Go to Admin » Appearance » Widgets » and move Gabfire Widget: Social into that MastheadOverlay zone
by Dr. Boyce Watkins
This morning, I had to ask myself some hard questions, which I immediately took to my friends on Facebook: Are black people, as a collective, even capable of evaluating our political options objectively? They say that the best way to waste your vote is to stay home or choose a third party candidate. Actually, the best way to waste your vote is to give unconditional support to a candidate and then not ask him to do anything.
After president Obama laid his case out for the American people, Rev. Jesse Jackson said that he would like the Democrats to pay more attention to poverty and gun violence. But when I got to AOL Black Voices, one of the leading black online media outlets in the country, I saw a headline that says, “Malia and Sasha are seriously adorable!” Then, there is another headline next to the first one that has Michelle Obama saying to Barack, “I want to retrace our honeymoon.”
People are starving, children are dying, black people can’t find work and children suffer while their parents are incarcerated. Yet, the black middle class is living an intoxicating Negro fairytale where the only thing that matters is the color of Michelle Obama’s dress. Are we so addicted to style over substance that we have let go of the ability to engage in the act of critical thinking?
Perhaps it’s time for us to be a bit more serious about politics. This is not a reality TV show. This is not the last episode of “Basketball Wives,” nor is it the season finale of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Ladies, Barack is never going to be your husband, and those aren’t your kids. But the fact is that many other little girls who are just as adorable as Sasha and Malia, like 7-year old Heaven Sutton, are at risk of having a stray bullet fly across their neighborhood and hit them in the head while they serve lemonade on their front porch. Yes, in case you’re wondering, that is what happened to Heaven because we refuse to demand that the Democratic Party address urban violence as part of the party platform.
This doesn’t mean that an intelligent person can’t appreciate the beauty of the first family or comment on the style and grace with which first lady Michelle Obama carries herself. But the reason that neither the Obamas nor the rest of the Democratic Party take African Americans seriously is because we’ve relegated ourselves to being cheerleaders instead of a legitimate political constituency. We no longer have objective black journalists who critically assess the policies of the administration, and are instead flooded with a pack of highly-educated groupies who are hoping to get a picture with the president when he comes to town.
While we sit back and fantasize, people are dying. While we comment on how fabulous Michelle Obama looked as she gave her speech, there is some little girl out there crying because her daddy got 10 life sentences for selling drugs. As we talk about how cute Sasha and Malia look in the crowd, there is a little boy being murdered by bullies on his way home from school.
Perhaps it’s time for us to grow up and speak up. Until we do, we’ll never be respected, even by the Obamas themselves.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. To check out Dr. Watkins in the Janks Morton Film, Hoodwinked, please visit this link.
Log in- Posts -
Add New
-
Powered by WordPress -
Designed by Gabfire Themes
shadow
September 10, 2012 at 12:30 pm
I truly believe this site is being supported by the rich. This is another brainwashed for the black voters.
shadow
September 10, 2012 at 12:18 pm
The majority of the time when this website print an article about the President it is negative. First of all, the educated black men that sit behind their desks can also help fix the black communities. Ash yourself what are you doing? The President alone cannot save black communities. Maybe Dr. Watkins need to pull off his headphone and go out and see what he can do to fix the communities if he feel the President is not. He should ask Mitt Romney to address his plan to fix it.
phoenyx dean
September 10, 2012 at 8:04 am
Leave them alone. did u criticize the Bush family for being racist pigs? This is a form of black on black crime if u ask me.
Max-A-Million
September 10, 2012 at 6:53 am
@ brotherscoe,
I couldn’t agree with you more! I don’t understand why Boyce Watkins, Jesse Jackson, Tavis Smiley, Cornel West and all the other so called “Black Intellectuals” think that President Obama owes US anything, just because he’s Black! That’s like be thinking Oprah owes me something because she’s Black. I mean if President Obama were another color, would Watkins have written this piece? Since some Black folks seem to love Clinton(for whatever reason), did you Watkins, pose these questions to him when he got in office? All those that I mentioned above seem to do is run their mouths! They talk about the issues but what about coming up with some solutions. And they’ve had a platform longer than Obama. Just like President Obama and the First family, I’m sure they send their adorable kids to elite schools, buy quality clothing, and take get-a-ways when their schedules permit. And WE (Black women) as you put it “Ain’t looking for President Obama to be our husband!”
As Watkins’ puts it, “People are starving, children are dying, black people can’t find work and children suffer while their parents are incarcerated.” Did these conditions not exist BEFORE President Obama took office? When Bush was in office? And how are you Boyce Watkins helping to alleviate the suffering? It’s just so sad that every time one of US (Black folks) achieves some surreal level of accomplishment (Obama, Winfrey, T. Perry, etc.), all we can seem to do is tear one another down. And I think it’s even worst when it’s a Black man tearing down another Black man. Watkins, like you President Obama is “Just A Man!” Let Obama do his job, the way he sees fit, and in his time frame; the same way you Watkins, write commentaries, posing the same old rehashed issues, with no solutions, but continue to make money for you and your loved ones from our responses.
Phillip Battle
September 9, 2012 at 8:47 pm
May God Bless you and yours Mr. BOB!
