Recently, Dr. Cornel West and his academic homeboy, Eddie Glaude, spoke up about black suffering that has occurred during the presidency of Barack Obama. Glaude and West feel that the Obama Administration has leveraged its strong support from the black community as an opportunity to engage in serious political neglect. White Americans have seen dramatic improvements in economic conditions since the recession started, while black Americans have gone backward.
“As folks rally to support POTUS in Charlotte, will anyone sound the alarm for what is happening in Black America?” Glaude said on Twitter.
As expected, fans of President Obama will interpret Glaude and West’s remarks as political mutiny of the worst kind. Even as America endures record poverty levels, and African Americans see an unemployment crisis that has hardly slowed over the last four years, some will presume that none of this has to do with the White House.
It’s as if black people don’t want to hold Barack Obama accountable for anything that happens in America, like the mother who uses racism as an excuse for allowing her 31-year old son to sit in the basement and play Xbox all day long. If Barack didn’t get anything done for black folks, it must be because Republicans blocked him with their racism, he’s too busy or black people need to get off their lazy butts and do it themselves. The degree of dependency that the Democrats seem to show when begging for African American votes wouldn’t dare be matched by the community asking for something in return.
What I find to be a bit contradictory about those who criticize men like West and Glaude who have the courage to speak up on such matters is that it is presumed that advocating for black America is somehow anti-Obama. When someone says, “I’d like the president to do more for black America,” they are simply doing what any other political constituency does when they meet with the president: Hispanic leaders say, “I want President Obama to do more for our people.” Those who support gay rights and women’s rights do the same. Without an in-kind response from the White House, they vote for someone else.
Keeping Barack Obama honest is not just what we should do, it’s what he wants us to do. An entire demographic handing power over to a politician and asking for nothing in return is like giving someone a paycheck and not asking them to come to work. Even the employee might look at you like you’re crazy.
This perception that black American problems are not significant enough for a “busy and important” president to address is a reflection of the low self-esteem of descendants of slaves, who’ve always been made to believe that their suffering isn’t relevant. As a result, whites are allowed to be angry about seven percent unemployment, while black people are expected to remain silent about 14 percent unemployment. That, my friends, is an artifact of racism, because we’ve been programmed to believe that we shouldn’t disturb president Obama while he deals with important white people.
One of the criticisms of the entire black community that some have levied is that we can’t agree on what we want, thus giving the administration an excuse for ignoring African American interests. Part of the reason that we can’t agree on what we want from the president is because specific leaders in the black community have chosen to mute their own voices so as to allow the Obama Administration to operate without being “disturbed” by the petty problems of black America.
I don’t speak for everyone, but here are a few things that I believe the black community needs:
1) Targeted economic policy that addresses the black unemployment problem. No president (white or black) should be allowed to preside without dealing with racial inequality as a persistent American problem.
2) Better schools in the inner cities and incentives that will attract good teachers
3) A response to the urban violence epidemic that is plaguing cities like Chicago, where black men are more likely to die than any other group in America: As we console shooting victims in Colorado, we must remember that there were far more people murdered in Chicago this year. Their lives are just as valuable as those in Colorado.
4) A presidential executive order that directly confronts the mass incarceration epidemic that resulted from the failed war on drugs: Modifying the crack-to-powder disparity to 18-to-1 (from 100-to-1) still implies that a five year sentence is converted to 90 years, so it really doesn’t mean a thing.
Rev. Jesse Jackson also mentioned poverty as a serious issue that he’d like to see addressed by President Obama. All the evidence agrees with Rev. Jackson on this matter: There are now 46 million Americans in poverty, giving us poverty rates that haven’t been this high since the 1960s. With all the talk about gay marriage and abortion at the Democratic National Convention, it’s disheartening that some care about these matters more than the death and starvation of our nation’s children.
Some of us have been led to believe that advocating for Obama is the same as advocating for black America. But many of these same people believe that advocating for black America is inherently anti-Obama. The fact is that the two should be one-in-the-same, and if they are not, we must ask ourselves why this asymmetry exists. Speaking up for the suffering of black people does not mean hating the president; it simply means that we’re asking for policy in exchange for our votes. This is what President Obama expects us to do, and it is far more patriotic than forcing free voices into silence.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition. He also appears in the Janks Morton film “Hoodwinked.” To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
forgive them their EGO has taken over, this is nothing new, their pride want allow them to admit they are wrong and they refuse to acknowledge the process,do they really think Obama should say out loud, I president for my people only, If all you so call black leaders realize how you are being used aganist your own people, you will stop, President Obama has put in place many things that we as black people can use to help us advance, instead of informing the people where they can find this info or of the new tools, they choice to remind a brother that worked hard against all odds that he is just another N, They call black leader of this kind Mr. Bate.. they allow themselves to be used to bate other black people in their trap to destory all other black people… I have a question, IS Mr & Mr BATE MARRIAGE TO A NON-BLACK WOMEN
Boyce we had 2 million foreign blacks come here in the last 20 years. They are now a quarter of our population. Too many of them are trying to lead when they know nothing of civil rights and our constitution. That is your answer. Plain and Simple. That is what is different about black america.
Boyce we had 2 million foreign blacks come here in the last 20 years. They are now a quarter of our population. Too many of them are trying to lead when they know nothing of civil rights and our constitution. That is your answer. Plain and Simple. That is what is different about black america.
Boyce we had 2 million foreign blacks come here in the last 20 years. They are now a quarter of our population. Too many of them are trying to lead when they know nothing of civil rights and our constitution. That is your answer. Plain and Simple. That is what is different about black america.
Boyce we had 2 million foreign blacks come here in the last 20 years. They are now a quarter of our population. Too many of them are trying to lead when they know nothing of civil rights and our constitution. That is your answer. Plain and Simple. That is what is different about black america.
