Post-Racial Folly

. . . The consensus is growing that the greatest failure of the modern presidency is no longer a self-absorbed, mean-spirited white guy. . .Rather, it is a self absorbed, mean-spirited black guy. Excerpt: Obama: Our First Post-Racial Failure, American Thinker, 7/28/11, Stuart Schwartz

. . .But what about black Americans? Won't in Obama presidency at last lead us across centuries-old gulf of alienation into the recognition that America really is our country? . . .Like most Americans, I love to see an Obama presidency nudge things in this direction. But the larger reality is profound disparity between black and white Americans that will persist even under the glow of an Obama presidency. Excerpt: Obama Post-Racial Promise, LA Times, 11/5/08, Shelby Steele

The quandary that black Americans find themselves in as they have and continue to give undying support to the first elected black president is clear. They did not support a black president, but they supported a person who happens to be black. And, this reality has only been compounded by the same president wanting to be like the other guys, i.e., white guys. And for the record he has succeeded. Personally if I had never seen the man with my own eyes or picked up on some degree a black dialect in his speaking I would have a hard time thinking that he was black. Not to say that all of the other guys are all that bad, but Obama's emulation of white people comes in second to none except when he is on a basketball court trying to emulate a Michael Jordan or visiting a soul restaurant as if he was raised on that cooking. Yes indeed, Obama and his lovely family looks like any other black family in the neighborhood. Yet his actions and deeds show that his affinity to black reality is as foreign as the once Bush Wars in Iraq, and Afghanistan was to the American public. This same black president has not only escalated Bush wars but he continue to add wars. So give Obama the upmanship on the war category where he has proven that black men can make bigger wars than white men. Of course this may sound a little cynical, but in a way it's funny. Just ask that dark skinned black man who is futilely running for the presidency. Cain has definitely found his niche among his white contenders by being the house jester.

But this is no joke. As black Americans prepare to go the polls, who will they be voting for? Will it be a post-racial ideologue who only show his race when he's invited to do a keynote at the newly built MLK Memorial or as he is given a default position of cultural notoriety simply because his skin is black?

As a 60's child, I grew up in a era where black people had, let's say, a code of blackness. There were some things that black people would ever do against each other and things that they would never do against anybody--not saying that the code was never broken. Here's a top-ten sampling:

1. Never hurt another brother or sister because the white man said to do it.
2. Never belittle another black person in the presence of white people.
3. Never get involved in the white man wars unless drafted.
4. Never take the suffering of our ancestors for granted.
5. Never take the effects of racism for granted.
6. Never disrespect a person of the cloth, or an elder.
7. Never be afraid to say"I'm black an I'm proud".
8. Never say 'no' to a brother in need.
9. Never hesitate to call black oppression what it is.
10. Never use the word 'nigga' to describe one another.

Of course the list can become infinite as the black experience in America seems an ever evolving charmeleon nature from the facts on the ground, i.e., whoever would have predicted that that the Black Cherokee will become a manifestation of the modern native Indian’s thinking and practice of learned racist standards? Or who would have thought that Black civil rights activists and Black politicians of the past and present would sell their souls to corporate malignity in n effort to show their affluence.

Things have continued to change as time changes. In reality Blacks don't seem to be as resilient as they use to be as the weight of infinite racism seem to have taken a toll. Surely this alone obliterates any arguments about pronouncing or adjustments on any post-racial malarkey. However, the ideological dichotomy meshed in an insanity where Blacks want to become black-like and white-like at the same time the efficacy of the latter has caused a complete disarray in the black masses by helping to disintegrate any notion that their is anything such as a black origin worth returning to and more so less cherishing. Save for uniqueness in music , entertainment and sports, there is no inkling that the proliferation of Afro-American studies in the late sixties and early seventies were no more than temporal fix to appease black rabble-rousers (like myself). Today that promised land that leaders like Dr. King spoke seem to been short-circuited and is illustrated by a race returning to their appointed place in society. The incomplete fight for justice and identity has now been replaced with post-racial malarkey. Tell that to the Turners and the Douglasses and the millions who died in the middle passage.

The only lasting visages of that lost civil rights era is found today in capitalistic symbolic hodgepodges of those fortunate enough to attain limited number of affirmative action slots. It;s most glaring in the ranks of black token tenured professors (Remember Gates) whose modern personal black experience seems to be restricted within the scholarly pages of their lesson plans, making token appearances in a media affair or by them making rare telephone calls to distant cousins from their upper middle class perches as they seem to loath future generations continuing to meander in a identity crisis in blighted segregated city neighborhoods with blighted hope. Those who did claim a limited number of affirmative action slots are either claiming the reward of being at the right place at the right time or becoming the arch conservative in an all white supreme court.

