Washington Post:
Jeff Johnson knows how to make his audiences squirm. The young, black radio and TV political commentator waits for the discussion to turn to the topic being talked about ceaselessly, incessantly, ad nauseam: the meaning of the barrier-breaking election of Barack Obama.
Then, in his laid-back style, he says, "The real issue for me is that history is not enough." That's when the mood becomes tense.
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Like everybody else, I'm an individual, though I happen to be Black. Just because I am Black doesn't mean that I cannot keep our man Barack on his toes.
I was crestfallen when he failed to recognize the suffering in Gaza and paid obsequious homage to the Zionists by toeing the AIPAC line.
I was miffed when he insisted on doling out our billions to corporations who fed on the trough of Bush incompetence and were doubly rewarded when they were bailed out - in total opposition to any kind of capitalist credo.
I am pissed that he fails to recognize the urgency of ending the futile prohibition that accompanies the war on drugs.
But I would have felt the same about ANY President and don't see why he should be held to a higher standard than his predecessors.
Saying all that, I am VERY happy with his performance thus far in marginalizing the looney bubba-loves-guns rightists who always have voted against their own interests and I am especially happy with the way he is restoring respect for our Nation overseas.
I'm just a hard bargainer, but you know what...it's only good when it's HARD!
Keep the brother on his toes..if he gets flaccid, he won't get the job done...:)
Keep the brother on his toes...
Not keeping YOUR brother and sons on THEIR toes is why the POTUS is being held to a higher standard. For example, the reason why a brother cannot get a taxicab is because the brother before him robbed the taxicab driver. Your schtick is to point!
Naah! People like you and the racist taxi driver who expect no reaction to White supremacy and want brothers to pay dutiful respect to a system that has persistently downgraded them is why the POTUS is being held to a higher standard...get it right...
All though I am not black I do feel that the scrutiny of Obama is undeserved. I cannot remember another president getting this much criticism 2 or months in to his term. I recently read an article with regards to this topic that I have to agree with. Here's the link to that article...
http://brooklyninvegas.com/?p=287
As for this ridiculous article could the writer entertain the possibility that maybe black people can do two things simultaneously like praise President Obama for his historical achievement and still criticize him for policies that they don't agree with?
If you don't believe me read my comments. I've been extremely critical of Obama's financial/banking policy. Paul Krugman critical lol. For a day I believed Obama of being in the pocket of Wall Street. I'm still very skeptical, but hopeful. Anyways I digress.
What I disagree with when it comes to people like Tavis Smiley is this abstract notion that they have of holding Obama accountable. Holding Obama accountable for what exactly? Can they not get specific? I mean helping out the Black community entails a lot of things. Does he want Obama to tackle drug laws, or prison reform, or education, or institutionalized racism? Does he believe that Obama alone can get this done...cause it sure looks like he wants Obama to solve all of our problems to me. Does Tavis realize that Obama is the President for all Americans not just Black Americans? Or is Tavis Smiley just going to criticize, point out all the problems and expect Obama to fix it all?
If you have a substantative criticism of Obama that's well and good. But if all you're going to do is hold him up to impossible standards then save your breath. Offer up your own proposal be a constructive part of the solution.
Tavis Smiley instead of his constant criticism of the candidate and president Obama, need to work on the new organization called "Covernant with Black America" and come up with constructive ideas and plans to aid the black community. I joined that organization a short time back and sent money to join. But when i searched that site, i didn't see anything about investments, financial or otherwise. Most i saw were complaints. Its alright to send pictures in of family and decendants. But thats along with complaints will not lead us to financial security. I kept asking, where can i invest? Can't we purchase land, real estate? Tavis Smiley must have been too busy dogging out Obama and writing a book. Reminds me what Malcolm X said shortly before he was killed. "Black people had a great thing going, but a bunch of Ns messed it up"
I noticed that Tom Joyner was really hurt when Tavis left for bigger things. I mean he was really hurting. It looked as though he felt betrayed. Tavis Smiley get your own ship sailing before you critique President Obama. As for this Johnson guy, whoever you are. I am not a "coward" and i don't think Obama is my "homey" Where did you guys get that from. Sounds a alot like what rightwing faux listeners would say.
