GARY A. JOHNSON
Samuel H. Johnson (1932-2009)
Tomorrow is Father’s Day 2009. This will be my first Father’s Day without my father, who passed away earlier this year in February. For some reason I wanted to know about the history of Father’s Day. I grew up believing that Father’s Day was invented by the greeting card companies. I conducted some research and learned that the first Father’s Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, WA, when Mrs. John B. Dodd first proposed the idea of a “Father’s Day” a year earlier. At that time there were no Father’s Day cards.
Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd’s mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself. It was after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she reflected and appreciated how strong and giving her father was when it came to raising his children as a single parent.
At about the same time in various towns and cities across American other people were beginning to celebrate a “Father’s Day.” In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father’s Day. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father’s Day.
Over the decades Father’s Day has become a day to not only honor your father, but all men who act as a father figure including stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and adult male friends.
If you were fortunate like me to have a good relationship with your father or any man that positively influenced your life, celebrate them and their memory. Find a way that is meaningful and personal for you.
My father, Samuel H. Johnson, lived a full life. Despite his unbelievably tragic upbringing and not having a father in his life, he managed to be a wonderful father. As a young adult, he had men in his life who taught him how to be respectful and trusting of others, when he lived in a world where very few people could be trusted.
Somehow my Dad managed to make his children feel safe and loved in a world that did not provide those things to him. He had a lot of help from my mother, but my focus is on Dad today. Toward the end of his life, I have some very powerful and treasured memories of my father. We spent a lot of quality time together during the last year of his life. We laughed and shared a few heart-felt moments that help me put life in perspective.
If your father is living and you have a relationship with him, don’t take it lightly. In your own special way, try to make every day “Father’s Day.” Respecting, loving, forgiving and appreciating you father is no easy task, but it is worth it in the end.
I miss my Dad. A few days before he passed away, my Dad told me there would be aspects of my life that would change when he passed. In short, he warned that I would have some difficult days in front of me. My life was pretty good. I didn’t understand what he was talking about then, but here I am four months after his death and I’m beginning to understand what he was trying to tell me, which makes me appreciate him more.
Watching my Dad’s health decline to a point where he depended upon others to do for him was tough. In helping to care for him, I believe I was setting the best example for his prize possessions—his two grandsons. My sons had a front row seat for what it takes to care for a loved one in who can’t care for themselves. You must be patient, caring and have a heart-felt desire to give the patient the best quality of life.
My father was a good man who overcame obstacles in life that would have ruined most people. I promised my father that I would follow in his footsteps and be a father to my sons that he was to me.
So on this day, and every day, I remember my Dad. To all the men who have stepped up to the plate and handled their business and other people’s business when it comes to fatherhood–Happy Father’s Day!
Gary Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog. Gary is also the author of the new book“25 Things That Really Matter In Life.”
Michael Steele
By Gary A. Johnson
May 19, 2009
Comedian Michael Steele gave a much anticipated speech today at the National Harbor Complex in Oxon Hill, MD, where he tried to steady the sinking ship also known as his “leadership” of the Republican National Committee (RNC). If you’ve followed this man’s career, it is hard to take him seriously. This is why I refer to him as comedian Michael Steele.
In his one-man show in the form of a speech today, comedian Steele promised the that “the era of apology for Republican mistakes of the past is officially over,” declared that “we’re going to take the president head-on” and boasted that the Republican comeback is already under way.
Oh really?
Steele is shaking in his boots that he doesn’t upset another entertainer—Rush Limbaugh, because that will mean Steele would have to apologize to Limbaugh (again).
Absent from the comedian’s remarks were new ideas. He said nothing new and nothing of substance. This dude is really obsessed with President Barack Obama. I don’t know what the President ever said or did to him, but comedian Steele never misses an opportunity to try and “diss” President Obama. Comedian Steele repeatedly argued that President Obama was making our lives worse by increasing federal spending. He never mentioned any Republican plan to help families and small businesses.
I bet leaders in the Republican Party are sorry they ever elected this dude as the front man for their party.
Why do I say this?
For starters he appears to be in over his head. He doesn’t know where he stands on an issue and some of his positions are not consistent with the party line. I don’t care what HE says, comedian Michael Steele appears very much to be a figurehead for the organization and he knows it. What is beginning to bother him is that WE know it!
Comedian Steele addressing reports that the RNC is seeking to reduce his funding authority told FOX News that part of his job is to “manage the money” and suggested that if committee members strip him of that authority he’ll step aside. Think about it. The RNC elects a black chairman to run the party and now they’re looking to implement ways to restrict his ability to manage the money. Yeah, that’s a vote of confidence.
The Republican Party is treating comedian Michael Steele like a baby wearing “Pull Ups.” They just don’t think he’s ready for “big boy” pants. Real power in politics comes with MONEY! If you can’t control the money, you have no power. The Republican Party is sending the comedian Michael Steele a “warning shot” in the form of a message by threatening to mess with his money.
“They can contemplate all they want to, but the reality is if they want a figurehead chairman you can have a figurehead chairman, but it won’t be Michael Steele,” the comedian said.
If ever there was an “empty suit” it is comedian Michael Steele. His party lost the presidency and control of Congress in the last two major national elections and national polls show more Americans are moving away from the Republican Party.
Under Steele’s leadership the big debate on the agenda today is whether to refer to the Democratic Party as “socialist.” Is this leadership?
And you wanted to know why I refer to this guy as a comedian. He’s funny and not to be taken seriously—that’s why
My Reaction To CNN Presents “Black in America” by Gary A. Johnson
Part II of CNN Presents Black in America focused on “The Black Man.” I hate to sound like a broken record, but this show fell short of my expectations. It was so negative that at one point I thought I was having a heart attack. If I was wearing a blood pressure cuff it would have blown off of my arm. Would it have been so bad to show one black male success story from start to finish?
Here is CNN’s official description of the show: “In Black in America: The Black Man, Soledad O’Brien evaluates the state of black men in America and explores the controversial topics of black men and fatherhood; disparities between blacks and whites in educational, career and financial achievement; and factors leading to the dramatic rates of black male incarceration. The documentary also examines the achievements of black men and the importance of the positive influences of black fathers.”
There are tens of thousands of black men who don’t have children out of wedlock. There are tens of thousands of black men who have children out of wedlock and take care of their children financially and are involved in their lives.
Some of CNN’s portrayal of black men included showing brothers married to white women, a marketing executive with mostly white friends and whose black friends say he’s not black enough, a lower-tiered rapper and a 32-year old high school graduate with some college finding a part-time job after months of searching.
The segment featuring the Reverend/Doctor/Professor Michael Eric Dyson started off well and ended with a negative showing his brother going back to jail cell to serve his life sentence. I know this is life for many folks in America. I can accept this. Let’s also show the other side. There are positive aspects of life for black men that were not shown. Let me repeat my earlier question:
Would it have been so bad for the show to have one segment featuring a black man without any negatives?
I’m assuming that CNN would argue that the segment featuring the brother who was an Assistant School Superintendent in Arkansas married to a Circuit Court judge was very positive. They had three sons. OK, let’s look at that segment through my lenses. They lived in a 6,000 sq. ft. home in a mostly white neighborhood. (I have no problem with that). Two of the three sons were married to white women and the third son was involved in a shooting where he escaped jail time. When asked about the incident both the son and the father refused to discuss the matter. Again, that’s their choice. (I’m sure having a mother who is a judge and a brother who is a prosecutor didn’t hurt).
