There is a long standing view or notion, within a section of the Black community, that an issue is a "Black Issue" only when it is a product of racism and it manifests itself in a relationship that is reminiscient of the master-slave relationship.
This view affects not only what is perceived to be a "Black Issue" but also who is deemed to be advancing the interests of Black people. As a consequence, those who hold this view, only regard individuals who more or less exclusively confine their social commentary and community organization around a short list of issues that are generally perceived and understood to have racist undertones such as Police brutality, racism in education, the criminal justice system etc.
Blacks who do not conform to this notion of what is a "Black issue" then become labelled as 'Uncle Toms' and 'House Negroes'. This is why some Black groups claim that Barack Obama is neglecting the interest of the Black community.
To be sure, these are issues which do affect the Black community and need to be addressed. Grassroot organizations deserve to be praised for their work in this regard.
But a lot of the activists in these grassroot organizations tend to hold this view of what a Black issue is and as a result they are complicit in distorting the reality within the Black community. They have taken 'a reality' and made it 'the reality' for all of us. This is simply a misrepresentation of our daily lives. Jay-Z says in one of his songs " I got 99 problems but a ----- aint one".
So, what about the majority of Blacks in America, who have 99 problems but being shot by the police aint one, being incarcerated aint one, living in the ghetto aint one etc?
As of 2006, about 6 million working age African-American adults had no medical insurance. Is the elimination of this reality not in the interest of the Black community? What about making healthcare more affordable?
Millions of working class Blacks in America pay taxes, is the reduction of these taxes not in the interest of the Black community?
Is improving the quality of public schools not in the interest of the Black community?
Blacks drive vehicles, is finding alternative sources of energy and fuel which would reduce the costs of operating a car and produce a healthier environment, not in the interest of the Black community?
Not only are all of the above in the interest of the Black community but these issues affect relatively far more Blacks in America. So, is Obama speaking like Malcolm X, no he is not. But is not speaking like Malcolm X tantamount to not advancing an agenda that is in the interest of the Black community, the answer is no.
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1 comment:
...well said...in fact, if those critics do research on Barack Obama (as simple as reading one of his books), they would clearly see that his interest has always been the black community. Though he was raised in a white house, his identification has always been, an African American. He's always held our interests at heart, because they are his interests. He is as conscious as ony one of his critics. It's just that he's found balance along the way...we need to stop being so narrow minded pigeonholing people so that they can only use a certain dialect and certain key phrases in order for them to appear representative of the black cause. You did well in pointing out those instances in which thought it is not defined as a, "black cause," it certainly is a black issue...an issue of marginalized populations.
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