Posted on 06/21/2011 2:33:31 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
President Obama's status as a black politician was the subject of debate last month between two black scholars who argued that the president had not urgently addressed black issues. Princeton professor Cornel West argued that Obama has been adopting a white, elite agenda, and Princeton scholar and Nation columnist Melissa Harris-Perry said the president has been hindered by right-wing racism against him. Erin Aubry Kaplan, contributing Opinion editor to the Times, said West and Harris-Perry's disagreement is bigger than Obama; it revives the historic argument between black leaders' strategies of assimilation and nationalism. Here's an excerpt:
>>>>>>But Obama is a product of institutions. He is a fortunate middle-class son of the post-'60s, pro-integration era whose own success was due less to black empowerment than adherence to mainstream mores and values. Black nationalism or any clear support of black unity or racial justice is an anathema to those values; it certainly would have doomed Obama politically. This is true even though politically speaking, the president owes blacks as much as he owes Jews or any other constituency that voted for him in significant numbers. […]
But putting aside the question of whether Obama is in a position to do much of anything, can principles of assimilation and black unity coexist at the top? Can they coexist at all? The big unstated fear among many blacks, including West, is that Obama will turn out to be yet another disappointing black politician, one who readily articulates the needs of those at the bottom but doesn't ultimately address them. That's a crisis of another color.<<<<<<
Readers are criticizing both West’s argument and Obama. Here is what they’re saying:
(Excerpt) Read more at opinion.latimes.com ...
The Left builds power by dividing people into color, age, race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, handicap and income.
Citizens are used as political weapons against each other, as they are alternately pitted against one another, called to align or scared apart.
Identity politics and social justice power is the tool of progressive politicians and "elites" (academics, journalists).
America wins when they fail. What is good for one is good for all.
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Meh. 0bama would be just as disappointing regardless of his racial background.
He is mulatto.
These folk are so funny, they want him to be more
black oriented but if he was a white man they wouldn’t
want him to be more white oriented....
Baaah Racists.
Neither was our First Black President, William Jefferson Clinton.
The POINT is, whatever hyphenated identity that they connect to American, is put there to build another progressive army against a united country.
It’s the politics of division.
And when “elites” take complete control, these interest groups become mere “party members” with NO identity at all.
I’ve always said wait til the blacks figure out he’s not even a real American black — he’s a pretend black. He had to go to Chicago for twenty + years to learn how to act black and acquire street cred. Hah ha ... the jig’s up bambi...yer busted ‘mofo’... even Hilary does a better imitation.
His opinion as an elite scholar" or as Cornel West is worthless at best.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, those characteristics are mutually exclusive in human beings.
That isn't to say there aren't black men who are great men. On the contrary. I am positive there are black men who are great men. I am sure I have known a few who, if not quite great, at least approached greatness. Some of the most amazing, admirable people I have ever known have been black.
But until the black community stops elevating the thug and the thief and the racist and the ignorant to the highest pinnacles of what it regards to be worthy of its adulation, it will NEVER find its great black politician. It will never uncover its Jeffersons and Washingstons and Einsteins, and those worthies will live and die in obscurity.
just like the self-agrandizing tactics done to death by Hollywood actors and actresses... think Oscars for losers with Ph.D's
To be “disappointing”, there had to be some expectations in the first place.
Anyone who had expectations of anything positive from this inexperienced Marxist boob is as big a fool as he is.
He's not even THAT "black". As I understand it, a chunk of his "African" heritage is Arab. "Mulatto" implies 50:50.
Ding ding ding! We have a winner!
Two more black racists attacking another black racist for not being racist enough to suit them.
Quien vive? JESUS! Y a su nombre? GLORIA!
AMEN!
And good morning!
You may well be right.
I really don't give a damn what color his eyes are, what color his hair is, or what color his skin is. Obama is woefully inadequate, unprepared, and unqualified for the job he currently holds. And his political philosophy is tragically contrary to the system of checks and balances that the office demands.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.