Some time ago I wrote a post about Black Leadership Self Hatred and The Obama Campaign.
Since the clowning of Rev. Wright, I have decided to take a look backwards at a few of the black folks who have worked non stop to destroy Barack Obama's opportunity of being President of the United States. Check out the list and let me know if I'm right? Is there any that should not be on this list? Are there any that should be included? if so why? Here is my list of 5 Blacks in leadership who have attempted to destroy Barack Obama's attempts to be President.
# 1 Rev. Wright
# 2 - Bob Johnson
You remember Bob Johnson, the guy who said, Geraldine Ferraro was right. There is a reason why Hillary lost the black vote. It was wa because her and her ignorant color aroused husbands campaigning, and Bob Johnson.
# 3 Andrew Young
# 4 Tavis Smiley,
You know Tavis Smiley, the guy who refused to allow Sen. Barack Obama wife to speak at the State of the Black Union event that provided a platform for Tavis to speak out against Barack Obama. There is talk of hater, sellout and traitor within black communities regarding Tavis Smiley and his comments regarding Barack Obama. I agree, he is a hater and sellout regarding Barack. But that is just my opinion. Check out this brothers opinion, below:
#5 Maya Angelou a women who I deeply respect as a poet, yet I am disappointed with in terms of her old, "yes um" politics of the past. Her support of Hillary is a contradiction of her poetry. Now Hillary is adding Maya Angelou as CNN noted recently, first releasing an open letter touting the New York senator’s character and now staring in a new 60 second television ad.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
I am most disappointed and perplexed by Maya Angelou. "My girl??????" WTH?
Great post!
Oh Lord here we go. On this one I can't really dispute any of them EXCEPT Maya. You have to rememeber that Black women are both women and Black. Dr. Maya's support might not be based on her hatred of her Blackness.
Maya has a relationship with Hillary that predates Obama, so i can see her supporting her. Bill let Maya recite that poem about a river a rock and a tree and the mastadon. I still remember that poem from over a decade ago.
The rest of them... have at em..
It is quite simplistic, rather intellectually lazy, and borderline disingenuous to say that any of these people are evidencing a self hatred or hatred of Blacks simply because the chose not to support Barak Obama. Of course I probably just put myself on the list with that statement. I'd criticize some of these people for supporting an even less palatable candidate in Hillary Clinton. But to single them out and disrespect them like this because they don't toe the party line is out of line, IMO.
Interesting assessment on these fab five. For Rev. Wright - I think he started "smelling himself" after the Moyers interview and the NAACP speech. But when it came to the Press Club, well at that point he thought his s*it didn't stink and that it was all about him. Classic example of open mouth and insert foot - but the foot someone just should have inserted the foot in the other end.
Young - not surprised at this pick. He's still believes his 40 year old press clippings and that what he has to say is important or meaningful.
Johnson - well, he's just an idiot stuck on stupid! Cockadoodledo...his chickens will come home to roost, too.
Tavis - he tested his strength and found that he didn't have any when (in my opinion) he promised Clinton that his support would garner the support of other African Americans in exchange for some high level position in her administration or a primetime television show. When he saw that he could not deliver on that promise, he tried at his own peril to discredit Obama. Like O.J. - he'll be back.
Maya - now that's a hard one. I mean she supports Hillary dispite the fact that her girl Oprah supports Obama. But, I really think her support comes from a different place. And I guess, I can't be mad at her for that.
SjP
I don't necessarily take issue with any member of the U.S. Electorate, black or white, who cast their support for a particular candidate and encourage others to do so (with some limited exceptions). What is disturbing is the specter of entitlement of too many Sen. Obama's supporters. While his candidacy is inspiring, we are no more obligated to support him than any other candidate. Ironically, that's the greatest merit of the Obama campaign, a reason to look beyond race and focus on his vision, which is compelling.
With respect to Tavis Smiley, he has consistently been provided a forum to champion the Victim de Jour and occasionally alert us to something of substance.
What I Learned This Week
http://whatilearnedthisweek.wordpress.com/
Exodus: You wrote, It is quite simplistic, rather intellectually lazy, and borderline disingenuous to say that any of these people are evidencing a self hatred or hatred of Blacks simply because the chose not to support Barak Obama. Of course I probably just put myself on the list with that statement. I'd criticize some of these people for supporting an even less palatable candidate in Hillary Clinton. But to single them out and disrespect them like this because they don't toe the party line is out of line, IMO.
AAPP: Dwight, I am not a Democrat, I'm a registered Independent.
When you write, I'm simplistic, intellectually lazy, and borderline disingenuous, you had me on the floor LOL
You see Dwight, Their own words speak volumes. If anything their words were simplistic, intellectually lazy, and borderline disingenuous. Candidly, I like to keep it simple (Keep is Simple Stupid) rather than to get into intellectual masturbation about the obvious. Your insults of my being simplistic, intellectually lazy, and borderline disingenuous does not change the FACTS or make your comments true. But, you have the right to your opinion.
Carmen D, Gina, SJP, You all seem to believe that Maya Angelou supports Clinton based on past relationships or that she was appointed Poet L. By Clinton. Should she not show more "character" even though her and the Clinton's have a relationship. Did not South Carolina black voters (she lives in N/C one state over) vote 90% or Barack? Is she so disconnected that she can't see her people, are not feeling Hillary? Can't she see and hear black voices saying this is a moment black America has waited for, that many in America have been waiting or, a change in the course discourse in America? Leadership is knowing when to support the masses of your own people.
