In the Belly of the Beast.
In These Times blogs live from the Republican National Convention September 1 - 4.

Black Leadership Wanted

By Laura S. Washington

Historic events have a way of burning off the mists. Coretta Scott King’s Feb. 7 funeral surfaced age-old political rip tides. The Republican establishment ignored Martin Luther King, Jr.’s funeral. This time around, they tried to make political amends by showing up at his wife’s ceremony. They brought along their characteristic hypocrisy. In his tribute, George H.W. Bush waxed, “I… return to article

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    I saw Michael Dyson last night at Reed College. He also mentioned the poll about current Black Leaders. He was a great speaker.

    United States Posted by CHPZ on Feb 18, 2006 at 2:47 PM

    well laura,
    the door is open...step up, or in, or out is it?

    United States Posted by jeffmc on Feb 21, 2006 at 11:54 AM

    A very sad commentary on the Black community. It tells you something when it seems the only ones ready to really confront and combat inequality are the old folks who by all rights should be getting a breather about now.

    When I heard Obama speak at the convention for the first time, I felt something I think is called “hope.” That quickly ebbed as I saw him support hideous legislation and sign on to whatever war was next on the agenda. I keep a tiny corner of my mind open, however, that he will find his voice and his courage. A very tiny corner.

    But in reality, we are all suffering from a lack of leadership, not just racial minorites. As a white liberal, I certainly feel underrepresented. Who speaks for me? Hillary? Biden? Thank God Jimmy Carter is still alive, but here again is an old man doing a young man’s job. He won’t be here forever.

    The white faces that appear on TV and the white voices that fill the airwaves are for the most part warmongers, racists and corporate whores. They don’t speak for me, or the majority of Americans.

    We are all leaderless.

    But there is one good hope, and it lies in Black Americans realizing how powerful they truly are. If this large segment of our population can align itself with the legions of disenchanted and unrepresented white voters, we can take this country back. And if we do that, there will not be a need for “Black leaders” as such. Just Americans who share a common cause and believe in justice, tolerance, equality and most of all peace as the ultimate goal of humanity. It’s doable, and I’m a pessimist.

    United States Posted by opeluboy on Feb 21, 2006 at 6:17 PM

    Not being of African ancestry, the AP/AOL poll would not have included me. If it had, though, I also would have been at a loss to name anyone I considered worthy of the name “leader”, regardless of race or ethnicity.

    There is not one single public figure that I can name who I consider worthy of my outright loyalty.

    It’s obvious that individualists like me have muted voices in the public sphere; it’s parties, movements, organizations, and their front-men who have the influence, short of some billionaire maverick who gets the spotlight just for her uniqueness. Still, who out there is really worth following? Is there anyone worth joining my efforts to? Who would that be? If the respondents to the Black Voices poll were largely silent as to “important leaders”, maybe it’s because of the broad dearth of leaders in the entire country, across all communities, who inspire anything more than tepid, wary support, mainly as a gesture of opposition to other front-men who are perceived to be worse.

    No one inspires confidence. No one inspires, period. And if they do, their image soon tarnishes as details emerge.

    Is it any wonder that young people choose pro wrestlers, singers and film actors when asked who their heroes are? Who the hell else is worth paying attention to?

    Philippines Posted by Kuya on Feb 22, 2006 at 2:26 AM

    After the abolition of slavery, American Blacks had to closely identify with and help each other because of racist attitudes and racist laws.  This kinship was essential to their survival because no white face could be trusted completely.

    This close group identification continued into the 20th century, through the civil rights movement, and even hrough to today.

    However, each generation steps a bit further away from the past - whether black or white - and the old ways become diluted.  If you look at young people today, there is less distance between the races - just look at interracial dating.  What was despised at worst and certainly commented on at least during my grandparents’ time (1940’s), is now almost not even worthy of noticing to a 20 year old in 2006.

    Which brings me to the response to this article.  Unprecedented numbers of African Americans attend colleges and trade schools, own or head corporations, and own their own homes.  It’s quite possible and desirable that the outcome of all this civil strife over the past 140+ years is that people are essentially happy and don’t need someone to “lead” them anymore.

    United States Posted by winterchestnut on Feb 23, 2006 at 2:28 PM

    WInterchestnut,
    I believe that your view is too optimistic. Citing the relative acceptance of inter-racial dating does nothing to prove that race inequalities are non-existant. First of all I find that often inter-racial couples are stared down in public settings. My cousin dated a black man and was publicly ridiculed on busses and on the street while traveling with him. But even if there is a much higher rate of inter-racial dating than there was in the forties, this does not point to the major problem: there is a serious economic and social divide between the races of America. Adult black males have enormously high prison rates. This is a reality that black youths have to face. I believe it is extraordinarily important for these youths to have an exemplar of their own race.
    It is true that unprecedented number of African Americans attend colleges and trade schools, but the previous precedent was so minute that this reality is meaningless. Although “people [may be] essentially happy” it is not true that they don’t need someone to lead them. We all need leaders, and good ones. In New Orleans a leader was needed to fix the mess that was made and no true leader emmerged. Most people may be generally happy, but for those people who have houses afloat and feel ignored, because of the color of their skin, by their own government, a leader is needed: someone must stand against the relatives of tyranny and act as a good example.

    United States Posted by CHPZ on Feb 23, 2006 at 6:41 PM
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