Boycott Christmas 2012
BOB
September 9, 2012 at 7:28 pm
KEEP THIS GOING PLEASE, WE NEED TO BE CONSTANTLY REMINDED THAT THIS ELECTION, FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, IS REALLY ABOUT… SAD BUT TRUE…THE COLOR OF SKIN.
IF Those Who SEEM TO BE SO MAD AT PRESIDENT OBAMA, FOR NO GOOD REASON, WOULD READ THIS AND REFLECT A MOMENT, THEY WOULD SAY:”Hmmmmmmmmmm… YOU ARE RIGHT!!………”
Now, since Presient Obama’s regime, all of a sudden, folks have gotten mad, and want to take America Back…BACK TO WHAT/BACK TO WHERE is my question?
After The 8 Years Of The President Bush/ Vice President Cheney Disaster, Now You Get Mad?///// Now??? Really?
You didn’t get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal vote recount and appointed a President.
You didn’t get mad when Vice President Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate Energy policy and push us to invade Iraq .
You didn’t get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us. No WMD found yet.
You didn’t get mad when we spent over 800 billion (and counting) on said illegal war. Thousands of dead and hurt U.S.citizens and Millions of dead and displaced Iraqis.
You didn’t get mad when President Bush borrowed more money from foreign sources than the previous 42 Presidents combined.
You didn’t get mad when over 10 billion dollars in cash just disappeared in Iraq .
You didn’t get mad when President Bush embraced trade and outsourcing policies that shipped 6 million American jobs out of the country.
You didn’t get mad when they didn’t catch Bin Laden.
“I don’t spend much time thinking ’bout him.” George W.Bush.
You didn’t get mad when President Bush rang up 10 trillion dollars in combined budget and current account deficits.
You didn’t get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn’t get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans , drown.
You didn’t get mad when we gave people who had more money than they could spend, the 1%, over a trillion dollars in tax breaks.
You didn’t get mad with the worst 8 years of job creations in several decades.
You didn’t get mad when over 200,000 US Citizens lost their lives because they had no health insurance.
You didn’t get mad when lack of oversight and regulations from the President Bush Administration caused US Citizens to lose 12 trillion dollars in investments, retirement funds, and home values. (list not exhaustive)
You finally got mad when a Black man was elected President and decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, job losses by the millions, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, and create the worst economic disaster since 1929 are all okay with you, but helping fellow Americans who are sick… Oh, h**l No!
PS. This one definitely needs to be circulated to everyone on your mailing list!
Let’s use the computer to protect the office of President of the United States of America and our current chosen President.
LETS GET STARTED – LETS DO WHAT’S RIGHT!
GemGirl
September 9, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Dr. Boyce — Obama can’t be everywhere. He is not God. He does not walk on water. For every 7-year old Heaven Sutton who is at risk of having a stray bullet fly across their neighborhood and hit them in the head while they serve lemonade on their front porch, people in their community need to be DOING SOMETHING AND TAKING A STAND.
SO NO, Dr. Boyce, what happened to Heaven had nothing to do with Black People refusing to “demand that the Democratic Party address urban violence as part of the party platform.”
What happened to Heaven and many youth like her is that perpetrators in some communities are NOT BEING PARENTED and MANY PARENTS ARE NOT INVOLVED NOR WORKING WITH OTHER PARENTS TO STEM THE VIOLENCE IN COMMUNITIES.
Don’t blame President Obama for the violence that has been going on long before he became President. Once again, your stereotyping of African Americans is insulting. Many of us are politically aware and also appreciate the POTUS and his family. These sentiments can CO-EXIST.
Pingback: Opinion: Do black people think that the Obama presidency is a reality TV show? | YNaija
Alvin Washington Jr
September 9, 2012 at 9:13 am
Here’s a thought: how does a Hawaiian-born, Indonesian-bred, spoon-fed brother become the latest to bamboozle the majority of a people who continue to have a ‘Savior’ complex? Simple. Study those who’ve perpetuated the victim card against them over the years.
Quite simply, there is no Barack Obama without Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. And when I hear a comment like “Jesse Jackson is TOO BLACK to be President”, you just laid the red carpet out for Obama.
Bobby Rush had him checked in 2000. WHat did we do? Ooh and aah over a STATE SENATOR in 2004, opening the door for him to do what he did.
I don’t dispute the historical moment of the Administration, but even I had to raise an eyebrow at the imagery of the “President-Elect of the US” – because there is no such office.
BTW, that nonsense in Massachusetts with Dr Gates? If you didn’t know, the POTUS stuck his nose where it didn’t belong. Now’s he slipped through legislation to sniff his nose wherever he d**n pleases (NDAA/NDRP). Your response? Watching RHOA/BBW/whatever other popular reality show that floats your boat. And y’all can’t lie because you blow my d**n timeline up with it every week.
As many a Rhythmic American Poet has said, WAKE UP!!!
brotherscoe
September 8, 2012 at 5:04 pm
Black people should remember,how long did it take our ancestors to be freed from slavery and then from the residuals of slavery,segregation that still has its impact on us centuries later.It is wrong to make President Obama, a scapegoat for failure to turn this economy around in four short years.when prior President Bush left the economy in a mess.
