Black Panthers in the age of Obama

@cztheday: Do you know how Democracy works?

Voting is not about picking the candidate with the best chance to win. It's about picking who you want to represent YOU. That's all. This video is a perfect example of standing for what you believe in even if you don't 'win.' In the end, the Panthers weren't the 'winning team.' But does that make the actions of those who participated in that movement irrelevant or useless?

If you voted for Obama because you thought he was the best candidate, fine. Then say it. Otherwise, don't try and qualify your vote (and cop out of being responsible for putting Obama in office) by saying it was a vote AGAINST the other candidate. Seriously, now it's McCain's fault? Your speculation on how a McCain presidency MIGHT have panned out is clouding your judgement of how Obama's presidency HAS panned out so far? Seriously, are people still dangling that stick in front of everyone's faces? Scaring us with hypotheticals and conjecture and alternate realities?

For the record, I voted for Ralph Nader (he's not a politician, so that's a step in the right direction IMO) who had no chance of winning. But his chances of winning wasn't the point. Voting, supposedly, gives everyone an equal voice in the democratic process so history will show that my vote FOR Nader was just that. The great thing about having the right to vote is not having to apologize for it.

It's funny how the people who voted Obama into office want to spin it around and blame McCain and, by extension, Republicans/Conservatives/"The Right" for all this backlash (Or, as Naomi Klein puts it, "Hopelash.") against Obama's failures thus far.

U know all these old men r saying we have a blk prez but nothing else has chgned. Well duh?! what did u think was going to happen? One prsn can't chng everything there are other parts of govt aka Congres Hse of Rep it's called checks and balances. Also he has been to cities like Detroit , Atl, yes I'm sure he was in Idaho too but u see white people do make up part of this country so y is he talking to whites b/c whether u like it or not white people are American to and more of us vote. Good for y'all for being so racist! Imagine voting for someone soley based on the color of their skin. Most blks just voted for Obama b/c he is half blk get real let's be honest he was raised by his white relatives he doesn't even know his blk relatives what did he meet his father twice in 30 years? But being the politician he is it was better to down play his white family to appeal to blacks.If Obama wanted to bring back slavery many blacks still wld've voted for him JUST b/c he is black excuse me half blk.

Great stills. If you like this one, than check out this pod: http://current.com/items/90942192_through-stills-of-life-the-annenberg-space-for...

Interesting pod. There are a number of audio issues that should be fixed: some interviews only have audio in the left channel and the others only in the right.

The time of the Panthers was painful, but their actions necessary. Great little film. Wouldn't it be great if movie theaters showed 2-3 little sorts like this before films today like "Dumb and Dumber"?

we at tektv are interested in the responses we got for the obama panther piece. as a team we had no motive in the piece. we just presented the views of two men who were involved in a struggle during a revolutionary time in american history. u can agree or disagree but we wanted to hear another view point from black activists from the 1960's, other than the more traditional civil rights people like jesse jackson , julian bond, john lewis etc.

interesting pod... but it makes me ask - what was the main question this pod was to make us ask? Was it about Obama specifically? or Politics? or black vs white?

Has there really been no change in society in black vs white issues? am i naive in thinking that we can all get along? we are obviously over the honeymoon period with Obama, BUT we all knew he would have a LOT of hard work in front of him. Every president does - especially in our current situation, economy, war, etc... so in my opinion - lets make these 4 years the best we can instead of sitting on our asses and complaining about where we are at - let's all move forward as humans, together. freedom for all mankind!

the vintage footage and I believe the men are anti establishment not necessarily anti whitey

Zelda,

Very perceptive. We are continually lectured by a certain element on this site that if we voted for Obama we "drank the kool-aid" and are convinced that he is the Messiah reincarnated.

Nothing could be further from the truth. I voted for Obama in the general election because he was the obvious choice by that point. McCain Palin stood for a continuation of failed Bush policies and for narrow-mindedness and intolerance.

None of the so-called third party candidates had any kind of a chance. Even if Ron Paul had the intellectual capacity to serve as President (he doesn't) and even if I agreed with the majority of his opinions (I don't) a vote for him was equivalent to writing in a vote for Mickey Mouse -- useless and irrelevant.

By November, one could either vote FOR Obama or AGAINST McCain (or vice-versa). I made the obvious choice. Now, like you, I am watching carefully, marking in my little columns the actions with which I agree and those with which I disagree. Why would I trust him? He is a Chicago Dem whom I have never met. We have no mutual friends of which I am aware

I have met McCain several times (testified before his Senate subcommittee twice). I KNOW I don't trust him and why (he is one of the personally rudest and most obnoxious politicians I have ever met, for one thing -- he treated ME fine, but he was incredibly discourteous to his colleagues and to other witnesses for no other reason than that they dared to tell truths that were inconsistent with his preconceptions of the world...well, boo-hoo...).

For these reasons, all this BS from the Right that Obama is already the worst President in history and deserves impeachmnt is simply annoying and distracting. I will draw my own conclusions, thank you very much. If the R's stick McCain, Palin or Paul up against Obama again in 2012, my choice will once again be obvious. In fact, the only previous candidate who might give me pause is the Mittster. While I find his demeanor to be a little creepy, he DOES seem to know how to get things done and DOESN'T seem to be steeped in all that "I am the Lord's Chosen One" Hoo Haw that Huckabee and the Bushes toss out. Besides, it would be amusing to watch the Protestant Evangelicals scramble around red-faced at having a Mormon at the helm the way they did when Kennedy brought Catholicism to the White House.

Very good pod, as a black guy of 20 years old, I was always interested in the panthers, and I still don't have a full trust in Obama. I voted for him though...

this is great..i'm glad they fought so i can live my life

Awesome. Great work on this. Bottom line, this is when "movements" actually took place in America and people did whatever they had to do to stand up for what they wanted in their lives and what they wanted from their nation. Truly a great piece to ispire courage and to one day look back for direction when our generation finally grows a set.

really interesting.

and the last man had a point - while i do love obama, voted for him, and i hope he succeeds, we do have to remember that he is a politician, and, at the end of the day, will do what will get votes from constituents.

So they don't really say, do they still hate evil white men or not?

nice job on this pod. love seeing the archival footage.