My main complaint has to do with the issue of balance in the coverage of the challenges facing black men. This show did not show the full range of black men in America and their families as they claimed in their promotional pieces that preceded the show. If they did, we would have seen more “positives” than “negatives.”
Having seen both shows, I saw a clear and consistent “common thread.” Every segment that started out with what appeared to be a “positive” story ended with a “negative” outcome.
Am I wrong on this?
The only segment that I could stomach was the segment with filmmaker Spike Lee who talked about the impact of the negative images of black men in Hollywood and his challenges of making films other than comedies that perpetuate negative stereotypes.
Let me state for the record that I applaud Soledad O’Brien for this effort. I believe that her intentions starting out were honorable, however, somewhere along the way either she and/or CNN got off track. This was not an accurate and full portrayal of life in Black America. It focused way too much on the negative aspects of black life for my tastes.
CNN Presents Black in America is the perfect argument for why we need strong black owned media outlets. Perhaps if there was a black owned media outlet with the capability and “reach” of a CNN a different story would have been told. It’s not good enough to have just the outlet. You have to have strong leadership willing to exercise courage to tell the whole truth. You need a company willing to resist the temptation to lean toward the negative and portray more of a balance of life in black America.
There was a time when we had such a media outlet, it was called BET. However, I don’t think the story would have been any different under the leadership of Bob Johnson. We need black owned media outlets willing to tell our story. Some will argue that Bob Johnson formed a film company to tell “our story. Yeah right. Let’s take a closer look at this argument.
This is the same Bob Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), who sold BET to Viacom, and became this nation’s first male black billionaire. You are correct. Johnson did form a film company called “Our Stories Films,” which debuted its first film on July 27, 2007, entitled “Who’s Your Caddy?” starring actor/rapper Big Boi and Sherri Shepard. WTF?
Bob Johnson and Tracey Edmonds (the former Ms. Babyface) said they want to produce films that show black people in a positive light. So they give us “Who’s Your Caddy?“ as their first film. (I stopped using the N-word. Where’s Jesse Jackson when you need him? Bob Johnson, talking down to black people, I’d like to …) “_________ Please!” Don’t start me cussing up in this camp.
This is Bob Johnson’s way of telling “our” story. Making a film that even Stevie Wonder could see that the characters in the film depict racially offensive stereotypes and the jokes are stupid and crass.
Folks, it is time for solutions. What are we going to do for ourselves to help break these cycles of violence, poverty and apathy?
A good friend of mine helped me calm down today and put this whole thing in perspective. He said to me, “Gary, the reason you’re upset is because you expected too much from CNN. CNN is a news organization that does not have the perspective to tell our story.” Thank you Janks Morton, you of all people should know “What Black Men Think.”
Am I being too hard or critical about the CNN series? What are your thoughts?
Gary Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog. Gary is also the author of the new book “25 Things That Really Matter In Life.”
Michelle Obama: The “Fist Bump” That Rocked The World
The date was June 3, 2008. The place was St. Paul, MN. The mainstream media are still all a buzz about the now famous Michelle Obama “fist bump” also known as a “fist pound.” Hey America, this is nothing new in the black community. C’mon in. This Is How We Do It!
When I saw Michelle give Barack some “dap” (dignity and pride) I had to take a double take. I loved it! This certainly appears to be a true loving and supporting relationship.
Barack Obama told NBC News correspondent Brian Williams that the fist pound “captured what I love about my wife — there’s an irreverence about her and sense that for all the hoopla, that I’m her husband and sometimes we’ll do silly things.”
Make no mistake, Michelle and Barack are changing some aspects of today’s popular culture. Watch and see how many other folks start “dapping” and “pounding” after watching that magic moment. TIME Magazine has a feature called “A Brief History of the Fist Bump.”
What do you think of Michelle Obama’s fist bump?
Gary Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com, a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog. Gary is also the author of the new book “25 Things That Really Matter In Life.”
History Is Made: Barack Obama Becomes First Black Presidential Nominee
By Gary A. Johnson
In a world dominated by European power, Sen. Barack Obama, the first black candidate ever nominated by a major political party for the nation’s highest office claimed the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday night after he won a majority of delegates to the party’s convention.
Barack Obama spoke to a thunderous crowd of approximately 18,000 supporters. It was truly a historical moment. Watching Obama speak was mesmerizing. He spoke with passion and toward the end of his speech he had the cadence of a baptist preacher that further added to his oratory skills. This country has not had a national political speaker like this man in at least two decades and that includes Bill Clinton.
His opponent, Sen. Hillary Clinton says she’s “open” to being Vice President. The democratic party needs her support and Sen. Obama needs her enthusiastic support to win the presidency. I don’t think it is in Sen. Obama’s best interest to have Sen. Clinton as a Vice President.
Despite her public pronouncement of being “open” to the Vice Presidency, I don’t think she wants the job. The job has no constitutional power and authority. Sen. Clinton and her husband Bill are about power. Trust me, she doesn’t want a job where any real authority will have to come from President Obama.
Sen. Clinton was very gracious Tuesday night after her primary victory in South Dakota. She is a tough competitor and seeing Barack Obama clinch the Democratic nomination must be a bitter pill to swallow. Her victories are too little too late. She started as the front-runner and ran a campaign with a sense of entitlement and strategic blunders along the way that cost her the Democratic nomination. Although she conceded the nomination to Obama, as I watched her speak, it was clear to me that this was a difficult speech to make.
In her speech, Sen. Clinton left the door open. She invited her supporters to visit her web site and share their opinions for what she should do. Does this lack of action bring the Democratic party closer? Which brings me to my next issue–TRUST!
Hillary Clinton as Vice President will include Bill Clinton and that’s too much for one President to manage. Can Hillary Clinton be trusted? Look at her track record and determine for yourself.
Barack Obama has a huge challenge of healing the Democratic party as well as bring Hillary Clinton supporters to be “players” in an Obama presidential campaign and introducing more aspects of himself to segments of the American people to close the gap. Obama represents new hopes and dreams that we can have a different kind of society for America and set an example for the rest of the world.
Barack Obama is a shining example of what we’ve come to know as the American dream. Now he must raise his game and prepare for a tough campaign as he seeks to change his home address to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC.
Gary Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog. Gary is also the author of the new book “25 Things That Really Matter In Life.”
Hillary Clinton: Loser? Sore Loser? Or Both?
Commentary from Gary A. Johnson
This past week has not been good for Hillary Clinton. Let’s recap. She made a statement that Obama cannot win the white vote in the general election. She had a double digit primary loss in North Carolina, a narrow victory in Indiana and more superdelegates shifted to Sen. Obama.
Barring an act of God or some catastrophe in the Obama camp, Sen. Hillary Clinton cannot win the democratic party’s nomination for president of the United States of America.
Sen. Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton and some of their supporters look like sore losers as they continue to “move the goal post” to define victory.Remember Bob Johnson’s negative remarks about Obama? How about Bill Clinton’s numerous comments that offended many black voters in South Carolina? Or Hillary’s insistence that the votes in Florida and Michigan be counted even though those primaries were held against Democratic Party rules. Rules that all of the candidates agreed to abide by last year.
Clearly a fighter and consummate campaigner, Sen. Clinton found her voice and her stride too late in the contest. The string of 11 primary loses forced her to used the now famous “kitchen sink” strategy. It was at this stage of the campaign that America saw yet another side of Hillary Clinton. No more tears. She was rough and tough. We saw Sen. Clinton drinking beer and chasing shots of hard liquor. In walks a gift-wrapped Rev. Jeremiah Wright and game on again for the Clintons. With a faint political pulse Clinton need to win North Carolina (or at least come close) and Indiana. She lost North Carolina by double-digits and barely won Indiana.
