The combustible black jazz and social critic Stanley Crouch has a powerful piece up today talking about how Obama trumped the Farrakhans of the black community. Excerpt:
So much focus on the range of black Americans, especially in our news media, has provided substantial proof that the black community is as susceptible to mediocrity as any other. Obama knew what to make of that. That is very important.During the Civil Rights movement and in the writings of men like James Baldwin, there was the idea that the "black experience" bestowed something more soulful, earthy, and transcendent on that ethnic group and that was the thing that could save America. When one looks only at the violent decadence, mindless misogny and compulsive crude materialism of of hip hop it is easy to see that no ethnic version of American culture is automatically able to sustain the sort of vitality necessary to replenish it. Right now the country has been forced to face something else about human behavior at least partially because of men like Farrakhan, the high profile fradulence of the Tawana Brawley hoax, Jesse Jackson's philandering and imprenating a mistress during the time that he prayed with Bill Clinton. We cannot forget the noxious behavior of certain black athletes and entertainers. In short, black Americans proved themselves what the clearest thinkers of the Civil Rights Movement had always claimed: We can be just as good or just as bad as you. We are only human.
With that wind of human reality strongly behind him, Obama suddenly appeared like a fresh light in the sky on a very dark night.
Hmm. It will probably turn out that having the bitter old fraud Jeremiah Wright force a break with him was one of the best things ever to happen to Obama.
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This "white man's burden" schtick is getting soooooooo old. So is labeling a whole community based on the actions of a few. I would think that this debacle of an administration and election would have taught alot of you to look inward at your own unkempt houses, rather than continue to vilify others.
Teenage pregnancy, crime, out-of-wedlock relationships: Wright and countless others preached against all of these every sunday. Community organizations work to ameliorate these blights. But blacks are still pathological because Wright makes white folks blush.
You're right; we will never see eye-to-eye on these issues. Too much baggage.
Observations and facts? If his list of facts is what passes for objectivity around here, I can see why the neocons have completely misread the electorate in the last few years.
Wait a minute - Obama HAS given the sort of talks Lord Karth has said he ought to be giving. He just hasn't addressed them specifically to African Americans. The fact that this doesn't seem to count in the eyes of Lord Karth is telling and very problematic. Is he saying that African Americans aren't Americans? That they are too dumb to realize that they are included as Americans when Obama talks unless he specifically says "African Americans"? Either proposition is wrong and racist.
The African Americans I am close with greatly resent the idea that because they are successful they are under some sort of obligation to give other blacks "a good talkin' to", especially since African Americans aren't the only ones who need a good talking to. It's racist, condescending and unfair to insist that any African American bears a special responsibility not just to promote healthy, responsibly behavior, but to single out African Americans for that message. That's the basis for my response to Lord Karth - not ad hominem pot shots. (And his figures are inflated, but that's really not in the least bit relevant to the matter anyhow.)
Lord Karth says;
*Because he has attracted some 80-90 of the black vote in most areas of this country. Which is fine; who they choose to support is their problem. If he wants to do them a service--to truly BE a leader--he can tell them the hard things as well as the easy things.*
And, as everyone around here has been telling you...HE HAS. Once again, he talks about being a father, working hard, making families important, the importance of turning off the TV and reading, the importance of education etc. Are you objecting that he doesn't say ONLY blacks need to do this? The only change he would have to make to speeches he's been making for months is to say "Now I'm only talking to black folks here." And you think this would make his speech MORE effective? Please. Lots of whites, hispanics, asians, etc have the same problems. That's why he speaks of these problems to everybody.
Lord Karth also says;
*Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a foster-home visit to go to. Another city kid with a parent with drug problems that I need to see.
By the way, if it makes any difference, the girl and her mother are white*
The question is why does it make a difference to you? Why mention it? If these are problems that exist across racial lines (and they do as you've proved) then why shouldn't Obama talk to AMERICANS rather than just African-Americans.
There is an interesting article at the same site referenced above by Jeffrey Hartm, a speechwriter for Reagan and Nixon. He worked at the National Review for four decades.
Hartm is one of a long list of high profile Republicans that are voting for Obama. Hartm's summary:
"Obama is the Real Conservative"
"One thing I know is that both Nixon and Reagan would have agreed with Obama's speech against the Iraq war ... But all the organs of the conservative movement followed Bush over the cliff - as did John McCain.
Republican George W Bush has not been a conservative at all, either in domestic policy or in foreign policy"
How many of you actually listened to the two sermons that were the major source of the few second clips? How many of you know that Rev Wright was G** Damming the Bush administration for wanting to start an unjust war in Iraq that would kill innocent people. Wright's sermon has excellent points! The pastor in my all white church made a similar sermon; however, it was delivered in a different manner.
I think Rev Wright's sermon was at a far higher intellectual level. I had to do considerable reading about the war to understand what he was saying .
I find it amazing that many people posting have all the answers. Obama should or should not have done certain things. Sterotyping by race and other factors.
How about trying to step into other people's shoes? How about realizing that we all look at things from our own narrow perspective? How about more listening?
How about loving your neighbor even if you disagree with them, which would include not demonizing Rev Wright.
an observer: "Karth it strikes me is making points based upon statistic, and I presume unmanipulated fact."
That's correct. Blacks have a higher crime rate.
http://www.city-journal.org/2008/18_2_criminal_justice_system.html
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