by Clarence E. Stowers | Apr 30, 2008 | Politics
Does Dr. Wright hurt or help Barack Obama?
Ok, yall pulled me into this political/religious hot potato. I’ve thought long and hard about this and eventually knew I would have to deal with this situation. So, here we go…
Telisha, to answer your question, Dr. Wright does hurt Obama and it’s unfortunate. Is it fair? Nah. The media, the Clinton camp, and the republicans have been playing the "politics by association" card when it comes to this issue. Clearly, if you’re a rational, critically thinking person and have listened to Dr. Wright’s ENTIRE sermons and put into context the sound bites that have been played continuously, you will determine that what Dr. Wright says and believes is not and does not have to be synonymous with Obama’s views.
However, the problem is simply that everyone does not think critically and scrutinize the information they’re being fed and who’s serving them this media meal. No some, if not many people in this country, are sheep; content to formulate an opinion of a candidate based on a 10-20 second sound bite of "the man, standing next to the man."
I get what Dr. Wright was saying, and for the most part, he was speaking the truth. I understand what he said and where in his psyche his comments originated. But when it comes to this politics game, more often than not, whatever is said by a candidate or a perceived surrogate, is taken at face value by most, and true understanding gets lost in translation.
The problem that you have is that those that take issue with Dr. Wright’s statements – a certain percentage of our Caucasian brothers and sisters simply lack the ability to understand where Dr. Wright is coming from and the impetus for his comments. Culturally, they’re simply not in a position to "get it." And probably won’t ever "get it." In their world, African-Americans exist on TV and possibly at work. That’s it. With such limited exposure, they’re not and have not been intimately exposed to our culture, our norms, values, struggles and the unique variables at play when it comes to being black in America. So there’s gonna be a disconnect. And Obama’s adversaries have played on this disconnect to a tee.
Personally, I have no problem with Dr. Wright defending himself and his life’s work. That’s not my issue. The problem I have is HIS TIMING. I refuse to believe that Dr. Wright is in some way clueless to the fact that Obama, and to a greater extent, African-Americans have a GOLDEN, LEGITIMATE, AND REALISTIC chance to put an African-American face to the most powerful office in the world. Dr. Wright HAS to recognize this. So why is he making his "last stand" now? He HAS to know the political implications of his deeds and words. Furthermore, what really gets me is that if Dr. Wright, in all his years of knowing Obama, CARED about the man, he would stand down and table his retribution for a later date.
Finally, whenever the electorate needs a distraction, the "powers in control" "Wag the Dog." Wag the Dog is film starring Robert De Niro, about a Washington DC spin doctor who distracts the electorate from a U.S. presidential sex scandal by by hiring a Hollywood producer (played by Dustin Hoffman), to construct a fake war with Albania – GET THE DVD.
The media needs this created controversy as a diversion.
1. DIVERSION TACTIC: We’re in a RECESSION – gas prices were "quietly" raised 12 times in a row; foreclosures are @ an all time high; food prices are through the roof; utilities prices have and are going up; college tuition’s rising & they’ve reduced grants & loans; houses are more difficult to purchase; nationally, housing prices have declined 12%; credit card companies are struggling & forcing those w/good credit to pay for those who defaulted. How do you get people’s mind off the REAL ISSUES – DIVERT THEIR ATTENTION.
2. DIVERSION TACTIC: Keep people paying attention to the campaign equals more ad revenues. Without question Barack’s candidacy was so taken as joke by the pundits that they did not feel the masses would take to him at all. So now with the very large amount of especially college educated whites voting for him in high numbers this has scared the crap out of the political establishment. Furthermore, I find it funny that someone can take a speech made several years ago and make it an issue today.
There you go…care to comment…
by Clarence E. Stowers | Apr 15, 2008 | Current Affairs, Leadership, Politics, Race
The absence of a clear identifiable leader has often been dubbed as the next crisis of Black America. Books have been published, discussions have been held, and news articles have been written. In Black circles, "Where is our next leader?" is like asking "What is the meaning of life?"
Allow me to get straight to the point: Even if we had ONE LEADER, everybody wouldn’t follow the same person.