Thoughts.
Although I agree that none of those on your list ought to be supporting Hillary, yet the Maya Angelou call is the most problematic in terms of understanding her motivation and calling her to account.
Maya Angelou was poet laureate of the United States under the Clinton Administrations, and I believe (although I may be mistaken) that she was the first Black poet to be so named.
So, it's likely that she developed a close relationship with Hillary Clinton and feels some loyalty, some devotion and some sense of debt to her.
In addition, Maya Angelou joined Clniton's campaign at a time when the only woman running was Clinton and there were no Blacks in the contest at all. Maya Angelou signed on with Hillary Clinton when Clinton's candidacy was our only opportunity to end the 43-term white male monopoly of the presidency in this election cycle.
The question now is, "How much color-aroused politicking will Billary & Co. have to do before Maya Angelou simply can't stomach their company anymore and decides to dump them for Barack Obama? Has she been reading the news and paying attention to what the Clintons have been saying and doing? If so, she might not be with the Clintons for very much longer. All of the air is coming out of the Clinton balloon.
Motivations or Intent are not necessarily relevant. One could reasonably conclude that it is Pure Racism to morally obligate a Black Man or Woman to support a candidate based on Race.
The Intellectually Lazy charge would certainly apply to those who conclude, without scrutiny or consideration of merit, that their best interest inherently rest with a candidate who shares their Race & Culture.
What I Learned This Week
http://whatilearnedthisweek.wordpress.com/
It's ALWAYS surprising to see the non-support of influential older black people, especially in this situation.
Does anyone one remember where the Clintons come from?Yes a poor back woods State,Arkansas.They went to NY because the Black leaders not the people welcomed them.The people did not benefit under Clinton only these preachers and Black politicians.Calvin Butts is a prime example Million steered to his church from the Clintons.Maya Angelou is a house nanny for the Clintons suckling them at her breast.Rob Johnson is a billion dollar coon,money cant buy character,and a soul.Tavis just got to full of himself.Warnings were sent out two years ago by Min Farrakhan that he was leading a covenant farce and look what happened to him.Black America is sending a message to self hating traitors that their days are numbered.
I have been wondering why so many black males seem to be having hissy fits around Obama's run for the Presidency. The number of black males who have appeard of late on Huffington post.com taking whacks at Obama (are using their comments on his campaign to build their own name recognition)are interesting in the least.
Maya Angelou is obvious...Clinton invited her in 1990 to be the first black female poet to write and read an inaugural poem at his swearing-in ceremonies. It was/is a brilliant poem that set the tone for his first term. I suspect she got one of Bill's 3am calls wherein he was calling in his IOUs. Maya, will all respect is 80 and my experience with our seniors is that once they lock into an idea or situation it is tough to move them off. She felt she owed the Clintons...she paid them back.
Bob Johnson is a joke, a rich joke, but nontheless a joke! I do not know this man, but know his type. He is a bit like Ward Connerly with money (if you don't know Ward read up on him).
Andrew Young is simply an old man who must be seriously unhappy with his life at this point.
Tavis Smiley is the biggest disappointment because he has proven himself to be such a plain old suck-up with a big head. No class whatsoever.
Rev. Wright's interview on PBS with Bill Moyer was brilliant. Moyer was clearly there to provide Wright with an equal opportunity to tell his story without hyperbole. And it is a brilliant and intriquing story. The only wrong step for me in that interview was Wright's dismissal of Moyer's question about Farrakhan's anti-semitic statement years ago. Wright was dismissive of the question. I would have thought when he saw how the right wing looped his sliced and diced sermons 24/7 that would have taught him that you don't get mad, you get even. Later when I learned that he had Farrakhan's bodyguards at the Press Club in Washington, I knew who had whipped him into the joke he became (for me) at the Press Club.
Lots of so-called political leaders are unhappy because Obama didn't come and ask their permission...but inherent in having the guts to run for the Presidency is the knowledge that you do not ask permission. Black folks in politics in this country have become each other's gatekeepers. It keeps smart new folks out and holds the fort for those who are becoming political anachronisms. We need new smart black minds running every major black nonprofit!
I suspect lots of those black folks on the Hill hated the Media coverage on Obama after the 2004 speech in Boston. Politicians have the idea that you have to wait until you have paid your dues. Obama had not paid his dues in their estimation. So when he decided to run against Hillary, all those black folks who Clinton had bought with favors endorsed Hillary. However,when Obama showed all the chinks in Hillary's armor in Iowa, black folks who feared he might really be competitive started to take pot shots at him...Then Hill and Bill started the race-baiting.(May I say here I have never believed Bill Clinton wanted to have his wife duplicate the most significant achievement of his lifetime-thus his gaffes were not really gaffes but a strategy to kill Hill's chances) surprise, surprise two highly vocal endorsers of Hillary,Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters kept quiet. Black folks who endorsed Hillary have got to be holding their noses. They have a real problem. If Obama wins, they have done nothing for him and history will show they were on the wrong side of supporting the first black man to run and win the Presidency. Remember Obama's win also means they were not politically astute enough to see this guy as a winner. So I figure some were hoping for a Hillary win, to make all of the post election discussion of who supported who go away. When Obama shows up at the White House, he owes nobody but the people who endorsed and supported him.
Few, if any black folks in this country have a real clue what it means to have real political power and what to do with it. And none of them are in or have ever been elected to Congress.
please excuse typos and misspellings. I hate proofing.
Post a Comment