BigJay
September 8, 2012 at 4:07 pm
Mr. Watson, I amazed at the b***s you have to blame 400+ years of oppession on one black man! We have been faced with the decline of the urban community for over 100 years ago when black migrated to Harlem. We as a community need to stop blaming everyone and get involved ourselves. These kids who are commiting crime need an adult to step in and speak out against them and if need be take extreme actions to protect our community. We have to understand that the vast amount of African Americans are still SLAVES in their minds! we need to step up and demand that our politicians step in and help our communities and stop acting like some sorry a*s, helpless negroes scratching are heads, wondering why we’re in the conditions we’re in! We need to step up or shut the h**l up!
PetefromDetroit
September 8, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Take it easy Dr. Boyce!,
You know the rules.
It is acceptable talk about and blame our black poor and desperate for the conditions that we are in, like dogs on TV, The pulpit and the podium bearing the presidential seal,(Stop whining, stop complaining, take off your slippers, any fool can make a baby, etc.
This man Obama is our idol and cannot be subject to the same critical analysis and opinion as his black constituency. Not even by a very rare scholar and academic with street cred too.
To criticize Obama means; 1)You must be for Romney. 2)You are jealous and full of self-loathing of Obama. 3) Crab in the barrel mentality, to name a few.
Use your wisdom to support the universally accepted argument that U.S.A. blacks don’t want or demand anything collectively except scraps and leftovers and one day you will be invited to Obama dinner parties and frequent air time on MSNBC/CNN just like Al!
Stop Being A Hater.
End of my sarcasm. One.
theprovider
September 8, 2012 at 3:48 pm
Mr Watkins is a closet republican and I also take issue with the tone of his argument. Watkins implies that we should stay at home or vote republican in November. We know what the republicans are going to do if they get the White House,and the house of representatives and that would set the stage for more black unemployment and increased crime in our communities. Mr Watkins does not give black people credit for being independent thinkers and politicly astute. I have been voting for 47 years and I don’t need anyone to tell me about voting……………
James A
September 8, 2012 at 2:58 pm
Dr. Watkins will you please define the term you use quite frequently; “address”? If the President and/or the Democratic Party were to “address” the issues you refer to, exactly what would they do? Would they just talk about them as you so frequently do? Would they take positive steps to eliminate them by actually doing something; which I don’t recall you ever attempting to do? Where were you during the 8 years of GWB? Why all of a sudden you want issues facing the Black Community “addressed” now that we have a President who happens to be Black? I am so sick of you talking about what the President and/or the Democratic Party isn’t doing to “address”. Why don’t you run for Congress? Let’s see what you can get done. Maybe the Repug-nants won’t block everything you try to do. Maybe you can get some laws passed that will directly affect the African-American Community. When you run there is one vote you can definitely count on.
PetefromDetroit
September 8, 2012 at 2:57 pm
“When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his ‘proper place’ and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary.” Carter Woodson, ” The Miseducation of The Negro” 1933.
Yea 1933. NOT 2012. Right?
ShielaB.
September 8, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Politics can’t make black people behave in a civilized manner. Being politically active can’t stop the gangster down the street from coming up to you or your child and not shoot them in the head or kill them in a drive-by shooting. It is not Obama’s fault that the black community has poor uneducated drug addicted citizens. Community organizations should address these problems. Blacks have been acting foolish for centuries, long before Obama was born. Blacks who act “to-fool” should look toward themselves for the answers to the problems in their communities. Stop blaming others for the problems in the ghetto. If ghetto dwellers want change, they should strive for change on their individual blocks and stop looking for someone else to come in save their day. Report drug dealers and gangsters to the police. Drive them out of your community. Stop letting your young men wear their pants below their butts and teach them to respect their mothers and women and stop idealizing the gangster mentality. We as blacks can and should solve our own problems instead of always wanting black proverty and community issues placed out-front ahead of other important issues. Stop your own children from becoming gangstes and drug addicts and work on improving your communities yourselves. Obama is not just the black peoples president. He is the American president of all americans. If blacks wanted to and were willing to work for community improvement and stop the violence themselves, they could. There is nothing stopping them. How did blacks survive the KKK in the south – use the same tactics to stop young black men from killing their black neighbors and destroying their black neighborhoods. If blacks showed more pride and concern for their own well-being, they would get more respect from the political world. I know some of you will not understand what I am saying and it may make you angree, but I don’t care. I taught all my children to respect themselves and their neighbors and the community they live in – they have no problems with young thug gangstes in their neighborhoods or on the streets where they live because the thugs know their nonsense will not be tolerated in those areas. Is black america afraid of their young people – if not get busy take control and teach those nusiance makers what is what. If you want the violence to stop – make it stop yourselves and stop wanting someone else to handle your problems for you. Save the day for yourselves – how long do things have to keep deteriorating in our poor neighborhoods before we as blacks take some serious actions to improve our own lives. Our young people will continue to run over us if we let them. Who among you is willing to start a community action committee to address the problems in your own communities
Deloris
September 8, 2012 at 11:51 am
I enjoy reading these comments. All I have heard from everyone is what President Obama should or could do. I did not hear how any on you had gone into the black community where you or your children lived and created not one job. Education, all we have become are educated beggars. Stop whining and tell me how many of you have opened a cleaners since we are the one who have lavish dress on Sunday morning. My cousins are Catholic cousins go in jeans(washable). Hats stacked high, they wear scarfs.
Come on these are our kids and we are telling someone else to come in and raise them. That’s your job, also your community when did you own a community. If you own it why don’t you stop the urban violence. Stop getting on this site and continue to put your foot in your mouth. As James Brown said “Talking Loud Saying Nothing”. This is what I see from all of this nothing but talk.