I take exception with your remark!! I being a foreign black who came to this country am not trying to lead anybody. However, if you feel that we are trying to lead then you take the baton and lead… Remember Stokley Carmichael?? He is a foreigner and he played a very important part in the 1960’s… Then again we are all foreigners!!!
Neville,
Pay no attention to this troll. This trolls number one agenda is to promote dissension amongst continental Africans and Diaspora Africans. They go by different handles, but there sentiment is suspiciously consistent which makes their presence all the more suspect.
If you are so d**n pro african why dont you take your azz to savage africa and tell them to give your black american azz a job. Unity??? the only time them d**n africans talk into your d**n fantasy of black unity is when it comes to duping U out of your money and jobs.
South Africans protest at plans to cast Jennifer Hudson as Winnie …
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1234105/South-Africans-protest...
Actors in South Africa are campaigning to stop Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson from playing the lead role in a new film about Winnie Mandela. The Creative Workers Union of South Africa
What will it benefit black america to try and unite with savages???
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
150 MILLION GIRLS AND WOMEN MUTILATED IN AFRICA-MIDDLE EAST
South Africa’s per-capita murder rate is more than seven times higher than in the U.S. and almost 32 times higher than in the U.K.
African Civil wars in Sierra-Leone,Liberia,Congo,South Sudan,Angola and Somalia. The issue of Child soldier is not new, but what should be of our concern is the type of persons we( as Africans ) have created and are creating that will be with us for the next 30 years or so. We are breeding a generation that will more likely by force become the future prostitutes, drug lord,arm robbers, drug users,extortionists,proxenetes and whores of Africa.
Gaddafi Coming with 109 Cars & 500 people
Residents of the Brong Ahafo regional capital, Sunyani and villages along the border of Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana were yesterday gripped with ‘Gaddafi-mania’ as reports filtered in that the Libyan strongman and his scores of bodyguards were entering the territory
WHAT THE h**l DOES BLACK AMERICAN CHRISTIANS HAVE IN COMMON WITH THESE SAVAGES???? THEY CAN TAKE US NO PLACE BUT DOWN, AND THEIR PRESENCE IS AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY IN A MAJOR WAY.
We live in a country of helter-skelter confused individuals who have been (unknowingly) psychologically conditioned and controlled in many ways! “Blacks” or African Americans are just as affected as the whites, in as many similar ways as there are differences.
The fact of the matter is that we are all being fooled by an “elite group” who have had control of this nation long before Africans were brought here to be slaves! Everything we are conditioned to believe and struggle for is rigged (as it has always been) in favor of “whites” and the rich! When our ancestors fought and finally won the right to vote, the ‘white rulers’ simply changed the game as they always do!
They are always thinking well ahead of everyone in their attempts to control and exploit everyone and everything in the world! But because we have been thoroughly conditioned to see things the “American” way most are unable to see through the cons, games, lies, and secrets we are surely plied with! In the elite’s efforts to continue ‘Manifest Destiny’, they have placed a black-faced man into their treasured prominent position of “faked” leadership. It serves their purposes in ways most blacks couldn’t fathom or imagine! It gives them a leeway to impose horrors here and abroad while deflecting the mental imagery that “white-power” is doing it!
They tried this in South Africa with Mandela and it worked so well that they decided now was a good time to do it here in the US, and this is their decision, but they have made the public to ‘believe’ and think that it was ours! The decisions that cause us so much grief are never ours!
We have been so brainwashed that we cannot see that we are being played by the ‘elite’ as usual, and we are so caught up in our own delusions that we cannot see the extent of “the games” that we should be able to see clearly by now, after all we’ve been through! Yet after all we’ve been through we still have the idiotic compunction to trust “the man”! They play a mean game of human chess that we are ill equipped to comprehend or deal with mentally and emotionally.
Finally Mr. Obama puts on a mean show, but he is not our friend! He belongs to the the Anglo-elite for sure!
Because? facts ?
Marlene, u like many others don’t seem to overstand that Obama’s true obligation is NOT to u or me (the ppl) but to the “CORPORATOCRACY” that actually financed his presidency just like they do ALL presidents.
Because?! Some FACTS to start: He passed the NDAA(read on it if not familiar- scary, possibly unconstitutional) HR 347(effects freedom of speech & right to protest), HR4872 aka “Obamacare”- healthcare reform in this country has been needed for decades, but that tome of a bill (it’s online to read)was passed w/o fully being read or understood by House or Senate) aspects of this law r personally invasive, usurps healthcare freedom and may actually be unconstitutional despite being passed thru the S. Court. Then there’s the “Stimulus” Pkg. he passed early on, that profited NONE but the “corporatocracy”. Of course there’s the growing(not shrinking) military deployed in several countries, switched from Iraq to Afghanistan & several other countries, especially in Africa(which should be of interest to Black ppl) which serve to protect corporate interests in guise of “terrorism” or “political unrest” etc., while African, Arab ppl & unsuspecting soldiers continue to die in droves. Perpetual war means perpetual profit for the military industrial complex(that funds ALL sides not just US).
The sad reality is what most ppl don’t want to see or accept that any U.S. President (Obama included) is the CEO of a corporation(not a country) and as all CEO’s his obligation is to the bottom line, NOT to the ppl, we r not stock holders here, we R the stock! It is what it is! Nothing personal against Obama, but he was hired, OK (s)Elected(if u like that better) to do a job & is fulfilling his duty. And I really wish more ppl would research, google, look up, study…and really wake up & see the reality of what the politico/religio/economic game actually is and stop defending that or those who don’t need or deserve yr defense! We (the ppl) R who needs defending!
I so agree w. Wizardg that we R BRAINWASHED & DO NOT see the extent of the games as we r played like chess pieces. We(for centuries) are consistently played against each other thru divisive social constructs like rich/poor, White /Black, male/female, Democrat/ Republican, by that “invisible” global power elite”.
