Sure I do--after all he has held the State of the Union Conferences for ten years - not once in all those years did the discussion turn to what is Mr. Bush doing? and should we be in Iraq? it was a long discourse of self flattery for accomplishments, and spankings for dropping the ball, but it was all internal.
Correct me if I am mistaken--Mr. Smiley was one of the Colored people who found a reason not to support the best candidate for all people.
Mr. Smiley who I must compliment on his erudition- his lexicon has grown, his pronunciation has improved--now has to face the music of his internal symphony of how lack of foresight and comprehension of the role of immigrants, women and the young generation in shaping the future politics of the American landscape.
His insistent dictum that we hold President Obama accountable (with love) his repetitious remark, and as such keep a written log via his book, why of course to enhance sales no doubt ,as to the President's ability, desire, and commitment to keep his promises that were outlined during his campaign.(with love, of course.) rings of that mindset and development of an " over seer the overseer" mentality.
To redeem himself from his political forecasting weaknesses he now wants to do what he failed to do in his last ten years, either out of cowardice, fear overt or covert, realized or unconsciously, perhaps showing an lack of awareness as to the responsibility of ALL citizens in a Democracy to question their leaders in general.
It is very safe for a Black person to criticize Obama. There are various reasons to wit: from heaping pent up anger and frustration, to a very well developed trait in the global Black community of casting aspersions to one of their own. This deep rooted psychological injury has a basis in the mistreatment of African peoples while enslaved.
This attempt to suppress the exuberant joy of having one of their own, (American) reach the vertex of government, by thinking that to watch and monitor President Obama, with a high power magnifying glass, will tell the hegemonic society that we are not blinded by his achievement, that we will "keep him in his place" Mr. Master, because one of us--escaped from your chains is the pinnacle and sadness of black self dislike.
The fact is, that this achievement in the annals of history is so effulgent,that it negates each and every single negative premise, thought and opinion ever formed against Africans and their descendants.
The intellectuals on the panel recognize the President's astute mindset. I didn't know he had received all A's at Harvard, and why is that an achievement? because as a former professor I KNOW we control your grades! He had to get past three years of professors who some had to harbor prejudicial views, and as Randall Robinson stated to become the President of the Harvard Law Review or any Review at a top law school is a feat of scholarship, drive, tenacity and political/marketing savvy.
His values, his education, his training, on the streets of Chicago, his faith and unyielding tenacity sine qua non, are a testament to the admonishments of planning and forecasting.
Tavis Smiley like Lani Guinier, who was on track to become Attorney General under former President Clinton , and was shot down,sent back to be the only tenured black professor at Harvard Law School--did not support President Obama.
Unfortunately, they cannot enjoy the sense of competency and self-satisfaction millions of us share, even if we initially were in a vacumn of non-participation, not believing what was happening until we saw mainstream America support him in droves, and that made us realize that not supporting him would be the gravest political error we could have made in our lifetime.
When we saw that both feet were planted in a sphere of commitment and that he was raising the kind of war chest needed, we knew we had a chance. We are the believers Mr. Smiley. Those of us that eventually believed that he could? now enjoy the satisfaction of saying and feeling, yes we can, and yes we did.
Intellectual property of M.Fernandez
Posted By: Marta Fernandez
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 at 5:42PM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
