A Perfect Clone: Can Michael Steele Help Himself?

Growing up in the segregated South, where my neighbors, community, churches and schools were exclusively Black, to this day I am still (no pun intended) mystified how blacks were (are) intrinsically enticed by whiteness.

Oh, by the away, we did have a popular grocery owned by Chinese-Americans in the our neighborhood.

However, besides the white transients who entered from time-to-time to sell their wares or to toss their dead animals on our streets, or to return our parents from maid service, it would appear our exclusive physical culture of blackness was in control of their destiny.

So, the unsolved mystery is how was our supposed (Black) culture penetrated so thoroughly by the patois of a white majority? How was it that little dark skinned girls preferred white dolls or our exclusively black student body preferred light skinned beauty queens, etc? The white superman or white Mickey Mouse Club were just too enticing.

While legal segregation was successful for intentionally keeping people apart in the physical aspects, the Blacks that I grew up with were still enchanted and strove to mimic the culture of the oppressor. How did it happen? Maybe it seeped in in through the all white television shows (saved 'Amos and Andy or a song or two sang by Mahalia Jackson.

Maybe it was in our unscheduled wanderings outside of the community where we did commerce.

The answers seem elusive.

If only the protest of the 60'sand 70s would have stuck. Blacks made a lot of noise in period and actually seemed to feel some dignity when joining James brown blurting the words "I'm Black and I'm Proud". Yet, those times seem so far away and our powerlessness in defining our endemic values and ambitions have been completely drowned in the maze of materialism and self promotion.

In some shape, form or fashion white influence found a way (or we found it)to allow its influence (for better or worse) to shape and mode our lives. While Blacks have maintained (through the grace of God)some modicum of cultural dignity in areas like music and religion their values and emotions (not necessarily to any fault of theirs) have been supplanted by others.

The thoughts, values, actions and deeds of one, Michael Steele, the current Chair of the Republican National Committee, can be arguably be presented as one in many perfect examples of one unashamedly endearing himself to an institution that has little to do or little use for blackness.

But let Steele tell it, it is their (Republicans) fiscally conservatism and socially inclusiveness that are primary attractions.

Of course, one may beg to suggest that Steele was not raised in a segregated community. So, being that his upbringing was wholly integrated, one can throw out of the window any questions of how he obtained the "strange fruits' and desires to become a carbon copy of some other. However one should instead argue that integration did not displace segregation but only accelerated Black cultural disorientation.

Steele has been in the news more than once for his material wranglings. In current media reports that he's a 'high flyer'. It is clear that he loves the spotlight, power and money in serving as a clone in a political forum that is drowned in white ethos that are called values. As a matter of fact, and as proven by so many other blacks who have come within those circles it appears that are pronged to either lose any connection with their black community and heritage or they have become (sadly) a shadow of anything of efficacy that may associate them with a black origin or heritage.

Steele seems to be the master of the latter,if the investigators reporter are correct. According to the Daily Caller, two sources say he floated the possibility of the RNC buying him a private jet. He also spent tens of thousands of dollars at luxury hotels in Washington, Hawaii, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, and the RNC spent $17,000 on chartered flights and $12,000 on limousines in February alone, according to the FEC reports.

And while this Steele seems so delighted in playing his role within the RNC and stewarding their values in fiscal responsibility and social inclusiveness, his hand was called even as he began his elevating to the forefront of the white RNC (Remember Keyes).

It was in Maryland as a Republican Lieutenant Governor that he failed to stymie one definite social systemic effect of racism in the category of fair justice. It was his public failure in public service for not opposing Ehrlich's (Former white Republican Governor of Maryland) as the governor's re-instituted death penalty (a white value?), despite claims of racial inequities.

It's a complete farce as Steele claims a party of "fiscal responsibility and racial inclusiveness" but Steele is fast becoming known not simply as a black man who does the bidding of the RNC but his stamp in history may become that of a hustler--becoming famous for his high flying and colorless ways.

But who can blame him? He's been taught well. If Michael Steele is to be applauded, it's not because he's arisen within the echelon of power into the right and conservative establishment and being able flaunt a rhetoric of a supposed 'fiscal responsibility', but he should be applauded for showing his individuality and not bringing the black community along for the ride.

NEWS UPDATE
04-05-2010

Embattled Republican National Committee Chairman

Michael Steele released a defiant statement

following an interview he gave on

"Good Morning America" where he said his African-American race

played a role in calls for him to step down . . .

By JONATHAN KARL, KRISTINA WONG and HUMA KHAN, ABC World News