What is interesting indeed is how most ppl just don’t get it, and continue to play(& get played) by the planned & set rules of politico/religio/economic games. A perfect example of how “they “ play us is well represented in an old Eddie Murphy movie called Trading Places, where the lives of rich vs poor r manipulated by the callous whim of the “power elite”. Check it out or revisit.
U want facts?! Then don’t depend on comments on blog topics. Do yr own research & due diligence beyond the major media sources to find more truthful & vital info.
You’ve spoken truth and it’s ALL a game. This is modern day Reconstruction. The 1% owning wealth decides WHO is in the office of the President. Michelle Obama stated in an interview that it was a game, polka. In addition, Obama was hand selected and in the right place at the right time. The ONLY time that our vote counts is on the local and state level. National, NOPE, the 1% owning wealth, who OWNS everything in America and the world…Wake up and like Fayizah says, READ, READ, READ!!
Thanks for the knowledge!!! under the cycle of nation theory I doubt America will be able to complete the manifest destiny. However, our internal problems will eventually lead to our own devise and allow the Elite to make us into indenture slaves through debt
I’ve never been a Cornell West fan. He has a gift of gab but says nothing. WHY should President Obama only look out for African-Americans?? Excuse me?? Shouldn’t we be responsible and accountable for our actions and decisions? If this country is one that allows us to become anything that we want, WHY should we put that responsibility on the shoulders of a man? He’s not AFrican-American but a person of color. The census and the boxes we check tell us who we are, in other countries, you are called native of Panama, not a Black Panamanian, White Panamanian, you are a Panamanian. So much for the land of the free and the home of the brave.. Yeah, right…
forgive them their EGO has taken over, this is nothing new, their pride want allow them to admit they are wrong and they refuse to acknowledge the process,do they really think Obama should say out loud, I president for my people only, If all you so call black leaders realize how you are being used aganist your own people, you will stop, President Obama has put in place many things that we as black people can use to help us advance, instead of informing the people where they can find this info or of the new tools, they choice to remind a brother that worked hard against all odds that he is just another N, They call black leader of this kind Mr. Bate.. they allow themselves to be used to bate other black people in their trap to destory all other black people… I have a question, IS Mr & Mr BATE MARRIAGE TO A NON-BLACK WOMEN.
Thank you Cynthia!! The Koch Brothers have purchased everyone and trying to buy America.Did they buy some Black folks.Some people will sell Mommie for a dollar My comments will get crashed
I have no problem with the advocacy…but I DO have a problem with those that rail, and complain, but do not come up with a solution to their problems. I think as Black people, it is healthy for us to have a debate, as we are diverse in our thinking and views. I do not think, however, it is healthy to not have a solution, and that is with anyone, regardless of race. I see a lot of complaining, but I don’t see a lot of alternative solutions.
We’ve had and successfully manifested solutions several times & instances in our history. What we failed to do was maintain a UNIFIED front and resilience to rebuild when our efforts were subversively thwarted. Each time our efforts were subdued from without to within, then we succumb to the demise of powerful movements.
Noble Drew Ali had vital info and movement almost a century ago(the info is still vital today), at same time was Elijah Mohammed & Marcus Garvey(powerful movement). Then of course MLK & Black Panthers had phenomenal, effective powerful, movements even though in retrospect, “civil rights”, integration over 1st building & securing our own strong communities wasn’t the best move. ALL these “solutions” were destroyed from within by inside traitors & gov’t or policing agencies. Tulsa, OK was a prime example of our economic success & even what Dr. Malachi York was building in Georgia b4 the sabotage. The problem is we continually allow our movements to be attacked by divide & conquer & outside subterfuge i.e.”COINTELPRO”.
We don’t utilize knowledge of history to teach & we just repeat the same mistakes & we certainly don’t trust each other to build within, alongside or outside this ever failing system. We have plenty cooks & pots(leaders & movements) yet we as a GLOBAL ppl still starve(literally & figuratively). Maybe @ some pt. when & if we can get past greed & ego, we’ll figure out we can bring all those meals to ONE table!
Meanwhile, as Marlene suggests, we do what we can where we can. “Each one teach one, each one reach one!
Well MissDeeGee, since you feel that “black” people should have a solution to their complaints, than why don’t you propose something that someone might actually care to listen to. It seems that people of color have been giving solutions to the problems that plague us for years! But the problem with that is that these words seem to always land on deaf or partially listening ears. So perhaps you can suggest something that may actually get results this time? We are totally open to new ways to attack the issues that attack us each and every day.
Answer one step at a time, individually, in your family, your community. Rake your elderly neighbor’s yard, shovel your neighbor’s snowinvite a needy child to dinner; bathe and clothe someone needy in your community; grocery shop for your homebound neighbor; attend neighborhood watch -get involve; simple and basic kindness – let us all start our own advocacy program!!!
I have one. How about segregation? Integration is killing the Negroes.
Dr. Cornell West is a Nutty Professor anyways! He is still upset Barack didn’t show at his Black event years ago when he was first nominated. But here we go again with the House/Field..types. They wouldn’t be able to do all that Barack has done if they were president. They are embarrassing.
BAM! nail on the head! it’s a personal vendatta.
Do you believe Romney will do a better job for black people… because at this point you only have two candidates to selct from?
Romney said, “Black people will be better off under my administratiion.” What has obama said besides, “I’m not the president of the black people.”
Well, I guess Karl if your mind is a clean slate, you go for Mitt Romney. The no ideas man. Forget your medicare as it is today, get ready to work until you’re at least 67. Don’t expect to keep that child on health care after 18. Pray you don’t get any preexisting conditions- you are through. Those are the Mitt and Ryan team–come on white boy give me an answer. No Republicans talking points-we realize now they are all lies.
Karl: Romney openly said and I quote; “I do not care about the poor.” Can you tell me the group of people he was speaking of? If Mr. West care as much as he say he does, why I have not seen or heard from him as much as I have since President Obama became President? Why he is not off his b**t trying to improve the black community instead of sitting behind his desk expecting the President to do it alone? Mr. West is only interested in making a name for himself. People should not be fooled by him or Dr. Boyce.