Kids in jail, WHY??? All of them are not innocent. No one told them to mug an 80 year old. No respect. This is something that we learn from home. Now go out and do something for your to make your community have a different look or are you to educated for that.
g
September 8, 2012 at 11:37 am
It’s almost election time and this is the best you can do. I, persoanlly took afront to this article. One, it is a pleasure to see a black family in contrast to always seeing black violence in the media. Secondly, you should be writing about people being responsible for electing their local politicians including Congress and the limited powers of the President, that’s where most people are ignorant, white or black. Thirdly, who do you think reads your column, the very poor and disenfranchised? Time for you and Jesse to get back to the streets and educating black people about how political involvment helps them.
Dana
September 8, 2012 at 11:09 am
Stop relying on Politicians!!!!!! Point blank! I had this conversation with a friend of mine the other day , and he asked the same question as far as Obama helping out the black community. Listen I can’t and won’t wait for any politician to come and say Hey let’s fix the black community..it’s not going to happen unless they truly is going to benefit from doing so. As a black women it is my job to want to help rebuild my own community and others if I can. Have anyone know of a black politician come in your neighborhood and say hey let’s start cleaning this streets or hey let’s meet up to talk about what we need to do to get funding for these schools? Micheal Nutter got On stage at the convention and said he focus on Education. I could ran through the television and smack the mess out of him, Philadelphia Schools are suffering and he took all the programs out the schools, and ready to close the FREE libraries. Nutter build ons of casinos and new lofts and high rise buildings in center city so that the whites could come back to the city. So please don’t hold one man accountable for dumb s**t other black politicians could do in their own neighborhoods. Im trying to make a change in mind and have people starting to realize we can’t do anything without Unity. I’ll vote for Obama again because I know he didn’t have a fair chance to show us what he can’t do (meaning tea party influence is in the house of senate and they not trying to let him help the country). You heard both Democracts and Some republicans say that this is a new republican party we dealing with today. Folks better get on board.
ravenwil1127
September 8, 2012 at 10:50 am
I know there are typos but I was typing fast.
ravenwil1127
September 8, 2012 at 10:43 am
The thing that p****s me off about our own people is that when we see a black man and a black woman that honestly love each other,we think is must be fake. What the h**l happened to black people? it’s not real unless a black man is calling her a b***h and she’s suing for child support. We have dropped the ball on each other.Government can’t fix that! The president can’t fix that. When white people hated us and segregation was in place,we loved each other,we supported each other.For real …not some fake”I wanna be on tv so I’ll march bullshit” because back then the issues were real,they were killing us…for real hanging us in trees…for real .The problem of this I-Pad generation is that you don’t know how it was..you don’t know how black people were. We had dignity . Before Obama most of us did not care who was president ,and half of us barely knew. Obama did not put the gun in Tyrone’s hand when he robbed the grocery store,Tyrone’s parents did because they did not teach him better.We know the problems in our neighborhoods and we know who REALLY CAUSES THEM, but it’s easier to blame the “white man” or blame the President. Immigrants come here and pass us .CAN’T EVEN SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, but in two years…OWN THREE STORES!!!!! We have the schools …why don’t we go? Ask a black student “what’s in the Constitution” He don’t know! Ask him the lyrics to a Kayne song ,he turns into f*****g Shakespear.I remember when you could not sit at a Woolworths counter,as a child ,I had to sit in the back of the bus. THESE ARE JUST STORIES TO MOST OF YOU,BUT IT WAS REAL,AND BLACK PEOPLE THAT LOVED YOU ,SUFFERED PAIN AND HUMILITY AT THE HANDS OF IGNORANT WHIT AMERICANS ,so that today ,you can act like ignorant ” negroes”( and you know the word I’m reaching for here)! and spit all over the blood of your grandmothers and grandfathers and everyone that fought for the “RIGHTS” THAT YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED. YOUR GRANDPARENTS WOULD CRY TEARS OF BLOOD AND JOY TO SEE A BLACKMAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE, because jim crow ,and tar and feather was real to us,not just a story.One woman Rosa Parks was the face…one frail woman ..not screaming..not being a b***h….just sitting quietly and all she said was “no” I will not give my seat to a white person,why should I, I paid my fare. That quiet voice…..started the movement that gave us all the freedom to sit any where we want on any thing we want. We have the power.Martin Luther was teaching us to use it…what happened…..he’s gone,…Malcom X …what happened …he’s gone…..
Jesus( and I know you know that story) gone…Same thing just different time.
