Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Black People Like Me! They Really Like Me!

....says our president.

Saw this earlier at Ace Of Spades HQ:

President Obama doesn't seem happy that Danny Glover is speaking out about how little our first black president has done for the black community... but Obama's not concerned because other black people still like him.

"If you want me to line up all the black actors, for example, who support me and put them on one side of the room and a couple who are grumbling on the other, I'm happy to have that," Obama said, adding that polls show African-Americans express "overwhelming support for what we've tried to do."
I guess President Obama missed the article on "Black in the Age of Obama" by Charles Blow.  Blow doesn't think blacks are still supporting Obama as much as they're keeping silent so that white folks don't use their displeasure against him.  My thoughts on Blow's article are here, and here's his basic point:

"However, the rallying creates a conundrum for blacks: how to air anxiety without further arming Obama’s enemies. This dilemma has rendered blacks virtually voiceless on some pressing issues at a time when their voices would have presumably held greater sway."
Or, more bluntly:

"Meanwhile, black people are also living a tale of two actions: grin and bear it. "
So, blacks don't want to call Obama out on his dismal failure to do anything for them - or the rest of America...   And Obama (predictably) takes that silence as a sign that all is well and support remains undiminished.  He says he cannot pass laws "that say I'm just helping black folks."

Nobody - I repeat, nobody - is asking you to pass laws that just help black people, Mr. President.  Way to twist the point.  How about doing something that helps all your people (like fix the mess you're making of our economy) and the blacks, whites... everybody will be better off.

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