How do you know that Dr. Cornel West hasn’t done anything to improve the Black community? Research. Why would you consider yourself poor? Are all Black Americans poor, uneducated, etc.? NO! Why do you allow the media, the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, etc. to LABEL you as being poor, low-income, uneducated, criminals, etc. Black Americans, neither party is going to respect you or your issues, unless you demand it from them. President Obama does not respect Black Americans (with the exception of his wife) and if he gets back in the White House, you better go after him, the way you would have went after Bush, Romney, etc. if they didn’t address your community issues. You best concern is with the state and local elections to vote for people that represent your interests (if there are any).
Well no, there’s actually only 1 choice with 2 faces. That choice is always the CORPORATOCRACY that controls both parties, candidates…!
As for “Black” ppl, Romney/Obama, ultimately our fate is sealed b/c since the so called emancipation we have FAILED to create any consistent, effective UNIFIED front that has built a true power base. We started out Republican(Lincoln) switched to mainly Democrat(probably during Roosevelt’s Depression administration)and here we r in 2012 still at the bottom of every positive statistic i.e. wealth, & top of every negative statistic i.e. health.
select*
I NO LONGER HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR EITHER ONE OF THESE PUBLICITY WHORES…THEY ARE THROWING VOTES IN ROMNEY’S DIRECTION WHO SURELY WILL DO “NOTHING” FOR ANYONE OUT OF THEIR CLASS.THE’RE PATHETIC!
How many jobs has obama created?
Well it’s reported every day, don’t you listen or read? Let just count what is more important–he stopped the blood letting of jobs from the Bush Administration. Start from there.
YES AND WHY IS BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT CLOSE TO 20% ?
One reason is education and misplaced priorities. We do not have the education and training for many of the jobs in the 21st century workplace. We have steered away from math, science and technology. And sadly, some of us were deliberately steered away from those studies. Another reason is that we don’t seek to get our own hired first within our workplaces. On the other note, we did not want to do the dirty and risky work like, plumbing,roofing and HVAC. Generation X does not believe in taking a lesser job until a better one comes along. We need an attitude adjustment on financial management and legacy building. We need to bring back the extended family lifestyle. Enculturation is part of the root cause of the fall of the black community. Prayerfully we will start pulling together in unity as we did during the reconstruction and post-reconstruction era.
I hate to admit it,but Black folks seem so easy to please. Sing them a song, use a little Black slang & acknowledge your Blackness that’s all it takes. Accelerating rates of unemployment,out of control crime, homelessness doesn’t matter.. Having a Black President is the only thing important in their lives,. Black folks would fit in might fine, in a communist society.
All the negro voters who think they need a black president should be shipped to africa. That’s all they got over there and all of them are dieing to get to white rascist america. They’d rather live in white rascist america, than under black rule.
janice: True. I rather live in America then Africa. I was not born or know enough about Africa to live there, but I was born an America and this is my country as well as any racist white or black regardless who the President is. Plus, I find many immigrants from Africa racist.
Or, certainly, in your white one, right? You are going to have to do better than that. What did you expect President Obama to do about out of control crime –immediately, when he was filled to the brim with all the problems waiting on him, you know the talking points-two wars, one based on a hoax, Wall Street Collapsing, the Middle East, job lost by the thousands and Congress doing everything they could to keep him from being successful. What did you expect him to be the messiah?
@bahati
Excellent points, you’re shining the lights on these roaches and they are running for cover. You might want to get a can of Raid for the delusional! lol
Real Talk
People who love Obama feel like they are under siege, and when Cornel or anybody else criticizes the president, they take it as an attack.
I happen to agree with most of what West and Boyce and guys like Belafonte say about the president. I think we set the bar too high for president Obama. It takes some real stones to buck the system as the first black ANYTHING…. let alone the first black president. Few men have that kind of courage.. Bucking the system as president can lead to Obama being the next JFK (if you know what Im saying). So I don’t totally blame him for not rushing to fix everything we believe is wrong in our community (and for me personally: I want to see a president that isnt afraid to jail war criminals like Bush and Cheney and change our foreign policy for good).
That being said, I think we need to accept that and treat him like we would any other politician. Black folks need to wake up and get serious about holding politicians responsible.
You get the government you deserve… We dont demand better? we wont get it
That doesnt mean I’d rather see Romney… He’s just a total empty suit with nada integrity to speak of.. The guy will say and do literally anything to get a vote…I been watching him closely and I see a man who is very ambitious….. But he has no center.. THOSE ARE THE WORST KINDS OF POLITICIANS. He’ll lie as fast he breathes…
HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN ANY NEGRO RAISED BY WHITES TO LOVE THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THINK ABOUT IT!!!! obama was sent to chicago to LEARN about the negro, and to marry the HAND PICKED MICHELLE, who they knew would make a good uncle tom wife, because her father served mayor daley up the black vote for all his days in return for a d**n city janitor job. her mother was unemployed and even in the black community the losers didn’t even own a home. These are the kind of low intelligent negroes , rascist whites look for to do their biding.
HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN ANY NEGRO RAISED BY WHITES TO LOVE THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THINK ABOUT IT!!!! obama was sent to chicago to LEARN about the negro, and to marry the HAND PICKED MICHELLE, who they knew would make a good uncle tom wife, because her father served mayor daley up the black vote for all his days in return for a d**n city janitor job. her mother was unemployed and even in the black community the losers didn’t even own a home. These are the kind of low intelligent negroes , rascist whites look for to do their biding.
HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN ANY NEGRO RAISED BY WHITES TO LOVE THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THINK ABOUT IT!!!! obama was sent to chicago to LEARN about the negro, and to marry the HAND PICKED MICHELLE, who they knew would make a good uncle tom wife, because her father served mayor daley up the black vote for all his days in return for a d**n city janitor job. her mother was unemployed and even in the black community the losers didn’t even own a home. These are the kind of low intelligent negroes , rascist whites look for to do their biding.