We are waiting for someone to do for us ,what we should do for ourselves, why do we need the President to tell us to stop killing each other,stop robbing each other, stop raping each other,stop burning your own neighborhoods.When we stood together, we stopped segregation,we stopped “real racism” cause what’s here now is a joke compared to 40 years ago,when a bus driver actually woke my family up and said “this bus will not move,until you all move to the back.That was no goddamed reality show ” that WAS reality, and was going to put us off the bus ,in the middle of the night on the highway in New Jersey! So Black people …”I can’t say pardon my french,cause I ain’t french) Wake the f**k up!!! and handle your OWN BUSINESS,
LIKE YOUR GRANDPARENTS DID. NO ONE IS GOING TO HELP US,IF WE DON’T HELP OURSELVES, NO ONE IS GOING TO CARE,IF WE DONT.WE WILL WATCH JERRY SPRINGER AND SEE THAT AS REALITY AND SEE OUR PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY AND SAY ITS A FAKE, BUT IF HE b***h SLAPED HER ,PULLED HIS PANT DOWN TO THIGHS AND WORE TIMS WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ON THE TAG….YO NOW THAT”S FOR REAL ……RIGHT? My beautiful Black /brown /beige people grow the f—k up! YOu have it all. and you are throwing it all away. Been here longer than anyone. Literally built this country,built the white house….now ….in the white house and still it ain’t enough. Do your part and let The President of the United States, not the president of Harlem,Atlanta,Newark,you get my drift….The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES…do his job. Your grandparents my grandparents ,every ancestor that has bled for your freedom to do what ever you want ,will praise you and thank you that their efforts were not in vail.Excuse me if I offended anyone,that was not my intention ,but we do need to wake the f–k up and stop blaming .No one gave us freedom…..we did that. because we endured.no one gave us hope…..we did that ,because we “used to love each other” and no one will respect us ……..untill we re-learn to respect ourselves.
BL
September 8, 2012 at 9:18 am
Why is intelligence of the African-American voter always questioned and insulted? Why does Boyce Watkins think he needs to tell us how to think? The title of this article is inherently bias and horribly insulting to me as a highly educated African-American woman. I am intelligent enough to not make generalizations about my fellow African-Americans, lest I take the erroneous position that “all Black people think alike.” However, to address your question, Boyce Watkins, of course Black people do not think the Obama Presidency is a reality show.
If the Obama presidency was a reality show, I am certain that he would not be coy about focusing on black unemployment numbers, the growing HIV/AIDs crisis, the effects of predatory lending and the housing crisis, racial profiling or others such issues that affect the Black community. He would do so because these are issues he has worked to address as the president.
Have you raised the same question of White, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Arabic American and other supporters of Obama? No, and because you have not, you have indicated to your readers how unintelligent, and uninformed you are. Perhaps you have been watching too much bad reality tv. Perhaps you have been watching the shows that portray Blacks as unintelligent, foolish, buffoons who live to fight like: Basketball Wives and the Flavor of Love. Perhaps you need to check yourself and your own core values before you write another article from the position that places you as being intellectually superior to the rest of Black America. In fact, you are not. We don’t need you to think for us. You don’t do a good job of thinking—just look at the article you published.
YOU ARE and have consistently been negative, insulting, and degrading to President Obama. It’s natural and fair to criticize our President or any leader in office. They are elected to serve, and when and if they do what they say they are going to do, and then it’s important to analyze that.
However, I have not read one article where you ask: “Do White voters think the Romney/Ryan campaign is a reality show?” Voters in support of the GOP are just as excited, passionate and supportive of their chosen candidates. Are these loyal supporters any less informed and intelligent? No, they are not.
Why would you pose a racially bias question to us? Your question implies that Black people are too dumb to see past the hype to cast an intelligent vote in November. Do you feel the same way about white people? No, I doubt it.
Instead of insulting the intelligence of Black Americans, why not address the real issue you have with President Obama. You simply for whatever reason do not like him. That’s absolutely okay because you are not intelligent; therefore, I expect you to not have legitimate reasons for your disapproval of the president.
However, don’t project your hate on Black Americans by asking us dumb questions. If you want to say what Obama has not done, do it. Don’t ask us to not be happy for the President. I voted for Obama because he is qualified, not because he is black. That is also why I will vote for him again in November. He represents my interests. I am a middle class American. I am pro-choice. I am a woman. I have student loans.
To see an African-American man or woman in such high positions within our nation may be a once in a lifetime opportunity for many of us. Are we excited? h**l YES. Are we also critical and voting from an informed position? h**l YES.
Do we need fake black leaders like you, who blog negativity on a routine and consistent basis to speak for us and represent our ideals? In the words of Whitney Houston: h**l to the No!!
Shady_Grady
September 8, 2012 at 7:19 am
Nice point about the “cheerleaders”. Unfortunately too many black people and liberals of any color have turned off any critical thinking apparatus when it comes to President Obama.
But then again, so have the Republicans. In another time Obama would have been recognized for who he is, a moderate Republlican.
insightful
September 8, 2012 at 4:17 am
1 more thing, did y’all know that LONDON Government take care of their people w/out all this regrettfulness. If OBAMA’s plan is put in place & the RICH have to step up on taxes we will be able 2take care of our people on welfare system,medicare systems & other programs that help people. h**l how much money does it take 2do what you want 2do w/out going broke & still be able 2help people other than your circle of people. This world is SICK!!!
Why-do-I-Bother?
September 8, 2012 at 11:17 am
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I couldn’t have put
it any better! The fact is, GREED RULES OK.
Onesilverbac
September 8, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Oh sure take from the rich and give to t he poor, that way the poor will always remain poor.
DNC stands for let the Government do it.
GOP stand for business doing it.
One can not work without the other.
Repubs. work for it Demos spend it, the problem is they have spent to much more than was brought in, about 5 TRILLION more since President Obama has been in office. If you took every penny from the wealthy it still wouldn’t touch that 5 Trillion. Spending has to be cut, we all know the more you’re given, the more you want, and once given you can’t take it back or stop giving. (health Ins., medicare, medicaid, food stamps, unemployment, housing, school loans, and on and on)
Their in lies the problem, their is not enough business, tax, or wealth to pay for all that is given to the people and still maintain the roads, bridges, defense of the nation, etc etc.
