People: Black Folks

The other day I was having a conversation with a friend about the
latest scandals involving Chuck Turner and Dianne Wilkerson and my
friend asked me very candidly,"Do you think that because they're both
Black, it will have a negative impact on other Blacks that choose to
run for office?".

It took me awhile to gather my thoughts and then I responded that it
will have an impact on any Black person who decides to run and folks
will be asking some very pointed questions, as they should of any
person running for a public office. Also, it will take a very
"special" (read into that however you'd like) to run for office in
Boston.

Yes, with the latest "pay to play" shenanigans taking place in
Illinois with Governor Blagojevich, I've always assumed it was taking
place, but now we're seeing folks, of all colors, going down for being
Greedy Geniuses.

Being a public servant takes a certain make-up and some folks enter
politics to stroke their ego, even though they say they're entering
"the ring of fire" because they want to help make changes and what
better way to do so, than from the inside. Yeah, it sounds good when
it's coming out of their mouth, but there is a level of cynicism to
not get your hopes up. Maybe that's why so many folks jumped on the
Obama bandwagon?

We talk about change and the need for more Positive Innovators (PIs),
and some of us may even pray for the "good people" but it's still hard
not to become numb to politics, especially when it affects us all so
deeply.

So, with Wilkerson and Turner fighting to clear their respective
names, I say if you got caught, admit it and then move on. You've
already put a crack in the foundation and there is no need for the
wrecking ball to be called in. And if you did nothing wrong then
"Fight The Power" like Public Enemy!