Jeremiah has a right:Obama severs what’s left
Tuesday I watched youtube videos of Dr. Jeremiah Wright’s presentation at the National Press Club kicking off the Legislative Days of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Pastor’s Conference. After watching them and Wright’s presentation live on CNN Sunday night at the Detroit NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet, I must say that he did a fantastic job of carefully explaining the particulars of Black Liberation Theology and the prophetic tradition in America. I especially appreciated his NAACP presentation Sunday night where he spoke masterfully about differences being just that - differences, not deficiencies. For the past few days, White America has been exposed to a fabric of Black Religious Life that it rarely, if ever, sees. As Dr. Wright said, the Black Church is much like Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man - mainstream culture is trained not to see it and when glimpses of it appear, the conclusion is that it is something backward, loud, and uncouth.
While I’m sure that White America brought its own biases to Wright’s presentation (mainly because of corporate-controlled fascist media’s mission to control and shape the thoughts of the masses), those who came with an open mind saw a different (not deficient) line of thought, life, and belief that all too often flows in the undercurrent of mainstream America.
While I agree with others who have expressed appreciation of Wright’s words, it’s interesting to see how, White America aside, some African Americans are expressing radically different sentiments about the Reverend’s presentation.
Errol Louis from the New York Daily News said Wright, “couldn’t have done more damage to Barack Obama’s campaign if he had tried.”
Bob Herbert from the New York Times said, “The Reverend Jeremiah Wright went to Washington on Sunday not to praise Barack Obama, but to bury him.”
Blogger AJ From The A Spot said in a mass email, “Barack Obama is trying to get into the White House and here comes the Rev. Wright Ego Reality Show Season II.” Going on to call Wright smug and self-righteous.
Finally, Eugene Robinson from The Washington Post said, “I’ve had it with Rev. Wright” and refutes the thinking that Wright is representative of the African American Church experience calling him, “one twig of one branch of a very large tree.” Robinson goes on to say that Wright threw Obama under the bus and that it’s time for the presidential candidate to return the favor.
Obama must have gotten the memo.
In a press conference yesterday, Obama said he is outraged by Wright’s comments and saddened by the “spectacle.” Calling Wright’s words a “bunch of rants not grounded in truth”, Obama more than just “distanced” himself, Obama flatly denounced and divorced himself from Wright saying that their relationship will likely never be the same.
Many are saying the timing of Wright’s “media tour” is wrong and that the Reverend should have waited to respond until Barack had the democratic nomination securely in hand or better yet until he walked into the White House. I tend to disagree. To this point, beyond the symbolic, Barack Obama has not shown a pattern of speaking to and standing on issues that are of central concern to Black Americans. (My boy “E-double” said over the weekend that Dennis Kucinich was more vocal to Black concerns that Obama!) In fact, in certain episodes he has shown his willingness to sacrifice Black folk while in hot pursuit of the nomination. He has, as this article explains, attempted to show himself as “race neutral” - a politician who understands the plight of everyone, but glosses over Black grievances racing to the Unity Circle to lead the crowd in singing “Kum Ba Ya”…oh sorry - I mean “Come By Here.”
So does that mean that Black America has to hang its “Blackness” up in the closet until he wins the Democratic nomination? Does that mean that we have to adjust our Blackness according to which state’s primary Obama is trying to win at the moment? Does that mean that we have to be nicely assimilated Negroes who appreciate the travel arrangements of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade arranged by our good Christian White Brothers and Sisters?
I’m sorry. I proudly voted for the Brother in the Maryland Primary and if he wins the democratic nomination….will I support him?…most likely, but it is becoming more and more apparent to me that Barack Obama is dancing along a dangerous line of disloyalty to the one national demographic that has overwhelmingly given him our vote. In Philadelphia, he said during his “race speech” that he could no more disown Jeremiah Wright than he could the Black Community. He said that Wright, the man who brought him to Christ, married him, and baptized his children, was like family to him.
Well, Monday you disowned FAMILY, Mr. Obama to keep your campaign alive. Are we - your extended Black Family next?
April 30th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Full disclosure first— I am a white female and ardent Obama supporter. I have listened to the sermons that Wright gave that the original comments came out of. I watched Moyers interview with him. I felt that the Moyers interview did a wonderful job putting the sermons in context. I also had felt most of what I had heard in those sermons were true in my perspective. I watched the Q and A at the Press Club and felt there was a different representation than what had come through from Moyers and even the sermons. This is what it seemed to be that caused Obama to distance himself– there seemed to be a tone that came across as egoism and self-righteousness, as well as some specific comments re: HIV aids conspiracy. It seemed to me he also challenged Obama’s truthfulness by saying that he was just speaking as a politician. This is why I think Obama made the split. This whole episode saddens me more than anything because I believe it was all instigated by the media and now the two will be played off each other and that serves the powers that be so that Obama may lose. I think the plot is to get the AA community to now turn their backs on Obama so that he will lose. I hope that this doesn’t happen as I feel it plays right into the hands of the powers that be. Obama’s message of grassroots empowerment threatens the establishment.
I respect that I am not from the African American community and therefore can never really understand what this all means within the community. I can only say that I think of how much greater good I think it will do for African-American young people to look at the White House and see someone who looks like them- and has already proved that he cares about all of us. I have been torn about the whole thing but at the end of the day it seemed when given the chance Wright –chose to put himself forward at the expense of Obama.
Just my thoughts….
Emily
April 30th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Great points, Emily. In speaking with my Father this morning he too said that the Q&A session at the National Press Club provided fodder for mainstream media to keep the controversy ball rolling. He talked about how the media was stretching to find something to criticize Wright about after the Sunday night speech at the Detroit NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet and if Wright would have just ended his nationally broadcasted public speaking with that - then it would have gone a long way to end all this mess. He said that this whole thing has become a “lose-lose” situation for Wright, Obama, and ultimately the Black community.
Furthermore, I agree that the media instigated the furor around Wright. When mainstream media refuses to report how Clinton’s former pastor was recently charged, convicted, and sentenced for fondling a 7 year old girl, but talks ad nauseum about WORDS that Wright said, it becomes clearer to me that there are very powerful forces in America that don’t want Obama to win the nomination.
Finally, I’m with you with the “greater good” view. While I am unashamedly Black and hold strong Pan-African/Black nationalist views, I understand that the Beloved Community that I work & pray for will only come about when a strong coalition of similarly marginalized citizens agree on shared objectives and work together to dismantle the power structure that keeps all of us living off the crumbs from the master’s table. One of the ways that the puppet master’s keep control of this unjust society is by creating and then deepening schisms (Black vs. White, Urban vs. Suburban, Old vs. Young, etc). If we create sturdy bridges to each other’s communities where no one has to compromise who they are - but just agree to find at least one common objective then we’ll be well on our way.
This Jeremiah Wright furor and more importantly Obama’s reactions to it has just tremendously lowered my expectations that he is “free enough” to lead the coalition. He speaks in a very inspiring way about “hope” and “change,” but nonetheless I must conclude that he is a corporate candidate. I’ll still vote for him - for the greater good and I suspect that most Black folks in this country will continue to support him at overwhelming levels, but I can’t hang my hat on him. He’s a catalyst - a role player - a symbolic figure of what can be, but he’s no savior.
We’re the ones we’ve been waiting for.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Amen!
May 1st, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Isn’t pride considered one of the seven deadly sins? That is the 1st thing that comes to mind with this Wright/Obama issue. No doubt that Obama has a lot of pride and arrogance because he is a politician and he thinks he can lead a nation in worldly issues. In that same vein, Rev. Wright as well has a lot of pride and is arrogant because he believes he can lead a black nation in spiritual issues. After watching Mr. Wright on Bill Moyers(and before that program) no one can question his works, deeds or intellect. He was unfairly targeted. Obama has also been subjected to an unfair double standard in media questions and perceived controversies. It is sad that these two black princes are being pitted against each other and that with all their book knowledge and life experiences, that they as brothers in the church, pupil and mentor, could not know that they were both going to be attacked and that they did not have a plan or were not ready for this. Pride has ruined a good church home and maybe a presidency. To me, the pastor’s pride was the most appalling. As an Elder, and what’s at stake, he should have had the wisdom to step aside, lay low, wait until the heat is off, or whatever. Our race lacks one thing other races have in abundance……UNITY. I hope that my great grand children blow the crabs in a pot reality that I live in out of the water once and for all. In this life, preacher and politician alike are all the same. Vote for me and I’ll set you free. Another wasted opportunity due to who is the most popular. If it was not so sad I would laugh.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:18 pm
And here is yet another take on it… which is very intriguing….Author suggests Wright may have done it on purpose to actually help Obama, to force him to distance Wright.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/1/20236/25776/127/507374
May 1st, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Obama is Obama and Wright is Wright and Obama did like politicians have to do and Wright defended himself and his African American religious traditions.
Those who want to make something out of nothing are simpletons. What I find most hypocritical about the uncontroversity is how people were offended by a man speaking his mind and taking the “mute” button off of the African American population. We (African Americans) have been taught to be careful for what we say with regards to race relations in this country in order not to suffer the retribution of the ruling class. There was too much pressure on our race to suffer and be treated unequally in a country and be taught to stay quite.
