Black Leadership Accountability A View From Mid-America

I thought these comments were instructive on how some in middle America are viewing old guard black leadership and emerging black leadership. After you read the post, take a few minutes to share your thoughts on this blog and at the Idaho Mountain Express. My gut response is, although I don't agree with all Pat Murphy has to say about the leadership of Jesse and Al, He and other "Pat Murphys" just might be on to something.

Has Obama doomed ‘black leaders’ sham?

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By PAT MURPHY

Barack Obama may have thankfully brought something else decent to U.S. politics—a merciful end to self-styled "black leaders" who claim to speak for the nation's African Americans by promoting anti-white sentiments.

The most notorious of these, of course, are the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who haven't had a meaningful following for years and need to drum up controversy to lure TV cameras to hear what they have to say. The Don Imus flap brought Sharpton back from the dead.

Sharpton and Jackson are so yesteryear. When they invoke "African Americans" as their cause, they do as much to perpetuate racial divisions in the country as white rednecks throwing around the "N" word.

Along comes Barack Obama. Had he been of the Sharpton-Jackson school of politics, he would've expended virtually all his time and effort trying to capture the "black" vote and championing the needs of "black" Americans.

But Obama has proven with his gift of wisdom beyond his years that Americans are tired of black, white, Hispanic politics. They're hungry for leaders whose clear-eyed vision sees public service and the country's needs as without color or race or gender.

The Obama appeal proves him correct. He's been on a victory sweep in state caucuses and primaries by appealing to voters of all colors and gender, even those of Republican sentiments.

Naturally, Sharpton and Jackson dread going out of business, of being ignored by media, of no longer being identified as speaking for "black Americans," although there's no evidence black Americans as a group need or want Sharpton or Jackson to speak for them. More HERE