I recently read debra dickerson's piece on www.salon.com and also read stanley crouch's piece in the daily news. so obama ain't black because his mother is an anglo american and his daddy is a kenyan (a goat herder ?). Anyway, some blacks are clear about the fact that his roots in this country have no connection to u.s. slavery. He wasn't raised as a black person, and he doesn't have the same cultural connections to other blacks. This seems to have black leaders in a fit. they're worried that he'll ride the race coattails and when he gets to where he wants he'll sing a different tune and not deliver the good to blacks in this country. is this "paranoia" confounded? i wonder how much of this has to do with black's refusal to question and re-interpet what is black? and god forbid if one gets to the notion that perhaps the illusory concept does nothing for blacks in this country and should be confiscated...then what?
however, understand this: there's a very real black history and culture...so then, how do blacks begin to talk about it? how will black people relate to it? will it somehow be something of the past that blacks have finally overcome and now blacks are......? well, what the hell does one become? an american? that's as much of an illusion as black...with the difference being the legal citizenship "afforded" to blacks...but that hasn't been the real case since "day one".
the differential treatment in this country speaks volumes about the two tiered system of citizenship that may not be "on the books" or in our constitution, but are those unwritten rules and social contracts that play out in the banality of life of a black person in the united states. this deployment of such mores, norms and perspectives is where one will find the blatant acts of racism: can't catch a cab, can't get a decent public education, can't get a decent job, police brutality/harrassment. if blacks give up the identity then to what extent is white america off the hook? where the hell are the 40 acres and a mule?! reparations...anyone??!!
yeah we know obama is safe for whites....and this is where the subterfuge runs thick and deep.
i won't be suprised if they use him as an example of a black man who has transcended race. "so why can't the rest of yall do the same? " is what they'll sing. he's safe for them; "he won't rock the boat too much; he's civilized. he understands that change happens incrementally...not like that malcolm x!
flashback....my bad!
can't help but feel this is another way of making blacks obsolete in this country. and in a weird sick, racist way, it reifies the racial power differentials.... whites do the "identifying" and blacks
are "the identified." this whole obama thing is just that, and i think blacks ain't buying into it.
it's a subtle shift...don't fall for the okey-doke, folks!
however, understand this: there's a very real black history and culture...so then, how do blacks begin to talk about it? how will black people relate to it? will it somehow be something of the past that blacks have finally overcome and now blacks are......? well, what the hell does one become? an american? that's as much of an illusion as black...with the difference being the legal citizenship "afforded" to blacks...but that hasn't been the real case since "day one".
the differential treatment in this country speaks volumes about the two tiered system of citizenship that may not be "on the books" or in our constitution, but are those unwritten rules and social contracts that play out in the banality of life of a black person in the united states. this deployment of such mores, norms and perspectives is where one will find the blatant acts of racism: can't catch a cab, can't get a decent public education, can't get a decent job, police brutality/harrassment. if blacks give up the identity then to what extent is white america off the hook? where the hell are the 40 acres and a mule?! reparations...anyone??!!
yeah we know obama is safe for whites....and this is where the subterfuge runs thick and deep.
i won't be suprised if they use him as an example of a black man who has transcended race. "so why can't the rest of yall do the same? " is what they'll sing. he's safe for them; "he won't rock the boat too much; he's civilized. he understands that change happens incrementally...not like that malcolm x!
flashback....my bad!
can't help but feel this is another way of making blacks obsolete in this country. and in a weird sick, racist way, it reifies the racial power differentials.... whites do the "identifying" and blacks
are "the identified." this whole obama thing is just that, and i think blacks ain't buying into it.
it's a subtle shift...don't fall for the okey-doke, folks!
1 comment:
Keep up the good work.
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