As we shift to a new era in America, more and more African Americans
( because of Wrights outspokeness) will be empowered to speak truth to power. A social movement is happening and Obama can be given the credit for drawning attention to the need for a national dialogue on race in America. But it is Reverend Wright you can be credited for waking up people and putting our differences which are not deficiencies on FULL BLAST. I bet everyone in America is talking about race, slavery, bitterness and the race to the White house. It is nice to see America awake. I just wish we were awoke when Bush hyjacked our country.
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:10 am
Remember Mayor Bradley, posthumously? Many whites who indicated that they were going to vote for gubernatorial candidate Mayor Bradley, in the final analysis did just the opposite once they entered the polling both.
Many white critics of the Wright Reverend aren’t going to vote for Senator Obama anyway, they are simply exploiting the Wright Reverend in order to express their angst against black and social justice values, just as the Wright Reverend pointed out.
Reverend Wright ought to consider running for President! He might not win, however, one could vote with complete confidence that he has the interests of Right in his pervue! Reverend Walter Fauntroy, to my question answered, not only the Reverend Billy Graham, but black ministers did not support the Reverend Dr. MLK either!
With respect to the debate, it is a good one. Our monolithic community needs to continue the spirited debate of our predecessors, House negroes v Field Negroes; Booker T. Washington v W.E.B. Dubois; the NAACP v Marcus Garvey; Dr. Martin Luther King v El Hajj Malik El Shabazz; today’s blacks v Judge Thomas/Condoleeza Rice!
A great book: The Crisis of the Negro Intellecutal! Author Harold Cruse
Finally, except for the restriction of electronic voting machines, I would write in the name of Reverend Wright for President over Senator Obama. Obama needs to spend the next 4 years getting his degree at the Civil Rights School, then consider running for President in 2011!
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:24 am
I can only say that I think of how much greater good I think it will do for African-American young people to look at the White House and see someone who looks like them.
Emily,
I say with all sincerity that I appreciate your comments, however, having a man in the White House who looks black or is black is not enough.
One of my criticisms about some historical black officials is this: many of the latter criticized white officials when whites the wrong thing. However, when the same blacks assumed the mantle of power, many of them engaged in the same behavior. I am looking for someone who can say that wrong is wrong and right is right regardless of one’s skin color - and who is willing to stand up for justice and to do what is right.
All people need to witness a just individual at the helm, regardless of color or gender, albeit there clearly would be some value of seeing one of your own kind in power. Dr. C. Eric Lincoln, famous NY Theologist wrote about the concept of Consciousness of Kind!
The majority of religious black people follow Jesus, because he was just. His national origin or color was and is of little consequence - albeit to you argument, Jesus has been characterized as a person of color in many black churches.
Thank you for your thoughtful and well put comments!
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Black South Africa has had 2 black presidents in an overwhelming majority black nation. However, the conditions remain the same for black South Africans, even though they have leaders who look like them. Hmm!!
I suspect that if Obama were to prevail, there are going to be a lot of disappointed black Americans. Bill Clinton had skills and expererience as a result of being a governor first, Obama doesn’t have any skills to run a country, even if he does look like my light-skinned cousin!
Emily has me thinking folks!
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Rev. Solomon’s getting me thinking too! I will reflect some more on this and get back with some thoughts….
Thanks for your comments.
Emily
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Just another example, I feel, of black pastors who feel they are autonomous monarchs, little kings, who can care less about the welfare and success of their sheep. Funny part is, we keep letting them do it. Imagine what would have happened if Obama tried to intentionally sabotage Wright’s ministry just as Wright has decidedly done so to Obama’s campaign… As a black preacher, I am disgusted with Jeremiah Wright. THERE IS NO BLACK THEOLOGY. If theology is the study of GOD - Wake up, GOD IS NOT BLACK. God is a Spirit and they that worship Him MUST worship Him in spirit and truth. He is no respector of persons and WE SHOULDN’T BE EITHER. My opinion.
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
@ Rev. Solomon,
Your love of the white man shines brightly through in your posts. There have been many, many black leaders who were just and had everything thrown in their way to derail them. Can you say Harold Washington, Marion Barry(probably one of America’s greatest mayors as far as accomplishments go for the citizens of D.C.) and many others but to name them would be a waste because you love whitey. You cannot be a free man in this world if you think that only the white man is fair and just. Have you ever saw the episode of “Good Times” where JJ painted a portrait of Jesus that was black and Florida made him take it down? Color does not make you anything but after all these generations of hatred, tomfoolery and the like from politicians and preachers, I would rather have black children see someone who looks like them in prominent positions to let them know that it can happen. I don’t agree with Condeleeza Rice’s policies but you can be sure that I am proud that black girls can look up and see this accomplished black woman. Just as if Obama gets into the White House(despite Rev. Wright’s double agent tactics), it will be an inspiration to millions of black children since most of their parents and grands are still affected by the brainwashing and self-loathing instilled in them by the white man. Get your passport ready to leave the country if Obama wins because I know you will not be able to sleep in a land run by a black man.
May 5th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Thank you common sense. Wow, something led me to review this thread again and I am gladthat I did.
Factually common sense, you don’t seem to have any Senator Obama, my default choice - if Hillary does not prevail is the one who has divorced himself from everything that is black.
Consider the following:
1). He distanced himself from his wife’s heartfelt comments about being proud to be an American for once.
2). He spoke from his heart in San Francisco about the gun toting religious marginalized Americans, then he took that back.
3). He spoke about the troops who gave their lives in Iraq for naught, and then he took that back.
4). He distanced himself from the civil rights movements and workers initially; of late he’s tried to take that back.
5). He has distanced himself from minister Farrakhan and his pastor of 20 years, who helped to shape both he and his family and make them what they are today.
6). He has told his black children and his wife that they will have to leave their church, because you know who does not like that. They were apparently happy there before you know who told him that his church was unacceptable.
7). He has distanced himself from his faith (black liberation theology).
8). What’s left, will he distance his black wife next, when America tells him to.
Those who believe in and are fighting for social for America and the rest of the world recognize that we need strong leadership, not someone who will back down everytime the community criticizes something that someone around him says, or when his poll numbers drop.
Try doing something critical thinking, for there is nothing wrong with loving white people, they marched in the 1963 March on Washington; in fact they paid for all of the nice sandwhiches and other amenties; they underwrite the NAACP; the white Godmother was the sponsor for the Harlem Renaissance. Obama is half white and you obviously love him, and Jesus was not truly a Nubian brother, and I suspect that you love him.
I looked past Obama’s color, and I simply considered who I felt was best for the job. Because I don’t see any Republican who I believe is good for the job, I am not voting for the Republican default candidate.
Your attack is way off base. Again, black Americans ought to consider what has transpired in South Africa over the past 12 years. Because one is blackit, it is not axiomatic that he or she will be good for black Americans. Our kids have seen enough poor images of ‘even black people’ who will wilt in the face of advertisty. I suppose that you feel that black pimps and drug dealers are excellent images for our black youngsters - they are not!
If all black images are good as you have proferred, then explain why so many blacks have distanced themselves from the likes of Supreme Court Justice Judge Thomas, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Steppin Fetchit or Angry Man (YOU)? You have been served!
May 5th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Thank you common sense. Wow, something led me to review this thread again and I am glad that I did.
Factually common sense, you don’t seem to have any! Senator Obama is my default choice - if Hillary does not prevail. It is Senator Obama who has distanced himself from everything that is black.
Consider the following:
1). He distanced himself from his wife’s heartfelt comments about being proud to be an American for once.
2). He spoke from his heart in San Francisco about the gun toting religious marginalized Americans, then he took that back.
3). He spoke about the troops who gave their lives in Iraq for naught, and then he took that back.
4). He distanced himself from the civil rights movement and workers initially; of late he’s tried to take that back.
5). He has distanced himself from minister Farrakhan and his pastor of 20 years, the latter who helped to shape both he and his family and make them what they are today.
6). He has told his black children and his wife that they will have to leave their church, because you know who does not like that. They were apparently happy there before you know who told him that his church was unacceptable.
7). He has distanced himself from his faith (black liberation theology).
8). What’s left? Will he distance his black wife next, when America tells him to.
Those who believe in and are fighting for social justice for America and the rest of the world recognize that we need strong leadership, not someone who will back down every time the other community criticizes something that someone around him says, or when his poll numbers drop.
Try doing some critical thinking, for there is nothing wrong with loving white people; they marched in the 1963 March on Washington; in fact they paid for all of the nice sandwiches and other amenities; they underwrite/subsidize the NAACP (run down to Baltimore Hdqrs and ask); the white Godmother was the sponsor for the Harlem Renaissance. Obama is half white and you obviously love him, and Jesus was not truly a Nubian brother, and I suspect that you love him.
I looked past Obama’s color, and I simply considered who I felt was best for the job. Because I don’t see any Republican who I believe is good for the job, I am not voting for the Republican default candidate. Hilary Clinton will be a good example for our daughters and for 53% of America’s population, females!
