our first affirmative action president

I am genuinely looking forward to finding out about just what kind of change we have ushered in to these United States at this critical juncture. I recently had the chance to sit down with my cousin, a very dear relative of mine who could not wait to pull the lever for now president-elect Obama. The question I posed to her after this revelation to me was this: "What were Obama's professional accomplishments?"

The only restrictions I put on the question were to disclude writing a book or getting elected to office.

She could not identify one. I chose not to kick her in the teeth by pointing out that his one legislation was a global handout in the form of hundreds of billions of dollars and packaged as "global poverty reduction" that did not pass.

I did point out that he voted "present" so many times instead of voting up or down.

She slightly sheepishly admitted that she had heard about that and made it be known to me that while she voted for Obama, she did not have the fervor and fury that some of her cohorts and compadres had for rushing the polling locations with their black panther friends.

To be clear, my cousin is a cognitive individual, and rare amongst the liberals I have known. To be fair, you could not paint her entirely with the "Liberal" brush although she leans that way.

I categorized her as a "intelligent somewhat liberal" at three in the morning after a spirited debate. I made sure she knew I did not mean "somewhat intelligent liberal" which is how most conversations with people I engage from the non-conservative viewpoint.

We went back and forth throughout the night on many issues, but mostly affirmative action. At the end of it all I think I was genuinely able to say that both my cousin and her husband heard my viewpoint and acknowledged that you cannot uphold equality by enforcing inequality. While there was a maintained position of affirmative action as a "necessary evil", I feel as if my point got across to them.

In the process, however, I frustrated her husband by repeatedly cutting him of when he was trying to make his point. Don't get me wrong here, his point was not as informed or well thought out as mine, but I was forced to admit that I have some growth areas to focus on in 2009.

I need to let the liberals make their point entirely and without cutting them off, even when I am excited and passionate and they could not be more wrong. Only after having been given the opportunity to fully and completely speak their peace with perfect freedom to be as wrong as possible should I speak up.

Thank you, cousin for the great time together. Thank you, my cousin's husband for the lesson on manners.

This blog is a dedication to my uncle. His fine conservative mind was a beacon of light for those who knew him. On his behalf I declare this digital creation a watchdog group and beacon for conservative principals and values.

Rest In Peace, uncle.