Well said!!! Written like a true black intellectual! I am going to plagiarized everything you said from “shameless self-promotion …black interests”, in every post I write about Tavis and West .
Obed Norman, This Post was meant for you: Well Said!!! Written like a true black intellectual. Want to be sure that you know I am talking about You.
David, this is utter nonsense. Few black people inthe last 50 years were reared to love the black community, that is why we have all of these problems in the black community.
I beg to differ. I do not feel like I am under siege. I feel like President Obama is under siege from white racists, and black crab barrel thinking blacks subjecting him– as no other President has been subjected.
I know that the black community is under siege from poverty, crime –killing, theft. the whole laundry list. I am also knowledgeable enough to know that President Obama has had many unfortunate circumstances to assail his Presidency since he walked into Office. I also know that with the economy and world geopolitics in the state that it is, left him little time for jailing “war criminals like Bush and Cheney”. I can just imagine what would happened if he had even mentioned that Bush and Cheney are war criminals, throw mentioning blacks in that schema and we would have had a beautiful Presidential Funeral for us in Washington.
It certainly is nice to know that blacks know the concept of accountability. It sure has been kicked around with this President. However, I don’t remember blacks using that word much with the other white presidents–not even with their Clinton.
If we are not careful, and blacks haven’t been, we are going to have the worst nightmare in a many year with the Romney and Rand team. That nightmare is for America–black and white.
Well stated!
Some black folks are used to acting like children, waiting for others to clean their s****y diapers.
I’m so done!!!
OBAMA 2012!
you basically proved my point by re-iterating what I said…
“I beg to differ. I do not feel like I am under siege. I feel like President Obama is under siege from white racists, and black crab barrel thinking blacks subjecting him– as no other President has been subjected.”
^that is what I said… you feel like you need to protect the president… I also said maybe we set the bar too high for this guy….
All that talk about him being special what just talk.. You say so yourself.. We shouldnt expect so much from him..
OK.. then he shouldnt expect so much from us.. He is politician just like Clinton, and Bush were too. Their words are often as sincere as a used car salesman’s
“I also know that with the economy and world geopolitics in the state that it is, left him little time for jailing “war criminals like Bush and Cheney”.”
^when Obama first came into office? That was the time to reject the policies of the past, and be a true agent of change. he immediately stated that he would not be prosecuting those guys…
I realized that he was just another product of the establishment… He isnt a true change agent, so therefore he isnt worthy of protection and adulation he receives from people. He is just a politician.. Like I said, if Im picking the best of the worst? then I pick Obama over Romney
“I can just imagine what would happened if he had even mentioned that Bush and Cheney are war criminals, throw mentioning blacks in that schema and we would have had a beautiful Presidential Funeral for us in Washington.”
^I can imagine it. And yes his life would be in serious danger.. But that didnt stop other great leaders from doing the right thing… Im just saying: Obama isnt that guy, he is just a politician. I dont expect much from him any more.
“It certainly is nice to know that blacks know the concept of accountability. It sure has been kicked around with this President. However, I don’t remember blacks using that word much with the other white presidents–not even with their Clinton.”
^I personally have always talked about accountability and it wont stop here. I care very little about Clinton or Obama or any of these guys other than the fact that they are elected officials and they have jobs to do. Right now, they arent getting their job done, and its killing us.
We need to be more assertive just like other constituencies are & iIts not “crab in a barrel” to say so either. My chief concern is the black community, not whether or not president Obama gets re elected. Whoever the president may be? we need to get our act together as serious voting block instead of being a gimme vote for politicians where we get nothing in return…
“If we are not careful, and blacks haven’t been, we are going to have the worst nightmare in a many year with the Romney and Rand team. That nightmare is for America–black and white.”
The nightmare is already here…… The team that Romney/Ryan represent is much larger and much more powerful than simply those 2 guys…. The people funding the empty suits called Romney/Ryan have more than enough minions to keep sending to Washington….
If they don’t win the white house? they get it next time, and in the mean time they’ll buy up the governorships, and state houses across the country, where they can have a more directly crippling effect on the public (just like they currently are doing today).
That is why we need to start demanding better from our politicians (Obama included)… get the money out of politics, and start holding these guys to account.
I agree!
Dr King did not have a poor people’s movement for Black people. It was a movement for all poor people. President Obama is engaged in addressing the needs of all poor people. Close to three quarters of bankruptcies are caused by healthcare costs. Obamacare addresses one pressing needs of all poor people. One of many things the President has done for all poor people. The shameless self-promotion of West and Smiley hardly qualifies as black advocacy. S&W would be engaging in real black advocacy if they engage their sponsors such as Walmart in conversations about black employment and the payment of a living wage. Crisscrossing the country in air-conditioned buses discouraging people from voting for President Obama is sabotaging black interests.
Obed you are a d**n joke. You must be a foreign black. Every american negro knows that in order to file bankruptcy YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING, like a house, a nice car, money in the bank. People who have something FILE bankruptcy to KEEP WHAT THEY HAVE AND TO HAVE THEIR DEBT REDUCED OR ABSOLVED. In order to file bankruptcy you have to have thousands to pay a lawyer.
Poor negroes dont need bankruptcy. They HAVE MEDICAID. they have always had MEDICAID. If you dont know what that is look it up. I’m not spending all my time educating your dumb foreign azz. Stay off these blogs until you learn somethng or even better go to an african blog and help your african people so they’ll get off this TV begging us, when we need to be helping our own poor. d**n!