Your attack is way off base. Again, black Americans ought to consider what has transpired in South Africa over the past 12 years. Because one is black, it is not axiomatic that he or she will be good for black Americans. Jesus even told his disciples to render unto Caesar what is Caesar. Our kids have seen enough poor images of ‘even black people’ who will wilt in the face of adversity, as Senator Obama keeps doing. The Wright Reverend has been consistent.
I suppose that you feel that black pimps and drug dealers are excellent images for our black youngsters, or the thug black cop - they are not!
If all black images are good as you have proffered, then explain why so many blacks have distanced themselves from the likes of Supreme Court Justice Judge Thomas, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Steppin Fetchit or Angry Person (YOU)? You have been served! I’ve met many individuals, young and old, who know as little about Dr. Rice as you do. However, as a member of the Board of Afro-American Staff and Faculty, contemporary with Dr. Rice, I can tell you that she had nothing to do with Black Issues, the Black House, Ujaama… at Stanford.
P.S. I’ve encouraged individuals that I know not to repeat the mistakes of the past for women make excellent candidates. Shirley Chisholm, who I had the pleasure of meeting years ago was an able candidate, not because of her gender or race but because she was erudite, had talent and skill!
Obama would likely make an excellent Veep, in 4 more years of preparation he would be an able candidate, not just one who looks good and makes good speeches! I know that many blacks are excited to have an apparent viable candidate. But keep in mind the last time we had a very viable black Presidential Candidate, General Colin Powell - just consider what happened to him when he stood up for what he believed, and even though he did not wilt like Senator Obama has done - they fired him!
May 5th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Emily and Common Sense,
I will be checking in for a few days or so in the future to see whether either of you respond. I would encourage Common Sense then to remember the scriptures: Man looks on the outward appearance, God looks at the heart!
I suspect that all of us would do better, if we were to look at persons heart!
Peace & grace
May 5th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Hi Rev. Solomon:
As you know, I am an ardent Obama supporter so you know where I come from. Personally I wouldn’t want Obama elected if he weren’t someone who I believed could be transformational for our country, and the world. I believe he would be a role-model not just because he is black but because of who he is– his character. I think he is wise. I watch how he has run his campaign, how he has mobilized and empowered everyday folks to get involved in his campaign. He has raised all campaign money from the grassroots because he does not believe that he should be accountable to corporate lobbyists but to ordinary citizens. I look at his experiences working as a community organizer in Chicago- that speaks to me to his commitment to the poor and dis-empowered of all colors. As far as civil rights issues go- I know he was a civil rights lawyer and also led massive voter registration drives. As a state legislator he helped tackle issues such as reforming capital punishment, and helped pass one of the first racial profiling laws. He also helped expand Illinois earned income credit program. Those are just a few of the things I admire about him.
Nobody is perfect — but in my personal opinion he has an immense amount of integrity, something the Clinton’s for all their skills and strengths, do not.
I also whole heartedly agree with you that we do need to look at a person’s heart– and I see God’s shining through Senator Obama. No doubt- he will end up disappointing some should he be elected. That is inevitable, but I have no doubt he will be a great leader. God bless you, and thank you for the opportunity to have a dialogue.
May 6th, 2008 at 7:38 am
@Rev. Solomon
I first must find my ” Common Sense” that you said I don’t have any before I respond later, but I must say that you put a smile on my face with that line. When I get home from work I will dialog on this issue. Have a great day.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Hi Emily and Common Sense,
I am pleased to know that we will continue our discourse on the secondary issue that you raised, the benefit of having black American role models.
There have been many of them, and Obama is certainly an excellent role model, I would not for a minute try to take that away from him. Let it be said that I am neither a foe nor a venal critic of the Senator, I nothing but profound praise for him and the accomplishments that he has made. I lived in Chicago for a year myself, Chi-town can be a tough place, politically and otherwise!
Now as Eddie Murphy once quipped in one of his comedic routines, I also grew up in a predominately black family. And to add to that, I grew up in black America, and having said that, none of what I have written disqualifies you from taking on a social engineering role with respect to the black community. Many white Americans have been unequivocal supportive of the black struggle throughout our embattled history in America - some of our people overlook what the John Brown, Quakers and others have done!
One of the challenges that we face in our community happens to be, when anyone speaks outside of ‘the proverbial Americanized black box’, some blacks view you as being an Uncle Tom, or as Common Sense put it: Your love of the white man shines brightly through in your posts. Derrick Bell, a black author wrote in Faces At The Bottom of the Well, that if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you will keep getting what you have been getting! He is not the originator of the quote, however, he used it in a timely fashion. We are not a monolithic community!
Black Americans obviously have suffered a lot at the hands of some white Americans, throughout the course of our history in America. The desire of the black community to experience black leadership, which we equate with axiomatic justice, at times results in the suspension of logic, reason, critical thinking or a thorough examination of would be black leaders, pastors, preachers and friends - many of whom have done more damage to us than anyone else.
The Wright Reverend has not done any damage to us, unless we consider the Prophet Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Moses and Jesus’ comments to Israel, were damaging. The latter, including Paul, spoke the truth to their incumbent nation.
It is a part of our black pathology and pathos, given the mistreatment that blacks have received at the hands of some whites, to believe that the solution to our problem is simply to have something or someone who happens to be black! We completely overlook the fact that blacks captured and sold our ancestors into slavery, or that other blacks exploit, rob, rape, steal from us and betray us as well! Consider Rev. Jackson’s comments about hearing footsteps approaching you as you stroll down the street, and the relief you feel when you look around and discover that it is not a black person. Consider the late Rosa Parks, it was not a white man in her neighborhood who violated her! Blacks can be exploitative as some whites can be!
Black Americans, will turn their backs on whites who have historically shown fidelity and loyalty to them, at the drop of a hat! That kind of behavior is indicative of very deep pathology!
My housemate is a black ardent Obama supporter, and like too many blacks, all that he really knows about Obama is that he is black and therefore the right man for the job. In using presidents Mandela and Mbeki of South Africa as examples, my aim was to show that the color of ones skin, does not portend instant progress or success, or qualify one to act in a leadership role.
Both gentleman are black, and I suspect that their hearts were in the right places, however, there were other structural barriers in place in South Africa, just as there are in America. Both black South Africans, and black Americans have overlooked the other factors that will come into play. I suspect that if Senator Obama prevails, Americans like common sense, will be calling Senator Obama an Uncle Tom right about February 2009, one mother after he is in office. To the Zulus, Chief Butheleizi was considered a great role model, to other black South Africans he was not!
I have been encouraging blacks to engage in critical thinking with respect to the Senator, and to consider more than the color of his skin as ‘a variant to determine whether he is capable of leading this nation or not. Senator Obama remains my default candidate behind Senator Clinton, simply because I feel that she is more suited to step in and to do what needs to be done, and because Senator McCain is apparently less equipped to lead than either of the two Democratic frontrunners.
I also feel that, in addition to her worldwide contacts, she will make an excellent role model for all Americans for that matter, and her election will obliterate sexism in the Oval Office by opening the door to future female candidates. The world is out of balance, because of historical world-wide oppression of females.
Hillary has shown what it means to withstand diversity. This is not meant to be a criticism of Senator Obama, however, upon closer examination and up under the specter and the test by fire, all he has done so far is to capitulate, and to distance himself from whatever has been toxic (from the perspective of the dominant culture).
Hillary remained with the toxic factor in her life, and has demonstrated her mettle and toughness, Obama capitulates. The whole world, not just Americans are vested in this American election. The whole world needs someone who can stand up to the spirit of white supremacy and hegemony (does not include all whites) in America. So far, Obama has proved that he cannot stand up to it.
Again, he has distanced himself from the Civil Rights Movement, Minister Farrakhan, his wife’s heartfelt comments, his own beliefs about gun-toter’s, his pastor, his church and now his faith! I believe in a fair and balanced examination of a person - I see his strengths, however, I also see his glaring weakness.
Black youth would benefit more, in my opinion, from a role model that can stand up in the face of adversity and speak truth to power, whether they get elected or not. Dr. King did, Rev. Jackson, Minister Farrakhan and many others have done it — I wish that Obama would follow suit! Why will I still vote for Obama as my default candidate, other than Hillary, he is better than the alternative!
Common Sense, at the ouset most black ministers were equally damning of Dr. Martin Luther King, however, over within a half-century later he received a Nobel Peace Prize, a national holiday, and his own place on the mall. Evolve, common sense, I am not the enemy!
May 6th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Obama has not even faced his real opposition yet, the Republicans are chomping at the bit to get at him. And what has he done on every turn so far? He has capitulated, being unable to get the opposition to give up an inch of ground. Ergo, what can he possibly win for the masses?
I ask, how can we expect him to do any better, given that he has run with the footmen and lost. What will he do when the calvary comes to town?
I must tell you later about my first visit to speak in Washington and visit Parren Mitchell’s office, former head of the Congressional black caucus…
I also must tell you about why Bill Gray, Mfume and others left Congress…
And why Maxine Watters and Bobby Rush complain often that we can’t get anything done in Washington…, I was there and planned to run for congress myself….
May 6th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
@ Rev. Solomon,
In your very intelligent discources that you have so eloquently posted, I still get a tinge of your love for the white man. You don’t say anything about the various injustices done to the black race by whites, but you are quick and accurate to point out shortcomings or untoward behavior by blacks. Where is the balance??
