Obama's Father's Day Speech

This is a particularly hard post for me to make. Indeed it even kept me from having a good night's sleep. In fact, it has placed me at a particular crossroads. A crossroad I never really thought I would get to. I've always told myself that my biggest problem, and perhaps in another light my biggest asset, is that I really take this stuff seriously. When I say "this stuff" I mean justice for and the independence and self-respect of black people everywhere. And I mean everywhere. I'm not the kind of person who goes with the crowd whether that crowd be the so called revolutionary one or the reactionary one. I sit, read, evaluate, think on, and then apply whatever principles I have across the board. It's not easy.

So then, when Bill Cosby was catapulted onto the scene by the white media when he made his infamous 'pound cake" speech. I didn't have a problem with it. That put me at odds with many of my colleagues on the left, who felt that Cosby was unfairly beating up on the black poor. My argument to them was that the problem I had was that the media was:

a) taking bits and pieces of his speech and using it out of context.
b) Cosby wasn't lying and as a comedian I'm going to give him "artistic latitude."
c) He has been putting his money where his mouth is for a very long time.

and lastly, relative to Obama,

d) He hasn't to my knowledge talked shit about other "radical" black leadership like Farrakhan. In fact he went out of his way to compliment the NOI.
e) Hasn't gone on record saying that Black America doesn't exist.
f) Isn't using black folk to advance his political career.

During the Obama campaign, I have been particularly disturbed by previously "radical" black writers and thinkers (I suppose), who prior to Obama's win in Iowa, were known for thier sharp critiques of presidential candidates, mayoral candidates, senate seat candidates, US policy, and just about anything that came out of any politician's mouth. Suddenly now, they can't say a thing about Obama other than to vote for him. If Bush kisses AIPAC's ass, these writers are all over him. Obama does the same thing and it's: "well a brother's got to do...." Where's the principle? Where are the principles that says I have issues with anyone who's kissing AIPAC's ass?

When Obama talks about defending Israel against Iran, who poses no threat to Israel, nor will they be dropping a nuke on Palestinians or one of Islam's holy sites, where are these writers? Where are these writers who constantly talk about Dr. King and his opposition to war? They are off writing: "A brother's got to do what..." Where are the principles?

Now I wait to see if these same writers who had all manner of things to say about Bill Cosby will, get to tapping on their keyboards and spew the same condemnation at Obama that they did at Bill Cosby? I'm not holding my breath though. I fully expect these same men and women to find some "brother's got to do.." angle to peddle this time around.

Does this mean that I disagree with what Obama had to say? Absolutely not. Like he said, Any fool can make a baby. But unlike Mr. Cosby, Obama has previously disrespected his former pastor who has said many of the same things in the past. In fact, I will lay odds, that Rev. Wright has said more about Black fatherhood or lack thereof than any sermon on Israel, Iraq or God Damn America. It is blatant disrespect that knowing full well that the media was going to show and report, to stand up in one's first black church appearance since the whole Rev. Wright incident, and run with that kind of speech. I don't recall Obama rollin' in a church on Mothers day and attacking the black women who are doing shit jobs raising their kids, that they decided to have. I don't recall that speech being aired on international TV.

There are a lot of reasons for the rate of single parenthood in the black community but I'm not going into all that right now. My issue is the blatant political opportunism that was on display Sunday. I've been saying for months that black folk would be used as the whipping boy for Obama to seal his "not too black" and "keep them in line" credentials with white voters. Black folk are so desperate to have a black face as POTUS, that all semblance of self-respect has been lost. It has finally occurred to me that the vast majority of black Americans are not in it for Dr. King Justice not Malcolm X justice or for that matter any kind of real justice. It is becoming clear to me that it is about simply getting that piece of the pie. That seat of power. A seat at the table to do the same things that everyone else has been doing.

You know what? I didn't sign on for that. If this is the direction black folk want to go in then I'm going to have to re-evaluate my advocacy on behalf of said group.