So here we are today—early May. Hillary Clinton does not have any of the 3 M’s (Math, Money and Momentum) to win the nomination. Obama’s delegate and superdelegate count is so high that all the big state victories she piled up can’t win her the nomination.
What does Hillary Clinton do now? What does Barack Obama do? Obama should do exactly what he’s doing now—focus on John McCain and allow the Clinton camp to implement an exit strategy that will allow her to close her campaign with dignity.
If Hillary Clinton wants to continue the contest, more power to her. I would advise the Clinton campaign to be aware of the consequences of such actions to her political reputation and the Democratic Party.
In my mind, her behavior over the past several days have seriously damaged her chances of being on the ticket as Vice President. I wouldn’t put her on the ticket. I don’t trust her. Yes, I said it. Hillary Clinton would not be my Vice President. I don’t believe that she is genetically capable of being Vice President Clinton to President Obama. That was a dream ticket two months ago.It is a train wreck today.
The Democratic Party needs to focus on unifying the party and get ready to battle the Republicans and John McCain.
What do you think?
Gary Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog. Gary is also the author of the new book “25 Things That Really Matter In Life.”
When Will Hillary Bow Out?
Commentary by Gary A. Johnson
Notice I didn’t say quit. Showing no signs of surrender, Hillary Clinton says she will remain in the presidential race “until there’s a nominee.” Hillary Clinton is a fighter. However, she and her campaign have to face the reality that it is time to implement their exit strategy and work to unify the Democratic Party.
It is time for the Clinton campaign to stop moving the goal post when it comes to deciding victory. For example, the Clinton campaign continues to bring up the votes associated with the Michigan and Florida primaries. That’s just silly. Obama’s name wasn’t even on the ballot. The Democratic National Committee made it very clear what the rules were regarding those primaries.
Clearly, Sen. Clinton can stay in the race for as long as she wants, but for the good of the party I say it is time to bow out. I’m using a rather simple formula that I call “The 3 M’s” to come to this conclusion.
- Math
- Money
- Momentum
Do the math. Obama has more votes, has won more primaries and has more money. As of today Sen. Clinton has loaned her campaign $11.4 million dollars ($6.4 million last month). The Clinton campaign acknowledged that Sen. Clinton may lend the campaign more money. According to the latest campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, Obama began the month of April with $42 million in the bank for the primaries to Clinton’s $9.3 million.
The Clinton campaign bus is leaking oil and dropping bolts. The Obama campaign has consistently raised more money than the Clinton campaign and after last night’s primaries in North Carolina and Indiana; the total delegate count is as follows:
- Obama – 1844
- Clinton – 1695.5
Once again, do the math. It is highly unlikely that Sen. Hillary Clinton can win. Obama has picked up 100 superdelegates since Super Tuesday and Clinton has picked up fewer than 15. The last two months Sen. Clinton has proven to be a tough campaigner. She’s used the “kitchen sink” strategy and taken advantage of everything that has come her way (Rev. Wright). However, it appears that this strategy was implemented too late in the game for her opponent.
Sen. Barack Obama has run an extraordinary campaign. Six months ago, I don’t think any of the political strategists and experts would have predicted Barack Obama as the front runner. It’s only a matter of time before folks start jumping off of the Clinton bandwagon.
As for momentum, Hillary Clinton has none. Barack Obama has string of decisive primary victories over Clinton and the Obama campaign has more momentum. The next few weeks should be devoted to providing Sen. Clinton with a “soft landing.” Sen. Clinton is still a key player in this race, even in defeat. She must be afforded a way to exit gracefully with her dignity intact. Obama and the Democratic Party will need Hillary Clinton’s supporters to win the White House.
What do you think?
Gary Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog. Gary is also the author of the new book “25 Things That Really Matter In Life.”
Like Him Or Not, Rev. Wright Is Here To Stay
Commentary by Gary A. Johnson
Rev. Jeremiah Wright has decided to speak for himself and in effect defend himself. People will debate whether Rev. Wright’s “coming out” is helpful or hurtful to presidential candidate Barack Obama, however, I don’t think Rev. Wright cares.
It is clear to me that the Rev. has decided to define himself and defend what he believes is his good name. I can’t say that I blame him. Who wouldn’t want to defend their hard earned name and reputation?
While speaking today at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, the Rev. was asked about his patriotism. Wright replied as follows: “I served six years in the military. How many years did Cheney serve?”
Rev. Wright has made it clear during his string of recent public appearances that he is a pastor and not a politician. He reminded the audience that Sen. Barack Obama is a politician and that he and Obama will do what they have to do in their perspective roles. This is a very important point of distinction and clarification. The role of a pastor and politician are different and Rev. Wright seems to be clear about his role.
“I’m not here for political reasons,” Wright said to a packed house last night of about 10,000 people at a NAACP gathering in Detroit. “I’m not a politician,” he told the crowd. He went on to say, “I’m not here for political reasons.” “I am not running for the Oval Office. I’ve been running for Jesus a long, long time, and I’m not tired yet.”
Perhaps the lines have become blurred for others. Wright seems to be clear, confident and at peace with his role as a pastor.
What Rev. Wright is doing is allowing the world to see him as he “really” is. Rev. Wright is not the character and YouTube phenomenon that he has been portrayed over the past several weeks. This is a very smart and worldly black leader. Wright also told the audience at the NAACP dinner that despite what his critics say, he is descriptive, not divisive, when he speaks about racial injustices.
In the view of Rev. Wright he is speaking out because of the media attacks on the black church. He stated his belief that the media attacks are about him.
Many in the mainstream media as well as Hillary Clinton and others will continue to link Rev. Wright to Barack Obama in the most negative ways. If I’m a strategist in the Obama camp, I probably would not be happy right now. Why? Watch the media coverage of Rev. Wright over the next several weeks. Rather than focus on the positive truths in his message, many in the media will actively look for negatives or attempt to twist his words to make him a negative force and deflect from the good that he’s done.
Commentators will focus on his body language, his gestures and his “attitude” instead of what he’s actually saying. That’s called distortion. The office phone lines here at Black Men In America are blowing up with calls from black folks who are mad at Rev. Wright for coming out now. One caller said, “Wright is giving Hillary and the Republicans more ammunition to deflect from the issues.” Whether you like him or not, Rev. Wright is here to stay.
Susan Rice, a spokesperson for the Obama campaign commented on MSNBC this morning after Rev. Wright’s speech at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. She described Rev. Wright as a “sideshow.” She went on to say the Rev. Wright was more concerned about redeeming his legacy. I see this as a problem. Outside forces both black and white will be calling for Obama to distance himself further from Rev. Wright and essentially pit these two black men against each other. The Clinton campaign will be in full attack mode about Obama’s judgment. This is politics folks. Obama campaigned that he has better judgment than his opponents.
Barack Obama said that he believes that Rev. Wright is a legitimate political issue. That’s the equivalent of a “green light” for Senators Clinton, McCain and others to deflect from other legitimate issues that should be discussed in this campaign.
You can watch Rev. Wright’s speech at the NAACP and his interview with Bill Moyer in our video section in the right-hand column on this blog.
What do you think?
Gary Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog. Gary is also the author of the new book “25 Things That Really Matter In Life.”
