Dr. Boyce Watkins
www.BoyceWatkins.net
Quick thoughts of the day:
1) I was sad to see that the rapper Nas joined the group of attackers on Rev. Jesse Jackson. Personally, I think that Nas may have been rightfully upset at the fact that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton denounced Nas' album "Nigger" before he changed the title. I think that as we criticize Jackson for his remarks, we should not forget the sacrifices he made for our country. I also think that Nas should remember that his comments about how Jesse needs to step aside are also being made about old-ass rappers like himself. We have to respect our elders, even when they say things that we don't agree with.
2) My good friend Marc Lamont Hill brought this thought to me during an earlier phone conversation (we were discussing why there are some black scholars afraid to associate with professors like myself....scholars tend to fear those who step out of the ivory tower, that's why most of your professors don't do the kinds of things I do) Why is it the case that when Barack Obama told all Americans that their kids need to learn a second language, he was called "elitist", but when he told black people that they need to be more responsible he was called "heroic"? Actually, most American kids are horribly deficient relative to the rest of the world in their language skills. I recall going to Germany and watching the guy who worked at Subway speak literally 3 different languages to customers from other countries. How many fast food workers do YOU know who speak 3 different languages?
I fear black people spending our lives like Cinderella, hoping that if we just get pretty enough, just well-behaved enough, then the step sisters are going to love us. The truth is that Cinderella was always beautiful and she didn't know it. Criticism from politicians about broad ethnic groups is dangerous because it justifies continued racial discrimination. It says "the reason this company has not hired a black person in 20 years is because black people don't know how to act". The other thing you must realize is that even if you get 30 million people to change their behavior, the media WILL ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU.
Bottom line: Learn to love yourself and stop falling for all this political bullcrap. If a politician only finds something to critique when he visits black people, there is something wrong with that.
4 comments:
Mr. Watkins sir, I'm sick of the double standard that even our own people hold themselves to.
But hey, isn't that one of the psycological after effects or design of the systematic racist nation within which we live?
Sure we've stopped having to enter the resturant through a backdoor. But its a damn shame that we have to be constantly reminded to wipe our feet.
Sometimes crasp off the cuff comments, get the dialogue that needs to be discussed happening.
Even when Cosby stated his statements, it was a discussion that needed to be generated. The same can be said for Rev. Jackson, Sr. I have a problem with NAS thinking that he, Young Jeezy, and David Banner are the new Civil Rights Leaders.
I did not see their behinds rescuing the students in New Orleans during Katrina when no one could get the rally. They gave money and food later, but when they needed to mobilize the people to get the resources and seek help to these folks, it was Rev. Jackson, Sr. who did it. Not Senator Obama, not Young Jeezy, not David Banner and definitely not NAS.
So, even though Rev. Jackson, Sr. acted like his mentor MLK when MLK spoke badly in private about JFK that J Edgar Hoover surreptiously taped and had RFK hear it, MLK was still considered a good man for his actions, not his faults.
Thanks Boyce for sheding light on issues. We are human and make mistakes. All of us do. Ye, who has no sin, cast the first stone.
NAS should not be able to say a dang thing b/c with how he and his wife have acted lately, they need to check their own crap and repent.
Mr Watkins I appreciate you and your commitment to our people I have studied the writings of DR BEN,DR CLARKE,DR JEFFERIES and many other of our elders I just wanted to know and understand what happen to us as a people I pray that the day is not to far away that we will learn to love and respect each other again,before EUROPE and ASIA,DR WATKINS THANK-YOU for being in this place at this time in the universe I do not know
if Senator OBAMA is going to make a difference I can only hope that he will do his best to make a different for us all , I understand our hatred towards one another,so I back away from a lot of things ,because I have been given the gift of knowledge to understand what happen to us as a people,but I have to say it is a hard task we as a people do not see that it is all planed for us to hate each other,I will hold on to that maybe one day we will know the truth and the truth will set us free,I Pray(ISIS)
I am disapointed by this entire mess. I love Jesse Jackson, but he did say that he wanted to castrate another African American man on public television and this was a serious mistake. I believe that people were more disapointed by him getting caught making the statement than what he actually said,and are angry that an experienced politician such as he could be slipping, and in front of white folks. Nas and other young black men were angry; this is natural. Barack seems to be symbolic of their struggle, hope and future. I became a supporter of Barack because of his appeal to young people and the possibility that our children's lives could be better under his administration. Many young African Americans have been hurt by older African Americans who sit at the gates of historically black institutions. I have also been hurt and disillusioned in this way. It bothers me, however, to hear people like Nas, D.L. Hughley and Hill Harper putting down Civil Rights leaders' contributions, and saying that they have to step aside because they are out of touch and African Americans now have a new kind of leadership -- Barack and MEN like themselves who practice mainstream rather than protest-politics. It denotes a certain disrespect that I can barely tolerate because I know that this new "so called" leadership has not contributed much that is substantial to our community beyond them "getting theirs" and serving as an example of the bling factor, albeit in not as blatant fashion as rappers. Of Course Harper has his books for African American youth, but where is the legislation? Where are the social policies and the think