Mr. Obama could not have gotten this far in this campaign by relying solely on the black vote. Most of the criticism of him comes when he won’t allow himself to be pigeon-holed as the black candidate(or back down from a position as you say). We’ve had that before(Jesse and Al and Ms. Fulani). Obama is smart enough(or i’m pretty sure in your eyes some white man told him) to know that a BROAD BASED campaign, white, black, latino, women and men would be vital for a serious run on the white house.
All races have good and bad elements as you well know but I will always stick with my own and try to find the root causes of our problems and will try and lift up people who look like me before condeming them. And for the record, I do not find rogue law-enforcement(no matter what color), pimps or drug dealers fashionable.
The Right Reverend reminds me alot of Elijah Poole and his jealousy of Malcolm X. Even as Malcolm ascended in popularity, he always held Mr. Poole up. And what was his reward? Envy and jealousy that ultimately led to the nation splitting as you well know. Apply that lesson to Obama and the Right Reverend.
Lastly, it is funny that you would mention Ms. Chisolm because I was a child when she made her run at the White House. It was her image that one, made me proud to be black, and secondly got me interested in politics. A black queenly image. Just as I used to work as a child for Victorine Adams and people in her district and all I knew is that they were running for office. The way they carried themselves, the respect they showed us as kids(plus 5.00 was a lot back then) and the example that they showed us is emmbedded in me forever. Just as admant as you are about the goodness of white folk, I’ll debate you to the end about the goodness of being black.
May 7th, 2008 at 12:16 am
Common sense, do you recall Dr. King’s speech at the March on Washington?
A black friend of mine, from DC, called to consult with me about a year ago. Why? She was concerned that her African-American teenage son had a proclivity for white girls, I reminded her of Dr. King’s speech, with respect to a color blind society, and his dream of a time that would come when people would be judged by the content of their character and not their skin color.
Ironically, I attended an affair at Stanford a few months ago that was sponsored by a former colleague, Professor Clay Carson, editor of the King Papers and the MLK encyclopedia. Clarence Jones, Dr. King’s former speech-writer and attorney was present. It was the first time that I had the pleasure of meeting him. There were other prominent former civil rights leaders present from all over the nation.
You wouldn’t have cared for that audience, because all of the brotha’s, including Clarence Jones were married to white women. The majority of Dr. Carson’s staffmembers who were working on the King Papers, were white. However, I ask you again, what is it that the member of the civil rights movement fought for?
Someone sitting in that audience might have concluded that the civil rights movements sole basis was to eventually change the racial climate in America, so that black men could be with white women. If we are going to be a truly color blind society, black Americans are going to have to get over what they accuse whites of being, race conscious. Have you forgotten that Dr. MLK dated a white woman, and proposed marriage to her, however, daddy King and the family forbade it? Judge Thomas, who is he married to? Should he stop loving her because she is white?
We can never overlook the contribution of white Americans to the black cause and to the cause of social justice for all people. Many of them were ostracized, tortured and murdered as a result of supporting our freedoms. To wit, my uncle in the early 1920’s was captured in Mississippi, hung up in a tree, as whites shot 56 holes in his body. Should I be angry with all whites because of what a group of knuckleheads did to my uncle?
Ironically, you don’t seem to have a problem accepting the white people who accept and support Senator Obama - is it okay to use them in order to get what you want? BTW, if some white Americans who are supporting Senator Obama’s campaign read your threads, they would see you as more of a Reverend Wright figure than me. Think about that!
My last comment I think: Once a month all of the male black staff and faculty members at Stanford met in what we called the Amen Corner. We discussed black issues. I raised their ire as well when I explained that we cannot on one hand criticize white Americans for certain misbehaviors, if we are so willing to repeat the same behaviors.
I explained that as leaders at Stanford, we should fight for social justice for every person, student, staff or faculty, regardless of the color of their skin.
Think about it common sense, you have feelings of racial animus, I transcended that years ago! Get angry with injustice, instead of racial groups!
Sorry for the length, however, the other thing that concerns me about Senator Obama, given his current retrenchment campaign, has to do with all of the people in the ROW who are looking for someone in the USA to stop American injustice around the world. Congresswoman Barbara Lee said it best at one of our CBC Legislative Conference meetings in DC a few years back, i.e., we need to stop talking about racism, and call it what is, ‘white supremacy’!
White Supremacy is the cause of the pain and suffering of nations like Iraq, Iran, Cuba, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Afghanistan, Pakistan…, and much of the continent of Africa…! Obama has not shown that he has the strength, willingness or ability to stand up to the spirit of white supremacy; and having said that the majority of white people are not white supremacists.
Do you recall what happened when El Hajj Mailk El Shabazz visited Mecca for the first time, he returned to America with a whole new outlook, just before forming OAAU?
My objective is to undo what racist white Americans have done to the world, and to support a genre of leaders (regardless of color) who have the ability, willingness and capacity to lead the fight. John Brown died for us!
I will not repeat the behavior of whites and some blacks and become a racist myself. A black woman asked me once, aren’t you married to a white woman? I asked, why would you ask me that? She replied, men like you who are articulate, professional (and handsome- I added that comment) typically abandon the race and turn to white women!
We’ve got to get past our own sickness; again it points to a deeper pathology that is all too common in the white as well as the black community!
If we’re not careful like many in the bible: Miriam and Aaron, Jeremiah (Can the Ethipian change his skin?), Peter (who didn’t eat unclean things or deal with certain racial groups), are a few example that came to mind!
May 7th, 2008 at 12:35 am
I trust that Reverend Brown will tolerate my loquaciousness.
However, you have put a lot on my mind to. The first time I visited Mt. Vernon, home of our first President in Virginia, I was stunned. The first stop on the tour was the slave quarters. I asked the docent, as we continued the walking tour, having stopped in the rear of the plantation at a spot where approximately 96 black slaves are buried - how many whites lived on this plantation at any given time.
He knew where I was going, given that over 350 slaves supported that planation at one time or another. He dropped his head and said, customarily 4 to 8. The famous defense attorney who was a frequent visitor at the OJ Simpson’s trial, his words come to mind. Atty. Spence said, some blacks do not have the same perception of the 1st President as his fellow whites had.
I smiled when I read Jerry’s comments in his book, given that my perceptionof the 1st President from that day until now is that he was nothng more than ‘a pimp’!
Every single person that I shared my perception with, white or black was shocked by my adroitness. I asked, what would you call a black person who exploited 350 people in order to get everything that he wanted, tailor-made clothing from England, food, shelter…?
Frankly, I am very aware that white leaders, from presidents, supreme court justices, governors, sheriffs, attorneys, pastors, teachers…, were in fact land-grabbers (native American land), rapists (of black women and girls), murderers, home-wreckers…!
Some blacks responded to me, well, that was the way it was back then. My answer was no it was not, the majority of white people with consciences believed that the institution of slavery, and the mistreatment of blacks was wrong. Had George Washington been alive, contemporary with Abraham Lincoln, George Washington would have been the commander, move over Robert E. Lee, of the south!
To their point, that it was the way that things were then - it stayed that way as long as it did because not enough people stood up to fight for the strength of their convictions. In summary: Obama is not showing the strength to stand up and fight for justice, he continues to capitulate each time that he has had the opportunity to show his mettle, or strength of conviction.
His heart may be in the right place, however, the jury is still out with respect to whether he has the wisdom or strength that is sufficient to stand up to white backlash, or the result of 400 years of white supremacy!
May 7th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
@ Rev Solomon,
Once again your long posts seem to be devoted to the glory and goodness of whites and all that they have done to allow you to be able to breathe. I do not(and if you go back to the begining of this thread) overall take offense with white people. My offense was with your position, constantly, subliminaly praising whites. Thank god for John Brown, Colonel Sanders and all of the good white folk who vote for Obama. Half of them have a soul and know what their forefathers did was satanic.
Obama will not let a prideful retired minister define him. Point blank. End of story. The Right Rev. has done a lot of good, is very, very truthful, and has served his country. The best he can do now is sit down and shut up. He has done his job as a highly placed operative of the white supremacy movement(or Operation Stop That Nig At All Costs). He will be compensated for his valiant efforts.
I know last night did not give you the closure that you hoped for with Obama holding serve and picking up more delegates. Miss Ann(Hillary) can certainly use your tenacity down on her farm when she loses. Feel free to use me as a reference because it seems that nobody has a lower opinion of black people than you do.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Common sense:
As I recall, Emily made a comment about the benefit of having black role models for our young people, and I responded. Your comment, that followed mine was, Your love of the white man shines brightly through in your posts.
One would not have to be Sherlock Holmes to recognize that you have an issue with white people (the whites who vote for Obama being a temporary exception). My comments have always been on point with respect to the point that Emily made. They were never about a referendum on white or black; to synopsize, my comments simply put were that we were not to repeat the mistakes of the past, and vote based on gender or skin color.
You must learn that the world is neither white nor black, that is what the Civil Rights struggle was all about - no such thing as race - rather, it is all about humane humanity.
There are as many whites fighting to free Mumia, as there are blacks fighting to secure justice for him. You have obviously taken a position and you’re stuck there.