Commentary by Gary A. Johnson
Rev. Jeremiah Wright has decided to speak for himself and in effect defend himself. People will debate whether Rev. Wright’s “coming out” is helpful or hurtful to presidential candidate Barack Obama, however, I don’t think Rev. Wright cares.
It is clear to me that the Rev. has decided to define himself and defend what he believes is his good name. I can’t say that I blame him. Who wouldn’t want to defend their hard earned name and reputation?
While speaking today at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, the Rev. was asked about his patriotism. Wright replied as follows: “I served six years in the military. How many years did Cheney serve?”
Rev. Wright has made it clear during his string of recent public appearances that he is a pastor and not a politician. He reminded the audience that Sen. Barack Obama is a politician and that he and Obama will do what they have to do in their perspective roles. This is a very important point of distinction and clarification. The role of a pastor and politician are different and Rev. Wright seems to be clear about his role.
“I’m not here for political reasons,” Wright said to a packed house last night of about 10,000 people at a NAACP gathering in Detroit. “I’m not a politician,” he told the crowd. He went on to say, “I’m not here for political reasons.” “I am not running for the Oval Office. I’ve been running for Jesus a long, long time, and I’m not tired yet.”
Perhaps the lines have become blurred for others. Wright seems to be clear, confident and at peace with his role as a pastor.
What Rev. Wright is doing is allowing the world to see him as he “really” is. Rev. Wright is not the character and YouTube phenomenon that he has been portrayed over the past several weeks. This is a very smart and worldly black leader. Wright also told the audience at the NAACP dinner that despite what his critics say, he is descriptive, not divisive, when he speaks about racial injustices.
In the view of Rev. Wright he is speaking out because of the media attacks on the black church. He stated his belief that the media attacks are about him.
Many in the mainstream media as well as Hillary Clinton and others will continue to link Rev. Wright to Barack Obama in the most negative ways. If I’m a strategist in the Obama camp, I probably would not be happy right now. Why? Watch the media coverage of Rev. Wright over the next several weeks. Rather than focus on the positive truths in his message, many in the media will actively look for negatives or attempt to twist his words to make him a negative force and deflect from the good that he’s done.
Commentators will focus on his body language, his gestures and his “attitude” instead of what he’s actually saying. That’s called distortion. The office phone lines here at Black Men In America are blowing up with calls from black folks who are mad at Rev. Wright for coming out now. One caller said, “Wright is giving Hillary and the Republicans more ammunition to deflect from the issues.” Whether you like him or not, Rev. Wright is here to stay.
Susan Rice, a spokesperson for the Obama campaign commented on MSNBC this morning after Rev. Wright’s speech at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. She described Rev. Wright as a “sideshow.” She went on to say the Rev. Wright was more concerned about redeeming his legacy. I see this as a problem. Outside forces both black and white will be calling for Obama to distance himself further from Rev. Wright and essentially pit these two black men against each other. The Clinton campaign will be in full attack mode about Obama’s judgment. This is politics folks. Obama campaigned that he has better judgment than his opponents.
Barack Obama said that he believes that Rev. Wright is a legitimate political issue. That’s the equivalent of a “green light” for Senators Clinton, McCain and others to deflect from other legitimate issues that should be discussed in this campaign.
What do you think?
Gary Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog.
Commentary by Gary A. Johnson
April 11, 2007
Syndicated radio talk show host Tom Joyner announced that longtime contributor Tavis Smiley is no longer associated with the Tom Joyner Morning Show.
“I got a call from Tavis on yesterday,” Joyner said. “And he told me he was quitting the show. He told me the reason was that he was tired and has a lot of things going on, and he feels that now is a good time to leave the show.”
“We all know that isn’t the real reason he’s leaving the show,” Joyner continued. “The real reason is that he can’t take the hate he’s been getting regarding the Barack issue – hate from the black people that he loves so much. He needed to feel the love. We all do, whether it’s from our radio audience or from people we know personally. He wasn’t feeling any love, so he quit.”
Hmmm. With friends like Tom Joyner, who need enemies? Let me get this straight. Tavis privately tells Tom he’s tired and has other things to do. Tom tells millions of listeners on his syndicated radio show that Tavis “quit.” Later in the show, Joyner laughed and applauded one of the show’s comedians, Huggie Lowdown, as he made Smiley the “Bama of the Week” for resigning his position.
To be fair to Tavis, he said he didn’t quit. You can read Tavis’ statement below. I guess the truth is somewhere in between.
So Tavis wasn’t feeling any love? Man, you’d think a guy in his position would have thicker skin. Joyner also said about Tavis, “He loves black America and black America has been very critical of him.” Joyner went on to say, “It hurts. It hurt me to hear black Americans criticize him.” Tom and Tavis appear to be close. However, you never know. Tom does so much clowning on that show, he and J. Anthony Brown are likely to be joking about this situation on Monday.
Smiley released the following statement late this afternoon:
There is no way to put into words the love and respect that Tom Joyner and I have for each other, or the love affair that I’ve had with TJMS listeners for almost 12 years now.
Due to the overwhelming amount of phone calls and emails I have received from listeners and other media, I wanted to briefly clarify a few issues that I will address more fully in my regular TJMS commentary on Tuesday morning, April 15, at 8:20 a.m. ET.
I did not “quit” the Tom Joyner Morning Show effective immediately. In July I will celebrate my 12th anniversary with the show, and as I discussed with Tom, it is my intention to take on the issues of the day in my commentary twice every week with the same energy, passion and commitment until the end of June.
Contrary to what has been suggested, I have decided to clear some things off my plate so that I can devote my time and attention to some exciting and empowering projects that The Smiley Group, Inc. and other divisions of my company have underway this summer, this fall and beyond.
I look forward to continuing the dialogue on Tuesday and in the coming months.
To many it appears that Tavis took his “bat and ball and went home” when things didn’t go his way. If Tavis quit, as it appears he has, perhaps the cumulative effect of his activities coupled with the overwhelming number of folks “in his ass” was too much for the brother to handle. Let’s face it, for the past two months a lot of black folks on radio, TV and in the blog world (including yours truly) have flipped the script and taken the once “untouchable Tavis” to task holding him accountable and scrutinizing his views.
When this is all said and done, Tavis will have put his spin on this situation. For those of us who follow these media matters closely, it appears that Tavis was on the “other side” of the Barack Obama issue. I think Tavis was surprised and not mentally prepared for the realization that the majority of black folks were not with him when it came to criticizing Barack Obama. To his credit Tavis decided to stick to his position. Good for him if that’s what he believes.
Over the past several years I’ve noticed a change in the climate toward Tavis. My sense was that folks perceived Tavis as being more concerned about Tavis than the people that he served. This is probably NOT the case, however, we’re talking about how things appear. I don’t think Tavis saw himself this way. In fact, I would bet money that he did not see himself this way, that’s why the backlash from the black community caught him by surprise. Tavis has given so much of himself in an effort to uplift black people. I don’t doubt for one second that he loves black people. I also don’t doubt that Tavis got caught up with his fame and all of things that come with it.
Tavis has been a powerful voice in the black community for at least a decade. Perhaps his “power” “intoxicated” him to some degree. I think Tavis could have been a bit more tactful and strategic in his commentaries and public speeches about Barack Obama, but that’s just me.