The end results at a minimum is hyper inflation (that 20 cent candy bar will that already cost 1.25 will cost $3.00). Or bankruptcy of the nation, in that case, all of the freebees will all be gone! That’s why the Repubs are always at odds with the Dems.
insightful
September 8, 2012 at 4:06 am
U know what boyce, u & everyone who thinks your article is fact, need 2 review. OBAMA is 1 person, there are govenors,senators,mayors & a whole lot of other political representatives in each state & city that are getting paid a whole lot of money 2address the issues in their prespective areas. Let’s not get it twisted. President OBAMA addresses issues that effect the WHOLE WORLD. Jesses Jackson what are u DOING? As far as the FIRST Family is concern their appearance, what they had on, how well they spoke was not distracting it was obvious & just like if they were anybody else we should be able 2 appreciate that w/out being JUDGED!!! Boyce like I said many times B4 I hate 2 stoop 2 your level, but the world needs 2no, YOU ARE1 Dumb NEGRO. Let the record show u-r not very nice!!!
C. Momassie
September 8, 2012 at 3:11 am
The best for of welfare for us black people is first class education not attacking Obama for I understand that we must have the moral courage necessary to make bold decisions and accept the necessary degfree of risk when the natural inclination is to choose a less ambitiuous tack, for in audacity and obstinacy will be found safety! But, h**l you took it to another level and you should have not done that in my honest opinion!
The Motown Sound!
September 8, 2012 at 2:48 am
Dude, you are about to lose a lot people WITH THIS NONSENSE! Pres Obama is the POTUS of all Americans. The war on Poverty is a 2nd term issue—WHICH REQUIRES RESOURCES, which YOUR REPUBLICAN friends have BLOCKED! Besides, 29 States have REPUBLICAN GOV’S (Most of the South – 57% of Blacks live in the South) WHO WON’T LIFT FINGER TO SOLVE POVERTY — OR JOBLESSNESS AMONG MINORITIES.
Why do you QUESTION a love story between a BLACK MAN AND HIS WIFE, who are budding examples FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS (BLACK AND WHITE)!
Get a grip and START COMPLAINING ABOUT THOSE TEA PARTY FREAKS WHO ARE SABOTAGING OUR FUTURE!
Are you in the bubble too!
Henry McCurtis
September 8, 2012 at 2:26 am
When I read the above statement by Dr. Watkins it is not clear what his agenda is. If it is to galvanize African Americans into a movement that presents our agenda during this election and in its aftermath I am in total agreement. However the vicissitudes of poverty and violence that bedevil Black lives from cradle to grave can’t be eliminated by the narrow focus on whether Black people admire and feel pride in PBO or not. This seems more of a thinly veiled envy. Why be so invested in this kind of devaluation and insulting of Black people who have pride in the image of an African Family sitting in the Ship of State. Why not focus on developing a movement that will propel the issues of Black America into a mighty gale that will direct the winds of change and force POTUS to steer the Ship of State in the direction we desire. Let’s demand more cradle to college initiatives like the Harlem Children’s zone. Let’s demand reentry marketable skill development for the 6.5 million Black and Brown bodies ensnared in the prison, probation, and parole system. Let’s arm the CBC with specific talking points for a comprehensive Black agenda aimed at permanently closing the cradle to prison pipeline. Let’s get them to sign of on it and let’s organize our cities and hamlets by massive conscious raising that restores a sense of agency, cultural fidelity, and historical consciousness. This will honor the legacy of Douglas, Martin, Malcolm, and the countless other unsung warriors who engaged and advanced the struggle to the stage that we can have the paradoxical opportunity to battle oppression and injustice while having our own at the helm of the Ship of State
Greg
September 8, 2012 at 1:32 am
This is nothing new. We have been some foolish people for a long time. Actually, if we act in the logical and senseable would be the abnormal. We have been assbackward so long that we except it as the normal. There have never been an exact reason why we are in the condition we are in. Obama Presidency is just par for the course. The NOI has taught this for a long time. Malcolm X used to say this. I have heard Minister Farrakhan expound on this. We have taken too many hits in our heads throughout history. That is why we are stuck in this condition. We all are not like that. But way too many of us are.
Kevin
September 8, 2012 at 12:35 am
Why are we just blaming Democrats for our isssues, is it not all the politians fault that the proverty rate is so high, unemployment is through the roof. I find it funny the when we had white presidents, no one demanded that they address the issues of blacknfolks. But since we have a black president we want to throw himnunder the bus because he’s not focusing on black issues. I want to know what are you doing Watkins to help out black folks other than talking about it.
DaTruth
September 7, 2012 at 11:59 pm
Right on point Dr. Watkins! A love affair w. a politician is no different than a love affair w. a pimp. Neither considers nor respects a person or grp that allows themselves to be used & walked over, & by giving ur unconditional support to a politician w/o demanding anything of him is the equivalent of being pimped. Every other grp smartly demands something of its public officials before parting with its vote, but we foolishly give ours up for free b/c we r so happy to have a blk face n a so called high place.
Onesilverbac
September 7, 2012 at 10:58 pm
I’m proud of the Obama’s. He is a politician who happens to look like me. I did vote for him, will I do it again???