The Civil Rights Movement united and galvanized us to seek change. As a race, we had one common objective: FREEDOM & EQUALITY. The issue of class existed, however, it took a back seat to the more pressing issue of equality. Once intergration happened, Blacks subconsciously divided into distinct classes with each class having it’s own distinct needs. The needs of the working class are quite different than the needs of the rich. What’s likely to happen is various leaders from each class will emerge and champion the issues of their respective class. Grass roots leaders will speak for & represent the poor and working class. Leaders from the middle-class will seek better housing, education, etc. Leaders from the uppper-class will devise strategies to break the glass ceiling…etc…
Today’s young Black professionals have attained the sort of education, connections, and experience that those before them could only have imagined. They have more potential and more opportunities than any generation before them. This new Black professional sees the business world as the nexus of American power, rather than Capitol Hill. Instead of seeking to effect change through government, this generation is marching through freshly opened doors in the corporate world or building businesses themselves. Rather than "fight the power," this new generation seeks to take the power for themselves and use that power to uplift our race.
Therefore, it is not so much that the next generation does not have any leaders. Instead, THEY ALL WANT TO LEAD. If there are to be leaders, there must be followers, and that is not what this generation is about.
Care to comment…
by Clarence E. Stowers | Apr 12, 2008 | Current Affairs, Events, Leadership, Politics, Race
T.W., a member of our blog family enlightened me about Tavis’ disparaging remarks regarding Presidential hopeful Barack Obama. Here’s her post in context.
"Tavis has made several implications that would make a person (if they
didn’t research and know for themselves) think that Barack is not
fighting for justice or for issues concerning our race. He was very upset that Barack didn’t attend his State of the Black
Union this year and made it seem as if Barack was avoiding talking
about “our” issues. I understood and understand that Barack is in a
fight for the candidacy right now and had to be in whatever state at
that time.
The latest remarks were from Dr. Cornell West saying that he was
bothered and disappointed by Barack not going to Memphis for Dr. King’s
memorial on April 4th. Their sentiments were that he was putting his
candidacy above honoring Dr. King. They stated that he remained silent
on that day yet he spoke about Dr. King and his legacy while he was in
Indiana.
On the April 8th segment of the Tom Joyner show Tavis ended his talk by
saying “If the cost to occupy the White House is to be muzzled and to
render black suffering invisible, then for me, it’s too high a cost." I understand that every black person isn’t going to vote for Barack
just as every woman isn’t going to vote for Hillary but what I don’t
understand is why Tavis thinks that he is the spokesperson for black
people on black issues, especially regarding Barack and his candidacy.
He’s received a lot of backlash from his supporters regarding his
commentaries."
Thanks T.W. – very insightful analysis of the situation.
In my opinion, I’ve decided to nominate both Tavis and Cornell to the "Hateration Federation." Both Tavis and Cornell can give the keynote address at the annual Hateration Convocation. Make sure the servers continuously fill their glasses with "Haterade" while they continue to hinder progress.
That’s right – I said it!
What’s your take?
by Clarence E. Stowers | Apr 12, 2008 | Current Affairs, Politics, Race
by Clarence E. Stowers | Apr 8, 2008 | Current Affairs, Empowerment, Politics
Most black Americans have been Democrats for at least the forty-one years that I’ve been alive. What have the Democrats done for us in all that time? We have the lowest average income of any large racial group in the nation. We’re incarcerated at an alarmingly high rate. We are still segregated and profiled, and have a very low representation at the top echelons of the Democratic Party. We are the stalwarts, the bulwark, the Old Faithful of the Democrats, and yet they have not made our issues a high priority in a very long time. Why should we be second-class members in the most important political activities of our lives? Why shouldn’t the party we belong to think that our problems are the most important in this land?
I’m not saying that we should become Republicans. The Republicans don’t care about us either. But at least they don’t pretend to be on our side. And you have to admit that, of late, the Bush Administration has put black faces into high-profile jobs that carry clout on the international playing field. I don’t have to like Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice to appreciate that once a black person has been put into a position of power, the second time around is much, much easier.
We are a racial minority in a country where racism is a fact of life, a country that was founded on economic and imperialist racism. Taking this into account and adding it to the fact that our issues are regularly put on a back burner, I believe that it is not out of order to send out a call for the formation of an African-American interest group, or maybe a political unit, that would bring our issues, and others, to the forefront of American political discourse.
If we had our own political voting bloc that paid attention to issues that reflect our needs in domestic and international affairs, things would change for us. The first thing is that many more of us would be likely to vote. Imagine the interest young people would have if they felt we were organizing based on our own interests: They could work for a candidate who represented their issues; they could run for office themselves.
Even though the party would be based on the racial identity that has been shoved down our throats since the first days we came here in chains, we wouldn’t work only for ourselves. We’d argue about medical care and Social Security and the good jobs that are disappearing from this nation like fleas off a dead dog’s back.