For that past two months I think Tavis was behaving like a spoiled child when it came to Barack Obama. Many people felt this friction with Obama started last year when Barack Obama announced his run for the presidency on the same day of the 2007 State of the Black Union symposium, which Smiley’s company manages and secured corporate sponsors. As the story goes, Tavis felt upstaged by the timing of it all.
Fast forward to the 2008 symposium and Barack decided that it was in his best interest not to attend since he in the process of making history. Once again, Tavis issued public statements that many felt were unusually critical of Barack Obama.
Tavis claimed that he and his family received death threats. Last week on the HBO TV show hosted by Bill Maher, Tavis defended Rev. Jeremiah Wright and as only Tavis could do, he “wordsmithed” his way to criticizing Obama.
Don’t get me wrong, Barack Obama should not be considered “untouchable.” He should be held accountable. However, folks clearly did not like the way Tavis was going about his business as it pertained to talking about Barack Obama. I think what infuriated folks is that when given the feedback about his behavior toward Barack, Tavis did not let up. If anything, he kicked into high gear. This pissed a lot of folks off.
Earlier this week there were more comments by Tavis because Obama did not show up in Memphis with numerous civil rights leaders to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination. It seemed that Tavis went out of his way to point out that Hillary Clinton and John McCain made a visit. Tom Joyner tried to help Tavis by asking Rev. Al Sharpton, who was in Memphis, if he (Sharpton) thought Obama should have been there. In short, Sharpton said, “No,” and pointed out that Barack Obama is running for president of the United States of America. Sharpton also noted that Obama had contacted members of the King family, spoke at Dr. King’s church and noted that the King family was comfortable with Obama’s decision not to attend the ceremony in Memphis.
Here’s the bottom line: The public slowly woke up and started holding Tavis accountable for his public statements and backhanded comments widely perceived to be critical of Barack Obama. As a result, Tavis has come under intense criticism and it appears that he could not take the heat.
Tavis stuck to his beliefs. He knew that some of his positons were unpopular with the black community and yet he continued. Was this an act of courage or stupidity? Probably a little bit of both. I commend Tavis for sticking to his beliefs. I know I would have.
Tavis will be OK. His company, The Smiley Group recently announced a major sponsorship deal with Nationwide Insurance to sponsor many of his activities. His apparent quest to be “King of All Media” is on track. Tavis knows how to hustle money from major corporations. It appears he did not know how to hustle Barack Obama and those who support him.
What’s your take or opinion on this situation? Do you even care? If so, leave a comment.
When I saw LeBron James and supermodel Gisele Bundchen on the cover of Vogue magazine, I was uncomfortable with the visual. Perhaps I’m too sensitive. It is true that I’ve been accused of seeing almost everything through a “racial prism.” I don’t disagree with that.
When I saw the cover, I asked, “Why is LeBron being portrayed in what appears to be an over animated pose, especially compared to the pose being struck by Gisele? Why couldn’t he be dressed nicely?” After all, LeBron is the first black man to grace the cover of the magazine. I also wondered what the cover was suppose to convey.
The list of black men who have made poor decisions with regard to their image is long. This list of black men who have repeatedly made poor decisions with regard to their image may be longer. Cuba Gooding, Jr., is the first name that comes to my mind. When you look at his entire body of work (feature films, TV and commercials) this guy appears to have selected more “bufoon-like” roles than any other black male actor in recent years. He actually won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Rod Tidwell, the “jackass” wide receiver in the movie “Jerry Maguire” who clowns and yells, “Show me the money!” Are you kidding me? One could argue that winning an Oscar for that role set black men back two decades. Have you seen Cuba Gooding, Jr., in the Haines underwear commercials with Michael Jordan? Could he be portrayed any dumber? (He sniffs a pair of underwear, annouces to a crowd that he’s wearing Jordan’s underwear and hugs Jordan tightly as he gets turned on by the feel of the soft cotton). Give me a break!
Why do some black men continue to take these stereotypical roles that portray black men as “less than?” I don’t want to hear anything about money. I know money is a part of it, but money is not everything. Perhaps some of these brothers don’t know any better. They do not understand how important it is to have positive images of black men in the mass media.
ESPN.com columnist Jemele Hill has a unique view of this situation. Read a little bit of what she had to say:
“LeBron making the cover is a good thing. But the pose, not so much. LeBron’s image clearly means a lot to him, maybe even as much as pursuing a championship. And that’s why I can’t understand why he would allow Vogue to feature him with supermodel Gisele Bundchen in such a distasteful manner.”
LeBron James has a perspective. “I was just having fun with it, I was just showing a little emotion,” James said Saturday, according to Ohio’s Beacon Journal. “We had a few looks and that was the best one we had. Everything my name is on is going to be criticized, in a good way or a bad way. Who cares, honestly, at the end of the day.” “I am happy with it, absolutely,” James said.
Hill’s column rightly points out other notable black athletes being presented in photos as angry, overly aggressive, overly sexual, or just plain emasculated. She cites the 2002 Sports Illustrated cover that featured Charles Barkley chained like a slave. Ricky Williams wearing a wedding dress on an ESPN The Magazine cover in 1999. And while it didn’t appear in a magazine, the Terrell Owens-Nicolette Sheridan intimate-encounter tease for ‘Monday Night Football’ gave viewers a sexualized image of a black man.”
Helena Andrews has written a thought-provoking piece on this topic for The Root.com. In her column Ms. Andrews opines, “I’m trying to brush off the fact that the first black man ever pictured on the magazine’s cover is not gracing it, he’s debased by it. They’re trying to dismiss the recent calls of racial insensitivity as hypersensitivity. And we’re trying to explain why seeing a big black man baring his teeth whilst an alabaster damsel drapes his side still hurts us in 2008.”
Click here to read Ms. Andrews article at The Root.com.
Click here to read Jemele’s column and tell us what you think.
March 3, 2008
Over the past several months, several high-profile people who originally supported Senator Hillary Clinton have switched their support to Senator Barack Obama. The cold reality of politics explains why some politicians are jumping off the Hillary bandwagon.
If you understand the game of politics then it stands to reason that a candidate who wants to get re-elected is not likely to go against the “will of the people” when the people they serve overwhelmingly support Barack Obama. I get that. It’s a very convenient way for a politician to shift their support from one candidate to the other.
Such was the case with civil rights pioneer Rep. John Lewis, one Hillary Clinton’s longtime friends who shifted to Barack Obama. The Lewis switch to Obama led me to ask: How far should loyalty go in this election?
Before we start let’s get a common definition of loyalty. For many people loyalty is usually seen as a virtue. For me loyalty is constituted by a strong commitment, often found in friendship.
What are the limits of one’s loyalty?
Clearly “superdelegates” and other supporters are free to endorse whomever they want, to switch back and forth between candidates, or to wait until the convention to make their choices. However, there is a lot of talk about black supporters of Hillary Clinton who are being pressured to support Barack Obama.
This is not limited to politicians. Talk show host Tavis Smiley claims to have received death threats for “calling out” Barack Obama for not attending the 2008 State of the Black Union symposium. For the record Tavis Smiley has not publicly endorsed a candidate. However, it is widely perceived that he is firmly in the Clinton camp because of his public criticism of Obama in his commentaries on the radio and because of his longtime friendship with the Clinton’s going back to when Bill Clinton was president.
- Are their limits to loyalty?
- Isn’t real loyalty sticking with your friend until the end?
- Is it ever acceptable to “jump ship?”
Let’s go back to the case of John Lewis and his “loyalty” to his friend Hillary Clinton. When John Lewis endorsed Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama was a relative unknown and Clinton was the nationally known frontrunner. Lewis campaigned for Clinton touting her experience to lead the nation.
