This is Herman Cain


This is Herman Cain
Candidate’s popularity soars, opens the door for questioning

By: Ethan Brisby, www.ethanbrisby.com


I witnessed history today in my home town of Bryan/College Station. A conservative black man name Herman Cain showed up at a local book store and nearly 3,000 middle class white American came out to get his autograph, shake his hand, and more importantly show support for his Presidential Campaign. “This is Herman Cain” is the name of his new book, and he is on a nation wide tour spreading his message in hopes of winning the Republican Party’s presidential nomination. 

There was a sense of excitement in the air as Cain, a Georgia businessman gave the people all the conservative perspective they could handle. Earlier in the day I read a story which quotes Cain as saying, “If you don’t have a job and you’re not rich; blame yourself. It’s not someone’s fault if they succeeded; it is someone’s fault if they failed.” This got me to thinking, is it time for young African American’s to take a long-hard look at Republican policies? 

The 20-somethings and 30-somethings among generations of poor African Americans are likely to be the first in their family to graduate college and are positioning themselves to succeed in the marketplace. They are doing so and will do so mostly without the assistance of the social programs that historically has attracted African Americans to vote Democratic. But this message from Herman Cain, who’s father worked multiple jobs to pull his family up by their bootstrap, is one that mimics an old hip hop cliché “Get up get out and get something.”

"One of the most important lessons Dad taught us was not to feel like victims. He never felt like a victim; he never talked like a victim," writes Mr. Cain of his youth in the Jim Crow South. "And both of our parents"—his mother worked as a maid and his father was a chauffeur—"taught us not to think that the government owed us something. They didn't teach us to be mad at this country." No wonder Cain is a multi-millionaire and stands on the Red side of the fence a place many African Americans dare to go. 

Obviously people notice that Mr. Cain is black, but it doesn't appear to be a factor in his soaring popularity. This is progress. Progress made by white Americans to see a black man as an American first. I spoke with a local College Station resident name Lisa who had this to say about why she supports Cain. 

“I think he’s awesome. I think he’s honest. I think he is a fabulous leader. He’s pro America. What more can I say.”

So if white America can support a black man on both sides of the political stratosphere I again pose the question is it time for African Americans to get past the sabotage of media propaganda and learn some Republican values. Until recent years, the Republican party has always been the party of the African American people. An even more alarming notion is that the state of Texas has historically been a Democratic state, and not until recent times has it become overwhelmingly Republican; a strange tail of role reversals to say the least. 

Cain’s popularity is at an all-time high right now. He is taking advantage of current Texas Governor, Rick Perry’s inability to maintain his opening momentum. Perry all but cancelled his ability to lead the country when it was revealed that his family once owned the lease to a placed called Niggerhead Ranch. Regardless if the rock is painted, the campaign is tainted. I’m willing to bet top dollar that at least once in life Perry murmured the words, “I am on my way to Niggerhead Ranch.” For this he has been technically disqualified for the position of American president in the 21st century. As for Cain’s soaring popularity, his book was sold out at every book store in Bryan/College Station. 

It is one thing for a candidate to do well in opinion surveys and getting people to read his book, but quite another to have the staff, money and strategic organization to get supporters to the polls. What Cain has to do now if he expects to last past the early rounds of what is certain to be a Republican slugfest is to capitalize on his moment and raise some money and build out a real campaign structure. 

This is also where his message will undoubtedly get muffled as well, as the same big money hawks Americans are standing against on Wall Street and around the country will inevitably begin to whisper in his ear. Its give and take in everything as we saw when President Obama was Candidate Obama accepted large amounts of campaign money from Goldman Sachs, one of the “too big to fail banks” from the financial meltdown. 

Only time will tell in this race, so I hope you got your popcorn ready. At first glance, I like what I see: white Americans are seeing a man for something other than his skin color, African Americans will ultimately have the opportunity to revisit their ties with the Democratic Party, and an unsung hero is gaining momentum in America; land of the free, home of the brave.
For information about Cain’s solutions to American debt relief, tax reform, and other hot bed issues use a popular search engine such as Google and self-educate yourself!