Egos are deadly. Toxic. Destructive. Al has a big one and Tavis has a gigantic one!Both men are good at what they do. Al is the last of the Frontline Go Getters and Tavis is still evolving. Tavis actually despite popular opinion has worked hard to help black people get to where they need to be: Over the Hump. His State of the Black Union ran its course thus the reason he “abandoned” it. I don’t too much plan him. He did his part. He re-started the dialogue. Challenged us to address our self-induced problems and encouraged us to defeat the American system-generated barriers.
Al speaks the conscious of countless blacks. He is relentless in his efforts. Tough in his approach – more than likely not ‘bought’. Owned by an unseen force. He is criticized by many – but no one can take away from what he has done and doing.
Unfortunately, both black men are now doing what The Powers can appreciate:
Division
Sadly, the beef is really over differences of opinion pertaining to President Barack Obama. A man who stopped being completely effective when he left the tough work of community activism. Sadly, the argument at the links below will ultimately hurt Black America. It will not create some spirited debate that will lead to a resolution. It is another case of us against them:
Tavis’s Supporters who are not too excited about the first black president versus Al’s Supporters who are in the president’s corner just because he is black.
http://www.thegrio.com/opinion/sharpton-smiley-reveals-rift-in-black-leadership-split-over-obama.php
No winners…that I give a damn about!
Another wasteful Sacrifice.
The Black Rebel sharing.
Reader Response:
ReplyDeleteour democracy doesn’t seem to seems to function so well at this time. I wonder sometimes if european or other countries are laughing the the US. We are starting to turn into a 3rd world nation these days!
-EL
The Black Rebel Responds to EL:
ReplyDeleteIn my travels for years working with the Peace Corps as a volunteer and staff person, I have noticed the ‘laughs’. America is a joke. Say what we are – but behave in the opposite direction of what we say: HYPOCRITES!
We been headed for Third World staus (unofficially) for years.
-The Black Rebel
Reader Response:
ReplyDeletei really like your writing style
-AG
The Black Rebel Responds:
ReplyDeleteThanks, AG.
THe Black Rebel
Reader Response:
ReplyDelete(I'll try to keep my bias toward Mr. Tavis out of it)- I agree with Mr. Sharpton in that the President doesn't need to "Balleyhoo" (make a lot of noise) about a 'Black Agenda'. Mr. Smiley has insisted for a while now that President Obama (and even President Elect Obama) reveal his intentions for the Black Community. Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with asking these questions but we must not forget that this man didn't run for the President of The Black United States. Some will get upset with this statement but its true. He never ran his campaign on The Black United States but he did run it on All Americans. Now does he have an agenda that will affect Black Americans specifically, I'm sure he does. For instance his proposed budget for 98 million dollars towards HBCU's over the next 10 years (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/april-d-ryan/obamas-budget-proposal-so_b_445532.html). But we sometimes focus so much on the smaller picture that we don't see the bigger pictures. If the President improves the quality of healthcare, education, and employment (notice I said IF), then who stands to benefit more? Minorities have always been plaqued by these big 3 and improving the quality in any or all of them can only help us to some degree. Just my opinion....