You are right
David your remark is so shameful and ridiculous! Furthermore the comments you made about bankruptcy are not accurate. You DON’T need a lawyer to file a bankruptcy. If you have a library card all you need is a book or two about chapter 7 or 13 to draft your own petition. To make a shameful remark about a country in severe poverty, with babies dying from shyt we take for granted here IS SHAMEFUL! Are you really that d**n bitter? Oh BTW I’m an African American born and raised! At the end of the day who really cares. I can’t and I won’t with bitter folk spewing such hatred and foolery!
DAVID IS WHITE .Divide /Conquer. Crabs please vote Romney in as President then you will begin to know what the Jim Crow era
I’ll say it again. Anyone waiting for ANY president to fix all the ills of our society will be waiting for a very kong time. Stop whinning and do what Jews, Jamaicans Haitians, Asians, Indians, Pakitanis, and Latinos are doing all over black neighborhoods. Start a business, work seven days a week until it is off the ground, send your kids to college, and stop complaining. Your cries are boring the he’ll out of me.
AMEN! Uh! Uh! It would be productive if the rest of us support the blacks that have businesses in our communities.
Black folks…black folks….what can you say???
Boyce, you need to STFU!!!!
The problem with Cornel West, Tavis Smiley, Eddie Claude, Boyce Watkins et al, is that their argument begins with the assumption that all in Black America was A OK on January 20 ,2009, and began to plummet on that date. The initiatives brought forth by the Obama administration have had tremendous positive impact on all of America, including Black America. Fresh reading of DuBois’ The Philadelphia Negro identifies social issues that were endemic in the Black community several generations ago, and continue to plague our people. These issues were not of Mr. Obama’s creation, and a single bullet solution should not be expected of him alone. Grave urban issues faced by urban Blacks did not begin to disappear when Stokes became mayor in Cleveland, or Jackson, in Atlanta, or Bradley in LA, or Young in Detroit. These Black me rallied resources that they had at their disposal, but continued to be mindful that each had a responsibility and duty to the respective metropolis that each one served.
If it assuages the ego of the critics listed above to place in their cross-hairs the ultimate big game, the POTUS, then have at it. In the doing you are saying that all of the rest of us are wrong, while each of you has a unique insight into Mr. Obama’s Blackness, and empathy for those culturally like him. The thing is we all remember the genesis of Smiley’s meltdown, West’s pouting, and Watkin’s insatiable desire to be highly regarded. The thing is that you are going about it the same way Ron Christie, Allen West, and Mia Love go about it.
This is OK, but do know that we see them and you for who you are. Get your criticisms ready and keep them coming, because it appears certain that each of you will have four more years to taunt, chastise, belittle, and opine about the second term of Mr. Obama. The rest of us, meaning the overwhelming majority of prideful African American citizens, will continue to support, defend, and hold in high regard a man who is not perfect, but who has honorably sought to bring solutions to the myriad problems he and this nation face, despite your opportunism.
@Roi Johnson, thank you, thank you, thank you for exposing the true intentions of Boyce and others who use Black sufferring for fame and wealth.
Your below statement summed it up and needed to be written again for those oblivious to the sinnister plots of Boyce and his cronies. When analyzing these selfish, egotistical negroes, you have to watch their feet and not their mouths when assessing their concern for Black people. God bless you my brother, we do remember genesis and again thank you for the below statement!
“The thing is we all remember the genesis of Smiley’s meltdown, West’s pouting, and Watkin’s insatiable desire to be highly regarded. The thing is that you are going about it the same way Ron Christie, Allen West, and Mia Love go about it.”
Thank you. I was wondering when some sanity would surface from this overboard Negro nonsense.
Black unemployment is at app. 20%. Why? Maybe it’s because so many unqualified blacks feel they are worth more money than the jobs they qualify for pay, so they rather collect unemployment. Also, many of us, and I have supervised many of us, cannot take constructive criticism (they’re picking on me syndrome ), have bad work habits,(often late for work) take too many days off and feel they have to back talk their superiors. So when they get a job, it’s not long before they are out the door. That is not the Presidents fault. Look around you. When was the last time some of us were actually “TIRED” from doing real work. If more of our youth were “tired” from working there might be less time and energy to commit crimes. Dr. Wild West and his cronies need to address to these problems.
Regardless of how people feel about Obama and perceived his administration, the truth of the matter is that blacks are under no moral, ethical, legal, or spiritual obligation to support the president, it is not a sin or treason to not vote for him. This is the american way and why people died for the right to vote, so that individuals can exercise it any way they please, for whatever reason.
Related to the title of this blog posting about “black advocacy’ that really is something Obama doesn’t care about. Remember one of the first things he did when ran for the presidency is throw his pastor under the bus because whites felt Jeremiah Wright was too pro black?
We all have our individual responsibility for ourselves; our families and our community. It is fascinating that so many of the above comments want special attention, special stuff soley because of the president’s race -query did any of you ask the same of a white president? Many died for our right to vote – - -so Vote for whomever you please but VOTE. I do understand that Cornell West and Tavist Smiley are getting back on the bus for Poverty Tour II – can anyone tell me what was the positive result of Poverty Tour I – just asking.
Black advocacy begins in your individual spirit, home, family and community. What have you advocated for today?
There is nothing wrong with constructive criticism; the problem arises when that criticism becomes mean spirited and deliberately destructive. The “Poverty Tour” of Dr. West and Tavis Smiley is NOT bringing jobs, food, clothing and shelter to the cities where they are appearing. They have not once stated that the companies that are sponsoring them are hiring or sponsoring job training. So, what is the real purpose of their Poverty Tour? What are they profiting? Remember Armstrong Williams who was paid by the network for his negative commentaries on TV. He profited big bucks.
