The Complexity In Being Black And Critical Of President Obama Written by Gerren Keith Gaynor

[Mark Wells]

As absurd as it may seem, there is much complexity in being both Black and a critic of President Obama. As our nation’s first African American president, Obama carries a historical eminence in the Black community.

For most, he appears to be an untouched, can-do-no-wrong figure that represents the progression of a race. Many Blacks from the 1960s civil rights era never thought they would see the day the White House welcomes a man of color. Obama ran his campaign on change and hope, and many African Americans believed that change had finally arrived.

But behind the foggy mirrors, not much has changed for Black Americans. Ten percent of African American men remain incarcerated, Black youth are far behind their white counterparts in education, and the unemployment rate in the community is at a high of 16.2 percent.

Even with such disheartening numbers, the majority of Black America stands behind their president. In fact, 85 percent of Blacks approve the job performance of the president. While that number has slightly dipped, 85 percent is rather significant.

Of course, not all Blacks are exalting our nation’s president. Black public figures such as Cornel West, Tavis Smiley, and more recently hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco, have publicly denounced the president for his seemingly failed policies.

Oftentimes Black supporters vehemently attack such Obama dissidents, sometimes questioning their level of “Blackness.” It appears that when it comes to lambasting the president, emotions mount. Those emotions stem from the idea that if you do not support the Black president, that somehow you are slamming the Black agenda.

That idea is characterized in Rev. Al Sharpton’s refusal to criticize Obama in fear of aiding the attitudes of the president’s most notable adversaries.

So which stance does Black America take?

In an age of racial bigotry on the right wing, capitalizing Obama’s shortcomings as ammunition to remove him from office, there is much difficulty in taking a critical stance on the president.

Condemning the president does not have to render one to relinquish their allegiance to Obama. One can be both Black, a supporter of Obama, and yet critical of his job performance. That criticism, however, should always be legitimate, honest, and used with discretion.

Tara Wall, a conservative columnist for The Daily Caller recently begged the question, “Why aren’t African Americans outraged at Obama over [the] economy?”

Truth be told, many of us are. But in the midst of the political crusade against Obama, it would behoove us to choose our battles wisely.

[Tessa Byrd]

"What I will share is I hope (because I am both hopeful and optimistic (not mutually exclusive)) the President has not taken the position that to make clear and tangible economic, political, social, judicial progress because we as American have to "now go make me do it" is disrespectful, disingenuous, and a disservice to the millions of voters who helped him attain his goal of P.O.T.U.S.."

 

I posted the "now go make me do it" quote not Mr. Clark...

I am sorry if you took it to be disrespectful, disingenuous, and a disservice for it was meant to stir to action the millions of voters responsible for the Obama presidency. The President is one man without the force of numbers of people behind him he is constrained and somewhat powerless. The great majority of his supporters hoped for and expected change as long as things remained the same...

[Tessa Byrd]

you are most welcome, ditto for your thoughts....

Min. W.D. Patterson said:

Thank you Tessa Byrd and all others who have posted here. It's nice to know that there are yet some amongst us who have much more than an ounce of good sense, reckoning, and reasoning mixed with compassion and humility! What seems to be mistakingly a rare combination these days. God Bless us in all here in America!

 

"Land of the _ _ _ _ and home of the _ _ _ _ _, Land that I _ _ _ _!"

www.blogtalkradio.com/the_black_plight-in-america

[Jeffrey Clark]

SharonB,

 

I think there is good purpose behind you spelling out what you believe to be higher-ground-seeking in politics.  Lord knows the politicians need some advice in this area.

 

As for what I’ve posted, my posts are generally in response to other posts whose ideas or assertions I believe misrepresent the president’s actions or positions.  The words are just my opinion.  But they are also my attempt to confront misinformation being spread about President Obama.

 

As for the “now make me go do it” quote, that wasn’t Obama’s.  It was apparently FDR’s.  But I believe it’s relevant here.  There are those who believe the simple act of voting for a president obligates that president to do all that the voter wants.  That would be reasonable if the president were elected by a handful of people who all shared the same interests.  But obviously that’s not the case.  (It probably was the case when voting was limited to landed white males of whom 70% were farmers of some kind.)  Obama got 53 million votes in 2008.  Whom does he begin pleasing?  Being a Democrat, he chose to spend the first year of his presidency trying to bring about some measure of universal healthcare, because that item has been on the top of the list of Democratic initiatives for longer than both you or I have been alive.