“I did it because I felt in my heart that I had to support Mrs. Clinton because of our friendship,” Lewis said. “I don’t regret it,” Lewis added. Lewis said his decision to change was an anguishing one.
Hip-Hop mogul Russell Simmons, a frequent critic of Obama has announced that he is supporting him. Toni Morrison recently announced her support for Obama. Other celebrities who support Barack Obama are George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, Rob Reiner, Laurence Fishburne, Warren Buffett, Ethel Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, Sen. Ted Kennedy, Matt Damon, NAS, Emilio Estevez, Sharon Stone, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Halle Berry, Minister Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson, Sr., Ben Affleck, Wyclef Jean, and Charles Barkley.
I’m not sure how many of the above celebrities were originally for Clinton and later switched their support for Obama. Whatever the number is I’m sure that some of the folks who are leaving her camp to jump on the Obama bandwagon were a devastating blow to her campaign and to Ms. Clinton personally.
In a recent interview John Lewis put it that way: “Mr. Obama is the embodiment of the hopes, dreams and aspirations of a lot of people,” Lewis said. “He represents something different, something new. But he also represents a long line of individuals who carry the aspirations of the people.”
Are you really loyal if you support your candidate, campaign vigorously for them, criticize their opponent and then later switch your support to the opponent when it looks like your friend can’t win?
If loyalty is seen as a virtue, albeit a problematic one, what does it say about a person whose loyalty is tantamount to a windshield wiper moving across both sides of the windshield? Which side is your side?
Loyalty is a big thing with me. If I pledge my loyalty or support to you in the beginning, I will be there with you at the end. Short of some major fundamental difference in philosophy or I discover that you’re a serial killer, rapist or child abuser; I will be with you to the end.
Remember when Hillary Clinton predicted that the primary contest against Barack Obama would be over by February 5th? Well, let’s look at the facts. Hillary Clinton is 0-10 in primary wins since February 5th. Add to this the news that Barack Obama has the endorsement from the 1.4 million member Teamsters Union. This is Obama’s third endorsement from organized labor in a week. The 1.9-million member Service Employees International Union endorsed Obama earlier this month along with the United Food and Commercial Workers union.
I keep telling folks that the Clinton campaign is being managed from a sense of entitlement. They believed that this election was for them, that it is their turn to shine in the political limelight. After entering the race for president, the Clinton campaign never thought Barack Obama would be around this long. They raised all of their money early and apparently did not prepare for a long race with any opponent. In fact, if you look at the way her campaign is being managed, it appears that Senator Clinton can’t do anything right.
Contrast this with the Obama campaign which appears to be managing their campaign with the philosophy that “slow and steady wins the race.” For months Hillary Clinton has touted her judgment and ability to manage in a crisis. Well Senator, you’re in a crisis now.
Let’s see how you manage. All eyes are on you.
G.J.
Commentary by Gary A. Johnson
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| Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at a rally Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008, in Houston. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan) |
Hillary Clinton’s prominent black supporters are “sucking up the seat cushions” now. With Obama’s win in Wisconsin, the landscape has changed. Obama’s appeal to white men and white working class voters has increased only adding to his legend. The Clinton campaign is desperate and so are some of their supporters like Sheila Jackson Lee, Magic Johnson, Maxine Waters, Robert Johnson, Trenton, New Jersey Mayor Doug Palmer, Charlie Rangel, Denver, Colorado Mayor Wellington Webb and others.
If you take qualifications out of the picture, blacks supporting Hillary Clinton face the pressure and dilemma of standing in the way of or not supporting the man who could be the first black president of the United States.
What will they do? This is a fascinating election. If Obama wins in Hawaii, it will be 10 straight victories — a streak no one thought possible, putting him in great position for the tough races in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont on March 4th.
Posted Feb. 20, 2008
Note to Tavis: I can’t recall an issue where the overwhelming majority of folks have taken the same side. That side happens to be against you. I know this is a shocker to you, because by your own admission you’ve never been on the receiving end of this much negative feedback. Ouch! I think Dr. Boyce Watkins summed it up in his video, particularly when he talks about the “economic trail” associated with you and your “sponsors.” (Click here to watch Dr. Watkins discuss this issue.)Tavis, you preach accountability. How about stepping up and demonstrating some accountability on this issue? Calling out Barack Obama and then rejecting his wife to speak at the State of the Black Union (SOBU) symposium was not a good move because most people believe that if Bill Clinton had asked you to attend the SOBU on behalf of Hillary, you would have welcomed him with open arms. Whether or not that’s true, is irrelevant at this stage. The firestorm surrounding you suggests that the majority of people are not with you on this issue. To be fair, you did state that you wanted “candidates only” at the SOBU and to date you’ve been consistent.Tavis, this controversy is not likely to go away until you take some decisive action. Be consistent and step up to the plate and “say” something substantive regarding this matter. No more press releases from The Smiley Group, Inc., offices brother. Forget the print interviews (at least for now). You need to use that same “bully pulpit” that you use every Tuesday and Thursday on the Tom Joyner Morning Show and direct it toward yourself. Talk directly to the people about this issue. Folks want to “hear” from YOU! If you want to stick to your story, that’s your prerogative. If you want to reflect and publicly “check yourself” that’s strictly your decision. A move along those lines would go a long way to putting this matter behind you. That’s my take. G. J.