If the world was to listen and to buy into your animus or your truculent repartee, the world would likely remain divided along racial lines forever. Just because a black American scrutinizes the ability of a black man, does not mean that he hates blacks and has accepted, wholesale, what happens to be white.
I assure you that the Senator would expect that anyone voting for him (a bi-racial man) would be a critical thinker, and would have examined his qualifications and abilities, not just the color of his skin or the ethnic group(s) group from which he derived. Most of us blacks have white in us anyway!
You are voting for Obama, and clearly it could not have been lost on you or our audience that he is the product of a bi-racial marriage. He is part white common sense, that did not proclude you from voting for him. Which one was it that you preferred, his white side or his black side?
How come its okay for you to like both white and black in a voting context, yet you keep trying to insult me because I can accept white and black in every social context! So I ask again, where is your ‘common’ sense?
With regard to the Senator, I will scrutinize a black candidate with the same fervor and intensity that I will scrutinize a white, native American, Latino, Inuit, Polynesian or other candidates. I am a registered Independent Voter, having said that, Senator McCain seems to be a fairly nice man, and he has made some points that I agree with, however, I cannot think of any circumstances that I would vote for him, and in case you haven’t noticed, he’s white!
Of all of the Democrats who ran in the primaries, Senator Obama came in second on my list, not Richardson (Latino), Edwards of Kucinich (both white). You need to go and work on your own fixation and antipathy towards white people - you clearly have a very serious issue.
Your personal reductionism of whatever is filtered through your repository of white hatred, undoubtedly, ‘colors’ or ‘uncolors’ most subjects that you encounter. There are billions of whites on this planet who have not done a thing to black Americans, they don’t have issues with us. Many of them would not be able to understand why an angry Elder, lumps them in the pot with white racists past and present. And just as you would ask whites who have issues with black, why, some would in turn ask you the same question, why do you have issues with me?
Not to lecture you, but remember Christ’s ministry? Christ’s ministry had both a spiritual and a social dimension to it!
I’ve spent the majority of my adult life in the San Francisco Bay Area, outside of a 1-year stint in Chicago and 6-years in the District. In the multicultural and accepting of all ethnics in the Bay Area, in addition to learning how to live among pluralistic and disparate people, I also observed, anecdotally, why many of the communities of our counterparts, who have been here for a shorter period of time, Asian, Chicano, Latino, Portuguese, Russian… are so successful.
It just so happens that they pursue substance over superficiality, and that is what Mumia was speaking about during his radio broadcast. Placing an ethnic over a entrenched white supremacist system won’t matter a bit, it is the system that needs to be reconstructed, obviated or burned down as Minister Farrakahn said years ago. This nation almost made the shift from its current permutation, during the pre-Reagan Great Society period!
Ever read Jeremiah 1st chapter where God told him that he was being sent to root up, pluck, tear down, destroy and then build it all over again. I offended a group of religious folks, when I rehearsed this scripture with them down on ‘F’ Street in DC, at a Sunday morning meeting a few years ago.
If you would have visited San Jose California 20 years ago, the downtown area was falling apart. Southeast Asian refugees and boat people who, without any capital, settled in San Jose, and within a matter of years, turned the whole downtown into a bustling enterprise zone that it is today! You might not be able to read the marquees on the stores, however, those folks took care of business!
I met with many individuals who were neither white nor black in the Bay Area to determine how come they were successful, while many of our people kept plodding along, only to a part of America’s permanent underclass. You know what I learned and passed on to my people, they simply understood that politics were local. One of my African-Americans stopped speaking to me for 6-points, simply for pointing out how other ethnics had achieved where many of our people have failed.
From Japantown, to Korean Town to Southeast Asian and Cambodian town, these folks do not focus on state or national politics, they take care of business on a local level. Common sense, you must stop the blame game and realize that where we have failed to overcome is not because of the white man, we have failed because our politics are too narrowly focused, nationally! We must take care of business at home and in the neighborhood! We have the potential to solve our own problems regardless of who gets to go to Washington DC, white or black. As Chas Barkely once said, in fact we are the kid’s most important role-model!
As I explained to the brotha’s at SU, we are failing our own youngsters, and that the blame the white man game will not work with our savvy and keenly aware youngsters and grandchildren, they are already asking, but what did you do for us daddy, and why not? They will not want to hear about the blame game!
Did you happen to see the exchange between the young Yale Professor and (forgot her name) the CEO from Radio 1, and the three civil rights leaders at Tavis’, contract with America meeting a year ago! The young folks position, similar to Obama’s was, we’ve planted businesses, we’ve put people to work, and we’re marrying who we want regardless of color, and all that you keep doing is repeating your history, and after criticizing us you turn around and ask us for donations from the organizations that we have built, and that you are criticizing.
Their question was, what is it exactly that you people want (The Civil Rights Workers on stage had become ‘you people’?
And I spent all of this time with you and would like to ask the same question, what is that you really want? You need to figure that out! Jesus loved his Samaritans, you will have to learn to love yours and to get those demons out of your head!
P.S.
Before your time, Sidney Poitier’s “Guess Who Is Coming To Dinner’, movie. Sidney, who was enaged to a white woman blasted his dad with respect to getting the weight of his dad’s, postal carrying -blue collar working father, generation off of his back. Sidney’s character had moved on, his father’s generation was stuck in the past. Ironically, the setting of that movie was in San Francisco! I’m older than you and I’ve moved on…, you’re younger than me and you are stuck in the past - how did that happen?
May 8th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Common Sense,
Ever hear of COINTELPRO…, many individuals believed that MLK, Shabazz, Toure, Rap Brown, Newton and others should have simply shut up. I’m so glad that they did not. Again I remind you, the man that Americans wanted to shut up, like Al Gore today, has won a Nobel Peace Prize. And, Dr. MLK has been honored nationally with a place on the national mall and a national holiday. Why? Both black and white Americans evolved!
And with respect to Ms. Ann’s loss (are you sure you’re a minister?), nothing has been lost, my default candidate if he were to prevail will fight with all of the ability that he has, not quite as much as she has right now, for the cause of social justice.
And if neither candidate prevails in the election cycle, it won’t matter, the rest of all will keep fighting at the grass roots level - all politics and social change occur at the local level.
You will be one of the ones that we will strive to convert from a narrowly focused racial dimension, to a much broader inclusive perspective, i.e., the cause of human freedom and justice within a just world, not just the USA!
And keep praying for our brotha’s and sistah’s in South Africa, having two black Presidents sofar has not benefitted the black majority, because the defacto Apartheid System has never been replaced!
For me this conversation has been worth all of the time spent!
May 8th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
@ Rev. Solomon,
Round and round you go. To not agree with some of your points or to take a pro-black stance translates to you as anti-white. And your constant praising of the goodness of whites translates to me as anti-black or shows a lack of self pride. You seem to be an elder of mine so I don’t discount your knowledge or wisdom but we just won’t agree on the semantics of our dialog on this post.
Are you sure you are reading my comments with a clear mind? I don’t think that you are because I never, never, never professed, intimated, hinted at, or never, never, ever aspired to, or proclaimed to be a minister. Maybe you just mis-thought like Miss Ann. When I said feel free to use me as a reference, I meant if she wanted to know who could be counted on to keep her informed of meetings or who was learning how to read, that you would be the best candidate that I presently know.
The main problem I have with your thought process is that to you(or so it seems) that if you love black people and do not close your eyes to the many injustices suffered by black people at the hands of whites, that you must have a limited thought process or be a raging racist. I’ll bet you have absolutely no problem with the Jewish people saying “Never Forget” because I know in your eyes the Holocaust was way, way worst than the enslavement of Africans in this country. I’m glad to live in a country or have the opportunity to express my views as well as listen to yours. It has been a pleasure to hear your views(albeit condesending) and look forward to the next post where we probably will disagree. Peace be unto you, The Honorary Right(and I do mean Right as in right-wing) Good Doctor, Rev. Solomon.
May 9th, 2008 at 2:54 am
Common sense,
A former colleague expressed similar sentiments to me several years ago, similar to what you have done. At the time, he went on and on about white people, and how they were giving away ‘our jobs’, to SE Asians…! Having tired of his rants I asked him point blank, you are afraid of white people aren’t you? And of course he was infuriated, because he thought of himself as soul brother number 2!
I reminded him of the story of David and Goliath in the canon. I pointed out that as a result of listening to him, it would appear that he saw himself as the little stripling version of David, and the white man as the giant. He augured then, they control everything, they have all of the power, money …! I reminded him that David, the stripling, conquered the giants in his life like Goliath. Now Bathseba, that’s another story!
He got angrier with me and said, you don’t know anything about black history do you! I explained that I knew more about black history than he did, and in that in spite of our captious and conjoined history, I was not living in the past. I explained that some whites had done a lot of bad things to us, however, that our destiny was in our hands, and that it was up to us to stand up and move on, in spite of the obstacles.
I also explained that if we were to continue making excuses while sitting, crying and waiting for all white people to change, that it would only hinder our progress and prevent our advancement!
He was so angry with me that he stopped speaking to me for approximately 5 months. One day I received a telephone call out of the blue. He said, I saw you driving down the street the other day while I was riding in a car with a new African female friend. He said, I told her that you were a former friend and proceeded to tell her about our prior conversation. He admitted that he expected her to see things his way, however, she did not!