 

I guess what I’m getting at (in too many words) is that electing a president is perhaps half the battle.  The other half is organizing a critical mass of people (code words for raising money) around issues on which you’d like the president to focus.  This second part is really… really hard.  Admittedly, conservatives do it better than liberals.  (Conservatives have an advantage:  cutting taxes is the only unifying principle they require; all else is distraction and gamesmanship.)  But liberal leaning peoples’ interests are far more varied.  My personal interests revolve around public education reform and healthcare reform… so I’m pleased that Obama has made gains in those areas.  I know he has unfinished business to handle, and I also know that he’ll get none of it done (and, moreover, will actually suffer a reversal of the gains he’s made) if his supporters jump ship this early in the contest. 

 

So I encourage you to continue supporting the president.  If for no other reason:  the alternative has NOTHING for you.

 

Peace,

 

Jeff

SharonB said:

Hi Jeffrey,

 

At every opportunity, you have written about the President's accomplishments. It is all but "tingling brass and loud cymbal"; therefore, to enumerate what in my opinion constitutes higher ground serves little purpose because my idea of higher ground is obviously not the same as President Obama, his administration, the moneyed, the powerful, my neighbors, etc... 

 

What I will share is I hope (because I am both hopeful and optimistic (not mutually exclusive)) the President has not taken the position that to make clear and tangible economic, political, social, judicial progress because we as American have to "now go make me do it" is disrespectful, disingenuous, and a disservice to the millions of voters who helped him attain his goal of P.O.T.U.S..

 

 

Jeffrey Clark said:

SharonB,

 

Can you elaborate on your criticism of the Obama administration?  How has he been dreamy in his executive capacity?  What decision has he or his administration made that you believe represents a failure to take "the higher ground"?

Peace,

 

Jeff

SharonB said:

"The little things that count..."  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. entitled his speech "I've Been to the Mountaintop" not "I Have A Dream".  Let's not continue to mis-educate.

It is a concerted and deliberate attempt to invalidate Dr. King's prophetic gift, along with the destiny of those to whom he is referring, by focusing on the statement "I have a dream" which then makes the words and the resulting outcome fallacy and figments of an overactive imagination. 

 

It is my opinion that President Obama and his administration have chosen to officiate/legislate with/in/from a dream-like mentality rather than charging forward and taking the higher ground.

[Tessa Byrd]

Well said Mr. Clark.....

Jeffrey Clark said:

SharonB,

 

I think there is good purpose behind you spelling out what you believe to be higher-ground-seeking in politics.  Lord knows the politicians need some advice in this area.

 

As for what I’ve posted, my posts are generally in response to other posts whose ideas or assertions I believe misrepresent the president’s actions or positions.  The words are just my opinion.  But they are also my attempt to confront misinformation being spread about President Obama.

 

As for the “now make me go do it” quote, that wasn’t Obama’s.  It was apparently FDR’s.  But I believe it’s relevant here.  There are those who believe the simple act of voting for a president obligates that president to do all that the voter wants.  That would be reasonable if the president were elected by a handful of people who all shared the same interests.  But obviously that’s not the case.  (It probably was the case when voting was limited to landed white males of whom 70% were farmers of some kind.)  Obama got 53 million votes in 2008.  Whom does he begin pleasing?  Being a Democrat, he chose to spend the first year of his presidency trying to bring about some measure of universal healthcare, because that item has been on the top of the list of Democratic initiatives for longer than both you or I have been alive.

 

I guess what I’m getting at (in too many words) is that electing a president is perhaps half the battle.  The other half is organizing a critical mass of people (code words for raising money) around issues on which you’d like the president to focus.  This second part is really… really hard.  Admittedly, conservatives do it better than liberals.  (Conservatives have an advantage:  cutting taxes is the only unifying principle they require; all else is distraction and gamesmanship.)  But liberal leaning peoples’ interests are far more varied.  My personal interests revolve around public education reform and healthcare reform… so I’m pleased that Obama has made gains in those areas.  I know he has unfinished business to handle, and I also know that he’ll get none of it done (and, moreover, will actually suffer a reversal of the gains he’s made) if his supporters jump ship this early in the contest. 