Feb. 16, 2008
Talk show host has denied that he has any tension with presidential candidate Barack Obama for declining Smiley’s invitation to speak at the 2008 State of the Black Union symposium. This has been a much discussed topic on the Internet and blogs for the past few days. Earlier this week on the syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, Smiley said it would be a “critical miscalculation and a missed opportunity” for Obama or any candidate to skip the forum. During his commentary Tavis further explained that an offer from Michelle Obama to attend the Feb. 23 event on her husband’s behalf was refused. He noted that the invitations were for the candidates and not their spouses. That’s cool. I have no problem with that. Tavis claims that his office never received any correspondence from the Obama camp offering to send Michelle Obama. You can read the Obama letter to Tavis at the end of this article. Click here to listen to Michelle Obama on the “Michael Baisden Radio Show” as she explains why Barack Obama decided to decline the invitation to appear at the Black State of the Union symposium. In a statement released on February 14th, Smiley reportedly said he enjoyed a collegial relationship with Obama for many years. Senator Hillary Clinton has agreed to speak at symposium. Smiley did say Senator John McCain and Govenor Mike Huckabee have not made a decision about whether they will attend.Here’s my take on this. Tavis deserves much credit for his personal accomplishments and for much of his work in the black community. Like many of his kind, it appears that Tavis has been caught up in some of his own hype. There’s a long line of dynamic and influential folks who worked hard to develop themselves and overstepped their bounds along the path to success. Given what’s at stake and his position in this presidential race, there is no need for Barack Obama to rearrange his schedule to accommodate Tavis and the State of the Black Union symposium. One can argue that Barack has nothing to gain hanging out with Tavis and Company. Tavis makes a big deal about Hillary Clinton accepting his invitation. Big deal, her ass NEEDS to be there. She’s lost 8 straight primaries to Obama. She’s finding that the “old black magic” that the Clinton’s once held with Black America is not what it was. You can thank guys like BET Founder Bob Johnson for that. (Yeah, he really delivered the black vote). Remember his speech where he planted the seed that Obama may have done more than just use drugs in his youth? I would love to ask Hillary: “How has having Bob Johnson stump for you worked out?” Hillary talks about her great judgment. She obviously approved having Johnson onboard. Is that exercising good judgment? By the way, Bill’s been kind of quiet the past few weeks. Hmmm. Tavis Smiley is a “big boy.” He’s proven that he can run with the “big dogs” and play on the varsity team. This incident about Barack appears to have exposed Tavis in a way that caught him by surprise. My pulse check of the people indicates that Tavis misjudged his “juice” or power to influence. The people are not with him on this issue. Tavis Smiley’s image appears to be taking a negative hit and unraveling. Many bloggers and callers into radio talk shows have described Tavis as being small, petty, egotistical and all about himself. Imagine that? The bottom-line as I see it is this: Barack Obama is running for president of the United States. He does not have to prove himself or debate with Tavis & Company. This is a high-stakes poker game and Barack Obama has decided to gamble and not play that “State of the Black Union” hand. It’s just that simple. In my humble opinion, Tavis should have accepted Barack’s decision and moved on. One of the last things that Tavis said during his February 14th radio commentary on the Tom Joyner Morning Show was that he was not going to address the issue any further after his commentary that morning. We’ll see how long that lasts given all the attention that his remarks have generated. If Tavis says he’s not going to talk about the issue then I won’t either. Moving on. (For the record, the Smiley camp issued a statement the next day in an attempt to clarify Tavis’ position). Click here to read that press release. Barack Obama has defied almost all odds. He’s making history. Further, Barack Obama continues to raise money at a mind-boggling rate without political action committee donations. To date, he’s taken the Clinton campaign’s best shot. They’ve used their operatives (Bob Johnson, Bill Clinton and others) to try and distract Obama, slow his momentum and get him “off point.” This is a compelling election. I’m watching the dynamics within the black community, particularly the black folks who endorsed Hillary Clinton when she looked unbeatable. Three months ago all of the major polls showed Hillary Clinton holding a majority of the black vote against Barack Obama. Here are some notable black folks who are on record supporting Hillary Clinton: Maya Angelou, Magic Johnson, Bob Johnson, Andrew Young, Charlie Rangel and 50 Cent. How long will these folks stay on that bandwagon? Who will have the courage to switch? Rep. David Scott of Georgia, said he would not go against the will of voters in his district, who overwhelmingly supported Obama last week. Rep. John Lewis, an elder statesman from the civil rights era and one of Hillary Clinton’s most prominent black supporters, reportedly said on February 14th that he planned to cast his vote as a super delegate for Sen. Barack Obama in hopes of preventing a fight at the Democratic convention. This is a long race and it is far from being over. However, Barack Obama has traction and momentum and that means something. Let me put myself out there. I am firmly on the Barack Obama bandwagon. Three months ago I was skeptical and undecided. I was weighing the “experience” argument that was floating around about him. I used to work inside the business side of the White House also known as the West Wing. I worked there for just under 4 years. I’ve seen how things run on a day-to-day basis. I’ve worked with and observed presidential “handlers.” Believe me when I tell you, Barack Obama is ready to be president of the United States. I base this on carefully reviewing presidents over the past 25 years. (I really didn’t have to go back that far. I could have simply compared him to our current president. That comparison is a slam dunk for Obama). Barack Obama is not the perfect presidential candidate—no one is. Barack has a vision and the uncanny gift of being able to connect with all kinds of people and he’s getting better at communicating every day. There is something special about Barack Obama. He is the right guy at the right time for this country. He’s done a solid job of running his campaign and surrounding himself with the right people which speaks well of his judgment. He’ll do the same thing as president. While I’m on a roll let me give props to his wife Michelle Obama. Is this a sharp down-to-earth sister or what? Whew! This woman can represent. Let me wrap this thing up. The Clinton’s have been exposed. They are desperate. Yes, I said “they.” Hillary and Bill have been behaving as if they have a sense of entitlement to the presidency for 2008. The Hillary Clinton campaign bus is dropping bolts and leaking oil on the way to the finish line. She has a new campaign manager (a black female), a new deputy campaign manager and she’s had to use $5 million dollars of her own money to donate to her campaign. These are not good signs. However, the Clintons are professional campaigners. They don’t like to lose and will do ANYTHING not to lose this race. Do not be surprised about anything that happens in this race from this point on. If Hillary Clinton loses the next two or three primaries, staying on the Clinton bandwagon is tantamount to re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. We know how that story ended. Click here to read Barack Obama’s letter to Tavis Smiley regarding this issue.Click here to listen to Tavis’ 14 February commentary.
I attended two social functions this past weekend where I encountered a wide variety of friends, colleagues and strangers. At each function the presidential election was a topic within several “conversation circles.” During one conversation, a white female that I didn’t know entered the circle and introduced herself. She politely stood by and gained a sense of what our group was talking about. We were talking about Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. This was multicultural circle of colleagues consisting of two white women, one black woman, one woman of Indian descent and one black male (yours truly).
After several minutes discussing this topic folks seemed to shift and mingle to another circle. The white female that I didn’t know politely cornered me to continue the discussion on Barack and Hillary. She turned to me and stated the following: “The only reason you’re supporting Barack Obama is because he’s black. Do you know how detrimental that will be for the country?”
Say what? I looked at her and asked: “How did you draw that conclusion?” When discussing “hot topics” such as politics, religion and other topics across cultural lines, one has to be careful not to be sucked in to having “intelligent” conversations with people who are not intelligent or people who are not willing to actually listen to and consider another point of view. This was my challenge with this woman.
The woman’s reply to my question (“How did you draw that conclusion?”) was: “All of the black people are voting for Barack Obama because he’s black.” Folks, whenever you meet someone who lumps everyone into the same basket by using words and phrases like “all” and “you people,” more than likely you’re dealing with someone with an extremely narrow set of view, or someone who operates from a sense of entitlement and privilege. When I say privilege, I don’t necessarily mean rich or affluent. There are some poor people who have been “culturally conditioned” to be believe that they are inherently better than others because of the color of their skin.
I asked the woman is she was supporting a candidate in the presidential race. She acknowledged that she was supporting John McCain. I then asked her why she was supporting him. She explained that John McCain was the best person to “maintain the integrity of the country.” She further explained that it was great that a black person could run for president, but then stated, “A vote for Barack Obama is not in the best interest of America. A vote for Obama is also the first step to running white people out of the country.”
At that point, it was clear to me that I had to hit the “eject button.” To continue a conversation with a person with this mindset is a “trap.” You cannot have an intelligent discussion with someone who believes that a black president would hire an all black government. I don’t mind having tough discussions with folks about “hot topics.” I do mind having discussions with someone who is ignorant, misguided and incapable of considering a different point of view.
There are some black folks who are supporting Barack Obama just because he’s black. That’s not why I’m supporting him. I’m a recent convert to “Obama Nation.” After carefully studying all of the candidates from all the parties, I decided to support Barack Obama because I believe he is the candidate who can best represent my interests and further my agenda and the agenda I’ve set out for my family. I also believe he has the unique ability to bring people together restore some of this nation’s credibility that we’ve lost around the world. I am not supporting Barack Obama just because he’s black and I don’t anyone of any culture who is voting for him for that reason. I have a unique perspective because I used to work inside the White House. I happen to believe that Barack Obama will surround himself with the top talent and the brightest minds available to him. Barack Obama has proven to me that he is capable of exercising good judgment as a manager and leader. Compare how Barack and Hillary have managed their campaigns. Barack Obama has revolutionized “grass roots” support. His campaign was built for the “long haul.” He continues to raise money in small increments at a mind-boggling rate. Contrast that with Hillary Clinton who raised a lot of money up front from mostly larger sponsors. She jumped out first with a stack of cash. She stated that the race would be over in her favor by February 5th. To date, the Clinton campaign has lost the past 11 contests, is strapped for cash, and has sustained two management shake-ups that raise questions about her judgment and ability to manage a budget.The Texas and Ohio primaries will likely determine who will lead the Democratic Party as the nominee in November. The Hillary campaign bus is racing to the finish line dropping bolts, leaking oil and the gas gauge warning light is brightly lit.