She explained to him what I had tried to convey to him before, without even knowing me. She told him to listen to the Reverend, because his perspective was the correct one. I’ve had similar experiences when speaking with blacks from the Caribbean, et al.
Have you ever wondered why the brothas and sistahs from the Island nations where Shirley Chisholm’s relatives are from are so successful when either they or their descendants come to America? How about Minister Luis Farrakhan, the late El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, General Colin Powell, Roy Innis, Kwame Toure…, even their ‘mules’ and drug dealers? Most of these African descendants, have completely different perspectives than American blacks despite their hazardous past experiences with whites.
One West Indian told me, yes, poor or not, however, in our nations we were merchants, sheriffs…, racism was prevalent, however, we were still expected to take responsibility for our own lives. She added that she noticed a kind of dependency among blacks in America, when on the other hand all that her people detect is opportunity!
My friend phoned me and apologized. I will concede that I mis-remembered, and connected your title with someone else on the blog who identified himself as an Elder. Having said that, I have a perfect recollection of what you have written. Your threads are laced with vitriol and condescending comments towards whites. And for that matter, you haven’t been that kind to the Wright Reverend either! I simply tried to add some balance and to confront your categorical deterministic generalizations!
I haven’t put black people down, no, not one time have I done that. You seem to be reading what you will into my comments, however. Having said that, your incessant use of pejoratives like ‘Ms. Ann’, belie your current reappropriations, and your rapprochement, with respect to what you have written.
You keep asking me to favor one race over the other, and it seems to frustrate you that I won’t choose one race over the other. Aren’t you really afraid of white people? Is there something in your own life that you are blaming whites for, that you haven’t been able to conquer yourself? Must you continue this incessant blame game, common sense? It is time for healing! How do you see men, as white trees walking over black men? We have exchanged theses, and anti-theses, and now it is time I believe for synthesis.
I have said over and over again what Dr. MLK said on many occasions, I do not judge people by the color of their skin. And I have repeated over and over again that when it comes to blacks, not even blacks get an automatic pass, particularly when they are running for political office and they happen to be soliciting my vote! I am not finished - see next thread!
May 9th, 2008 at 3:43 am
The Republic of the Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zaire –
I attended a conference that was held in the auditorium of the San Francisco Public Library just about a decade ago. The speakers on the panel were nationals from the then, DRC. I felt embarrassed for them given their repartee, and when it was time for Q&A, I accepted the microphone in this rather large, even by library standards, auditorium.
I said, let me preface my comments by saying that I am proud to be a black person. However, I hear a repetitive theme in the repartee of each speaker on the stage. I said, you sound a lot like black people in America, the kind who criticize whites, while at the same time they rely on white American paternalism.
I used Rwanda as an example. The Rwandans, I said, like most African nations at the close of the African colonial period, insisted that the Belgians leave the natives to control their own destinies. However, and as soon as the E-bola virus broke out, the first emergency phone call was made to the Belgians requesting that they come back and ‘help us’! Remember Don Cheadle’s performance in Hotel Rwanda, it was the same thing during the slaughter of the Tutsi and moderate Hutu’s by the Hutus, in other words Belgians come and help us!
I asked the panelists, why is it that black people who have their own lands, resources… as they had, often behave in the same as American blacks? Oh you guessed it, they were yelling at me from the stage, and some of the Congolese in the audience where shouting or telling me to be quiet (as you intimated that the Wright Reverend should do). One of the panelists went to the microphone and said bro da’, you must not like yourself.
They ended the affair, not just to keep the Rev from catching a ‘beatdown’, but because their was a catered reception that was scheduled to take place across the street at the Ethiopian restaurant, Najir or something like that.
I decided to attend the affair. And guess what, you could tell by the looks on their faces that some of them were shocked that I had the nerve and the verve, to show my turncoat face in that chamber?
Many of the guests were even more surprised when the panelists walked up to me at my table, shook hands with me, and said, what you said across the street was right! One Congolese gentleman I will never forget, because his thumb was severed from his hand, which made the handshake seem somewhat peculiar.
Then we all dined and talked. He said, I know that what you said across the street was true, and that we should learn to stand on our own two feet. I added yes, it is amazing to me that you would come here and request assistance (aid, trade and credits) to the same United States of America that gave permission to former Congo President Joseph Kasavubu, to assassinate late Prime Minister Patrice Lamumba
You see Common Sense, we want to have it both ways, however, our message turns in on itself. Why? Because what too many blacks are saying while criticizing the white person is simply this, all I really want from you is your acceptance, and for you to validate me and to tell me that I am somebody. I am not that kind of black man Common Sense, however, it sounds to me as if you are! We are all growing, and I believe that there are some areas that Obama needs to grow in, not just to be President, but if he intends to heed the higher calling!
I will tell you why I explained to a Kenyan visitor in Washington DC, who along with other Kenyan delegates came to seek aid from the United States of America. I told her that I believed that it would be the greatest mistake that her delegation could ever make.
I fight daily against the spirit of white American global hegemony and political-categorical determinism, however, and having said that I learned long ago that not all whites are a part of that conspiracy, and that not all black people, well let’s just say, are risk aversive!
Remember Derrick Bell’s comment again Consensus: If we keep doing what we have been doing, we will keep getting what we have been getting. And let me add this as well, a voice woke me up one morning and it said:
Our theme, ought to be, to pursue different passions for different people!
Peace & grace
May 9th, 2008 at 8:14 am
@Rev. Solomon,
I’ll concede that we as a people have a lot of internal problems and struggles that only we can solve, that only we can address. And the conditions that native Africans and people of the Carribean and other third world countries leave behind when they come here may be a catalyst in their successes in America. But I am watching said folks just as I keep my eye on whitey and here’s why.
How many times have you been in the presence of African or Carribean people and you were not placing an order at a restaurant that needed translation from the front desk back to the cook, but rather having a conversation and right in your face they swich from English to their native tongue when speaking to another person of their culture that is also conversating with you? Don’t get me wrong, it is quite the accomplishment to be able to speak many languages, but if you are having a open and honest dialog, why do that? That shows a lack of regard for the person you all are talking to or that you have something to hide. Also why do most people of African or Carribean desent attend mostly white churches? What I say is fact and as a Rev. you know this. I’m watching everybody who is not African-American and go by their deeds towards us.
It seems that you may have been traumatized by your blackness in some way, but you are not alone. I understand that their are other victims of this
trauma such as Clarence Thomas, Ward Connelly, Larry Elder and Armstrong Williams. Maybe a cure can be found.
Rev., we just don’t see eye to eye and that’s not a bad thing. In ending, i’ll make you happy by quoting a famous white man, William Shakespeare, to describe you. From Hamlet(and I made it gender correct)”The man doth protest too much, methinks.” Peace Rev.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Common sense,
You have simply taken a position, and you are stuck in your position; facts won’t matter to you apparently, at least not the ones that I have presented. You would accuse Toussaint ‘l Overture, Nat Turner and Frederick Douglas of being whitey lovers. The fact of the matter is that you wouldn’t know a black revolutionary if he stood right in front of you.
Remember that information is the basis for making decisions, you need to acquire a lot more information before drawing conclusions - your conclusions are skewed because they are based upon flawed assumptions.
Its funny that you accuse me of loving whitey, when a white separtist group on the internet has targeted me for my comments white racism and the schizophrenia of whites who invoke the cross, Jewish Bible and Jesus Christ, and still they hate Jews, and blacks!
It is you that has the problem with blacks like the Wright Reverend, me and others who do not see eye to eye and fall all over the mixed candidate that you are so crazy about. Frankly, on a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate him as a 5 right now, Hillary a 7 and McCain a 2, however, I expect that Hillary and Obama will continue to grow, whether either becomes President or not. It is very apparent that when you draw, even an unsound conclusion, that your mind shuts down, and facts cannot seep into the bedrock of your hardened mind.
You are young and you clearly have a lot to learn. Go back and begin with the Harlem Renaissance, review the Abolitionist Movement in our nation, Consider the Civil Rights Movement, the March on Washington, Selma…, even the Proletariat Movement when Chairman Mao reached out to blacks in this nation…, and you will find that people of all races stood with us; more people in the world stood with us than the few in our nation who were against us. Ask why miscegenation laws and statutes were invented in our nation, it was because whites and blacks were getting together and a minority didn’t like it. You have your own set of miscegenation ideas in your head - you don’t want us to get together!
Read the works of Alexis de Tocqueville that Mumia referred to in his radio address, both volumes of Democracy in America should be helpful for you. In the 19th century de Tocqueville wrote about America, the good and the bad, including its mistreatment of black and native Americans. Should I hate him too, Jennifer Baker later found comfort in the hands of the French. Francois Mitterand, when he visited the USA about a decade or so ago, his first stop in America was to Dr. MLK’s gravesite, upon which he laid a reef.
To give people credit who have stood, fought and died for social justice is not to denigrate our own people, you have ignored my comments with regard to the blacks who have contributed positively to our nation and historical legacy. I do not criticize you for being black, I simply recognize that you have to grow through anger, and your apparent pathology at some point, that is if you intend to contribute anything positive to the cause of freedom and justice for ALL PEOPLE regardless of their skin color or ethnicity!
