a police officer, and your partner has you covered.

 

That's just like herpes. It'll never go away. Jeez - give the guy a break. - Og

 

Acknowledged- but, I must ask...

• Do you agree with where we are today as a country?
• Do you think John McCain would be an agent of change, or if there'll be 4 more years of the same situation.
• Do you think the state of healthcare in this nation is ideal, or do we need to try something new?
• I agree, we don't need to send money to other nations, what we need to do is get money back that's owed to us, and maybe our dollar would get stronger and help drive these oil prices back down.

 

I did some digging and now I understand why some would rather parrot 'real estate fraud' rather than explain the real estate fraud.
There is none. This rivals the "Obama stands with the Muslims" nonsense.

The Rezko property is 60 feet wide (depth unknown).
The appraisal was $243,000.
Rezko paid $625,000

Obama wanted 10 feet or 1/6th (why unknown, maybe privacy?)
1/6th of appraisal is $40,500
1/6th of what Rezko paid is $104,166

Obama paid Rezko $104,166

Additonal accusations are that Rezko had donated $10,000 to Obama's campaign.
Obama donated the $10,000 to charity.
Obama has $40 freaking million campaign dollars sitting in the bank!
but he'll throw his career away for 10 grand. yeah right.

Tempest in a teapot.

 

Leave it to Raoul. - Og

 

Well, I'm not saying there's not a reason to be concerned. I'm just saying it's not the OK Corrall down there either. Even if you live in a place, you know it's certain places and certain things you just down't do after dark.

Even with black skin, folks know when you "ain't from around there"...

I grew up in Lousiana, and I went home in 2001- and my mom's washer was broke. So, I took the clothes to the laundry mat, and was washing them. After being there for a while, a young lady asked me-

Young Lady: Where are you from?
BigHersh: I'm from Waterproof (Waterproof, LA). Born & raised.
Young Lady: Oh nooooo.... You ain't from Waterproof."
BigHersh: Yes I am. I grew up down here.
Young Lady: All your life?
BigHersh: From 0 - 18.
Young Lady: You might have been from Waterproof, but you ain't from Waterproof any more. You don't carry yourself like you're one of us.

Now, I don't know how I "carry myself" aside from being respectful, having my pants pulled up, and speaking in complete sentences. But, I did that when I lived there too. But, from the time she and I began to speak, she knew I wasn't "from 'round there" anymore. So, people from certain areas can spot when you're out of your element, even with the same skin.

Plano

 

Actually, Ron Paul is the Libertarian equivelent of Obama. Lots of promises he can't keep. The only politician who had a really good idea tied to his candidacy was Mike Huckabee. Being a religious nut from Arkansas pretty much made him a no win. The Fair Tax could make a huge difference in the way we live, and take a lot of power out of the control of a currupt Congress, and the lobbyist that run the country.