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The New York Times:

There was no big speech or fancy ceremony when President Obama observed the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday last month. Instead, for his first King holiday as president, Mr. Obama quietly installed a rare signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation in the Oval Office and invited a small group of African-American elders and young people to come see it.

The private gathering -- "an intimate discussion," in the words of Dorothy Height, a 97-year-old grande dame of the civil rights movement -- was typical of Mr. Obama, who has steered clear of putting race front and center in his administration. But that low-key approach is frustrating some black leaders and scholars, who are starting to challenge Mr. Obama's language and policies.

Read the whole story: The New York Times

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Comments

[DuchessMcCray]

I just sent an email to the lady who wrote this article stating this,

"Mrs. Stolberg,

As a black voter and supporter of Barack Obama I was very disturbed by this article's title and content. I personally think that the title was very overreaching and to be honest I have no idea who you questioned to get this information, however most black I know don't really care about this issue. I feel making a non-issue an issue takes away from what the President is doing overall. Furthermore, why is there such a focus on race with this President? The next time there is a white President in office I would love to see you focus on white's causes and how they feel the President is not handling their struggle properly.

In order for this nation to gro passed race, our conversation must change and our media must focus and bring more substantiative information to the tell table. Your job as journalists--according to original purpose of the media set by our founding fathers (I'm a grad student in Communications)--is to educate the population. I hope to see a return back to that sort of journalism instead of this shock-dumb us down journalism that everyone has decided to represent today.

Thank you for being a public servant but please serve the public and not the corporation you work for, You have been given this opportunity for a reason.

Sincerely,

[Aesthete]

I'm black and all I want from President Obama is that he do his best for the good of the entire country. Right now the economy is of paramount importance. I'm not so emotionally needy as to require some sort of florid, "feel good" speech. I am old enough to have met Rev. Martin Luther King personally and know that he was a man of great simplicity, humility, and wisdom . I believe that he would be proud of Mr. Obama. King was not one of those individuals who required a perpetual litany of over-the-top, baroque accolades. His life and accomplishments spoke for themselves.

[Carey Parks]

Excuse me...........I am black and I don't have a problem with the President. Right now he's working on the economy, healthcare, two wars and trying to rebuild infrastructure. I think he's got bigger fish to fry than to talk about race right now. The time will come and right now isn't the time.

[soldiergirl]

fanned

[bogues]

I have no doubt that President Obama cares deeply about the African-American community. I think the President is trying to get the entire country to accept the fact that we are all members of one race, the human race and as President he represents all the people, not just those who like him and support him. The age old arguments and resentments when it comes to race are changing and there are those who frankly want to hold on to some of those old arguments. Work with President Obama and be open to new ways of approaching old problems. It is really an exciting time when you get past the divisions. In spite of the fact that Sarah Palin takes pride in ridiculing hope and change, I firmly believe in both and would much rather pursue those goals than the hateful divisive goals she and her followers are trying to achieve. I hope African-Americans will not allow themselves to be used by that element of society that wants to divide us further.

[ThruSpaceAndTime]

"…accept the fact that we are all members of one race"

Those that need convincing of that are not interested in any conversation.

"…as President he represents all the people"

As did Bush before him and yet my reflections have changed little on this subject where it concerns the state of the dis-union. Actually, you can go back through every president in my years on this planet and they all were lacking in this regard. Martin spoke of the horse and buggy pace of change and Ellison spoke of the lie that can be told so well that it becomes the truth. There are numerous other quotes from distinguished sources that make the point. The Who sung about it yet again on Super Bowl Sunday..."We won't get fooled again". If they had broke out some Eminence Front (it's a put on) they would have tore down the house (even at their advanced age). Why do I say this? -- Due to observed hypocrisy. What I know for sure is I have no eyes and ears in the room containing the seat of power. Thus I am left to devour the breadcrumb trail of whether demographic data suggests flourish or fail concerning this or that group. Numbers don’t lie; society cannot deny the truth and the proof. We have a decade’s long crisis -- that does not concern bruised ego and feigned daintiness and politeness. Nor does it concern blackness or whiteness. It concerns country.

[MrOlympia]

I'm a Black voter. No questioning here. The brother's got a tough job and is handling it admirably in an environment more hostile than any president before him. No I'm not questioning. I'm proud.

[MoeB]

Agreed...but I DO question some of his actions...it's just that I'm not ready, after one year, to toss him out w/the trash because he hasn't delivered on everything I think he should have.

[soldiergirl]

What is the everything that you think that the president should have delivered on in his first year?

[Aesthete]

There are complex issues to be dealt with and they can't turn on a dime. No instant gratification here.

[SweetestTaboo]

I would love to know what kind of programs they are talking about that would only be for blacks. If they use government money then they cannot legally say its just for black people. Whatever it was would have to be open to all constituents.

There is already a Job Corps which is training and placement program specifically created for innercity youths. Are unemployed blacks taking advantage of this program?

The Black Caucus makes a living off the suffering of others. Rather than point unemployed blacks to the existing programs, they want Obama to create more programs so they can go back to their districts and say there will be more handouts. The Black Caucus could do a lot in their own districts to ease the pain of black unemployment, but that would require them to earn the dollars they are paid.

[americanboi]

It's not a bad idea to know what the CBC's platform. That makes you better informed and able to criticize them.

You don't know what their position on this is.

But you do know that you don't like it.

Yep, that makes sense.

[SweetestTaboo]

I'll tell you what I do know and that is the CBC came out in favor of Hillary Clinton, which would seem to invalidate their position that blacks should stick together. I also know that their website does not contain one link or article with anything to do with jobs for the black community.