-DM
The Black Rebel Responds to DM:
ReplyDeleteAll you that you have conveyed about Tavis maybe true. The envy and jealous part. Maybe...because Tavis has not in no certain terms said, 'I am envious/jealous.' Yeah, that might be tough for a man to admit. I realize that. With that, I cannot fully support the 'theory' unless there is clear indication Tavis feels the envy/jealousy. What can I support is what I have heard Tavis say. He gives me the impression that he is frustrated with black folk - and he should be. Still with no pot to piss in as a collective group, the hate we project onto each other, the constant division we have as a result of religious beliefs that have NO FOUNDATION FOR TRUTH, the somewhat inactivity of our black churches: being just as impactful at raising money for pastor to drive a Bentley as REALLY addressing the issues The State of the Union highlighted, the rampant insecurity some of our 'appointed' leaders display, and then the obvious forgetfulness of the ongoing and getting worse in areas of crime and education among blacks that MANY black people/voters of the President 'seem' to have now begin to neglect because we have a black man in office. After a year, nothing has changed for black people in the LARGER scheme. Not that it should have. Not enough time. MANY of our people abandoned the spirit and activity of the plight just because we sent a black man to the slaughter house (the White House). In all our jubilation, we appear to have forgotten that the United States government is a stink pot. A completely broken system. So, if I am on page with Tavis he is experiencing high frustration. It does not excuse his possible envy and jealousy. Nope not in the least. I do feel his pain, however. His disappointment. I for one don't put one ounce of faith in the government that President Obama leads. Not one damn gray hair. Does that mean people like me must 'bash' Obama? Nope, it means that he with ALL HIS GOOD INTENTIONS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS will be under extremely high scrutiny just because he (Obama) is a part of the problem: He is the leader of complete disharmony - and of late he himself has displayed what I prayed he would not become: Washington with his CONSTANT references to the past. As Roland Martin said (paraphrased), 'The President needs to stop highlighting the past. He as a candidate for the office fully knew what the past would cause. If ya knew then then stop bringing it up!' Actually, I feel sorry for him. He ain't gonna change those Judas mindsets and institutionalized ways on Capitol Hill. Tavis wants us to know this. He wants us to get from la-la land - and continue the fight. One thing Tavis did completely WRONG was quit...but I know where he is at. Black people make it hard for those willing to give all they have (efforts) for the long haul. We IMO just don't get it. Or, we are satisfied. I believe we are satisfied with saying, 'We have a black president.' Funny, Tracy Morgan the comedian in his new movie with Bruce says in character to Bruce: "We have a black President now...we make decisions." What da hell ever! Tavis wanted us to make a loyal decision to back, not his movement, but a movement supported by all those black leaders that spoke and speak for us. Actually, I recall The Honorable Louis Farrakhan communicate his frustration too.
-The Black Rebel
Reader Responds:
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think Tavis, Michael Eric Dyson, Cornell, Jesse, etc are all such strong opposers of Pres Obama's agenda? What do they really expect him to do specifically for black America?
-F
DM responds to F:
ReplyDeleteI can't speak for all of the afore mentioned ( or any of them really) but my thoughts about Tavis I'm willing to share as it pertains to your question. Let me start by saying that Tavis has a small part of it right in that we need to have dialogue in our community but when it comes to his thoughts on President Obama, he seems totally biased against the man. Why you ask?? As elementary as it sounds I feel it's plain old envy. Tavis has long since brought into the hype that he speaks for the Black Community. Mind you, no one man or woman can speak for an entire race but you can't tell him that. He seems jealous of President Obama and resentful that Obama won't spend 2 seconds entertaining his child like tirades. This disdain only deepened when Obama, who wasn't even president elect then, declined to attend The State of The Black Union Address; Mind you that he was focused on winning Texas in the Primary to even become president elect then and also Mind you the same State of the Black Union Address that Tavis did away with this year to work on other projects including Memoirs for R. Kelly a possible pedophile.
Tavis needs to STFU sometime and listen. Just as Al pointed out in the Audio Clip (PLEASE LISTEN if you haven't already), we need not only hold the President accountable but hold everybody accountable...Including someone who wrote a book about the black plight and never followed up on it (I know he hurt Tavis with this one). As I mentioned before, Tavis seems to be all about Tavis an wraps it up in a rapper labeled 'I'm for Black Folk'. Nonething he has done has made me think otherwise. If he were really Down for the Cause, why cancel your own forum due to scheduling conflicts? You pass the torch when you're done...You don't blow it out. But he blew the torch out because most black americans didn't/don't agree with his thoughts on President Obama and because most people are intelligent enough to realize that he is the President of the United States which emcompasses all Americans.