You know I have read all of your post and I understand many of the criticisms and the defenses. However I must wade in. I am a African American a Black or whatever we call ourselves and I agree that Dr. West and all of them have the right to criticize President Obama. However if you want to criticize then you must be better than the Republicans and praise him when it is merited. I think he has done a good job and has worked hard to improve America and as Americans we are charged with participating in the process of making our nation better. We need to work in our communities to stop the crimes, educate our youth and protect our communities. While Dr. West and his partners are railing against the Obama administration they should be challenging everyone that listens to become active in their local politics, after all the Republicans swept the 2010 local races and now they are working hard to render all of us non existent as they work tirelessly to steal the election and eradicate our voting rights and you know what that does not bother Mitt Romney or Paul Ryan. Now I agree black unemployment is at an unacceptable rate but I did not hear them railing when we were bleeding jobs under George Bush. I have a problem with us as a people when we won’t be honest about our own people and their behaviors. Some of our young people are un employable and that is not on President Obama, some of our young men and women have no dignity or self respect and that is not on President Obama that is on us who made it but won’t go back or are even afraid to to speak out against some of the images and teachings that is corrupting the minds of the youth of our communities, and that is not on President Obama that is on us and by us I do mean me.
The difference is virtually no blacks voted for George Bush and therefore he did not owe us anything. Black voters are primarily responsible for putting Obama in office after supporting him at record levels. Just like Obama enacted targeted policies to help gays and Hispanics, blacks deserve as least as much.
Lu 11:17 “But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.”
God is right, man is wrong. Destruction waits upon Black America just as it waits upon ALL Americans. I have never seen such division among Blacks as now and there will come a time when we will commit treason against our own families to have what the evil of this world has to offer.
Lu 12:53 “The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”
WE as Black people have suffered and overcome many hardships throughout history. And we will continue to do so. Regardless of the problems we have I will continue to support Barack Obama.
Dr.Boyce, there is nothing wrong with Black Advocacy and taking it up with the President. The problem is how it comes across or being don’t is more of an attack of the President. You’re never going to get a healthy dialogue when you come at anyone in an attacking way. I’ve read many of your posts and watched your video interviews. I’ve also read and seen Tavis and Dr. West it’s always an attack. I understand now what it is and I personally don’t think you are attacking the President but majority people see Dr. West and Tavis as attacking the president. They need to go back and study debating and speech because all of their legit concerns comes across as starting a fight. Its no different then Fox Nation. They need to come at it in another but with great efficacy to get the dialogue going properly.
When you started conveying your ideas about Obamaa to black people at large. Some will think you are a hater. And some will not. h**l, you could even be both. I don’t know who can really determine this. I don’t worry about it. And neither should you and the people who disagree with Obama. You will have to be your own judge.
For instance: I did not like or support Obama’s decision to go stomping into Libya. I think this is the worst decision he has made as President. I probably will never forgive him for it. However, I still ‘have’ to support him for this upcoming election. Why? There is no other better choice. This is the way a lot of his critics feel about this. But there are black peoplw who will think you have a person agenda with Obama’s success. There is nothing you can do about their mindset. Just take it as par for the course.
As I said previously, the first term belongs to the people/corporations that asked him to run… The second term should be for what can he do for us as a people, otherwise he would just be another zebra. I am betting on the brother to do the best he can for us!!! Just remember he cannot help those of us who failed to help ourselves by dropping out of school, have no skills, have long criminal records, etc…
Janet Reno under Clinton prosecuted many companies for discrimination ( see Texaco, Avis, Microsoft, Cracker Barrel etc) and how many has Attn Gen Eric Holder prosecuted? I have a degree and special skills and I had an interview last week and that old white male cracker barely looked at me. He didn’t ask about my present job or references I have. He was cold. Good high paying sweet job. So if u think discrimination is not high think again. My sister is an engineer and her company let her go and she had sterling numbers. Obamas justice dept could help by targeting and attacking these wretched companies. That would help black folks a lot. Trust me. Ptah Ra!!
Addendum. My sister did file with the EEOC and did get a right to sue letter. No judgement yet. What did Thurgood Marshall say? All we have is the courts. That’s where the progress of the past was made.
Addendum. My sister did file with the EEOC and did get a right to sue letter. No judgement yet. What did Thurgood Marshall say? All we have is the courts. That’s where the progress of the past was made.
I think Dr. Boyce website is support by some Rich White Republican that wish to brain wash the black voters.
DO NOT WAST TIME ON THE JUDAS;S , OF OUR PRESIDENT,REMEMBER JESUS TOLD THEM AT THE LAST SUPPER ,WHAT THY ARE GOING TO DO,DO IT QUICKLEY.ITS A SHAME THE WILLIE LYNCH SYMDROME STILL WORK ON SOME OF OUR MOST INFLUENCTIAL PEOPLE.GOD BLESS OUR PRESIDENT, AND HIS FAMILY. THE SAD THINGS THEY HAVE TO ENDURE.
Boyce: Where were you (and Cornell and Smiley) the 8 years that Bush was in office ?? Where was your ‘concern’ for black folk and their welfare then ?? What forums did you speak out at ? How many ‘Poverty’ tours did either of you lead or participate in ?? Where were your voices of dissent ??
Can it be that white folk didn’t need to pay you to do their bidding during those years ? Is that why you were so silent ? You are all so determined to do harm to President Obama because it is to your financial advantage to get on this band wagon. To h**l with really helping and advancing black folk, you are taking money to blast President Obama. SHAME ON YOU !!! I hope all 3 of you go straight to h**l.
I agree. I have reseached extensively. The “elites” want a world of slaves/masters. They don’t really care what race the slaves are. But one way they will use to decide is to pit us against one another. They will use us to kill off each other. Separate and divide to win. Almost every other country has decided that multiculturism will not work/has never worked. They are trying to rid their countries of illegals and foreigners. But not the U.S. They refuse to deport their illegals while people waiting to come to America illegally go thru yrs of process that prevents them from entering. The elites want the New World Order. A one world government. Hillary is on video talking about it. So is Bush Sr.