It will take consensus-building in order to destroy the vestiges of venal hatred that exists around the world and persists within white supremacist hegemonical Americans.
I would recommend that you find an Afro-American studies department in your area and enroll in it quickly, as well as an anger management class; the latter should be useful as well. Also, learn more about the disparate people in this world who have suffered just as we have, it should help you to get past your victim’s status, and give you a new perspective on what it will take to fight against all injustice. A good place to start?
The next time you’re in say American confiscated Hawaii, do as I did and stop in and visit their museums, talk to and observe the natives there and visit their ghettos, not just the beaches or tourist traps. That’s right, ghettos in Hawaii, many Hawiians live in squalid conditions. Why? The Hawaiians experienced both white and Japanese imperialism! The natives have been reduced to servitude within their own paradise, particularly after the Americans deposed their Queen and essentially took Hawaii, just as they took America, and now Iraq …! When I last visited Maui, all day long they played songs like, ‘Yawl Gone Make Me Loose My Mind Up in Here!
Many native Hawaiians work in the service industry, they are the busboys and maids and chauffeurs in their own land. They have grievances, however, there is something very unique about them and you could learn from - they don’t attack their own, they seek to build consensus. I still hear from some of them on a periodic basis, asking us to do what we can to help them.
Again I say unto you, evolve common sense, your worldview is to narrow. Get out of Harlem, and see the world. Ironically, a white man who grew up in Harlem, and I said that metaphorically to you, ended up with some of your apparent symptomology after growing up in Harlem. During his formative/prepubescent years, he thought that the white people were the minorities. He had tired of being victimized by blacks. It works both way Common Sense, we are not always just ourselves! Can you form your lips to say that, without following it up by your trenchant beliefs and comments that the Rev is simply a whitey lover. And I do love white people I spent Christmas this past Christmas day with white Americans who have spent their lives fighting for social justice.
And if that bugs you, I would say what Jesus said to his disciples in a very familiar story…, you did not offer to wash my feet! After you have developed a broader world-view and context beyond the limited one that you currently thrive in and rely upon, you will have a better sense of why we need to build consensus (out of common sense) with other people, and the importance of recognizing the imminent good or bad in all people, regardless of their color. If you are a believer, you will recall that Paul had to withstand the bigoted chief Apostle Peter to his face, just as I am having to do with you!
And when you are converted strengthen the brother, Peter evolved and was later known to send messages to believers like, ‘grow in grace’. El Hajj Malik El Shabazz grew in grace, he left his anger behind after he recognized that he had based his conclusions on a very narrowly focused perview of his narrowly focused world! There is nothing wrong with loving white, polynesians, latino, chicano, se asian, natives, teutons…, or YOURSELF (in a healthy manner)!
Be not like the Apostles that preferred to call fire down from Heaven (remind you of America’s UAVs…), and kill people who won’t receive you or the flawed parts of your assumptions!
May 9th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
@ Rev. Solomon,
Believe it or not Rev., i’m not angry at all. I’m just proud to be a black man in America. I’m proud of my father(who with my mother raised 5 kids and they have been together and married 48 years), proud of all of my grands who came from N. Carolina and Va., proud of various uncles, aunts, cousins who as positive black people helped mold me. Trust and believe, I have no esteem issues.
I respect Rev. Wright and admire him actually. I just don’t like his sabotage of Obama’s campaign, and that is what it was. Pride is a powerful thing and there are a lot of us who are incapable of seeing the big picture. If you live long enough, it is a natural order of nature that you will have more book and life knowledge than someone younger than you. But being an elder does not make you automatically correct in your views. Sometimes(as to use mother wit) you have to be able to see a long way. It was out of jealousy, envy and pride that allowed the Rev. Wright to allow himself to be used as a pitiful pawn in the attempt to undermine Obama’s campaign. If he had been able to, see a long way, then i’m sure he would have realized the error of his ways. His Bill Moyer interview showed his character and it should have ended right there, but no, he wanted to extend his 15 minutes of national fame so whoever offered him a chicken box and a microphone, he gladly would perform his minstrel show for. That’s what is was at the National Press Club, nothing but an ol’ fashioned minstrel show. Al Jolson would have been proud.
I also see you pick and choose what topics you choose to respond to. Still waiting,but not holding my breath on the “Never Forget” question I posed to you as well as why to African/Carribean switch tongue in front of you in a conversation, or why they attend mostly white churches. I know that you can’t or won’t answer that but you are quick to quote african/carribean issues or leaders. Simple questions Rev., enlighten me if you can or are some of your friends reading your posts? Say no to censorship! We are not being profane here and Mr. Brown III has let us express our opposing views. If he does not mind why should you unless you are writing for not only yourself, but also for the approval of others.
Also it was evident that you support Hillary. Why can’t you support her without bashing Barack? A measured analysis of both and then choose whoever you like. No problem with that. But all of the negativity, ugliness and pure bullcrap(Rev. Wright issue) have been facilitated by the media, the Clintons, or people who really are racist and cannot or will not accept that a BLACK man is on the verge of history.
Maybe if you use a different name on this post, you can really speak your mind and let the inner black that I know that is in you come out. Until then on this particular post we just don’t agree. You have made a few good points and I have conceded that, and also thank you for some points of references in some of your rants. It is not me Rev. that has a closed, one way view of things. After a certain age it is said that people get set in their ways, that it is hard to change. Wait..I take that bake. I did not mean to say change. Change is what the opponent of your choice for the presidency is offering. Sorry about that.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Wait…I take that back.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Wait…I take that back. Typo.
May 9th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Common Sense,
You are supporting Barack Obama, my default candidate, however, afterward you go on a rampage against other eligible voters who have legitimate questions and concerns about their candidate and are free to vote for which ever candidate that they care to vote for in this election cycle.
I will remind you as I often have had to remind my housemate, on more than one occasion, that I am voting for Obama, however, he is not my first choice! And much like you, he is still not satisfied, and constantly launches into very nasty and disrespectful attacks on Senator Clinton, having forgotten all that both she and her husband have done for the cause of social justice in America and the world, for about 30 years now!
In the early 80’s there was a book circulating that was titled, White Racism. For the benefit of some of my people, someone is going to have to write a book called, Black Racism, if someone has not done so already!
Which black American was a college roommate, for a while, of Senator Clinton? How quickly do you two and many others like you forget and turn on people, including your own who have fought for you. And you pejoratively refer to her as Ms. Anne; and without knowing me you toss me into the former UCBerekely Chancellor’s camp - a nice man by the way, who is black and happens to share a difference of opinion. Why don’t you go and burn a black cross in his yard?
I used to date the sister of one of a most prominent civil rights’s attorney in the Midwest. At times he and I would talk. One day the subject of hatemongering came up. He said that the majority of hate mail and threats that he received came from black people, his own people. Who killed Shabazz? And what black church conference ordered Dr. MLK to shut up?
I suspect that you may not recall what turned black business mogul JD Gadsen around, away and from criticizing Dr. King in Birmingham 4 decades ago?
No matter what my barrister friend did, particularly on occasions when he had to explain to his own people that the cases that they presented lacked sufficient evidence, not merit, and would not stand up in a court of law; much like you have shown a propensity for doing, they immediately turned against him! His family was subjected to persistent threatening phones calls from his own people!
When I consider all of your explanations with regard to the Wright Reverend’s motives for wanting to hurt Senator Obama, I say prove it, don’t slander a man! Many black Americans in the post and ante-bellum South turned in their sisters and brothers based on venal and unsubstantiated rumor and conjecture.
You are not silencing the Wright Reverend, even though you apparently want to quiet anyone else, apparently, who has the audacity to defend the Wright Reverend’s right to speak, or to question the mettle and toughness of Senator Obama.
When Minister Farrkhan returned from the Middle-East years ago, I attended his Press Conference at the National Press Club, on 14th Street I believe it was, in Washington DC. A lot of Americans did not want him to speak either, I ‘m pleased that he did. When Reverend Browning, from the AME Church there in MD, and other ministers returned from the Middle-East, they shared what most white Americans would not have wanted them to disclose. However, they told the other side of the story with regard to the mistreatment of the Palestinians, and the arrogance, selfishness and elitism of Sharon and company in Israel!
With regard to all of your other questions, we are going in circles. I’ve eaten in various ethnic restaurants, and the individuals in those restaurants that I have been in do not behave any differently than the staff in African American restaurants. Our people also greet you with restaurant appropriate patois, and when they return to the kitchen areas, they also revert to their first language, an American black dialect customarily punctuated with African American idioms. So what is your point?
Anthrophobia? Are you afraid of people? Do you have something bad to say about everyone? You need to refocus on your real enemy! I can only imagine what you will be saying when the conservatives take Obama a part!
Is it true that some individuals from the West Indies look down on American blacks? Answer: Do some African Americans look down on individuals from the West Indies, or black people in their own country who do not share their points of view?
May 9th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
BTW common sense,
You should be proud of your parents, they are your best role models.