-DM
DM responds to The Black Rebel:
ReplyDeleteIn all due respect.... I don't agree with a lot of what you're saying. I'lll try to break it down point by point:
1. I agree with you that Tavis has not come out and said he's jealous/envious but again, what man would. Actions speak louder than words
2. Tavis and you aren't the first and won't be the last black men frustrated with the plight of blacks in the United States and you certainly won't be the last. When you're frustrated with a situation, you try to make a change in ways you can... NOT try to force your agenda on others, President or otherwise
3. What does the Church and pastor's driving Bentley's have to do with this conversation?
4. You say after a year nothing has changed for Black people in a Larger Scheme>>> Let me make this one emphatically clear: I DIDN'T VOTE FOR BARAK OBAMA TO MAKE CHANGES FOR BLACKS!! I DIDN'T EXPECT HIM TO GET IN OFFICE AND MAKE THE WORLD BETTER FOR BLACKS! NOR DID I VOTE FOR HIM BECAUSE HE'S BLACK. I find it insulting when people imply that black people voted for Obama just because he's black... Just as insulting as I find it when people think that the plight of Blacks is left up to Obama to solve.
5. I agree with you in that our System is broken. It has always been broken.... and I don't expect 1 man be he Blue, Black, Green, Yellow, Red or White to fix it by being in an office.
It is important to understand that even in a broken system you can make changes toward correcting injustices but it's just like knocking down a brick wall with a hammer...You got to take it chip, by chip.
Back to Tavis: I agree with Reverand Al: Tavis should have called him if he had an issue based on speculation. Tavis has behaved like a spoiled little pre-teen for several years now but as God as my witness and one of my Veterinary School Class mates can verify.... I have never liked Tavis so it's hard for me to be impartial on subjects as it comes to him. I HATE the term BLACK FOLK. I DEPLORE the term BLACK LEADERS. I appreciate the fact that some of these people have dedicated time in their lives to focus on the plight of a people but it doesn't make them my leader or representative. The State of The Black Union was nothing more to me than a Forum for a bunch of Bougie Black People to get together and Bitch and Complain... No Real Solutions Were Ever Offered for the Black Plight. There is nothing wrong with Dialoging about the Problem but that should be followed by ACTION and I never saw that.
Anyway, I'll stop now.
-DM
The Black Rebel responds to DM:
ReplyDelete1. I really can not ascribe his actions as envy/jealous. I do see a man burned out with blacks. That is for sure. I do see a man nightly who has tried to broaden his brand.
2. Tavis has been aggressive in his approach. Not a Malcom X - but extremely critical of blacks working within a system that does not work ultimately for black people.
3. Church and pastor: Only examples pointed out to give support to my position that black people have more allegiance to the church and pastor than they do to black empowerment and politics.
4. Many of us did not vote for President Obama because he is black. I do acknowledge from my analysis that with the lack of collective interest in politics from black people up until he began his bid for president was horribly lacking which IMO the so called interest in this presidency was only because the man who won the race was black. And to elaborate further here: President Obama is a man with liberal tendacies: pro abortion, pro homosexuality in legislation, pro same sex marriage, and other pros. Question: How do the pro's fit into the disposition of most black people considering we as a group are conservative in mindset when it comes to his pro's? What happen to our position on his pro's? IMO they went out the window simply because he is black. I speak here of the collective not only us on this thread.
President Bush was highly scrutinized by blacks in leadership. Again, talking with me about the US government is trying to eat a brick. I deplore the government of this country. I have disdain for it that dates back to the assisanation of my grandfather. America is over and done with. Headed to h*ll. President Obama is fighting a losing battle. He will be a Jimmy Carter: more effective when he lives office. That system in DC hates him.
In the first book that proceeded the State of the Union it gives a detailed grassroots plan for what we as community members need to and should do to help eradicate the issues that continue to plague our community. Tavis did not drop the ball, as usual the black people in the community did. The plan is there which by the way is nothing new from what the Nation of Islam, the Black Panthers, and the NAACP have tried to do over the years. I contend that black people on the whole only care about the house, the car, and the salary. If more black people really cared about true development I would not be typing this last paragraph.