 

So I encourage you to continue supporting the president.  If for no other reason:  the alternative has NOTHING for you.

 

Peace,

 

Jeff

SharonB said:

Hi Jeffrey,

 

At every opportunity, you have written about the President's accomplishments. It is all but "tingling brass and loud cymbal"; therefore, to enumerate what in my opinion constitutes higher ground serves little purpose because my idea of higher ground is obviously not the same as President Obama, his administration, the moneyed, the powerful, my neighbors, etc... 

 

What I will share is I hope (because I am both hopeful and optimistic (not mutually exclusive)) the President has not taken the position that to make clear and tangible economic, political, social, judicial progress because we as American have to "now go make me do it" is disrespectful, disingenuous, and a disservice to the millions of voters who helped him attain his goal of P.O.T.U.S..

 

 

Jeffrey Clark said:

SharonB,

 

Can you elaborate on your criticism of the Obama administration?  How has he been dreamy in his executive capacity?  What decision has he or his administration made that you believe represents a failure to take "the higher ground"?

Peace,

 

Jeff

SharonB said:

"The little things that count..."  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. entitled his speech "I've Been to the Mountaintop" not "I Have A Dream".  Let's not continue to mis-educate.

It is a concerted and deliberate attempt to invalidate Dr. King's prophetic gift, along with the destiny of those to whom he is referring, by focusing on the statement "I have a dream" which then makes the words and the resulting outcome fallacy and figments of an overactive imagination. 

 

It is my opinion that President Obama and his administration have chosen to officiate/legislate with/in/from a dream-like mentality rather than charging forward and taking the higher ground.

[LibyaWest]

Its neither too hard nor to complex for those hell-bent on telling the truth.  On the heels of the renewal of certain provisions of the PATRIOT ACT:

 

 

F.B.I. Agents Get Leeway to Push Privacy Bounds
By CHARLIE SAVAGE
Published: June 12, 2011

 WASHINGTON — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is giving significant new powers to its roughly 14,000 agents, allowing them more leeway to search databases, go through household trash or use surveillance teams to scrutinize the lives of people who have attracted their attention. 

The F.B.I. soon plans to issue a new edition of its manual, called the Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide, according to an official who has worked on the draft document and several others who have been briefed on its contents. The new rules add to several measures taken over the past decade to give agents more latitude as they search for signs of criminal or terrorist activity.

The F.B.I. recently briefed several privacy advocates about the coming changes. Among them, Michael German, a former F.B.I. agent who is now a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, argued that it was unwise to further ease restrictions on agents’ power to use potentially intrusive techniques, especially if they lacked a firm reason to suspect someone of wrongdoing.

“Claiming additional authorities to investigate people only further raises the potential for abuse,” Mr. German said, pointing to complaints about the bureau’s surveillance of domestic political advocacy groups and mosques and to an inspector general’s findings in 2007 that the F.B.I. had frequently misused “national security letters,” which allow agents to obtain information like phone records without a court order.

Valerie E. Caproni, the F.B.I. general counsel, said the bureau had fixed the problems with the national security letters and had taken steps to make sure they would not recur. She also said the bureau, which does not need permission to alter its manual so long as the rules fit within broad guidelines issued by the attorney general, had carefully weighed the risks and the benefits of each change.

“Every one of these has been carefully looked at and considered against the backdrop of why do the employees need to be able to do it, what are the possible risks and what are the controls,” she said, portraying the modifications to the rules as “more like fine-tuning than major changes.”

Some of the most notable changes apply to the lowest category of investigations, called an “assessment.” The category, created in December 2008, allows agents to look into people and organizations “proactively” and without firm evidence for suspecting criminal or terrorist activity.

Under current rules, agents must open such an inquiry before they can search for information about a person in a commercial or law enforcement database. Under the new rules, agents will be allowed to search such databases without making a record about their decision.

Mr. German said the change would make it harder to detect and deter inappropriate use of databases for personal purposes. But Ms. Caproni said it was too cumbersome to require agents to open formal inquiries before running quick checks. She also said agents could not put information uncovered from such searches into F.B.I. files unless they later opened an assessment.

