Shelby Steele - Hating on Barack Obama?

Is Barack Obama an Iconic Black? Well that is what Shelby Steele, a Hoover Institution scholar and author of "The Content of Our Character," is arguing. He argues that Obama's public stance is essentially synthetic. As reported By David S. Broder in the Sunday, November 25, 2007 edition of The Washington Post

Selby Steele

In "A Bound Man," Steele makes the case that Obama has adopted "a mask" familiar to many African Americans, designed to appease white America's fear of being thought racist by offering it the opportunity to embrace a nonthreatening black person.

Steele writes that "the Sixties stigmatized white Americans with the racial sins of the past -- with the bigotry and hypocrisy that countenanced slavery, segregation and white supremacy. Now, to win back moral authority, whites -- and especially American institutions -- must prove the negative: that they are not racist. In other words, white America has become a keen market for racial innocence."

Steele likens Obama's success to the fame and fortune won by Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. But the earliest of the crossover heroes he calls "iconic Negroes" was Sidney Poitier.

Steele, who shares with Obama the lineage of having a white mother and a black father, writes sympathetically of the pressures that drove both sons to choose to live their lives as blacks while operating in largely white institutions.

"The problem here for Barack, of course, is that his racial identity commits him to a manipulation of the society he seeks to lead," Steele writes. "To 'be black,' he has to exaggerate black victimization in America. . . . Worse, his identity will pressure him to see black difficulties -- achievement gaps, high illegitimacy rates, high crime rates, family collapse, and so on -- in the old framework of racial oppression." Read More HERE

So what do you think? Is Barack Obama an Iconic Black? Is there something wrong with that?

Is Steele's case that Obama has adopted "a mask" familiar to many African Americans, designed to appease white America's fear of being thought racist by offering it the opportunity to embrace a nonthreatening black person - a big deal? Is Shelby Steele just hating on Barack? Or does he have some good points?

"You're Not The Woman" But " Are You The Man"

As Hillary braces for a possible letdown in Iowa, Jack at Jack and Jill Politics has a great series on why he won't Support Hillary Clinton. I have big respect for both Jack, Jill and all the bloggers at Jack and Jill Politics. Jack raises some great points on why he and others won't be supporting Hillary.



I have to give the brother a big hat tip. I also want to thank him for the link to the Code Pink demonstration, when they called Hillary out years ago regarding Bush's war on Iraq. I have have big respect for Code Pink, the women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities.

There are differing views on if black folks should vote for a president based on a candidates race. But guess what we have been doing that since Shirley Chisholm ran for office right?

Faye Anderson at her Blog Anderson@large has a lot to say about the topic of race and the presidency. She has followed Obama and his wife Michelle campaign for some time. Faye Anderson notes in a recent blog post, Barack Obama says "the American people have moved beyond race (and here). Perhaps. A new Pew Research Center survey found that nearly 40 percent of blacks think "blacks can no longer be thought of as a single race." Black support of Sen. Hillary Clinton suggests black voters have indeed moved beyond race."

But, as Faye Anderson Notes, in an interview with MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski, Michelle Obama dismissed the possibility that they are making informed decisions. Instead, in her worldview, black support for Hillary stems from a clinical disorder.

I understand what Faye Anderson is pointing out regarding Obama's wife when Faye wrote, "Michelle Obama is the one who needs to “wake up and get it.” For black voters, it’s about experience and electability – not race." Read More HERE

AAPP: I agree with most people who feel that race should not be the sole part of the decision-making process, yet, anyone who says it will 'not be part' of the decision-making process in the 2008 presidential race is not being honest with themselves.

I don't think that we as Black Americans should vote lock step with Obama or Hillary unless she outlines her plans to target resources to African American communities. There should be some systems in place to gain commitments from those running for the highest political office in the land to better the lot of black communities. Why is it that the democrats can authorize billions of dollars every six months for Iraq, but can't commit billions to inner city and decaying schools, health care, child care, housing, drug treatment, anti gang programs for every major city in America? Neither Clinton nor Obama has laid out a Clinton Plan or Obama Plan to rebuild New Orleans, or for that matter any city in America. Where is the Obama plan to rebuild urban areas of America? Or the Clinton Plan to rebuild Newark, or Gary, IN? Why are blacks not coming together and pressing the issue in a United Front?

