To Obama's Black Hecklers In Florida: What About Some Research?

From HuffPost:

QUESTION: "In the face of the numerous attacks that are made against the African community or the black community, by the same U.S. government that you aspire to lead. We are talking about attacks like the sub-prime mortgage... that was a phenomenon that started in the African American and Latino community, attacks like the killing of Sean Bell... and the Jena Six... and on and on... in the face of all these attacks, why is it that you have not one time had the ability to speak to the interest and the behalf of the oppressed and exploited African-American community in this country?"

Clip one of the heckling

Clip two of the hecklers actually asking their question during the Q&A

Woowee! Things got a little fired up down there in St. Pete huh?

First observation: for the scared white folks who think Obama is going to lead the return of the Nubian Empire, the visual of him getting heckled by young black men for not addressing the problems of black America enough, should do much to settle those fears. Ludacris reminded them he was black. These brothers push him the other way! It might actually help him with those voters.

Next. I'm used to, and have respect for, those who informedly criticize Obama because they think he's not progressive enought (see: Black Agenda Report.) But the dudes in the video showed an incredible lack of knowledge when they said Obama's not talking about these issues, "not once." As his answer began to prove, he has been speaking and acting out on issues that face black Americans, but he's not running for president of black America alone. To actually frame these issues in a way that will result in positive change, you need to have more than just angry black America. You need a coalition that sees all our our problems and solutions bound together.

I doubt that large numbers of black voters feel the need to put this pressure on Obama, but I get worried when I see it crop up. Often, I think folks get into an either-or situation when it comes to solving any sort of problem really. Either we do it Martin's way, or we do it early-Malcolm's way. Either we do it Booker T's way, or we do it W.E.B.'s way. Either we do it Jesse's way, or we do it Barack's way. That's not how things work. What we need is a more complex way of understanding how to actually get things done.

We need the grassroots activism. We need protests and civil disobedience. We need media! We need policy wonks in think tanks. We need ambassadors and coalition-builders. We need money and hope and spit and fire. What worries me is seeing people with a very specific tactic or perspective who then project that expectation onto Obama. He's not some brotha in the street yelling outside the halls of justice with a picket sign. He's the Democratic nominee for President of the USA. His toolset is different. He can set the agenda by which many halls of justice are run! That is a different type of power, but you don't get that power by running around and only talking about the concerns of one group, whether that group is black people or Jews or hard-working white people. You get that power by demonstrating that you can listen to, understand and represent the interests of the entire nation.

Francis Holland hit the nail on the head:

I believe that some Black people are simply Googling Obama's speeches for the word "Black", and if he hasn't said the word then they conclude that he is not addressing issues that would improve the lives of Black consumers, workers and members of the public.

Instead, they should assume that all proposals he makes for "the public", "the citizens" and "Americans" also include Black Americans, and we, ourselves, should review how each of these proposals will effect Black America, regardless of whether he frames them as "proposals to help Black America." When he says"everyone", that obviously includes Black people as well as white people.

So, what Blacks are lacking is a determination to review each of his proposals "for America" to see how it would effect Black people if implemented.

The final statement on the question from Obama reinforces this: "The only way we're going to solve our problems in this country is if all of us come together... that, I think, has got to be our agenda."

I don't think Obama's above reproach or criticism, and I think he should be called to answer any question any citizen of the country he aspires to lead has. So, by all means, lay into him if you think he's off base or plain wrong. However, anybody who can say with a straight face that Obama is somehow ignoring the problems of black America, is a liar or incredibly, shamefully, willfully lazy and simple-minded. Check out his Urban Policy Plan, his Poverty Plan, his Civil Rights Plan or any of his plans, and there can be no doubt that they offer solutions to the problems of black Americas specifically as well as all Americans generally.

This topic was cross-posted on Jack & Jill Politics.

Comments

[Mschmal]

Obama wasn't stuttering, he was trying to get a word in. The heckler was basically talking at him the hold time.

[booksnmore4you]

>he has been speaking and acting out on issues that face black Americans,
>but he's not running for president of black America alone. To actually frame
>these issues in a way that will result in positive change, you need to have
>more than just angry black America. You need a coalition that sees all our
>our problems and solutions bound together.

Precisely. The worldview of Identity-first folks leads to the sort of myopia that fails to see this. Time to grow up and grow on, folks.

[CindyMax]

"Often, I think folks get into an either-or situation when it comes to solving any sort of problem really. Either we do it Martin's way, or we do it early-Malcolm's way. Either we do it Booker T's way, or we do it W.E.B.'s way. Either we do it Jesse's way, or we do it Barack's way. That's not how things work. What we need is a more complex way of understanding how to actually get things done."

Thank you so much for this. It very much needed to be said, and I think the way you articulated it might get the "either/or" crowd to at least consider bending a little.

[1will]

No wonder Obama doesn't want to debate McCain in a Townhall meeting. He looked like a stuttering fool.

[mypov123]

Obama should be thanking McCain for only agreeing to three debates, because he will wipe the floor with him.

[gregjones]

Great post Jack. We also invite folks to visit www.Blacks4Barack.org re: Obama's addressing of black issues.

[Mschmal]

Race in America: from someone living in NJ.

Racism is an issue that cuts both ways. White on Black, Black on White, etc. Racism will be conquered when the vast majority of people think about skin color the same why people today think about hair color or eye color.

Race relations in this country have reached kind of a plateau in the past 10 to 20 years. We have stopped becoming "ONE AMERICA".

Activists today talk about the problems facing the "black community," Poverty, education, jobs, housing, access to health care, drugs, etc...