The new rules will also relax a restriction on administering lie-detector tests and searching people’s trash. Under current rules, agents cannot use such techniques until they open a “preliminary investigation,” which — unlike an assessment — requires a factual basis for suspecting someone of wrongdoing. But soon agents will be allowed to use those techniques for one kind of assessment, too: when they are evaluating a target as a potential informant.

Agents have asked for that power in part because they want the ability to use information found in a subject’s trash to put pressure on that person to assist the government in the investigation of others. But Ms. Caproni said information gathered that way could also be useful for other reasons, like determining whether the subject might pose a threat to agents.

The new manual will also remove a limitation on the use of surveillance squads, which are trained to surreptitiously follow targets. Under current rules, the squads can be used only once during an assessment, but the new rules will allow agents to use them repeatedly. Ms. Caproni said restrictions on the duration of physical surveillance would still apply, and argued that because of limited resources, supervisors would use the squads only rarely during such a low-level investigation.

The revisions also clarify what constitutes “undisclosed participation” in an organization by an F.B.I. agent or informant, which is subject to special rules — most of which have not been made public. The new manual says an agent or an informant may surreptitiously attend up to five meetings of a group before those rules would apply — unless the goal is to join the group, in which case the rules apply immediately.

At least one change would tighten, rather than relax, the rules. Currently, a special agent in charge of a field office can delegate the authority to approve sending an informant to a religious service. The new manual will require such officials to handle those decisions personally.

In addition, the manual clarifies a description of what qualifies as a “sensitive investigative matter” — investigations, at any level, that require greater oversight from supervisors because they involve public officials, members of the news media or academic scholars.

The new rules make clear, for example, that if the person with such a role is a victim or a witness rather than a target of an investigation, extra supervision is not necessary. Also excluded from extra supervision will be investigations of low- and midlevel officials for activities unrelated to their position — like drug cases as opposed to corruption, for example.

The manual clarifies the definition of who qualifies for extra protection as a legitimate member of the news media in the Internet era: prominent bloggers would count, but not people who have low-profile blogs. And it will limit academic protections only to scholars who work for institutions based in the United States.

Since the release of the 2008 manual, the assessment category has drawn scrutiny because it sets a low bar to examine a person or a group. The F.B.I. has opened thousands of such low-level investigations each month, and a vast majority has not generated information that justified opening more intensive investigations.

Ms. Caproni said the new manual would adjust the definition of assessments to make clear that they must be based on leads. But she rejected arguments that the F.B.I. should focus only on investigations that begin with a firm reason for suspecting wrongdoing.

A version of this article appeared in print on June 13, 2011, on page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: F.B.I. AGENTS GET LEEWAY TO PUSH PRIVACY BOUNDS.

[Jeffrey Clark]

Thank you, Ms. Byrd.  I look forward to reading more of your posts in the future.

Tessa Byrd said:

Well said Mr. Clark.....

Jeffrey Clark said:

SharonB,

 

I think there is good purpose behind you spelling out what you believe to be higher-ground-seeking in politics.  Lord knows the politicians need some advice in this area.

 

As for what I’ve posted, my posts are generally in response to other posts whose ideas or assertions I believe misrepresent the president’s actions or positions.  The words are just my opinion.  But they are also my attempt to confront misinformation being spread about President Obama.

 

As for the “now make me go do it” quote, that wasn’t Obama’s.  It was apparently FDR’s.  But I believe it’s relevant here.  There are those who believe the simple act of voting for a president obligates that president to do all that the voter wants.  That would be reasonable if the president were elected by a handful of people who all shared the same interests.  But obviously that’s not the case.  (It probably was the case when voting was limited to landed white males of whom 70% were farmers of some kind.)  Obama got 53 million votes in 2008.  Whom does he begin pleasing?  Being a Democrat, he chose to spend the first year of his presidency trying to bring about some measure of universal healthcare, because that item has been on the top of the list of Democratic initiatives for longer than both you or I have been alive.