Should the best man or woman with a plan win the black vote? There is no mistaking his campaign theme: it's time for the old to move over and make way for the new.

Or will it be politics as usual in the black community, with black folks having the opportunity to place a hold on the evil parts of the other American Dream? I'm not sure only time will tell. Will experience really count, or will it be the color of ones skin?

I'm old school, the old school that Obama seems to care less about. can you remember this old school joint from Marvin Gaye? it's relevant today, and may be something that Marvin Gaye wrote for Barack Obama without knowing it:

MARVIN GAYE lyrics - You're The Man

People marching on Washington
Better hear what they have to say
'Cause the tables just might turn against you, brother
Set around Election Day
Politics and hypocrites
Is turning us all into lunatics
Can you take the guns from our sons?
Right all the wrongs this administration has done?
Peace and freedom is the issue
Do you have a plan wager?
If you've got a plan
If you've got a master plan
Got to vote for you
Hey hey, got to vote for you
'Cause you're the man

Should black women rally around Obama, because he is black?

As reported on Kansas City.com Barack Obama's wife has a heavy message for blacks in this early voting Southern state: Her husband's chances of defeating Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination may hinge more on them than they do on white voters. More HERE

AAPP asks: "Should black people support Barack Obama because he is black?

Is Michelle Obama wrong when she outwardly urges black women to support her husband. Would blacks be pissed if John Edwards wife asked a group of white women to support her husband because he is white?

What ever happened to Barack Obama's comments and speech in which he says; "There is No Black America." Now all of a sudden there is a "Black America." ??? Because your not gaining the black vote they thought would be in the bag? My guess, because he thought black folks would vote for him just because he is black, and because he had the audacity to run (which by the way is a good thing).

Will "Black America Wake Up And Get It"? Or are Michelle Obama's comment's just as off point, and off color, as her Barack's comments about there being no Black America?

How do we fix dunbar village?

Bloggers Aaron & Alaine from the blog A Political Season have some interesting ideas about how to address the problems of Dunbar Village. Check out there thoughts below, and please check out their blog at A Political Season.

How Do We Fix Dunbar Village? The East Lake Experience Offers Some Guidance

by: Aaron & Alaine
A Political Season

Gina Smith at WAOD recently wrote about having an epiphany as a counter protester at a recent Barack fundraiser. She was peppered with questions by the attendees and after answering them, realized that wanting other people to be as outraged as she is (and as I am) by the Dunbar Village atrocity isn't a meaningful end in itself and that her role as an informer had been carried out. What people do with that information is the bigger issue.

I found her self reflection very refreshing and it turns the conversation to what the heck are we going to do about Dunbar Village. Because fundamentally, the horror of Dunbar is that people are living in conditions where that can happen again and again. Doing something about Dunbar means eradicating the conditions in which such a thing could so readily happen.

A part of what has to happen in Dunbar Village is that Dunbar residents, supported by their local community, have to become organized to address their conditions. They will need help to do that, it will not be something they can do on their own. The issue is how do we help them organize to fix what is a very tough situation. My contribution to that is to say that it CAN be done and that it HAS been done in other places. The East Lake Projects experience in Atlanta is one to look at for some inspiration. Read More HERE

Dear Mr. President

I'd like to see more rappers write lyrics like this.

Playing House with Boys?

File this post under Low Life

Anthony Mccarthy, who serves as Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon’s spokesperson, is the subject of the complaint of having sex with minors.

Anthony W. McCarthy, a top aide and spokesman in Mayor Sheila Dixon's administration, is being investigated by Baltimore County police for "inappropriate behavior" and was placed on indefinite leave from his position, the mayor's office confirmed. More HERE

African American Political Pundit has learned from "sources" close to the investigation that he is being investigated for having sex with boys while in his care and custody.

Happy Thanksgiving

African American Political Pundit Youtube Broadcast

The afrospear continues to be in the News. African American Political Pundit takes a look at the group.