When African Americans can make a critical/honest assessment of themselves, each other, their children, their values, their strengths and weaknesses as a group -- not just as individuals... when God is real and not an excuse, crutch, a cross to carry or brandish, then and only then will they be prepared to analyze any man or woman -- notwithstanding President Barack and Michelle Obama.
Black people ARE NOT a collective. They are individuals. And you have no right to tell them when, how, or why they should criticize their own. Your white privilege doesn't go that far. So I say to you, when whites can make critical/honest assessments of themselves, each other, their children, their values, their strengths and weaknesses as a group and STOP imposing their paternalistic dictums on other people instead of trying to find a way to ignore historical facts along with their insecurities and fears of blacks, THEN and only then will they be prepared to analyze any man or woman --- notwithstanding other cultures they know NOTHING about.
See? You're not ready. We are a group of individuals...
What makes you think I am white? Please wake up.
Umm....W-T-F??!
Tavis's new book has a picture of Pres Obama on the cover. Wow! He hated on the man all during the primaries, has never met the man, yet he uses Obama's picture to sell his books. He's so full of himself. And all these black journalist who want Pres Obama to cure all the ills of the black community, this month, go find out where your peanuts were the last eight years.
Amen. My question to Tavis was where was all this accountability you want to heap on President Obama for the past 30 years especially the past 8 years. We won't even get started on the hate themselves black conservatives who are the worst crabs in the barrell. Tavis Smiley's real agenda, himself, was fully exposed during the presidential campaign. When Tavis Smiley dissed Michelle Obama thereby denying an opportunity for all in the black community to get to know her better, as a black woman I dismissed him. Tavis cannot tell me that he would not have accepted Bill Clinton if Hillary had not been able to make it. Tavis is persona non grata in my book.
Agreed. When he decided that Mrs. Obama was an "unacceptable" substitute guest I stopped giving him the benefit of the doubt.
The only reason Hillary Clinton showed up is because she was attempting to undo the damage that she, her husband, and their campaign team stupidly inflicted on themselves.
We don't have a "Black Media" in this country. We have black people giving opinions within the constraints of the White Wing Media. As a result we have many black republicans some self identified and some who are wolves in sheeps clothing.
The Black perspective on issues is not discussed on cable tv news. ROBX mentioned this in this thread. MSNBC claims to be liberal/ progressive and not one black commentator who speaks about black issues. If they do I don't hear it. That network needs to be called out on its ra..cism. I like KO and RM but enough is enough.
Well, who do you have in mind for a show? Roland Martin is on CNN trying to fill in for Campbell Brown who absolutely sucks and will never beat Keith or Rachel. I watch KO, Rachel and now Ed Schulz. On the radio I listen to Warren and Joe Madison. Joe's problem to me is that he doesn't put Lou Dobbs in his place whenever he is on that show. The black conservatives are so obnoxious I would not be able to listen to them for one minute. CNN has that anoying young lady with the curly hair who Donna Brazile always looks at like she could put a Lousiana whooping on her. I wish MSNBC would snatch Donna from CNN 'cause I refuse to watch CNN, period.
Good question.....I agree about Joe Madison and Donna B. They work within the constraints of those networks and I do understand that dynamic. If you PO the host of the show you will probably not be asked back.
I think if DB was given a show she would have more editorial control same with Joe Madison.
I thought R. Martin was all right but he is just filling in for CB. He is saying what is written.
CNN is unwatchable.
MSNBC needs to find Black voices who speak for Black people. The black republicans that they choose to promote on that network is breathtaking. Ed Gordon and Gwen Ifel are two people who I don't see enough on that network. I have seen the head of the Urban league on morning Joe.
BTW how is Warren B show? I don't see much written about it. I cannot get much where I live . I am stuck with Michael Baisden. I can't stand his show. I know alot of people like him but I am not into his stuff. I find him to be an immature man. To each his own.
I hope people understand that Jeff Johnson supported Ken Blackwell for gov of Ohio.
Well that says it all.