 

I guess what I’m getting at (in too many words) is that electing a president is perhaps half the battle.  The other half is organizing a critical mass of people (code words for raising money) around issues on which you’d like the president to focus.  This second part is really… really hard.  Admittedly, conservatives do it better than liberals.  (Conservatives have an advantage:  cutting taxes is the only unifying principle they require; all else is distraction and gamesmanship.)  But liberal leaning peoples’ interests are far more varied.  My personal interests revolve around public education reform and healthcare reform… so I’m pleased that Obama has made gains in those areas.  I know he has unfinished business to handle, and I also know that he’ll get none of it done (and, moreover, will actually suffer a reversal of the gains he’s made) if his supporters jump ship this early in the contest. 

 

So I encourage you to continue supporting the president.  If for no other reason:  the alternative has NOTHING for you.

 

Peace,

 

Jeff

SharonB said:

Hi Jeffrey,

 

At every opportunity, you have written about the President's accomplishments. It is all but "tingling brass and loud cymbal"; therefore, to enumerate what in my opinion constitutes higher ground serves little purpose because my idea of higher ground is obviously not the same as President Obama, his administration, the moneyed, the powerful, my neighbors, etc... 

 

What I will share is I hope (because I am both hopeful and optimistic (not mutually exclusive)) the President has not taken the position that to make clear and tangible economic, political, social, judicial progress because we as American have to "now go make me do it" is disrespectful, disingenuous, and a disservice to the millions of voters who helped him attain his goal of P.O.T.U.S..

 

 

Jeffrey Clark said:

SharonB,

 

Can you elaborate on your criticism of the Obama administration?  How has he been dreamy in his executive capacity?  What decision has he or his administration made that you believe represents a failure to take "the higher ground"?

Peace,

 

Jeff

SharonB said:

"The little things that count..."  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. entitled his speech "I've Been to the Mountaintop" not "I Have A Dream".  Let's not continue to mis-educate.

It is a concerted and deliberate attempt to invalidate Dr. King's prophetic gift, along with the destiny of those to whom he is referring, by focusing on the statement "I have a dream" which then makes the words and the resulting outcome fallacy and figments of an overactive imagination. 

 

It is my opinion that President Obama and his administration have chosen to officiate/legislate with/in/from a dream-like mentality rather than charging forward and taking the higher ground.

[Jeffrey Clark]

SharonB,

 

I’m glad to hear you’re still on board the bandwagon, however precariously.  Hang in there.

 

Peace,

 

Jeff

SharonB said:

Jeffrey,

Your point is duly noted.

You recommend that I support President Obama because the alternative is the greater of the two evils.  America is in a ditch.  Support the administration that offers the tools required to dig ourselves out of the muck and mire by offering a hand shovel when we desperately need a backhoe or should we support the person (yet unknown) who offers the tools then charges for each tool used thereby depleting all our resources so that eventually the ditch is wider, deeper, and more dangerous than it was previously.    "Oh what a tangled web we weave..." 

Lord knows I cannot make the President or anyone for that matter do anything but I would like for the President to square his shoulders, take his fighting stance, and come out strong. This bobbing and weaving he is doing is giving Americans verdigo.

Tessa Byrd said:

Well said Mr. Clark.....

Jeffrey Clark said:

SharonB,

 

I think there is good purpose behind you spelling out what you believe to be higher-ground-seeking in politics.  Lord knows the politicians need some advice in this area.

 

As for what I’ve posted, my posts are generally in response to other posts whose ideas or assertions I believe misrepresent the president’s actions or positions.  The words are just my opinion.  But they are also my attempt to confront misinformation being spread about President Obama.

 

As for the “now make me go do it” quote, that wasn’t Obama’s.  It was apparently FDR’s.  But I believe it’s relevant here.  There are those who believe the simple act of voting for a president obligates that president to do all that the voter wants.  That would be reasonable if the president were elected by a handful of people who all shared the same interests.  But obviously that’s not the case.  (It probably was the case when voting was limited to landed white males of whom 70% were farmers of some kind.)  Obama got 53 million votes in 2008.  Whom does he begin pleasing?  Being a Democrat, he chose to spend the first year of his presidency trying to bring about some measure of universal healthcare, because that item has been on the top of the list of Democratic initiatives for longer than both you or I have been alive.

