Obama Should Stop Lecturing African Americans

I know this is not the most popular of positions, but I'm inclined to agree with Jesse Jackson that Obama should stop lecturing African Americans about their duties to their children (although cutting his genitals off might be going a little too far). Jackson's language was far from appropriate, but his sentiment, I believe, was correct.

The absent father issue he describes in the African American community is a real problem, but has a complex and long reaching history that Obama does not go far enough in recognizing. He has spoken eloquently about race in America (particularly after the Rev. Wright debacle), but is now using the topic to allay fears of the white community that he isn't a radical. Obama knows that he cannot become a 'black candidate' like Rev. Jesse Jackson, or Al Sharpton as he will alienate the millions of white voters he is hoping to capture in the general election. Lecturing the black community is the perfect way to do this, and Jackson was right in calling him out on it (although he may not have wanted to).

Obama does not share the same history as the African American community he is speaking to. He is of direct African descent and was raised by a white mother and white grandparents. Obama's father came to America by choice, and his ancestors were not subjected to hundreds of years of murder, abuse and humiliation.

Recent African immigrants are one of the most successful immigrant communities in America. The average annual personal income of African immigrants is about $26,000 -- nearly $2,000 more than that of workers born in the U.S.There are no widespread problems related to absent fathers, and the average African immigrant is better educated than the average American. I lived in West Africa (Ghana) for a number of months, and was amazed at the vibrant culture, iron clad family structures and lack of crime.

The difference between the two peoples -- who are genetically the same, is remarkable. After 400 years of slavery, humiliation, economic inequality, unemployment and prejudice, issues like poverty, crime and broken family structures still persist. Rather than ask why black fathers won't take responsibility for themselves, the only thing we should be asking is how any family structure exists at all given the circumstances. It is a testament to the strength of the African American community that they continue to thrive despite the horrific history of their people.

Although individuals should certainly take responsibility for their families, such widespread behavior throughout one particular community should be viewed in completely different light. It is a serious problem caused predominantly by outside factors, and shouting at African Americans to sort it out won't go very far.

The last 30 years of economic liberalization has further disenfranchized the African American population, shipping their jobs to Mexico, and increasing working hours to the point where it is now impossible to spend time with their children. Obama should spend his time talking about reversing these trends, and making a serious effort to bring about a better understanding of African American history in a country that would rather forget it.

Obama knows the topic will endear him to white voters -- those quietly afraid of too many blacks in their neighborhoods, and afraid Obama may share their anger. Obama is playing the tricky game of being 'tough on crime, and tough on the causes of crime'. He must be seen by African Americans to be one of them, and by whites to share their fears and concerns. It is politics at its highest skill level, and Obama is in danger of alienating one side or the other. He has played it well in the past, but playing to a national audience means the stakes are higher. The truth is, Obama would never lecture white audiences about 'taking responsibility' for many of the problems persistent in their communities. Poverty, unemployment and crime are huge 'white' problems, but Obama does not dedicate speeches to it. He has already made some alarming shifts to the center, enraging progressives who paid for his election. Let's hope he doesn't forget the people who struggled so valiantly so he could even get elected.

Ben Cohen is the editor of www.thedailybanter.com and a contributing writer to www.espn.com and Boxing Monthly Magazine. He can be reached at [e-mail]

Comments

[ramal]

The truth remains, whether one likes it or not, that when you are a member of a minority you must be better than the majority. If that means getting up an hour earlier and going to bed an hour later, so be it. If that means sacraficing so the next generation can have more, so be it. This philosophy is what has worked to propel minorities ahead in America for the past 150 years and what continues to move countless immigrants to this country ahead today.

[1will]

Actually that's not quite true. If there is a quota system or Affirmative Action availalbe you may be able to slide into a job or college opening without being the most qualified. You can also scream racism as an excuse for every failure or setback. I'm not saying that's true for all minorities or even most of them but we've all seen the examples above played out over and over.

[Nommo]

You must be talking about all those white women AA beneficiaries.

[OmnesOmnibus]

correction: Dreams from My Father" a wondrous book!

[agachieng]

I disagree! The problems experienced in African-American communities are not single-sided. I don"t think Obama questions the fact that the community has been dis-enfranchised. I think all he"s saying is that families share their part of responsibilities. There are many responsible African-Americans who"ve had to go through a plethora of tough experiences to achieve their successes. Many young African-Americans have lost hopes that they don"t believe they can attain anything in life. Somebody has to let them know they can, but by doing much more than losing hope.

We cannot find solutions to problems if every mistake is justified. Most African-American children grow up in single-parent homes. Most of the time, it is the fathers who are absent. When Obama addresses on "absent fathers", he"s not just giving a lecture, he"s talking about his personal experience. It is utterly disturbing that he should be condemned for giving "tough-love" to his community. He deserves credit.

