It's one thing when African Americans call Barack Obama out for his avoidance of everything Black, it's another when a White New York Times columnist calls him out.
"His closest advisers — some of the same ones who urged him not to make the race speech after the Rev. Jeremiah Wright issue exploded — are so terrified that Fox and the Tea Party will paint Obama as doing more for blacks that they tiptoe around and do less. “Who knew that the first black president would make it even harder on black people?” asked a top black Democratic official." - Maureen Dowd/ NY Times
The word is out and even the mainstream media knows that Barack Obama is loath to tackle any issue that involves African Americans and or race.
Obama does indeed fear what Tea Party folks and Fox News will think should he actually act as President for African Americans as well as everyone else. Obama and his people have made the political calculation that African Americans will continue to support him no matter what. And while many African Americans will undoubtedly support him even as he ignores and mistreats us, some of us are contemplating walking away. Or have already walked away.
For a long time many African Americans have known that the Democrats take the Black vote for granted. And we've been onto the good cop/ bad cop game that the Democrats and Republicans have been playing with us. But with the Republicans never fielding a Presidential candidate that most African Americans can feel comfortable voting for, we remain in a political quandary.
And now that we have a Black President in the White House one would have thought that we could finally reap some of the political benefits that supporters normally do when their candidate wins. No such luck. African Americans are persona non grata with the Obama Administration.
Whether it's the Congressional Black Caucus asking Obama to consider policies which might help African Americans who are suffering higher than average unemployment during this recession, to which Obama told of his belief in Trickle Down Economics, for African Americans. "A rising tide floats all boats", the President was quoted as saying. Or the Obama Admin not giving Shirley Sherrod an opportunity to explain her speech to them before summarily firing her. Many African Americans are feeling little love from the Obama Admin.
So even with a Black, Democratic President African Americans remain at the bottom of the political hierarchy. That is a shame. And worse we will have to suffer two more years of Obama's fear of addressing issues specific to African Americans.
Barack Obama ought to keep in mind an old Texas saying, "Dance with the one that brung you". No matter how much he genuflects before the Tea Party and Fox News, neither will work to get him re-elected.
17 comments:
When Jews confront a politican,they do so with economic power.
The old saying "those who have the gold makes the rules" is a statement applied to the Jewish culture.
Val we(AA) waste our gold on stuff,so in turn we have no power to speak of.
No shock that we get no respect,we have to first start respecting our selves and our dollars.
I agree with respecting ourselves and our money. I also think a lot of black people need to live within their means and stop spending frivolously when we don't have anything.
Obama is just a pawn, so what does everyone expect. I'm neither an Obama fan nor hater either, but the truth is the truth.
You know, from the beginning I never really had a good feeling about him, it's a spiritual thing. My spirit just never took to the guy, although I was happy to see a black man in office for the first time. I just never really got excited about him personally, now I know why.
I noticed how a lot of the black communities have suddenly divided into Obama supporters and non-supporters. Before he was (s) elected, there were folks acting as if black Jesus was coming to save them or something. My thoughts were, he is very charismatic and likable but he is a politician and he can’t save you, you can only save yourself.
He seems to take a “If I just ignore it, it will go away” approach to dealing with issues involving race. The Shirley Sherrod situation was a prime example.
Well, I've said it from day 1 that my spirit did not take to this man.
Where I used to work people used to have pictures of him on their desks and so on, which is up to them. Personally, I don't worship any celebrity or politician. That's just the way I am.
I never understood people who go to concerts and start screaming and crying etc. It's one thing to like a person and their music or a politician and their policies, to worship them is another thing.
They are just people at the end of the day. They have the same flaws that normal people have, therefore, I do not expect miracles from them.
Powerful sentiments being expressed here.
I agree that Barack Obama hasn't been the most vocal opponent of African American issues and struggles, but hopefully the criticism that he currently undergoes will raise his level of consciousness and provide a stronger approach.
Of all the disregards I was saddened to learn of the cuts for HBCUs although he increased other areas of educational funding. I couldn't help but laugh at the Obama stans reference - too funny.
But it's one of the reasons why I have always enjoyed your reads for as long as I can remember. You have the ability to identify with many different topics and you've never failed to expressed your POV in resounding fashion.
FOX news fears Obama as well.
The rising tide may lift all boats, but right now only about five percent of the country has a boat. The rest of the country is drowning in that tide. Unfortunately, Obama and the Democrats are failing just about every test put in front of them. It's almost amazing how Obama is squandering his chances. I just don't get it.