 

I guess what I’m getting at (in too many words) is that electing a president is perhaps half the battle.  The other half is organizing a critical mass of people (code words for raising money) around issues on which you’d like the president to focus.  This second part is really… really hard.  Admittedly, conservatives do it better than liberals.  (Conservatives have an advantage:  cutting taxes is the only unifying principle they require; all else is distraction and gamesmanship.)  But liberal leaning peoples’ interests are far more varied.  My personal interests revolve around public education reform and healthcare reform… so I’m pleased that Obama has made gains in those areas.  I know he has unfinished business to handle, and I also know that he’ll get none of it done (and, moreover, will actually suffer a reversal of the gains he’s made) if his supporters jump ship this early in the contest. 

 

So I encourage you to continue supporting the president.  If for no other reason:  the alternative has NOTHING for you.

 

Peace,

 

Jeff

SharonB said:

Hi Jeffrey,

 

At every opportunity, you have written about the President's accomplishments. It is all but "tingling brass and loud cymbal"; therefore, to enumerate what in my opinion constitutes higher ground serves little purpose because my idea of higher ground is obviously not the same as President Obama, his administration, the moneyed, the powerful, my neighbors, etc... 

 

What I will share is I hope (because I am both hopeful and optimistic (not mutually exclusive)) the President has not taken the position that to make clear and tangible economic, political, social, judicial progress because we as American have to "now go make me do it" is disrespectful, disingenuous, and a disservice to the millions of voters who helped him attain his goal of P.O.T.U.S..

 

 

Jeffrey Clark said:

SharonB,

 

Can you elaborate on your criticism of the Obama administration?  How has he been dreamy in his executive capacity?  What decision has he or his administration made that you believe represents a failure to take "the higher ground"?

Peace,

 

Jeff

SharonB said:

"The little things that count..."  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. entitled his speech "I've Been to the Mountaintop" not "I Have A Dream".  Let's not continue to mis-educate.

It is a concerted and deliberate attempt to invalidate Dr. King's prophetic gift, along with the destiny of those to whom he is referring, by focusing on the statement "I have a dream" which then makes the words and the resulting outcome fallacy and figments of an overactive imagination. 

 

It is my opinion that President Obama and his administration have chosen to officiate/legislate with/in/from a dream-like mentality rather than charging forward and taking the higher ground.

[Tamam Tracy Moncur]

I received this email which reminded me of the fact that if any significant change was going to come about in America it has to come from the grassroot level, not from the people in power (i.e. the Civil Rights Movement of the 60's). This email was an a-ha moment for me.

                                   Direction of America?

I have totally cleaned this e-mail from all other names,  sending it to you in hopes you will keep it going and keep it clean.  This is something I feel strongly about  and I hope you all read it  all the way through. You will be glad you did.  

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.  

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address  list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.  

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.  

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1.No Tenure / No Pension.
A Congressman collects a  salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.  

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.  
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.  

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.  

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12.  The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career.  The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.  

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people, it will only take  three days for most people  (in the U.S.) to receive  the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!       

[Howard R. Lee]

Anyone that thought Obama could change this corrupt American system overnight is taking acid (of the LSD variety). Let's go item by item, 10% of black men are still incarcerated? Is that Obama's fault? What do you expect the president to do about that? Should he lead all black men around by the nose and slap them on the back of their hand if they make a bad decision? Give me a break, how much of this falls on our black men to start growing up and act like an adult. Black youth are far behind their white counterparts? Did this just happen or was this the case before Obama became president? Because if it was, and I believe this situation existed before Obama became president then what is it people are expecting Obama to do about this overnight. Some of it falls on parents to help their children with their homework. Now I wonder how many of those black children that are behind their white counterparts in education receive no help from their parents at home with their homework? That is the question you should be trying to answer. I bet you either the president or his wife help their kids with their homework. Lastly, unemployment in the black community is high, 16.2% this is unfortunate and I am going to go out on a limb and say the president doesn't want this but ask yourself this, of those 16.2% that are unemployed, how many are eligible to go pursue that degree and reposition themselves? That picture starts to look slightly different doesn't it, depending on how you choose to see it? Bottom line, some of our people just want something to cry about and somebody to blame. I have had my Associate Degree since 1984, I have milked it for all it is worth. I returned to school in January of 2010 at age 52 to finish my undergraduate studies, so I don't want to hear excuses. If I can do it so can you! The president is trying to make it easier for me and you (hint, hint) to do something like this if you would open your eyes black folks. All those complaining about Obama tell me which white man you think is going to do better by you? By the way I have some swamp land down in Florida, I'll give it to you for a real good price, ok?