About 40% of the people that I met over the weekend were Hillary Clinton supporters. They acknowledge that she has an uphill battle. Of that 40% about half were black folks. One black woman shared that Obama was “all sizzle and no steak.” She explained that she would like to vote for Barack, but she’s still not convinced that he’s the best candidate for president. That’s OK. That’s her choice.
I’m glad to see so many people engaged in the political process. This is a historic period in American politics. Elementary school children and senior citizens appear to be energized by this election and that’s good for the country.
March 26, 2008
February 16, 2008 at 2:36, pm
Who is this really about?
It would be very easy to make this current episode of identity, loyalty, accountability and access to the State of Black American forum to be about Tavis and Barak. That the issues raised is about Presidential candidate Barak Obama not attending the annual State of Black America forum was about being available for his people or even his people’s issues, concerns, and positions. Tavis has made his point and strongly cites his own calling as the voice of access, to ask the hard questions and to be a conduit of dialogue for issues that affect people of color. Mr. Smiley has every right to work in that gift and I know he doesn’t need my permission or endorsement to do so. Mr. Smiley has announced today that he plans to never address this issue again, that his work is to bring folk together to talk about the conditions of our people. Mr. Smiley may not raise this controversy again but that doesn’t diminish the position he as taken or the ripple effect it has or even the position he has placed Senator Obama in.
Mr. Smiley has invited Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator McCain, and Former Governor Huckabee to the event and yet, only Senator Clinton has committed. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why. So blatant is her acceptance of this invitation at this crucial time in her campaign that it sconce deserves even delving into the motive.
Over the past two hundred years, we have been bless as a people to have come out of the carnage of the capture, the middle passage, the enslavement and the legalized oppression of a people, the most brilliant minds the human race has ever produced. I am not talking bout the 20th century or even the 19th century, I am talking about the mid 1800’s, the late 1700’s, I am talking about people who were born into slavery, their parents were free Africans, their brothers and sister and themselves were property, told to their faces that the were property. So intimate was their knowledge of slavery that was as close as the sweat they wore in the field, as the exhaustion they breathe into their lungs, as the fatigue they carried in their muscles, as clear as the whelps their scarred backs bore every day. Yet, out of this came people who were brilliant in spite of no laws, no schools, no advocacy, no representation, no bills, no candidates, no relieve. These people were brilliant even in the times when it was a death sentence to even appear smart. Reading was punishable by disfiguration, having a independent thought was subject to brutal flogging that took weeks to heal, To even dare to have the facial expression of a thought was cause for reprimand and citation from the power who saw that outward show of intellect as a sign of resistance and disrespect. Again I say this is not the Jim Crow days, the post reconstruction days, the four or five Black men lynched a week days. This was in the toddler years of slavery and this country. If, this election means anything, it is for them. For Frederick Douglass, who openly debated the powers that be, for Harriet Tubman, who held the gun to the head of slave catchers and runaway slave, if either one would prevent her from making her appointed destination, it would be for Mary Church Terrell, Mary Mcleod Bethune, Denmark Vessey, Nat Turner, John Brown, Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King. These people and many of the other ancestors are watching. We owe them the forethought that nothing should stand in the way of this historic moment.
I realize that addressing the Annual State of Black America forum be a great opportunity to address racism, poverty, education, unemployment, social justice. Some cited Mr. Smiley’s work as liberating and a strategic event, but I work in the Black Deaf community and they haven’t heard (no pun intended) of the “covenant”, these brothers and sisters still bear the brunt of systemic racism, the struggle to prove their intelligence every day, often from their own people. I moved ahead with the movement to empower, enhance and embrace my Black Deaf brothers and sisters, not benefiting from the Covenant with Black America.
Mr. Obama absolutely should not attend the forum unless on his own terms; he absolutely should not have to justify his loyalty to the African American community by appearing in this event. We will make sure that access and attention our issues are known and Senator Obama is fully aware of his position, status, heritage, legacy, and relationship to and with Black people. No, forum, community meeting, national symposium or conference should add or detract from that.
December 17, 2008 at 11:22, am
Hi people
As newly registered user i just wanted to say hello to everyone else who uses this bbs B-)
December 21, 2008 at 7:14, am
Dirt life. Soon, legal drugs will be sold in the market as Snickers or will Bonus to buy products
The mystery drug behind the arrest of Sherry Johnston, the mother-in-law to be of Alaska’s favorite pregnant teen Bristol Palin has been named, and it’s not Meth, the drug Wasilla is usually famous for.
No, this time round it’s Oxycontin.
Oxycontin is an opioid analgesic medication similar to Codeine that is used for pain relief in severe cases and for cancer patients. The drug is taken in tablet form legally (it’s available by prescription) or snorted, crushed or injected by addicts. It’s considered highly addictive and has strict controls over its distribution in many countries.
Pain killer abuse isn’t new, although experts say that Oxycontin is fast becoming the drug of choice among pain killer addicts, and it’s apparently popular with teens as well.
It’s not clear from reports whether Sherry Johnston was manufacturing the drug, just doctor shopping prescriptions and selling them on to addicts…or simply popping them all herself, but on a bright note, at least it wasn’t meth.
Bristol Palin’s Mother-in-Law To Be Arrested on Drugs Charges
December 22, 2008 at 6:05, pm
Could you suggest a virtual office provider with the bigest country coverage and low fee call forwarding to PBX which gives 888 number? I need the phone numbers in the Argentina, Brazil, Hong Kong, Dominican Republic, Italy, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Finland, France, Japan.
??????
December 23, 2008 at 5:20, am
Most peoples says that you need, other that you dont.
So how to choice?
December 23, 2008 at 9:54, am
Hi people
As newly registered user i only want to say hello to everyone else who uses this bbs <:-)
January 8, 2009 at 7:49, am
Hello I’m new here
:):)
And it looks like a great forum, so just wanted to say hello!
And looking forward to participating.
January 9, 2009 at 10:18, am
Goodday I’m new here
:):)
And it looks like a good forum, so just wanted to say hello!
And looking forward to participating.
February 1, 2009 at 6:13, pm
We are already a billion!
The number of the Internet users overcomed psychologicly important limit – a billion! This information can be found in the report of U.N.O., named “About informational economy”. Amasing grow of the Internet continues, its number of users grew to 20%. First place is occupied by USA (200 million users), China (111 million users), Japan (85 million users).
February 7, 2009 at 1:32, am
Please some links for a lot of interesting about celebrities
February 7, 2009 at 5:41, am
Q. How can you tell she’s a macho women? – A. She rolls her own tampons.
February 12, 2009 at 5:40, pm
How you think, in our situation whis crisis its actual?
February 14, 2009 at 8:29, pm
How you think, in our situation whis crisis its actual?
November 1, 2009 at 9:42, am
http://jgrtyjp.com/