The history and culture of Africa is very complex and unique to each of its regions that it cannot be summed-up by a mere vacational stay in one region. One would need to travel around the continent and live there for several years, before they could gather enough accurate-information about any single issue. Zimbabwe, Rwanda/Burundi, are just a short-list of African countries that have had a share of subjection to murder, abuse and humiliation, non of which had relevance to the slavery in America.

[notthistime]

Exactly.

[dr4Will]

I agree completely with this blog--what is obama and what has he done to criticise others,particularly on one parent families--while everyone has a right to say how they feel,some like Ridley try to censor what you say--earn your way before you tell others what to do--one parent who loves their child is worth two who just tolerates them!!

[ckfan]

What has he done??? First, he started as a grass roots community organizer on the South Side of Chicago. Tough, tough job. He was committed to helping people in that neighborhood and saw first hand how Black kids suffer (especially young, black boys) by not having a Father in the home. Second, he himself was raised by a single parent and yearned for his father to be in his life.

I get so sick and tired of white liberals saying one parent who loves their child is better . . . The fact is, his speech was about men standing up and being responsible for the life that they created whether they marry the mother or not.

Your premise that one parent is better makes no sense with regard to his speech about men taking responsibility. Your premise is faulty. We are not talking about children of divorce and the child would be better off with one parent. We are talking about children who never knew their father. We're talking about MEN who never took responsibility with regard to child rearing, child support, etc.

[notthistime]

exactly ckfan. We get it.

[drisboss]

Sorry Ben, you are wrong on this one. Obama is an individual and he can say whatever he pleases. What he says is true!! I'm an AA and I am a bit tired of black folks acting like there is nothing wrong with what's going on in our communities. Yes, there is still racism and yes there is still a long way to go for us, but WE HAVE GOT TO WAKE UP!!!

30 years ago when I was in high school - in a middle-class black neighborhood - students were harassed and beaten up for going to class and getting good grades!!!! They use to call our high school "the maternity ward" because of all the pregnancies!!!

The only problem with Obama is that he should be saying something to the women too!!! It takes 2 people to make a baby and the women should be held accountable too!!

I have been saying what Obama's saying for years! The reality is that when you are 15, 16 or 17 years old and you have a baby, you have basically just shot yourself in the foot. You may still be able to get around, but you'll need a cane, a wheelchair or the kindness of others. Sure some single-mothers are able to raise their children to be productive citizens, but statistics bear out that usually there are lots of problems.

And when 70% of babies are born out of wedlock, there is no "stereotype".

[stanjz]

Barack aknowledged that history played a big role in the current troubles in the African American community. He was trying to inspire them to try harder anyway and to rise above it. There is rarely a shortage of jobs, but almost always a shortage of good paying jobs. It may be tough to take a job that doesn't pay a living wage or offer a future, but things can change. I wish someone would have inspired me to rise above the situations and troubles of my youth, so I didn't have to go to college in my late twenties and graduate in my thirties. These men don't need another history lesson, they need to be motivated and inspired to move forward.

Obama 08

[YenNguyen]

I disagree. Obama (or McCain) are in their rights to critique or persuade or advocate certain policies and agendas. This why we vote for them. Obama doesn't limit his critiques to African Americans, he has spoke truth to power to a variety of Americans. Whether he or McCain become President, we will hear more of what we need to do as a country to move our economy and security forward. The question is, which one do you trust to hear more from. The Office of Presidency isn't known as the bully pulpit for nothing:

Definition of Bully Pulpit from President Roosevelt's day:
This term stems from President Theodore Roosevelt's reference to the White House as a "bully pulpit," meaning a terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda. Roosevelt often used the word "bully" as an adjective meaning superb/wonderful. Roosevelt also had political affiliation with the Progressive Party, nicknamed the "Bull Moose" party. It got the moniker when Roosevelt ran for President as its candidate in 1912, after declaring himself as "fit as a bull moose."
http://www.c-span.org/guide/congress/glossary/bullypul.htm

[Rockerbabe]

Stop making excuses for Jesse Jackson's bad behavior and the ongoing issues with bad behavior of individuals in the black community. The black community has had more than its share of issues, most which are related to absent fathers, neglect, poverty and crime. Senator Obama hit the nail on the head and that is the problem. He nailed the problem and should be commended for taking a stand and speaking out loud. Forget Obama's upbringing. . .he is an shining example of a family's effort to raise a son to respectable adulthood. If more black families could do what the Obama family has done, black America and all of America would be better off in the long run.

[LSUQ]

I think Obama/Cosby tap into the thought that "if you would just act right, you would be coronated too". What is missing is the reality that many times the coronation of others requires the victimization of others. The tragedy of this reality and the danger of the "power of the will" mentality is that it is permissive to ignoring suffering and victimization in any community, 'white' included. The same suffering and victimization that any act of agency by those in need of change will have to contend with.