As a politician 1st, he will always do what is in his own best interest before any one or anything else. He POTUS is an excellent speaker, (sounds like a baptist preacher) in his key note yesterday he had men and woman crying, However as much as he is loved, if we can get past our personal bias towards him we will find other than giving us things that are not in the Constitution, nice to have but……….
Health Care is not a right, Free Abortions are not a right, free contraception is not a right!
Having 45 million on food stamps is awful.
Having 23 million unemployed or underemployed is awful.
Having 16 TRILLION in dept is awful.
Having 80 TRILLION in unfunded liability is awful.
The number of jobs created by the administration does not even stay up with the population growth of the country, and they have the nerve to want to allow up to 12 million illegals to become citizens. Didn’t Reagan do this for 20 million back in the early 80′s?
If you have a friend who is a economist ask them what they think.
Our President has made history, (that’s a wonderful thing) how he will go down in history is a totally different story.
Each president has some crappy stuff to work through, Bush had 911 which was much more foreboding than what POTUS has had to face to date.
You get what you get, it is what it is! If more time was spent on correcting the economy rather than complaining about it and trying to make his self look good to the world, their would be know thought of who our Next POTUS would be. It would be Obama, now I’m not sure, if he does not win we will cry RACISM rather than considering his policies.
You don’t have to agree with every thing he does because he looks like you and I!
HCR
September 7, 2012 at 10:15 pm
I’m 63 years old.
(1) I’ve been listening to militants for 45 years. They run around talking about Blackness and the “Community” and all the time trying to get the lightest sisters they can, and living in the Suburbs. For all their talk they do very little and as a result accomplish little, except enriching themselves.
(2) I’ve been listening to white people for 55 years talking about Presidents and First Ladies, how wonderful they are and what good examples their families are etc.
(3) I now have a President who could have lived in White Heaven, with a Wall Street “Master of the Universe” job and a Blonde Trophy Wife, but instead chose to live with us and pursued and married a Beautiful Black Woman and produced a family that is admired around the World. I Love That, I wallow in that, and no Mau-Mauing SOB is going to make me feel bad about that. I’ll do what I can for the community in my own way, in my own time but I love the Obamas and will do all that I can to support them.
HCR
September 7, 2012 at 10:15 pm
I’m 63 years old.
(1) I’ve been listening to militants for 45 years. They run around talking about Blackness and the “Community” and all the time trying to get the lightest sisters they can, and living in the Suburbs. For all their talk they do very little and as a result accomplish little, except enriching themselves.
(2) I’ve been listening to white people for 55 years talking about Presidents and First Ladies, how wonderful they are and what good examples their families are etc.
(3) I now have a President who could have lived in White Heaven, with a Wall Street “Master of the Universe” job and a Blonde Trophy Wife, but instead chose to live with us and pursued and married a Beautiful Black Woman and produced a family that is admired around the World. I Love That, I wallow in that, and no Mau-Mauing SOB is going to make me feel bad about that. I’ll do what I can for the community in my own way, in my own time but I love the Obamas and will do all that I can to support them.
Max-A-Million
September 10, 2012 at 7:08 am
AaaaaMEN!!!!!
YES WE CAN BUT
September 7, 2012 at 9:37 pm
These replies verify the author’s observation. We are so easily offended instead of stopping to examine the merit. In 2008 Obama was the ONE who could and would do xyz for the black community and now that he’s shown that he doesn’t give a rip about the community. We can’t walk and chew gum at the same time and we are not able to think critically cause if you could–YOU’D NOT BE OFFENDED BY THESE OBSERVATIONS. I feel sorry for us because WE ARE smarter than this. We would not tolerate such shade from anyone in the micro of our personal lives. We’d call a negro out in a minute if we remotely thought they were trying to get over. Yet we can’t see how we are being played. We as a constituency are equivalent to a late night booty call to this POTUS and Democrat party. #suckers
Karen
September 7, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Definitely thought provoking. Great way to articulate the thoughts of others. My choice is Substance over Rhetoric anyday. IJS
Nedrea
September 7, 2012 at 6:49 pm
I totally agree with Will 100%, plus I think this article is very insolent and insulting.
Andrew
September 7, 2012 at 10:39 pm
Nedrea, if you as an individual want to continue in your role as a cheerleader, I suppose that’s your prerogative. But there are some like Dr. Watkins who think there’s nothing “insolent and insulting” about asking tough questions – of Barack Obama and of ourselves – so that African-Americans and others of all races can live in the best possible environment.
I personally think it’s un-American to suggest that tough questions should not be asked and that we should merely have blind faith in our leaders – after all, isn’t that what George W. Bush would have liked us to do with him? – but than again, one of the things that makes America great is that people can have any opinion they want no matter how foolish it makes them sound, so whatever.
Nedrea
September 8, 2012 at 9:14 pm
Opinions are like arms, everyone has them, and my opinion still remains that this article is insulting.
Nedrea
September 8, 2012 at 9:18 pm
and if I were you, I wouldn’t call anyone foolish. Just a suggestion. YOU don’t want me to go there, because I will have you sitting in a corner crying for your mother.