[Jeffrey Clark]

Howard,

 

Nice post.   Congratulation on having the courage to return to college.  I wish you all the luck in the world.

 

Peace,

 

Jeff

Howard R. Lee said:

Anyone that thought Obama could change this corrupt American system overnight is taking acid (of the LSD variety). Let's go item by item, 10% of black men are still incarcerated? Is that Obama's fault? What do you expect the president to do about that? Should he lead all black men around by the nose and slap them on the back of their hand if they make a bad decision? Give me a break, how much of this falls on our black men to start growing up and act like an adult. Black youth are far behind their white counterparts? Did this just happen or was this the case before Obama became president? Because if it was, and I believe this situation existed before Obama became president then what is it people are expecting Obama to do about this overnight. Some of it falls on parents to help their children with their homework. Now I wonder how many of those black children that are behind their white counterparts in education receive no help from their parents at home with their homework? That is the question you should be trying to answer. I bet you either the president or his wife help their kids with their homework. Lastly, unemployment in the black community is high, 16.2% this is unfortunate and I am going to go out on a limb and say the president doesn't want this but ask yourself this, of those 16.2% that are unemployed, how many are eligible to go pursue that degree and reposition themselves? That picture starts to look slightly different doesn't it, depending on how you choose to see it? Bottom line, some of our people just want something to cry about and somebody to blame. I have had my Associate Degree since 1984, I have milked it for all it is worth. I returned to school in January of 2010 at age 52 to finish my undergraduate studies, so I don't want to hear excuses. If I can do it so can you! The president is trying to make it easier for me and you (hint, hint) to do something like this if you would open your eyes black folks. All those complaining about Obama tell me which white man you think is going to do better by you? By the way I have some swamp land down in Florida, I'll give it to you for a real good price, ok?

[RENEEGEDE]

It's not about criticizing the President, it's what you criticize him about.

Most of the stuff that's being said about him is untrue, and the criticism that is true isn't being met with reciprocal action. Bettah get to work and get to legislating before even a half a black man is gone and takes the signing pens with him.

The one before him, ask Kanye West.
The one before that one had certain black friends, but they were called "leaders" just to rally the black vote.
The one before the one before that one gave public credibility to reverse racism by standing on the graves of three black Civil Rights workers and shouting "back to basics." During Reagan's administration, the first black man in more than 20 years was lynched.
The one before the one before the one before that one, Peanuts, didn't realize he'd been elected President until his time was up.
Nixon - Bush. Senior and Dubya.
Johnson was just doing what he had to do given the circumstances.
Kennedy didn't realize there were black people in the nation who did something besides cook and clean at Hyannisport. There appeared a great cloud of witnesses over the horizon marching to DC and singing "We Shall Overcome." What's the matter, it is said that Kennedy said.

He apparently thought all the black folk was skipping happily along...all the ones he knew, anyway.

Well, Mr. President, when you made that speech about freedom for the Cubans.

Yes.

The black folk over here thought you meant them, too.

Oh, sh&^&!

Lincoln "Africanus Abe": Didn't want anyone to know his mama was an Ethiopian.

Thomas Jefferson: Only Miss Sally Hemmings knows 'fo sho.

Obama knows what it's like to be black in America. Shirley Sherrod may not think so, but there's only certain things that he can say that won't be repeated and misconstrued by white America as racist, even when it's racism he speaks out against.

If nothing else, the Maintenance Man flushed the race roaches out of their musty dank mildewed hidden places and also opened the eyes of blacks who wanted to believe that racism was long over.

Bettah get to work before the side of him that is black is gone, and is taking his souvenir signing pens with him.

[ALICIA BANKS]

that hobama nazi tom joyner has attacked tavis and cornel AGAIN...shame!!!

 

http://aliciabanks.xanga.com/751600565/a-third-open-letter-to-that-...