Raynard Jackson: The Riddle of Blacks and Obama
Raynard Jackson, a black Republican, recently wrote an article in which he described the black support of President Barack Obama to be confusing and without substance. Jackson points to the fact that African Americans were not considered among Supreme Court nominees, and that African Americans are typically told to “pull themselves up by the bootstraps,” while other groups are given speeches announcing policies to be delivered by the administration.
Does Jackson have a point or is he simply trying to undermine the Democrats by pointing out the things that they do wrong? If you’ll notice, he didn’t mention how the Republicans could do any better:
In the 2008 presidential election, Blacks were the largest voting block for Obama (as a percentage)—96%. But, yet, the first Black president has fewer Blacks serving in his administration than former President, George W. Bush. The first Black president thinks so little of Black women that he refused to even interview any Black female lawyers or judges for the 2 Supreme Court picks he has put on the bench. Even if he knew he would not choose them, at least interview them for the optics! Last year, in a speech to the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), the first Black president said, “Take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes. Shake it off. Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on. We’ve got work to do, CBC.”
A week earlier, Obama spoke at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. He highlighted two specific pieces of legislation that he was actively trying to pass that would overwhelmingly be to the primary benefit of the Hispanic community—the DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform. Not one time did he tell them to stop complaining?
A month later Obama spoke before The Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights group. Again, Obama talked about how he repealed, “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and mandated hospital visitation rights for same s*x couples. Again, not one time did he tell them to stop complaining?
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Mr Jackson when David Duke announced that in 4 yrs if Michael Steele was still chair of the repub he would take 80% of the white people and start a white people party. Were you included in that 80%? If no why not? Maybe that will give you the answer. The right wing are always arguing that race should not be use for anything, Except for voter supression, or filling up the prison but yet you want the Prez to play favoriteism toward us. Is it really that hard for you to understand why most black folk don’t hang around people that hate us. MOST BLACK FOLK.
It certainly isn’t “favoritism” expecting Obama to treat his biggest voting bloc (BLACK FOLK) w. the same regard & respect that he treats other groups. He doesn’t talk down to or reprimand other groups when he addresses them becuz he knows better. Other groups won’t stand for it & will not cont. to support someone who disrespects them by telling them to stop complaining. Can u imagine him speaking to the jews in that way? He’d cut off a hand & foot first & have to leave the country altogether. Not only do we take any insult that Obama dishes out, but we do it w. a smile becuz we r jes so happy to have a black token in The White House.
Once Black people understand how the Western Powers, France, Britian and the US has used Imperialism to oppress people of color around the world and we start to use it against them and challenge them, then and only then will we as Black people will become a force to be rekoned with.
Neither party has the interest of Blacks at heart, that’s something we have to do for ourselves. The Black people who do vote, vote for the lesser of two evils, the Democrats. Why would Blacks want to vote with the Republicans? With Conservative Christians which are the modern Klu Klux Klan? The same mentalities that oppressed Black people in the first place, Really? You’re not serious, are you?
The problem with Black people is not voting for either political party. The problem is, Black people don’t vote in the numbers we should to make a difference on local and state levels. That’s where you start to make a difference. We need to start voting in the numbers we are capable of and using our voting and economic power to make the changes we want to see.
We have to stop depending on the government for our livelihood. If during Reconstruction Blacks could build the educational institutions we call HBCU’s, why are we in 2012 depending on the government to educate our kids. Why are we not educating our children about the history of the Black Experience in America. We worry too much about making White people uncomfortable and not making the feel uncomfortable. When we talk about our past we should not allow anyone to flip the script with propaganda to turn it into race baiting or hateful talk. When we talk about our history, it’s not about hating White people. It’s about building a foundation for our young people, to fill them with pride of the struggles that allowed them the opportunites they have today, that in turn will motivate them to act in the kings and queens Black people once were.