It is us against the elites. No matter what color we are. The Progressives have taken over the Dem party and infiltrated the Rep Party and every aspect of our govt including the military. I do believe there are some Dem elected politicians who do not know of this. They are riding their gravy train and that is all they care about. Same with Republicans. If I can research and find all the proof you need then they surely know it. It is not blacks being held back by whites or vice versa. It is the elites who think we are not worthy of breathing their air. Bill Mahre was on a talk show. Plenty of his supporters were there. Clapping at everything he said. He then said Americans are too dumb to be allowed to vote. And seemed surprised when noone clapped. He didn’t specify Dems or Reps. He said Americans. And that is how the elite think of us. That we are too dumb to know what they are doing. Research it.
Research Agenda 21. Research the Super Highway.
School text books have made Che Guevera a hero. Am murderous thug that killed his own people. He himself shot them in the back of the head. But his poster is hanging in an airport. His poster was hanging outside Bill Ayres college classroom and in one of Obama’s campaign stations. He is now a rebel and you can see school children wearing shirts with his picture on them. Our kids aren’t being taught. They are being indoctrinated by the elites. To turn them into good little soldiers.
Obama’s color means nothing to me. Romneys color means nothing to me. Their agenda is what counts. The tea parties for instance are not all whites. There are blacks in them and blacks running tea parties. But the media hides this. The media tries to make people think they are all stupid rednecks. But they are doing something. They are trying to make govt be accountable. Such as why they have their own health care and will not join Obamacare. Why a ridicously high retirement pay. How they get insider info on the stock market. Etc Etc.
We must fight for ourselves. Not against each other.
“White Americans have seen dramatic improvements in economic conditions since the recession started, while black Americans have gone backward.”
Okay, what else is new? What does this have to do with the President? The President has put in place policies to help all Americans and if Blacks aren’t taken advantage of them it’s our own fault. People like Boyce Watkins, Eddie Glaude, Cornell West and Tavis Smiley are all small minded idiots whose only agenda is to help themselves. Watkins is the biggest hypocrite of them all because he want’s everybody to think it’s somebody else who’s doing the “Toming” and that he’s just writing about it and posting it. Their main objective is to get some attention and make some money using Black people. They know white people aren’t going to pay anybody to say something good about Black people and especially the President. Making comparisons between African-Americans and Hispanics, Gays and other groups is the stupidest s**t I’ve ever heard and hearing it for some so-called formally educated person is even more stupid. These people really don’t want Black people to succeed, because if we would they wouldn’t have anything to talk about and their “cash cows” would dry up. All you Negro’s who agree with them are fools too.
David don’t come Down on them like this,just hit’em with the Truth but what Most Dumb Negroes on the streets don’t know is that Ghadaffi loved his Fathers the Black Nations! He helped Aboriginals in Australia & The Hon Elijah Muhammad in 1974 with a Loan of about 4 Million Dollars! THEM did not trust Crackers or these Dirty a*s Banks so he went outside the Box! David we Family don’t religious Bang on them I got Family right in Chicago they Christians it’s nothing but Love & Respect you respect Mine & I shoot it right back to you! I got Fam in the Chi still Phissed about what these Devils did to Fred Hampton! My Dad just Happened to be in Chicago when Fred went to THEMuhammad’s place to talk to him about doing stories about him in the Muhammad’s Speaks Newspaper Everybody Black in Chicago loved this Brother! These Gang Banging fools in Chicago need to get that fool O’neal who set Fred up to be killed if you wanna just Blast-off! I’m a Muslim Black & from the Hood but I don’t Bang religiously I’m for all my people like the Minister said during the MMM join any Black Organization working for the uplift of our people! David I dig your posts also Imhotep & of course Derrick he off the Rickter Scale lol stay Black Stay Strong but why you gotta pull a rusty screwdriver on Obama to get him to a Black Event? He maybe turning or turned by these Satanic forces if he tries to help us he will get Bodied! He Half African we need Toby in the WhiteHouse put them Crackers in Check! lol No jobs what they want us to do hold hands & sing smile in Whitefolks faces Smile at them lol Obama we voted for you take care us in your second Term OK we hurting all over the Country!
Now ole boy can make a Comparison between Faggits & 3inch Migets we going to h**l with a Gas o line Thong lol
First of all, let’s stop putting all the blame President Obama’s shoulders. We as african americans need start addressing the real issues of our people. I work with people who can’t get a job due to a lack of an high school diploma, substance abuse issues, mental health issues, lack of transportation, being a convicted felon,and illiteracy. It is nice to have forums in the confines of a lecture hall or in an hotel conference room, but why not take the message of independence to the people. Meet people where they are. Meet them at laundry mats on Saturday mornings, barbershops,beauty salons, street corners, local convience stores, churches, Boys and Girls Clubs and schools. Start teaching our people about the power of the vote and what it means to have a say as to what goes on in our country. We need to remove the REPUBLICAN LEAD CONGRESS out of office and vote in indivduals who our sympathetic to the 47% STOP BLAMING PRESIDENT OBAMA for our struggles and start educating our people.
If you look back on the debate, President Obama was not aggressive, and therefore, Mitt Romney looked more “presidential”, never mind that he is a liar, a bully, and thinks 47% of us are moochers! Earilier in the week, they brought out footage of President Obama speaking to a mostly African American audience, speaking in a dialect that we can relate with, giving a shoutout to his preacher. Now white folks are saying, yeah he is Black, look he’s talking to them one way and speaks to us another way, this next term, if we reelect him, he might do something for his people, so, let’s get rid of him! But now that Romney talked a good, and is a known itchasketch politician, they’re claiming his approval ratings have gone up. Neither politician speaks about the poor, and the working poor, but who do you think would be more likely in finding a solutions to the problems we are seeking as African Americans? So in advocating for Blacks it is not going against President Obama, but we must understand that they will use ANYTHING to dismiss all the good this president has done thusfar, because of the very racism we must acknowledge exists in this world! We better wake up, and realize just who is for us 100%, and who’s just looking for 53% just to get elected!