Just as slavery and white impoverishment benefited the same people historically, the need for victims still exists. The art of forgetting requires that those who have "made it" ignore the fact that many of their own (thus our own as Americans) have not made it. Consider the reality that the number of poor whites is greater than the number of poor blacks. Yet, based on surveys the perception of the poor in America is much darker in color than the reality. I contend that perceptions of pathologies including the lack of paternal influence follow the same path.

[LSUQ]

Mr. Cohen has done an excellent job in generating a lively discussion. One of the now common ideas in this discussion here and elsewhere is the tokenism applied to Obama and Cosby. They say what the degenerates need to hear and won't say to themselves and suddenly they become heroes.

The ignorance of such a position lies on two fronts. One, it ignores the calls of others both historically and presently for personal responsibility. Spend any considerable amount of time in most predominately black church, listen to some of the more popular ministers like TD Jakes or Ralph West (or Jeremiah Wright for that matter) over time, and seek out some of the more respected intellectuals that speak to such matters like Cornel West and you will hear the same things from them that are echoed by (not engendered by) the diefied Cosby and Obama.

What is missing from Cosby/Obama (particularly Cosby's tirade. . .Obama is more a victim of selective hearing by many and guilty of choosing racialized venues for public calls of 'responsibility') is a balanced critique of structure and behavior. It is historically obvious that structure and behavior are inseparable. As an example, look at the high school graduation rates (a popular "triumph" of the 'white' community) prior to the World Wars and compare them to after the World Wars and the structural changes that accompanied them.

[Nicky6571]

Wrong, wrong, and wrong.

Yet another Liberal telling Blacks how we should think, act, whatever ... and without knowing anything about the situation! Believe it or not, but real life does not reside in a history book or as part of a policy brief's talking points.

Speaking as an African American woman whose father chose to leave his wife and daughter when things got "tough" I can only hope that Obama keeps talking and talking and talking!!! What would have happened to me if my mother had made the same decision?

[clevelandchick]

Ben,

I agree with your sentiment mostly because I believe that simply criticizing black fathers without offering solutions to the socioeconomic circumstances surrounding the problem achieves nothing.

Obama completely ignores the fact that a majority of families in America today lack married parents, be they single family homes or unmarried couples raising their children. If African Americans comprise 13% of the nation's population, the math tells us that black fathers are not the only ones absent in their children's lives. That means there are plenty of white deadbeat dads out there. Where is their lecture?

Obama's Father's Day speech should have been targeted towards all Americans not just African Americans. But the location he chose to deliver it implied the latter. People naturally assume he's scolding only black people because the stereotype is that only black fathers are missing from their kids lives. His speech actually helped reinforce that stereotype as many comments on this blog illustrate.

If he is to be the president of a nation that represents multiple races, his message needs to be targeted to all and not single one out.

[nomobull]

it was and this argument is just a reason to find something wrong with what he said. can't really criticize the message so lets criticize him on the supposed audience he didn't speak to just because of his chosen venue.

[sueno]

BOTH YOU AND JACKSON ARE WRONG ON THIS-
In this country black is black-
meaning regardless of how you got here, you're treated the same or less-
This same issue is what remains a problem between Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson,
Sharpton is from the hood and Jackson is more "boug-ie".
This issue has plagued the black community for years and no one made it a priority.
Obama's lack of a father and his experience in this country is real!
If Obama's father was a white bloke from England, would his perspective be different?
By the way have you looked at the rate of white, deadbeat baby-daddies?

[uclafan]

I totally disagree with this blog

[Jazzcomedian]

Recents statistics on children born into single parent homes by ethnicity:

1. Asians - 15%

2. White - 26%

3. Hispanics - 42%

4. African-Americans - 70%

All the ethnic groups are having sex. Sex is not the problem. Unprotected or irresponsible sex is the problem, and for some unexplained reason African-Americans are having the most unprotected, irresponsible sex. The question is why with all the birth control options available. This is a personal decision that cannot be attributed to racism, which has resulted in the "Absent Father", and STD problems which are taking it's greatest toll on the African-American community. So, I think it is imperative that Obama address this with the specific community suffering the most while he has this opportunity, and credibility. And myself, and most African-Americans I know feel this is long overdue.

[Nommo]

How recent are these stats and how relative?

[allonfla]

JoyceBains + Nommo - you huys can google this info or visit Essence.com or Ebony.com to learn about what plagues the black community. Better yet watch Black in America on CNN tonight Saturday at 8 pm.

[JoyceBains]

Source?

[notthistime]

Incorporate into your statistics that Blacks make up 12% of the US population. Run the stats on the other ethnic groups with Whites being the majority and come back with that.