If we took the vote into our own hands, we wouldn’t have to ask the Democrats for their support–we could demand it. George W. Bush, or whoever takes his place, will send for our representatives to come to his home to discuss his plans. This is because they have not yet figured out how to dispose of the vote in the American political system.
Imagine it. We could actually democratize America by taking power away from the two-party system and handing it over to the people. Other special parties would arise splintering off from the centrist attendants of the rich once we show them the way.
What I’m talking about here is the beginning of an American Evolution, a movement that will create a series of political interest groups that will transform our two-party system into a kind of virtual parliament. We could construct smaller political groups based on specific interests. There could be Black Party Congress members from Chicago, Watts, Harlem, the Motor City and a dozen other inner-city bastions. All we have to do is have a fair representation in the House of Representatives to have an extraordinary impact on the wheels of government.
NOW YOU SEE WHY I DON’T OFTEN SHARE MY VIEWS – TOO RADICAL…
by Clarence E. Stowers | Apr 7, 2008 | Current Affairs, Politics, Race
For me, I rarely share my political views for obvious reasons. Like religion, one can reserve the right to keep their beliefs to themselves. This is why I have not openly shared my views regarding “my president, Barack Obama” (hint…hint…). The one thing this election shows is that RACE STILL MATTERS and the problem WILL NOT BE SOLVED until Jesus returns’ (come quickly Lord Jesus…).
As African Americans have voted and tuned in on the presidency, Hispanics are firmly opposing Black leaders in favor of white ones. Is the brotherhood among minorities dead? The Democratic primaries in California and Texas woke up a lot of people. During this election, there was a lot of talk going on about the “Black and Brown” divide. Most people have assumed for decades that since Blacks and Hispanics are minorities, it is only natural that they will support each other for elective office. Wrong!
BLACK PEOPLE LISTEN UP: Hispanics have always viewed themselves as a “dominant” group.
While Blacks have helped to elect Hispanics (The wife-cheating Mayor of Los Angeles, for example) it is abundantly clear that Hispanics have a clear opposition to voting for Black candidates. Whether it’s viable Black candidates like Ron Kirk, the former mayor of Dallas who lost his bid for the senate, or now Barack Obama running for president, Hispanics have opted to vote for the white candidate–or not at all. Up until recently, this trend has been most notable in places like California and Texas, but as the legal/illegal Hispanic populations increase across the nation, I note that this trend is not just isolated to the southwest United States.
What we see is that when the candidates are Democrat or Republican, Hispanics will routinely vote Democrat. However, when the candidate is Black and his opponent is White, Hispanics will tend to vote against the Black candidate as we’re seeing in the Obama/Clinton race. During “Super Tuesday” for presidential candidates, California voters chose their candidates for president. Hispanics make up a huge block of voters in California and they overwhelmingly chose Hillary Clinton over Obama by 64% according to MSNBC. It is now clear that being a fellow minority hasn’t created any kinship with Hispanics in America if we ever had this. We’ve all heard of the racial school fights that are almost a daily occurence in California, and the situation in the jails is so balkanized that even rival gangs like the Crips and Bloods put aside their street differences, while in prison, in order to put up a resistance to the Hispanics in jail, many of whom are illegal aliens.
What we see coming into form is a two front assault: Whites against Blacks on the one hand and Hispanics against Blacks on the other.
It’s clear that Hispanic disdain for Black people is no accident and it is clear this is not a trend we will see diminish. As Hispanic influence increases, we will see fewer and fewer opportunities for Black Americans develop. Remain in denial about this if you want, the proof will definitely be IN the pudding. We will be in the middle of a giant squeeze play, crushed between Whites on one hand and Hispanics on the other. While no one should construe this article to mean anyone should be anti-Hispanic (or anti-anyone else for that matter) we as Black people need to see to our own affairs first. We can’t just support people because they are white—-or Black for that matter. Screw-ups cross every ethnic line.
Hopefully this will “open the eyes” of OUR people who have slept on this for years, decades even. “BE for US, by US.”
Telisha, a very smart woman I know, shared vital information regarding class distinctions that I want to share with you:
Here’s the five 2006 income brackets according to the US Census bureau:
$97,032 & above – Upper income
$60,000 – $97,032 – Upper middle income
$37,774 – $60,000 – Middle income
$20,035 – $37,774 – Lower middle income
below $20,035 – Lower income
Thanks for sharing Telisha!!!
So, how do you measure up…