I must admit I haven’t been following the presidential campaign too closely. I don’t care about Hillary “Slippery when Wet” Clinton, Rudy “9/11 All Day Every Day” Giuliani or even the pretty boys, “Please Don’t Muss My Hair” John Edwards and Mitt Romney. Their endless speeches and faux skirmishes, as reported by the mainstream media, are as dry as an 80-year-old vajayjay - no, vagina (pronounced va-geena for the more squeamish).
From time to time, I become mildly intrigued when I hear or read about the latest Obama drama, which usually begins with some civil rights relic stating that by some impossible measure, Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama isn’t “black” enough. When MSNBC announced a couple of weeks ago that they were going to air an exclusive interview with his wife, Michelle Obama, for me it was a “whatever” moment. So, she’s a nice brown-skinned, well-educated woman with a regal air who is married to a handsome charismatic man. Good for her. I couldn’t imagine her saying anything worthy of more than a minute of my valuable time and brain space.
Michelle Obama had a lot to say about her man, politics, and family, but what caught my attention, after watching the interview and reading the transcript, were her views about the black people and “the fear.” This fear she spoke about is exactly what black people needed to hear. Unfortunately, those who would have benefited most from what she had to say were probably not listening. Most likely, they were wondering where they could get a DVD copy of the Beyonce Experience or when they could catch the latest episode of the cartoonish VH-1 reality series, I Love NY.
Those who did listen seemed to fixate on the phrase, “…Black people will wake up and get it…,” missing her point entirely, never bothering to read or listen further. One of those people was John Ridley, frequent NPR and Huffington Post contributor, who on MSNBC’s Morning Joe said that he took offense to the aforementioned phrase for he was not a “slumbering black.” Ridley was insulted by what he believed to be the suggestion that blacks should wake up and vote for Barack Obama.
Ridley may not have been slumbering, but he certainly wasn’t listening. Michelle Obama said, “I am completely confident Black America will wake up and get it, but what we are dealing with in the black community is just natural fear of possibility...you know there is always that doubt in the backs of the minds of people of color…that you believe somehow someone is better than you…There are a lot of kids who I know aren’t pushing themselves or going for what they know they can do because of that doubt…We’ve got to show people of color a differently possibility.”
Article comments
1 - Jameca
I totally agree! This fear is really prevalent in the black community especially in the South, where many of the older generation would vote for him except they say they are worried that he would be assasinated.
Somehow deep in the psyche of many black people is this idea that a black person can't excel the same way that whites can. It's the very thought that holds "us" back.
2 - Dave Nalle
The idea that Obama might run a special risk of assassination is bizarre. Of all of our various leaders, far more white leaders have been assassinated than black. Should Mitt Romney fear assassination because Bobby Kennedy was also from Massachusets? Should Barney Frank worry about assassination because Harvey Milk was assassinated?
Two African American political figures of note have been assassinated since the Civil War, and Malcolm X was killed by members of his own movement. There's not exactly a history of racist political oppression through assassination in the US.
Any candidate can inspire some nut to gun for him. Who could ever be more harmless than Gerald Ford, yet Squeaky Fromm was disturbed enough to go after him. The motivations of assassins defy rationality. Look at John Hinckley.
Dave
3 - Travis
I think that the people who say that blacks or "Afican Americans" are dumb enough to think that they are different and can't do the same things white people like me can do, don't really know what they are talking about.
Example's- the sports of Baseball,Basketball,Golf,Hockey there is a lot of leaders and star players that a lot of kids (as well as adults) black and white look up to and admire. If you don't believe me turn on the sports channel....Oh look a sports commentator he is black as well...wait can black people be on TV? I wonder if any great singers are black?
Or scientists? How about business owners?
The other day in school I was reading about martin luther king jr and found that towards the end of his life his support started to dwindle and the crowds grew smaller and smaller if he had not been killed he would have eventually stopped and died of old age.
makes me think his own supportors killed him to make him immortal? just my opinion.
4 - PBG
This is an absolutely brilliant piece!
Like you, I have ZERO interest in the on-going fevered political dance and usual drama. It is best, at least to my mind, for folks to wait for the smoke to clear then vote their consciences after the magic is over (tough questions answered, track records checked etc. etc.)…
But I am also verrry sick and tired of the excuses and the fear tactics used by the “Jesse Jacksons” of the Black community. I am even more exhausted by the “town criers” who follow them and appear to be incapable of any objective thought. These “sheep” are the people who limit the progress of the entire community because they are unable to see the possibilities. They choose to feel inferior and willingly limit themselves by fear!
There is no precedence for the unique culture and history of African Americans, so all we can do is to forge ahead and embrace ALL the opportunities. Success is the inevitable outcome of persistence and courage!
Kudos to Michelle Obama for having the courage to speak the truth! And cheers to you for analyzing it so incisively.
5 - Martin Lav
Good article, but could have done without ageist comments. Displaying a lack of sensitivity to any possible older readers on this site seems quite prejudiced to me.
6 - Hailey
INTERESTING ARTICLE! THE GREAT DIVIDER, although we ALL have the freedom to practice our own religious beliefs. Not all voters are black Michelle. A President is too represent ALL americans not just blacj americans, thisa is exaclty why obama will not win. We the AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE SICK OF THIS RACE CARD...
What Obama's Church Preaches, Erik Rush researches Hussein Obama's church, Trinity United Church of Christ. One could argue that this organization worships things African to a far greater degree than they do Christ,gives the impression of being separatist "church" in the same vein as do certain supremacist "white brethren" churches " or even Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam. Shocking? An overstatement? One can see for oneself on the Trinity United Church website, which is replete with confirmation of what I present here. An excerpt from their Mission Statement: "We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization. God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism. It is God who gives us the strength and courage to continuously address injustice as a people, and as a congregation. We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a Black worship service and ministries which address the Black Community. Black Value System written by the Manford Byrd Recognition Committee chaired by Vallmer Jordan in 1981. We believe in the following 12 precepts and covenantal statements. These Black Ethics must be taught and exemplified in homes, churches, nurseries and schools, wherever Blacks are gathered. They must reflect on the following concepts:
1. Commitment to God 2. Commitment to the Black Community 3. Commitment to the Black Family 4. Dedication to the Pursuit of Education 5. Dedication to the Pursuit of Excellence 6. Adherence to the Black Work Ethic 7. Commitment to self-Discipline and Self-Respect 8. Disavowal of the Pursuit of "Middleclassness" 9. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the Black Community 10. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting Black Institutions 11. Pledge allegiance to all Black leadership who espouse and embrace the Black Value System 12. Personal commitment to embracement of the Black Value System." Sound familiar? Of course it is, since it's identical to the 12-point list from theoretical white supremacist candidate's church;