The Modern Black Man: 21st Century Arguments for 19th Century Thinking

Summary

---

Less than three hours after Barack Obama declared his candidacy for presidency, the feeding frenzy began among Black people. It just so happened that Sen. Obama declared his candidacy on the same day as Tavis Smiley's "'State of Black America" national broadcast, and many had the audacity to criticize him for not putting off this historic event so he could appear on Tavis" broadcast. And during the broadcast-again, on this historic occasion-Dr. Cornel West of Harvard University ranted on national television that the Black community should be asking Obama. "How deep is your love for your people" and "Where is your money coming from?"1 He indicated that Barack didn't put this historic event off to appear on Tavis' broadcast because he had people talking to him that didn't warrant our trust. And as he was saying these things, Tavis was standing there grinning like a chess cat, prowling a South Georgia cotton field. That was the moment that Barack Obama got my unwavering support. It was at that very moment that I decided that this man was going to get my vote-and if that vote was wasted, as many suggested it would be at the time, so be it. Because it was on that day, and at that very moment, that I fully recognized the depth of our self-loathing, and the psychological corruption of my people.

Today, instead of simply saying that we can't trust him because he's Black, we say, "The people talking to him don't warrant our trust." And today, instead of saying, "No Black man has sense enough to run this plantation", we say, "He lacks experience."

Believe it or not, there were many in the Black community who took serious issue with that speech. Even Dr. Boyce Watkins, one of this nation's most prominent scholars (note that I didn't limit it to "Black scholar"), a brother that I consider a friend, and I highly respect, took issue. He asked, "why he waited to speak at a predominantly Black church to give the message only to Black parents?"

Due to the necessity of America's need to subjugate Black people, while at the same time, live up to the hypocrisy of our "All men are created equal" credo, a form of racism has spontaneously evolved that is so subtle that even Black people have become racist against themselves-and amazingly, without even knowing it.

See the full content of this document

Extract

---

The Modern Black Man: 21st Century Arguments for 19th Century Thinking

Less than three hours after Barack Obama declared his candidacy for presidency, the feeding frenzy began among Black people. It just so happened that Sen. Obama declared his candidacy on the same day as Tavis Smiley's "'State of Black America" national broadcast, and many had the audacity to criticize him for not putting off th...

See the full content of this document

---