Simon Legree
September 7, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Don’t worry about it Doc. He’s going to lose anyway. People underestimate the under current of hidden racism within the majority of white people. Most people only want to acknowledge the overt Klansman and Neo-n**i. But there is a whole group of patronizing racist who have no problem with Black people as long as they are pets, begging for help and the ever smiling, joke cracking illiterate negroe. But as soon as the that same negroe gets an education or a better job as the man in charge of the nuclear weapons that racism comes out like a case of herpes. Every adult knows the President no matter who it is cannot create jobs like there is some magical lever down in the basement of the White House that says create jobs on it. The President can set conditions and policy to stop the outsourcing of jobs and strengthen labors laws to help those already working. No way in h**l that Mitt Romney is going to do any of that. So you see racism is so deeply ingrained in you typical average middle class white voters mind that they would rather vote for some a*****e who is not in their best interest than vote for a Black Man. Romney has his money stashed away in a secret Swiss Bank account to avoid taxes. What kind of a fool would vote for a man to be the leader of the United States like that. The trick is that most of these people don’t even realize their own racism. But for my Black people reading this don’t get to upset by this loss. Barack and Michelle will be millionaires for the rest of their lives. Sasha and Millea will never have to sacrifice their lives in any War Romney starts just like his own grown sons never will. The good thing about this loss will be that Black people will now understand that we have to demand something from the people who ask for our vote and they have too deliver. All the problems in the Black Community that this President could have helped with or at least opened his mouth about and he didn’t. There are only about 38 million Black people in the US, of those only about 25 million are betweeen the ages 18 to 45, the prime age for a jobs program or great building project. Yet, this country has no problem spending 12 Billion dollars per month in Irag and Afganistan. How hard would it have been with that kind of money to exted the Peace Corps to include America and drop the College requirement? All those capable young people could be rebuilding cities and cleaning up communities but noooo. This country is going to blow up next year. The riots in 68′ and the rebellion in 91′ were cake walks. These past 4 years Barack was the ultimate buffer negroe effectively muting all the millions of Black freedom fighters. They will arise. Let Mitt Romney try jailing people witout due process, bombing countries like Libya the only country on the continent of Africa that was self sustaining and built it’s own infra-structure. Let’s see how far Romney gets putting racist and idiots on the Supreme Court legalizing strip searches for any arrest or sending troops with the same people that worked for Bush to die for some more oil Wars. There are people who say well Black people didn’t say s**t while Barack was in office so they will shut up when Mitt does it. You are a fool if you think that way. Black people don’t think like that. Rational arguments don’t work when everything in this society does it’s best to get Black people to collectively forget everything that has ever happened in the past for obvious reasons. Now all of sudden you want us to remember s**t? Romney will be lucky if he doesn’t get lynched in front of the White House after all these Black people start joining movements like Occupy Wallstreet. That whole generation of Black people who took those German sheperd bites and water hoses from the protectors of the elites. The Police are either too old or dead. This new generation is going to start executing Cops left and right when this s**t starts getting thick. A Country that was born in blood has no other destiny then to end the same way. It will never be right as long as this majority of people still believe they were right in what they did to the Native American and Slavery are heroes. Think about this toxic stew. President Romney is sending troops most Black and Brown poor and middle class people to go and fight to die in their fight against Iran (another countyr who hasn’t done s**t to us) and the George Zimmerman verdict is announced; an all-white jury of his peers finds him not guilty of murder, but guilty of some lesser charge of lying to Police to save face. President Romney says the Jury has spoken and Black People should shut up and trust the same Criminal Justice system that let OJ go. Laugh now. Because at that point it’s going down.
RiPPa
September 7, 2012 at 5:58 pm
QUESTION(S): How exactly can, or should the Democratic Party address the issue of urban violence? What preventive measures by way of policy should be pushed (other than education and jobs, which are already pushed)to counter the issue of urban violence?
SHIRLEY RANDLE
September 7, 2012 at 5:55 pm
You have the right to your opinion as the right to whom you vote for. President Obama is everybody’s president and not just African Americans. He has done a great job with the hand he was dealt and I’m so proud of him.
Cee Jay
September 7, 2012 at 5:40 pm
The quiery put forth to your readers is one that could be asked to those who followed Jesus. Jesus….being the “Master Teacher” was unable to rid this world of crime. He did what He could to feed the poor, but even He was limited. He even mentioned in the Scriptures, “the poor you’ll have with you always”. I don’t look to the President to solve every problem that exists in the world. I don’t even expect him to. I have to ask myself, am I going to be a critic, or am I willing to strap on my boots and make a difference? We all have a responsibility. I must sweep in front of my door before I criticize your door.
Dr. JohnnyACE♠ GRAND MASTER SEN$Ei {{-_-}}™
September 7, 2012 at 3:11 pm
@Will: No one has to “insinuate” that Blacks are gullible. We prove it everyday. {{-_-}}
elaine clemons
September 7, 2012 at 6:25 pm
LOL… You are so right. thanks.
Rasheed7
September 7, 2012 at 1:47 pm
” the reason that neither the Obamas nor the rest of the Democratic Party take African Americans seriously is because we’ve relegated ourselves to being cheerleaders instead of a legitimate political constituency.”
Amen…
Let’s work on changing that black folks!!!
Will
September 7, 2012 at 1:32 pm
It’s one thing to address the “condition” of blacks then attempt to “blame” the conditions on a party while using the Obamas as bait to engage readers while the whole time insinuating blacks are gullible when it comes to politics and our conditions.