With respect to something else that you wrote, Freudian slip likely, I concur:
“Pride is a powerful thing and there are a lot of us who are incapable of seeing the big picture”, you were referring actually to yourself. Isn’t it pride that is eating at you on the inside? If a black man runs the next time, should everyone vote for him? Remember, not every black person voted for Sharpton, Jackson or Chisholm?
I am pleased to hear that you really understood what the Wright Reverend was saying, given that he expressed the sentiments of most black Americans that I know and hav heard speak in that one sermon. You and I know that the majority of black Americans say the same things in private!
I explain to those who say that black people hate America as some have accused the Wright Reverend of doing, the following: many Americans hate their jobs, however, they still go to work everyday. Black Americans in other words have zero intentions of destroying America.
You may be shocked to know that I understand that whites have not experienced what blacks have experienced in this country, and based on their experiences, and the prism that they view America through, America is the greatest country in the world from their perspective! If the tables were turned, however, they would be the ones who would see America for what it is, a bifucrated class-structured society!
The white Americans who understand that blacks have had a completely difference experience in America, just as blacks hate the evil that America does and has done to black Americans, realize that so would a white American hate the evil had he experienced similar circumstantes. There are 6 things that God even hates!
We would be liars, if we did not admit to hating the injustices that arise from American white supremacy and white supremacists! The Wright Reverend told the truth!
BTW many Africans and other nationals believed that HIV was created at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta GA. Farfetched? It is certainly plausible!
May 9th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
@Rev Solomon,
You still misread or won’t address what I ask you so i’ll just respond to your last posts. In the words of that great American bard, Kanye West, “Ward Conelly hates black people”. How else would you describe his nefarious attempts at killing affirmative action. And as for Farrakan, he helped create a climate of hatred and hostility toward Malcoln X that led to his death and he gets no free pass on that.
I don’t think that the Clintons freed the slaves but lets look at their records.
I’ll give Bill a couple of things. First he understood the power of black media with his appearance on Arsenio Hall. Also the economy was very good for the black middle class and there was not a war and the problems now with housing, gas prices and the credit crunch. But lets go deeper.
He left the campaign trail to sign a death warrant for Ricky Ray Rector, a retarded black man to show that he was tough on crime.
He screwed Lani Guinier(a friend of his)by denying her even the opportunity of a hearing to serve as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the Justice Department.
It was Bill Clinton who signed the Anti-Terrorism and Death Penalty Act that severely limited appeals for death row inmates.(Thank god for The Innocence Project!!)
It was Bill Clinton who signed the Welfare Reform Bill which had the gall to call itself the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, but he never said a word about the hateful public relations campaign against poor black mothers that accompanied the introduction and passage of that bill.
Since you are an astute scholar on African issues, why have not you mentioned your beloved Bill and then Secretary of State Madeline Albright hemming and hawing and refusing to use the word “genocide” while 250,000 Tutsis were being massacred in Rwanda? He went all out to stop the genocide in the Balkans. What color skin was valued more by your beloved Clinton administration, the whites in the Balkans who were helped or the black Tutsis who were ignored?
I have no problem with Bill telling people to vote for his wife. But for him to say that Obama’s campaign is a “fairy tale” or that America would be “rolling the dice” to vote him or calling Obama a “boy” is highly offensive Let me follow this post further with your choice, Hillary.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
@Rev. Solomon,
Hillary is playing the race card way better than I ever could Rev. Solomon. Let’s review her campaign. First and foremost she thought that this was going to be a coronation. Then Iowa struck. She refused to apologize for her war vote but then it was to late. Obama was off to the races.
She tried to attack him on minor issues on basically the same heath care plan which also failed. On personality and character, no contest. He’s elegant, talented and intellectually quick on his feet. She lost that round also.
Then she trid a silly plagiarism charge that went nowhere. Then she tried the experience card. Past against future in a change election. Right. I can still hear that Bosnian sniper fire.
Obama has had some stumbles also with Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, Michelle Obama’s comments about never have been proud of America and Barack’s own guns-and-God condescention toward small-town whites.
Then she joins with McCain with this bogus gas tax holiday that took the spotlight off of the amazing Rev. Wright and his buffon show at the National Press Club. Just this past Wednesday in an interview with USA Today on why she should be the nominee instead of Obama, she cited an Associated Press article “that found Senator Obama’s support….among working, hardworking Americans, WHITE Americans,is weakening again. I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on”.
That is a hell of a rationale to take to the superdelegates. Translation: There’s no way that white people are going to vote for the black guy. In November you will be sorry. But to let you tell it Rev. Solomon, I’m the racist one.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Common Sense,
Go back and review your own threads, and compare them against what has been written in aggregate on this blog. You are the only one who is using terms like Ms. Ann, Whitey…., and basing your arguments on race instead of substance!
I am not an apologist for Hillary Clinton, and I gurantee you that you are far more fond of Senator Obama, than I am of Senator Clinton. I have simply repeated what I have done in every election, gather information, analyize the information and decided who I believed would be the best candidate.
And if you will be honest about the demographic and democratic shift among black voters, are you trying to tell me that it has not been based mostly upon Obama’s race? I was speaking to a black busdriver the other day, and he belted out, I LOVE OBAMA! Love him? Hmm!
And before you answer, along with Senator Clinton’s apparent expectation of being coronated by, black Americans, if the polls are correct, blacks intended to vote en masse, previously, for Senator Clinton. If black Americans who are leaning towards Obama now, as I understand at the rate of 90%, changed their position because they feel that Senator Obama is the best candidate, who can argue with that.
However, if blacks changed their votes simply because Obama is black, then as I have alluded to, many blacks are voting based on race, and simply repeating the mistakes of the past, i.e, voting according to race and gender. There is so much at stake both domestically and in the world, that a cavalier approach of voting in this year’s election according to any other variable than what is best, could have devastating long-term effects. GB is leaving the nation and the world in a mess!
Gas prices, food prices, wars, invasions, uninsured Americans, home-foreclosures, impending recession, occupations & invasions in other nations…!
We need someone who can turn America’s domestic and foreign policy agenda around. Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Somalia, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Cuba…, all need someone strong in office, as well as America, the DPRK and who did I miss?
I suppose that Maya Angelou, Maxine Waters and many others must not have gotten the memo, that their candidates is running a racist campaign.
Let me try this another way, you do not have to hate Senator Clinton in order to support Senator Obama. You clearly have a lot of animus saved up for Senator Clinton. All that I have done is to analyze the candidates who are running for the President of the USA! I don’t have any animus towards Senator Obama!
May 10th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Why is it that in choosing to vote for one candidate, that there has to be a referendum, by some, on everyone and everything else?
With respect to my having cherry-picked which ’strawmen’ questions I chose to respond to or not, what difference would it make.? May I simply stipulate that I do not agree with everything thatBIll Clinton did (NAFTA, GATT…), nor do I agree with everything that Hillary Clinton did (her vote to fund the Iraq war). With respect to Guinier, who nominated her?
My issue with you is that are attacking other seasoned voters, some of us who happen to be voting for the same person that you are voting for if he prevails, because we won’t despise our picks and the people that we have chosen first, to serve as President of the USA. Again, we are not the ones who are name calling and using pejoratives to describe other candidates.
If someone had employed the perjoratives that you have in reverse against Senator Obama or yourself, you would be screaming racism, or if it happened at work you would be contacting the EEOC!
May 10th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
@Rev. C. Solomon,
As tempted as I am to respond to your posts, since tomorrow is Mother’s Day I’ll save my incendiary, racist, inflammatory remarks for next week or on the next post where we disagree. I want to take this time to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all the black women who have had an impact in your life. And the white mothers too.(And that didn’t even hurt Rev.)
May 13th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Common Sense,
And what will you say to the white mother’s, Happy Mother’s Day Miss Ann?
I’m sure that your mother did not raise you to be so narrow, caustic and abrasive, and you’ve proven that it takes time to mature. Someday, you will learn to carry on a dialogue, without lashing out at people or peppering the dialogue with racist repartee! Isn’t that what black Americans have been saying to our counterparts for years?
Deal with your pathology Common Sense.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
@Rev. Solomon,
Even you in your indignation and quick to label me(as I am you), fail to see the wit, humor or in an abstract way, declaring peace on Mother’s Day! Rev., it does not take a genius to see that your posts are being monitored.
I cannot even take a day off from replying to you and wishing black and white mothers a happy Mother’s Day without you taking it to the alley.
Let me congratulate you and Miss Ann on her stunning, spectacular, game-changing, election-changing win in the great, open-minded, all men are created equal state of West Virginia. There are truly no race problems in America. Land of the free, home of the brave. I know you have your hand over your heart as you read this. I know you will sleep well tonight!! All is well in the world.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Concensus,
I see that you are still fixated on race, and the venal and subtle use of perjoratives which expose your underlying motives! Your writings do not reflect the attitude or the tenor of the candidate that you appear to support - he is not a racist. You also have some deep-seated psycho-social/projection issues it would appear. !
I will leave you with this quotation (hope it helps):
It seems to me that every experience I have, possesses meaning and significance. I can see the focus of that which happens to me upon the screen of my life and can understand that the messages are coming to me, and they will be prepared to go out from me as I seek to guide and lead and develop those who need my help.
Mary McLeod Bethune
You need help consensus!