-THe Black Rebel
Reader Response:
ReplyDeleteFor real - why do we have to have black leaders anyway - at this point we should be able to make decision for ourselves - we should be able to dialogue, make decisions, vote, put people in office, remove people from office, without having to have leaders tell us what to do and how to think. These people do not speak for me though we may have some of the same ideas - and if you notice, you never hear the media dubbing a white person as a white leader....
-C
Reader C Responds again:
ReplyDeleteI, too, can recall Farrakhan expressing his frustrations by saying that we should let America burn!!! He was dead serious in saying that by allowing something to burn (paraphrasing) you end up with a new product - Sometimes I think America should start over in order to get things right...now was it at a State of the Black Union meeting that he made that statement? I can't remember?
Tavis is probably frustrated, but he needs to check is actions...he might want to sit back and look at himself...a smart man evaluates himself and makes changes.
-C
The Black Rebel Responds to C:
ReplyDeleteI have heard The Minister say that on several occasions. He right too. Fire brings purification. America lost its purity when the disease invested pilgrims started cutting the throats of the Natives of America. I say, burn this MF down! I have the first match for the Capitol Building.
-The Black Rebel
DM responds to The Black Rebel:
ReplyDeleteAgain,
I stand in disagreement. Why should we hide behind close doors to discuss something?? Of course our ancestors thought we should keep our business in house just like our ancestors felt that they should hide books when MASSA came around so they wouldn't get caught reading. These or 2 Very Educated, Well Established Men in their own right... Why can't they have a spirited debate; which is what this was. They happen to disagree about something but at the end of the day, they are grown men and will move on from this. No harm, no foul! And going back to President Obama: The man did not run for office to compete with Martin Luther King's Legacy or for long term notoriety. When you play the position that we (Black people) should hold President Obama accountable for the Black Community and What is he going to do for our people ... I ask this??? Where was all these same questions and demands for any other President?? Just like people insultingly insist that Blacks voted for Barak because he is black..... Could it be that he is held to this type of scrutiny for the black community because he's black???
-DM
Reader Response:
ReplyDeleteTavis Smiley has you all doing exactly what he wants you to do - "Talk about Him". What has Tavis Smiley actually done for the Black Community? Provide a Forum to Talk/Discuss? Talk is overrated. You can't (shouldn't) complain about what someone else is not doing if you're not anything yourself.
The whole Tavis/Al discussion is a distraction.
The conversations happening in this country are truly sickening.
The Problem with this Nation is that there is a focus on Black/White/Non-White, Democrat/Republicans. Basically, our Differences. Many failing to see our common problem, Economic Crisis!
I don't care what race or party you belong to, we all have the same basic needs; The need to care for ourselves and our families. Until everyone stops focusing on skin color and making themselves look good, We as a nation are never going to move forward.
We, as black people, cannot continue to separate ourselves and our problems from the rest of the nation. If we continue to separate us, why should they include us. Do we want "Separate But Equal"?
Let President Obama Do His Job and if we truly care about our families, we should help him do it, not complain about what he is or isn't doing and helping to create distractions form the real problems at hand.
-AJ
The Black Rebel responds to AG:
ReplyDeleteI am finding it very disturbing that Tavis cannot get any recognition for what he did for us. What is the difference of what is happening today on live tv: an open forum to discuss health care? I do believe it is a bunch of BS - but Tavis did at least begin another discussion on the topic - and he went further to help put together a plan. I have the book here in front of me. It is all laid out for us.
Also, we the only people on earth 'rejecting' the differences. What is that all about? No other groups do that. They have what they have because they live in this country, healthy insulate themselves, and live the America dream. I am sick and tired of black people rushing to water down the differences. I see the differences right now. Poor folk, mostly black, struggling to get a job. No insurance. Once we stop highlighting the differences THEY will completely win. We are black with roots from Africa. We are ni**ers to the average white person here in southern pride GA - and we want to dismiss the differences. The fact of the matter is that the differences have assisted us.
And, Angie, we separate already. Black church. Black neighborhoods. I like it like that if only black people would act right. Love each other...
Letting the president do his job should not stop us from holding him accountable!
-The Black Rebel