You would think an issue so important to call the President out would at least be a link on their website.

[Warren Peace]

What black voters are you talking about? There is proof or a poll or anything that substantiate your claims. Is the one black guy in your office making a gripe about the president which translates into representing all or most black voters?

[mlr710]

Why does this headline say "Black Voters"......as if there has been any indication that a significant number of actual black voters are anything but supportive of this President?

[KISHAGREEN]

This is nonsense. I don't know any Black person questioning Obama's approach to race. What it is is a transparent attempt to sow division where there isn't any.

I think the media is still doing things the old way in its pathetic attempt to try and get a finger on the pulse of Black America, which is to question the old guard. But younger A-As (under 50) are very resistant to the notion that one person or a group of people speak for us when we are all individuals.

Black radio is a good indication of where a lot of Blacks stand on some issues, as well as social media outlets. I mean we are expessing our views in the same diverse ways white people express theirs. It seems to be confusing some in the media who haven't caught on yet so they still go around asking people like Andy Young and Jesse Jackson how Blacks feel about something like we all share a brain.

[mlr710]

Thank you!

[americanboi]

Confusing logic:

You say that there are various new mediums we use to express our views in the same "diverse ways white people express theirs," But, you don't allow criticism of Obama's perceived approach to race issues as legitimate. You label them as nonstarters and conclude that these are the arguments of old guard blacks.

You sugest that this is part of the media conspiracy to divide and conquer. But unless Andy and Jessie changed races overnight, they are part of us and your post attempts to divide ourselves into us vs. them.

Let me guess, the white man made you think that way"?

How welcoming of "diverse views" are you?

[KISHAGREEN]

I didn't say the criticism was illegitimate, I said I thought it was wrong based on what I know and the article lumping all Blacks together like everyone has that opinion. I went on to further acknowlege that the viewpoint expressed in this article was from older Blacks who no more speak on behalf of all of Black America than I do with the postings on my Facebook page. We all have a variety of opinions on a variety of subjects. How is that not clear?

I'm sorry if my insistance that Black people can think and speak for themselves offended you.

[americanboi]

Anybody questions why the president of ALL americans should focus on international policy on ISRAEL? Do we not have enough problems to address as americans without having to pay special attention to people on another continent altogether?

Anyone question why the WH would pay special attention to women and girls?

Anyone question his attention to senior citizens when we ALL are americans in struggle?

Give it a rest!

Caucuses exist for a reason, rather it is a blue dog, conservative, hispanic, and yes BLACK.

I have no question that 99% of the blacks NOT questioning Obama, DID question many if not everything Bush did while in office.

But I agree, let's not expect a presidential adminstration to focus attention on us.

[ThruSpaceAndTime]

I do not do the fan thing on principle (it does not make you more or less, and that which can be given can be taken away coupled with – I will speak my mind and not any presumed constituency). But in the spirit of acknowledgement, I once again thank you for making it plain. I do not mean to intrude and unless you respond, consider this “what up though” and “peace out” all at the same time (as I told another herein…I can hold a solitary conversation pretty well). This is a very difficult subject due to the complexity. I think I have the appropriate view (for me), but the opposition to that view comes from familiar places and that is somewhat scary and disheartening to contemplate in what it suggests. I do not question my own loyalty to this president. Because I will question his loyalty to courage at times...I become ripe for whatever opposition may bring. Which, by the rules of acceptance…must be ok (I work real hard to be consistent), but by the rules of fandom I find it strange that under my old moniker, where I tended to feverishly defend the president (based on the time) I was all the rage.

[ThruSpaceAndTime]

I said then as I say now, my comments ain't about me nor the president. It remains process over goal, and real over bull…and that, where I come from ain't never had nothing to do with color. In fact, such predisposition, was hazardous to ones health in my early days. Only a sucker would judge and support by cover or veneer. Watch as well as pray, trust but verify.

[Passenger57]

I get it, I get it...
This sounds like the attempt to put a crack in the solid block of AA Obama supporters, in preparation for 2012...

[plow]

and americanboi is here to instigate to make sure it happens

[cybersense]

Yeah....okay. This should really be about a President who has much to do right now. Now we have people a little disatisfied because not enough has been done about RACE or the African Americans?

This seems painfully white to me, more then it seems about a African American issue.

[TIdowu06]

I know he is highly controversial, but Minister Louis Farrakhan actually spoke on this issue the other day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7Z-FvO_JVY

[kokokahi]

It's mostly the Jesse Jackson era politcal types who "question Obama's approach to race." Obviously Obama's lifelong approach, which was not to make race the issue, is a good one, but what probably is questioned is his let's say overly pragmatic and conciliatory tone, but we may learn that he is right on this as well, in the long run.

[SweetestTaboo]

The Black Caucus had to have their arms twisted to support Obama because most of them came out for Hillary. Now they want programs to help blacks?

I am an African American who does not believe that blacks need special programs. Obama needs to get some jobs created and then blacks can go out and compete for the jobs like everyone else.

This is just an opportunity to try and find fault with the President. He never was black enough for most of the black elites. If the Black Caucus wants to help then they need to get to work in their districts and get some jobs created instead of sitting back criticizing the President.

[plow]

that is one of my favorite songs by the way...I was for Hil but can see why Obama is the right one. True - we don't need no stinkin programs. However, the ethnicinticity question should be removed from job applications (optional or otherwise).

[freedom2010]

Excellent post! Hats off to you.