A decidedly right wing conservative pundit said recently that Barack Obama doesn't owe the "old guard" civil rights establishment anything and suggested that perhaps, people like Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton were jealous of his success. Of course, this was a slap at Rev. Jackson's recent remarks, a slap at Rev. Sharpton, and some of the older civil rights folks. I'm writing this post for some of the younger black bloggers who don't know about these people because they weren't born yet. Don't believe the hype and don't let anyone, especially white right wing conservatives, lead you down that road because it just isn't true. We are divided enough as a race by our own devices.
I know that Rev. Jackson has his ego problems and has recently been suffering from "puttin' his foot in his mouthitis", as well as having fathered a child out of wedlock. And, Rev. Sharpton can sometimes seem like a caricature of himself but, let us not forget that these two men, along with Andrew Young, John Lewis, Rev. Ralph Abernathy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., A. Phillip Randolph, Fannie Lew Hamer, and so many others I cannot name... marched, went to jail, sat in, sat out, integrated lunch counters, and faced the lash and terror of the Ku Klux Klan and the "White Citizens Councils" all across the south so that we could sit at a computer keyboard, blog from our laptops and I-phones, or what have you in the comforts of our homes (and for some of us, in neighborhoods where we wouldn't have been allowed to live in just a generation before).
YES, Obama does owe them and I want to make this perfectly clear... HE never said that he didn't owe them... that was said by other people... white right wing conservatives and some young blacks who never knew them. If it wasn't for those civil rights pioneers, Barack Obama would not be the Democratic nominee for anything. Did you know that black delegates weren't even allowed to sit at either party's national convention at one time? I know that a lot of young people don't know it because they weren't around to know it. But, the right wingers know it... the pundits that appear on Hitler's News Channel (Fox News) know that without the strides that these people made, none of us living today would have any semblance of the life we live now.
The civil rights activists and leaders of the past stood up for us when we couldn't stand for ourselves and it is an injustice to let the ill-spoken words of a few people (once again) divide Black America by saying that they are not owed anything. We owe them EVERYTHING and certainly a lot more than we owe some Fox News pundit and people who think like them.
(I dedicate this post to the black youth of America... and to their fathers. Let us now criticize the unjust with our vote. It's time to unseat the emperor!)
I know that Rev. Jackson has his ego problems and has recently been suffering from "puttin' his foot in his mouthitis", as well as having fathered a child out of wedlock. And, Rev. Sharpton can sometimes seem like a caricature of himself but, let us not forget that these two men, along with Andrew Young, John Lewis, Rev. Ralph Abernathy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., A. Phillip Randolph, Fannie Lew Hamer, and so many others I cannot name... marched, went to jail, sat in, sat out, integrated lunch counters, and faced the lash and terror of the Ku Klux Klan and the "White Citizens Councils" all across the south so that we could sit at a computer keyboard, blog from our laptops and I-phones, or what have you in the comforts of our homes (and for some of us, in neighborhoods where we wouldn't have been allowed to live in just a generation before).
YES, Obama does owe them and I want to make this perfectly clear... HE never said that he didn't owe them... that was said by other people... white right wing conservatives and some young blacks who never knew them. If it wasn't for those civil rights pioneers, Barack Obama would not be the Democratic nominee for anything. Did you know that black delegates weren't even allowed to sit at either party's national convention at one time? I know that a lot of young people don't know it because they weren't around to know it. But, the right wingers know it... the pundits that appear on Hitler's News Channel (Fox News) know that without the strides that these people made, none of us living today would have any semblance of the life we live now.
The civil rights activists and leaders of the past stood up for us when we couldn't stand for ourselves and it is an injustice to let the ill-spoken words of a few people (once again) divide Black America by saying that they are not owed anything. We owe them EVERYTHING and certainly a lot more than we owe some Fox News pundit and people who think like them.
(I dedicate this post to the black youth of America... and to their fathers. Let us now criticize the unjust with our vote. It's time to unseat the emperor!)
6 comments:
This may be a little off topic but its realted.
There has been a lot people that are upset with Barack speech on Thursday for not mention Dr. King...because it was the 45th anniversary. As a youngster I know my black history and I understand the importance of Mr. King.
I just think people are being too critical...they have to understand that Barack is playing the game and he is going to represent the American people not just one race.
Barack will not fix all things that goes on in the black community. What Barack will do is by a symbol of hope for all black people across the world. We can achieve anything...with hard work and dedication.
ok keith, FINE. i'll take your word for it. i mean, it's something that i've been knowing....but still - you're right. we do ALL owe them......
Great post. I too think Obama owes the Old Guard just as every black man in America, doing postive or negative things. I think Obama understands and realizes that a great deal of his inspiration comes from the likes of MLK and others.
But, and this is where others disagree with me, I think Obama recognizes how it's not wise to play that position with the ones who insist that he play that position. I think he does enough, or what he can...because people like Rev. Jesse Jackson (and others), they partake in conversations and activities behind the scenes that are less than respectful towards him or his campaign of Change.
So, it's understandable how he probably wants to 'say his hellos, his thank yous, and keep it movin'.
MLK would say that Barack Obama has paid his dues, he's made good on The Dream that his counterparts haven't and probably never will.
Enjoyed the read.
Preach Keith...you got it right!
Barack knows that he stands on the shoulders of those who came before him, and I have heard him say things to that effect on more than one occasion.
As has already been said, it would not be wise for him to say certain things at certain times. Unfortunately politics are, well, political. He has to play the game. I think he has done a good job of putting forth minimal political game playing while still staying true to himself.
well said folk
have a great weekend
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