tanks that focus upon the unique challenges facing the African American community and the comprehensive agenda for overall empowerment and uplift that does not lie in books or blogs, but which actually manifests itself with jobs, affordable housing,access to quality education, health care, leadership training and apprentice training programs, etc? These are the legacy of Civil Rights generations that these "so called" young leaders are criticizing, but are still benefitting from. These things make a tangible difference in the day to day lives of Black folk for the better. They allowed our current young who are speaking out so disrespectfully (those who chose this path to success -- personal responsibility please)to enter the halls of Ivy League colleges, corporations,and government,and to get put on to elite internships and the like. It brought them multi-cultural curriculum and the right to self-define. It provided social science research which fueled social policy and significant opportunities (i.e. Social Security, Affirmative Action) and strategies for taking on a system that was vicious, so that they the young in our community can stand today and criticize their elders with such impunity. It is on the backs of these people that our new crop of leaders stand. No other community does this, but ours. I will blame the Civil Rights establishment partially for this, however. These people sit in key positions, in important organizations, where African American young should be able to go to find training opportunities, encouragement, advocacy and moral uplift, legal and economic assistance, and just plain inspiration. Instead, what a young African American person often finds in historically Black institutions (outside of Black colleges) is a door slammed hard in their faces, elders who try to limit their growth and possibility, and often times a down-right mean-spiritness. This leaves them to make it on their own and when they do, they feel no obligation to these leaders or to the community. This is a big problem and we need to address it, or we will see a further deterioration in relations between young and old. I feel that Jesse touched upon a feeling that is growing stronger in our community, despite the unfortunate manner that it came out. A growing number of African Americans and Americans at large, are questioning some of Barack's moves. Some of the positions that he is taking, such as his vote on the Phiser Bill and his stand on immigration, is causing some to pause. It is rediculous to think that African Americans should be silent about issues that are important to them, just because of their skin color. I find this suggestion to be both old-school and ironic. It appears that our new young leaders want to pick and choose from among the bones of the old. They say that protesting is out of style, yet they ask all African Americans to hold their their criticisms, questions and elation, in unity of the Black man so that he can get elected. This tactic is as old as our community and does not reflect supposedly new and mature political thinking that they always seem to state that they espouse. Our Post-Civil Rights generation does not want the preachy sounds of an old guard, but it is ok for their new leader to be preachy. I have heard some young adults say that the African American electorate is ignorant and behind the times, and that they are the enlightend (Talented Tenth) generation that the race needs, because after all they have gone to good colleges, have integrated and they know what is needed and must lead the way. How behind the times are these new ideas? I believe that a truly mature electorate understands that a president or any other elected official, despite their "Black Card" is at the end of the day, a public servant, elected to carry out the will of the people in this "democracy". If that elected official is not carrying out the people's will, he or she should be called to explain his position. I want my president to lead by example, not by preaching. Frankly, I don't want his morals thrust upon me. That is what the "old style" black leaders did, because they had to. We were at a different place at that time and I am immensley grateful for their vision and leadership. Today is a different time. More African Americans are educated and informed. They have been in this country longer than many other groups, and we know what we want for this nation, our communities, our familes and ourselves. I am tired of the "so called" African American leadership talking down to us -- new or old. I want to elect someone who will speak truth to powerful, and who can provide resources, opportunity, and pride to the nation. I frankly don't care if it is a Democratic, Republican, Independent or Green Pary candidate. I want to see a change in the status-quo. I also want to elect a person who truly loves and understands this country and who is committed to serve ALL of its people. I want equal opportunity and quality education for our nation's young. I want something done about the economy and innovative solutions for solving community problems. I want a leader who will stop the squeeze -- culturally, socially, morally and economically on the average American citizen -- who will put Americans first, as our fore-fathers and mothers built this nation. I have supported Barack because I feel that he can provide that kind of leadership, despite his sparse record if he is committed to making such changes. He is certainly bright and I know what I have been able to accomplish in my own life by sheer will, hard work and intelligence. I know that he has and can continue to do the same. Barack needs to be careful though. I was offended by both his comments on Father's Day and those about Americans and foreign language as many others were. I have spent a lot of time abroud listening to foreigners make such comments, and while I speak three languages and have traveled extensively, I don't want to hear those comments from my president. It is not his job really in this new Post-Civil-Rights era. It also let's me know how truly unAmerican Barack's experience has been, despite his attempts to connect. These comments also appear to be as elitist as Chaney's comments about West Virginians. My advice to Barack would be to focus on what is important, and that is winning the election and leading the country by focuing upon the priorities that people are electing him to deal with. Like Jesse, he should keep his personal opinions to himself. No one cares.
Post a Comment