I don't accept that these are problems of the "black commuity," these are problems facing the AMERICAN COMMUNITY!!! The entire vocabulary needs to change. These are problems facing disadvantaged AMERICANS, the problems facing the youth of AMERICA, the problems facing our cities.

Putting a RACE on an issue is racism and it stops progress. A "black problem," is something that part of society is free to ignore. The very concept of race is bankrupt. People just don't want to deal with race anymore, we are worn out. We ask, "why can't we just all get along?"

I think that the black community needs to see that Obama represents the BEST of ALL America today. Like Dr. King, Thurgood Marshall, and others, he represents the hope shared by ALL AMERICANS this transcends race. I feel that Obama is the only candidate that can and would be willing to help America move forward on race relations.

[luvangelHussein330]

Thank you a million times over for this article!! i will share it with others. I myself have tried to express soe of the points you've made To my fellow African Americans. I think we are so use to seeing us and them that when someone comes along like us who think s out side of that box it is to easy to think he isn't for us. I aslo point out that Obama has said on many ocassions "We are the ones we hve been waiting for" to me tht means if you want something done...do it. you want to see better school make the effort. Hard for those who historicaly and wilfully look for a leader to do those things instead of within them selves. There by creating quasi leaders like Jesse and Al, who start out good intentioned but eventualy expoliting thoes in the cmmunity. Again thanks or you blog Mr. Thurston!!

[MPeter]

Yeah, I saw the hecklers and felt the shame and the ignorance on display. The blowholes on CNN even tried to make a big lead of it, with Blizer drooling like the RW meniac he is. The guys were clearly uncouth and thrue to their thuggish ways, thought they could not het their question in except by heckling and being disrespectful.

[JDowlin1]

The Obama campaign didn't do their homework on this. They should have realized that St. Petersburg, FL is the headquarters for the Uhuru movement and the African People's Socialist Party. The Party's chairman, Omali Yshitela has been an outspoken critic of Obama and the party is very active politically in St. Petersburg as well as Philadelphia and Oakland. Barack's stuttering and stammering made me think he was totally surprised by the heckling (especially by African Americans!) I do think it was good though in that he needs to make clear his positions on these issues and not run as though the country is color blind. He can't make statements that his opponents will say "he doesn't look like the Presidents on the dollar bills "did I mention that he's black?" and then ignore black concerns and issues. You can't have it both ways.

[poliscibabe]

I believe that as an African-American there is both promise and danger in an Obama presidency. Promise because if we are ready to do our part, we can make a real dent in many of the problems that plague our communities. Danger because I believe that many in the US will see an Obama presidency as proof that our racial problems have been solved. The real key is that the problems that African-Americans face are the same problems that all citizens of the US face: a tanking economy, crumbling public education, a war that was unnecessary and is robbing our treasury. Facing and solving these problems will take everyone. I think that Obama is our best chance to start the work - 4 years of McCain and we will be in a hole so deep we may not be able to get out.

[Mschmal]

Exactly, the challenges facing the "black community" are challenges facing the AMERICAN COMMUNITY. Most truly become the UNITED states of america. One America.

[FearlessFreep]

One man's heckling is another man's dissent.

[nomobull]

dissent without facts is another story.

[lawchic]

I agree with your article, but I think you need to give White voters more credit. Not just you, but the media in general. Some of these pundits assume that just because you mention the word "Black" White voters will run for the hills, but I don't think that is necessarily true in every instance.

Also, I am increasingly frustrated by issues being framed as "Black issues." What the heck are Black issues? The last time I checked, BHO talks about getting more people health care...Black people need health care right? What about education...Black people need education too, and what about a sound energy policy....this will effect Black peoples' lives as well. But as the author noted, just because BHO doesn't single out Black people in every stump speech, suddenly he is ignoring "Black issues." People, please wake up. Do your research. Stop reading news from the mainstream media. Check out his website. You may not agree with all of his positions, but he has a plan for everyone.

His whole campaign slogan is about coming together, and how most Americans have common interests...he has reached out to all groups.

Sheesh. I can't wait until November comes.

[Jahmekyah]

Majority of what you say is true. But the second sentence of your first paragraph shows a bit of naivete. Whether we wanna admit it or not, whether they wanna say it or not, whit people DO run for hills if the black candidate keeps talkin about black issues and act like his singling out black people. Ignorance is impartial, and you cannot deny that there are segments f this society who are afraid that the black guy is pandering to black people (never mind that "hard working" white people are the most pandered after, the fact is there are more of them...so its ok)

[RedKnuckles]

Imagine how fast those protesters would have been drummed out of a McCain rally...providing they were allowed to attend in the first place. Thanks for the excellent post!

[optech007]

The hecklers belong to the Uhuru Movement. They are a socialist black liberation organization. Their leader recently called 0bama a "neo-colonial ploy" and "white power with a black face". While they do try to speak out about issues that harm the black community, they tend to cause more trouble than good when they decide to speak out on something.

[milo9]

In the vein of continuing the much ballyhooed "dialogue on race", I, as a white person in good standing, hate it when Black folk characterize White folk as being "scared" or "afraid" during any disagreement when race is an element.

[Intelligentia]

I completely agree with you! If these individuals think they can get better from McCain and the Republicans, please, tell them to vote for McCain. I am yet to see any of them confront McCain and ask him what he is going to do for African-Americans. We know what McCain will do. The same as the previous ones-cater to the interest of White America alone. I do not need Obama to be a president for African-Americans, I need him to be the president for ALL Americans, which includes, as you stated, African-Americans.