Indianapolis Black Accountability Project Started

Black Accountability Projects - Indy Launched



Faced with growing unemployment, a rise in black on black crime, white hate crimes out of control, a rise of black pessimistic attitude about America, and a failure of organizations and institutions both black and white to address these issues, black bloggers are creating a new internet based civil rights, human rights and black accountability movements. One of those movements is gaining momentum across black America -The Black Accountability Project.

Black accountability projects are beginning to created across Amrerica even though the start up date was announced for December 1, 2007.

One example is the Blog Black Accountability Project affiliate: Black Accountability Project - Indy which is one of the first of many Black Accountability "WatchBlogs" that will serve to hold local black leadership, opinion makers, public officials and non-profit institutions accountable.

For more information on Black Accountability Project Indianapolis write blogger, The Exhorter at: blackaccountabilityprojectindy@gmail.com

To Join the The Black Accountability Project movement in your city or state write: blackaccountabilityproject@gmail.com

Black Accountability Projects

Black Accountability Projects Launched



Faced with growing unemployment, a rise in black on black crime, white hate crimes out of control, a rise of black pessimistic attitude about America, and a failure of organizations and institutions both black and white to address these issues, black bloggers are creating a new internet based civil rights, human rights and black accountability movements. One of those movements is gaining momentum across black America -The Black Accountability Project.

Black accountability projects are beginning to created across Amrerica even though the start up date was announced for December 1, 2007.

One example is the Blog Black Accountability Project affiliate: Black Accountability Project - Indy which is one of the first of many Black Accountability "WatchBlogs" that will serve to hold local black leadership, opinion makers, public officials and non-profit institutions accountable.

For more information on Black Accountability Project Indianapolis write blogger, The Exhorter at: blackaccountabilityprojectindy@gmail.com

To Join the The Black Accountability Project movement in your city or state write: blackaccountabilityproject@gmail.com

Tim Page = Racism, Ignorance, or Free Speech

Racism rears it's ugly head at The Washington Post.

Was it "Intemperate E-Mail" or a bigoted statement?

Washington Post writer attacks Marion Barry for his illness of many years ago.

Reporter apologizes for calling Marion Barry a 'crack addict'

WRITER ADMITS CALLING MARION BARRY 'CRACK ADDICT

OK I'm not sure any of my readers have been checking out what has been going on around the country, but racism has been running rampant through Washington, DC establishments and across America. Now it has hit the Washington Post in such a clear way, but some would rather call it an intemperate moment. Read MRE HERE

I'm talking about Tim Page, A Washington Post classical music critic who sent a racist, bigoted, insulted and ranting e-mail to Andre Johnson, an aide to D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8). Yes I'm talking about former Mayor of Washington, DC Marion Barry, who is now a DC Coucilman.

I agree with former Mayor Marion Barry, wen he sais "I appreciate Downie's sincere apology, but it's not enough. He [Page] ought to be fired."

Here's the background of the story:

After receiving an unsolicited press release, Page snapped back: "Must we hear about it every time this crack addict attempts to rehabilitate himself with some new -- and typically half-witted -- political grandstanding? I'd be grateful if you would take me off your mailing list. I cannot think of anything the useless Marion Barry could do that would interest me in the slightest, up to and including overdose." Page said he earlier asked to be removed from the e-mail list; Johnson said the office has no record of that.

The e-mail, sent from The Post's system, outraged Johnson and Barry, a former District mayor, who compared it to "character assassination" when "around the nation, it's almost open season on black people."

Get this, now Deborah Howell an Ombudsman for the Post has written an article (no doubt from the pen of Tim Page regarding The Toll of an Intemperate E-Mail. She goes on in her (or Tim Pages) article about how last summer, Page wrote a memoir for the New Yorker about his lifelong experience with Asperger's syndrome, a form of mild autism marked by difficulties with communication, over stimulation and social interaction. Read More HERE

Well damn, this guy should have been in early retirement a while back. He has significant difficulties with communication, over stimulation and social interaction. Early retirement. End of story.