Truthfully, I was never one of those Black people who saw Obama as the Second Coming. Other than his physicality, he never gave me the impression that he'd be MY prez and would look out for me and mine, exclusively!
I was hopeful and filled with a new sense of optimism, but I never expected any Miracles.
I also didn't expect to feel as if he'd neglect me, forget me and mine, no matter how tricky that tap dance is to be seen as the People's President.
I don't envy him. I think his gig is a hellish one. It's one where he can't afford to be seen as playing favorites to any one group, any minority, or any particular cause, no matter how righteous. Even at times, we, or some other minority will be made to feel as if he doesn't really give a damn about us. I don't think that's really the case. It very well could be a case of our own personal agendas and our own historical perception.
Campaign promises be damned. Once inside the office he quickly learned to play politics, and no matter his own morals or goals for this nation, whatever he chooses to do will be might with mad opposition and downright protest from the Right AND the Left! He ain't NEVER gonna please or satisfy the majority of us, no matter our color or our political leanings.
That being said, the core reality is that he never ran as a champion for black and brown people alone. How could he and expect to win an election in THIS country?
Am I disppointed by his term, thus far? Yes. I am. Have I given up on the man? No. I have not. Am I hopeful that before the end of his term things will shift and become somewhat better for me, mine and the rest of the country? Yes. I sincerely HOPE so.
As Curtis Mayfield once sang: "I Plan to Stay a Believer."
One.
@BigMac
That's true. We have to hold politicians accountable. And we have to do it from a position of power. In our case we may not have the money but we have the votes. Hopefully we will realize that.
@Beauty and Health Editor
I think a lot of Black people, if not most, were so caught up with the idea of having a Black President that they over-looked some things prior to the election. And when a Black person pointed those things out they were attacked.
So now we have a Black President but one who is unresponsive to us.
@Jason
Obama is doing a very good job of ignoring us. I wonder how he will ask for our votes in 2012 after 4 years of ignoring us.
@Beauty and Health Editor
Yeah, if people see Obama as some sort of celeb then they are missing the point. He's elected to work for the people. If he's not doing that then what's the point?
@Don
Obama taking money from HBCU's was a gigantic slap in the face. When that happened I saw the writing on the wall and braced for more of the same.
@?
Obama and Pelosi are failing miserably. They just don't seem to understand who their constituents really are. They seem to be paying more attention to the Tea Party than their own Party.
@Lin
I think we all knew, like you, that he would have a difficult road to travel as President. But his treatment of African Americans has been abysmal to say the least. There is just no excuse for it.
Only one way politicians will pay attention to Black Folks - special intrest group...i.e. (PAC)
The Threat of voting against and/or for and financial power do wonders in Washington.
The problem - Obama is a politician. I'm sure he is a nice guy but he is a politician. He came on the scene - made some promises and people started going crazy. Sure alot of folks got caught up in the hype. I did too. Now that the campaign is over we found out what we actually bought.
The Democrats have the Senate, have the House, have the White House and they still have to fight to pass legislation? As it was said in a movie one time "You can't bring a knife to a gun fight." The Bush Administration knew they were at war (with liberals and Bush Haters) and acted like it!!! Sometimes you have to know when to play offense and when to play defense.
When you have people around you that are afraid of race themselves of course you are going to get bad advice dealing with race. Obama needs to do himself a favor and stop hiring friends and hire people that want to see him be successful. Get rid of the whole communications staff and start from scratch (yes you too Gibbs). Take over the PR war that he is losing when he should be winning and get out here and fight. If he waged an effective PR war he wouldn't have to run from black folks and poor/middle class white folks would run to him!!
Too bad Obama Uber Fans will read your post and complain. I heard black folks say that we can't beat Obama up because people will get discouraged with him. But I say it's hard to be discouraged with someone when they show they love you.
@CO
Yeah it's a shame how Obama surrounds himself with people so clueless about race. But that says a lot about who he's comfortable being around doesn't it.
Gibbs needs to be the first to go.
I agree Obama has blown it with his natural constituents, lower/ middle-class Whites and African Americans.
Yep, some people think Obama is hands-off. They don't get that Obama is supposed to do for us and not the other way around.
Something I wrote 2 years ago: http://mariposatales.blogspot.com/2008/07/july-15-2008-on-politics.html
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