Smiley is no different than any one else is their grasp for power.He thought the torch was passed to him and suddenly Obama came up from behind and snatched it away(in his mind).He's from the old school in thinking that black people need a leader and cant think on their own.Obama has destroyed that mold because he speaks to every one.This is all about power and Smiley ran into the Obama buzz saw and still havent recovered.
Oh, forgot to add, like so many black politicians and journalists, they waited to see how B.O. would do and only when they saw him rise, did they board the gravy train.
You're absolutely right. And let's not forget about all the black preachers who shunned Obama for Hillary Clinton in the beginning, check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q2LazLTcps
I've always considered T. Smiley a charlatan, whom if not making a buck is busy social climbing.
Example? HIS 2007 State of the black union when he tried to hamstring B.O. for not gracing his forum. He got the chastisement he deserved.
Now? He's doing his best to cosy up with B.O.
If that's the state of "black" journalism, the bar is set pretty low.
The Presdient should be held to a high standard as any President should be held. Unfortunately, Tavis and others seek to hold President Obama to a higher standard BECAUSE he is black. One black man can't fix the ills that exist in the black community or undo the ills perpetrated on the black community. If he is a great President, he will do both the black community and the nation a great service. He doesn't ow the black community anything but to treat the community with fairness and respect. It is unfortunate but he will be held to a higher standard simply because those with hate in their hearts will criticize him in response to the hate they harbor. They will pass off their hate as objective analysis but they will be lying to themselves as well as the rest of us.
I absolutely agree.
You are absolutely correct, and quite frankly I never did like Tavis Smiley, but now I am embarrassed for him. A Black man that cannot give President Barack Obama the respect he deserves, is worse than any right-wing partisan or rac!st, because at least they don't try to pretend their hatred and disrespect is anything other than it is, a cultural divide perpetuated over the past 200+ years. A Black man that cannot afford his brother reverence, doesn't know his own self worth.
POWERFUL and well stated!
You so right,I'm black and Tavis Smiley doesn't speak for me.
That last line sums up much of how blacks treat each other regardless of gender.
What galls me is that Brad Pitt can manage a meeting with Obama and Tavis Smiley, Cornell and other Black "Leaders" can't seem to, yet they want to complain. I refuse to listen to any of these so-called "leaders'" gripes until after they have met with the man and expressed their grievances. It is then that we can hold the President "accountable" for anything. This idea that he's going to "do" something we don't "make him do" is ridiculous! He's not going just wave a wand and give us free! We have to fight for it. Their expectations are no different than the expectations of blind Obama followers; they're polar opposites but fanciful in kind.
Maybe Obama has denied them access because he doesn't want to be seen as a "Black President" and make whites any more nervous than they are. You have to admit they do have that insecure tendency. The largely white mainstream media is examining him daily to see if he shows any allegiance to blacks that they can flip as "reverse racism" which is laughably sad given US history.
DID BRAD PITT MEET WITH OBAMA OR DID HE MEET WITH PELOSI ON CAPITAL HILL??? SOMEONE PLEASE CLARIFY!
If that's what Travis Smiley took from the lesson learnt when President Obama declined to go to the State of the Black Union address, he is still as full of himself as I had thought previously. The problem with Travis, even when he was on the Tom Joyner show was, that he is not used to being questioned. He gets on air and goes on a tirade that goes unquestioned by most including Tom. But in this case, he had come out as a Hillary supporter (which is all good) but he used the platform to diss the then Candidate Obama which was uncalled for. Also, why would you expect someone to drop all his plans at the last minute, just because you feel you have a bigger agenda. His intention was to embarrass the Candidate and was under the mistaken impression that the black community would go along with him. The Candidate at that time was running not just for Black America but for the United States of America. Thats what Travis could not understand and that's what he is paying for right now with his ratings and obviously he still does'nt get it. By all means, we have to hold our President accountable but I for one have not elected Travis to be my spokesperson, and he can talk now, where was he during President Bush's years? And now he is trying to sell us a book .... I don't think so ...
Thank you.
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Washington Post | Krissah Thompson | 04/ 5/09