Obama Supporter Cleaver: Time For An Honest Conversation About Race

Politico:

After the election, the next president, be it John McCain or Barack Obama, should seize the moment to call on the nation to have an honest, painful and constructive conversation about race. That will be the moment for town halls and working groups, for understanding and instruction. It would be quite wonderful if enlightened members of Congress became public practitioners of and agents for racial luminosity.

Unlike the Archie Bunker days of my youth, most of the people of our nation will respond affirmatively to a call for a higher and nobler sensitivity. After all, there is no plant in our national garden that requires more diligent watering and vigilant weeding than cross-racial rationality. Sadly and unfortunately, our nation would, in the present atmosphere of the presidential campaign, handle that dialogue deplorably.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[Jazzcomedian]

I don't think we need another useless conversation on race. Believe me, it's all been said--ad nauseum. There have been hundreds of books dissecting race from all vantage points--most of them unread except by sociologists and intellectuals. Life is about dealing with individuals, not groups.

There are good people of every race, creed, nationality, gender, and sexual orientation. And there are horrible people of every race, creed, nationality, gender, and sexual orientation. All each of us need to do is treat each person we encounter of every race, creed, gender, nationality, and sexual orientation with courtesy, friendliness, and respect, and see what you get in return. You'd be amazed at how many people respond to good will with good will.

When you give respect, you get respect. As for the ones that don't respond in kind--fuck 'em, and make the warranted negative assessment of them---as an individual. Works for me. And it's working for Obama.

[londongal]

Cleaver, you have been NO friend to Obama. We DO NOT need a conversation on race. Obama is a man of color, yes. But he is NOT about his skin alone. So go away, and take your backward thinking ideas with you, please!!!!!

[piper1233]

OBAMA CANNOT SPEND THE BETTER PART OF HIS PRESIDENCY ADDRESSING RACE,THERE ARE TOO MANY PRESSING PROBLEMS THAT HAVE A GREATER URGENCY. HE CAN ALWAYS SET UP A COMMISSION OF SOME SORT TO ADDDRESS RACE AND SEX IN AMERICAN. I HOPE HE DOES NOT ALLOW OTHERS TO PIGEON HOLE HIM INTO THE ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT OF RACE, RELIGION AND SEX.(SEXISM). HIS AGENDA SHOULD BE BROAD AND COMPLETE, WITH NO SINGLE FOCUS.

[LRM216]

If you feel that Obama, if elected, needs to address race issues, then perhaps he should first have this conversation with some of his so-called "friends."

[Bond007]

Cleaver is a goat! I meant it. He is a goat. He is not smart at all, and his political bearing is greedy and selfish. He is at the top of the list of those African americans that should not speak for African-Americans. He is a goat. Selfish goat!

[gladys46]

Hummmm ... you may be right!! Why are these AA's usually put forth as if they are THE voice! Rhetorical!

O's doing just fine ... steady as he goes!

[barackobama4prez]

Cleaver: I can't even stand to look at you the way you dissed Barack in the beginning of this election. SHUT UP!

[xmw]

You bashed Obama the entire primary season and now you want to be taken serioulsy????
As one Black person to another...SHUT THE HELL UP CLEAVER!!!

[barackobama4prez]

I second that. As an AA woman, Cleaver, Bob Johnson, Michael Nutter, Cornel West and others have let us down. I can't believe they were so hard on Barack and now they want him to "champion" their cause. He's not running for AA president. He's going to be president of all Americans. I just can't take Cleaver's message in the spirit he's giving it. I think of him and other Black women who dumped on Obama to lift up HRC as traitors, uncle tom's, sell outs, turncoats.

[Zhonni]

He was a Clinton supporter, wasn't he?

Wasn't he the one that made some news in Canada? Can't remember exactly what he said but it had something to with saying Obama is winning because of his color or Obama is not as eloquent as black leaders of old or the ones that came before him.

[xmw]

You remembered it right on all points!!! He is the very one. He's a big mouth hater!!

[Daly]

Last I checked the soldiers in harms way represents all races in America - that is more important than any talk that Obama should have and with all do respect why is this Obama's issue to own?

He has the largest umbrella with a rainbow of folks while you can go to almost any republican event and see where the axis of intolerance tag might have come from.

[benne]

I'd rephrase it. The black leaders need to begin talking about forgiveness. If everyone who mispeaks is to be nailed to the cross, as recent examples suggest, then no one will talk about race. In this gotcha climate, race talk will be nonexistent. Also, I hope by race people stop meaning black and white but more nuanced discussions. I suspect what such people mean, however, is that race will be used as the perpetual bludgeon and that so-called black issues alone will be discussed. Is this not possibly a push-back against the emergence of a Latina/o population, now to be the largest minority population in the country?

[gladys46]

Please don't feel that way ... it's not "us" against "them" or vice versa ... Obama is oh so trying inclusiveness ... all may be heard! Certainly all have issues and ought to be heard ... I think that is happening as we post here!

Imagine all the people! No push-backs, no going backwards ... let's do all we can to go forward together this time!

[lwaxanatroi]

Yes. Absolutely. After the election. First things first.

[loax]

The nomination of Barack Obama is a very real example of how far this country has come. We should continue to reach out to other people, no matter what race, color or creed. I am so thirlled by the young people in this country that now see beyond color, and working to elect the man most suited to be our next President.

[LINY516]

If you want to know why we can't have an honest discussion on race, just read the comments attached to the article on Politico. These people will never change because it would mean losing the superiority stance that they have created in their own twisted brains.

Many of these people are in hiring and firing positions and know the system enough to use their racist thoughts to prevent blacks from being hired and promoted. No discussion on race can change these folks minds. We can only wish that these people don't have longevity in their families and they eventually go the way of the dinosaur. I have hope for those who are under 35 years old to start the conversation once they get into power.

[Zhonni]

If Obama becomes president, it would be a good time to set the race thing aside. There is too much work to be done ala: the iraq war, economy, healthcare, the national dept... The race stuff can come up once he is "a lame duck" at the end of his second term.

People like this guy also need to shut their face. Obama is not an Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson. He is not running to have a bull horn to tell Americans about race relations. His win will go a long way in giving direction to young A.As who have no direction and reduce prejudices against A.As.

[barackobama4prez]

Cleaver's generation doesn't realize that Barack, by being the nations first bi-racial president, will raise race relations in this country. period.

[xmw]

That's because he's dummmm!!!

[sissy2004]

For what? What serious conversation about race should we have? What 40 acreas and a mule? We are different but we are all the same and one thing that unites us all is that we are Americans. I'm so proud of our young children and young adults. They seem to have skipped the racial division and they are more united as human beings and Americans than anytime in history. I'm African American and I don't know what more needs to be said. Yes our ancestors endured a lot and we cannot erase history nor can we forget it but we can move forward and that is what our new generation of young educated black, white etc.. are doing. One thing is for sure while the old crows and radicals are still lost in racial division the young have no concept as to what the heck your talking about. They know history but they also know the life they live and things we may have seen or our parents is not something that had to endure. I say leave them alone and let them make the way because I am so proud of them.