In a corporate world from the top to the bottom, other blacks can count on those who have been appointed (yes, you read that correctly) in a plantation-like model and have rendered startling results by making sure that they remain the white man's favorite--even if it means pulling a Jacob and Esau. As the system effectively utilizes the age-old conquer and divide strategy it also succinct demonstrates that there is a difference in selling-out and human liberation.

In this so-called post-racial era the disproportional economical and social statistics in household indexes remain a formidable hotbed for codifying reasons why this fathom pronouncement is a fable. Even doing the past century when there was a window of opportunity for righting past racial atrocities it turned out to be only teases so many of us started some real dreaming about moving on up. Unemployment is almost twice as high for blacks. The so-called black middle class has been rudely awaken to discover that there is a difference between wealth and living from paycheck to paycheck. If indeed there are exceptions to the rule, once again you will find it mostly in the realm of entertainment (including professional sports). Then, too, this can also be an illusion for some as many have tilted to a capitalistic dreamworld where in essence they are trying like hell to emulate what they have been taught to deem what is worthwhile--from flashy cars, to mansions in the sky, to debt statuses all contribute to reminding them that they may not be as naturally cunning as they thought. The relativity of material wealth and human wealth subsides into a cesspool of neurotic have-beens who are insanely confused about why happiness is so illusive whether you claim to be in the game or out of the game. Facts on the ground have demonstrated the world has become infected for centuries by the light-skinned people and their schemes found in their haughty superiority complexes playbooks have destroyed a many of nations and their people, or least, made them incompetents for resisting.

So now we know that blacks have evolved to being more acquiescent to the majority culture and values. And in retrospect nothing may be wrong with that way of thinking on the surface except the elephant in the room that we will call powerlessness to be whoever you want to be without the dictates of another can be a mind-boggling experience.

Blacks have adopted to the crumbs part of a capitalistic system where they are always getting the short-end and have become immune to even knowing how screwed they are. Real Success stories have not actually been built on the foundation of black heritage (or by black heritage for that matter) but black success is only a an extension of the foundation of white superiority. In a powerless dungeon of black existence, options for black empowerment are non-existent as the unspoken command from master has been, you do it my way or else.

THE PERILS OF OVERCOME THEOLOGY

If you've never heard of Black Overcome Theology lets share some background of modern day purveyor of this power thinking. Father Braxton who I met in Baltimore in the 80s was committed to sharing the gospel of overcome. He used Jesus Christ as the model. To say the least, I found him to be a very kind and personal human being who seemed to fit well into this religious calling. It wasn't until I was able to recognize that this overcome theology was unbending. It was a theology that targeted those living in the inner city where over 60% in Baltimore, at that time, was considered to be living below the poverty line (to no fought of their own). That audience also happened to be about 85% black in a city that had a population represented by 65% black, at that time.

In a nutshell, Father Braxton was preaching that all the black person had to do was to self-validation by claiming and living overcome even in the mist all obstacles that only served as a minor annoyance.

Even though I was respectful to the man, and was working as a reporter and salesperson for a popular tabloid that his wife edited, I was never became completely convinced of the efficacy of this theology. Besides Jesus turned the other way when alerted that the Roman soldiers were about to capture him. His overcome was a commonsensical one versus modern day blacks failing to completely break a cycle of always yielding to those who seem more powerful. In essence black haven't even discovered the God gift of timing.

Now as I reflect back 20 years ago, Blacks are still the most poor in Baltimore and they have been ravaged by the drug culture and other environmental issues (Yes including lead paint). At this time, one would think that this is being taking to the extreme at a time when you have so many black millionaires and a hand few of corporate leaders, and, to boot, a black president. People may be thinking that surly there is notable exception to what is being said here?

Well that's the point. What is being said here is that no matter how we want to self validate the power to overcome, no matter how much the world can use a post-racial generation, the fact still remains, our society is just as racist as it was in America was claimed by the settlers.

Now, this may be how the presidency of the first black president can be depicted.  It's not that Obama believes so much that we are in a post-racial time, but it is that the man of vision could not see beyond reality and opted for the best way out in dealing with a master.  The question is whether or not this post-racial misnomer will not only be his undoing, but the undoing of the remarkable history of black people--a history that is still unfolding.  Where we may have the MLK Monument, the man's vision has yet to be completely realized.

I'm alerted to a recent copy of a blog authored by the ever popular deejay Tom Joyner who was attempting to rally the troops on why they should vote again for the first elected African American President. Here's an excerpt:

...How many more black people will stay home from the polls this November because they think the prez is turning his back on black people? Forget that that's a lie - that he has done plenty for African-American sand will do more if he gets the chance to serve another term. Forget that bin Laden was captured and killed under his watch. Let's not even deal with the facts right now. Let's deal with just our blackness and pride - and loyalty. We have the chance to re-elect the first African-American president, and that's what we ought to be doing. And I'm not afraid or ashamed to say that as black people, we should do it because he's a black man. There are a great number of people who are against him because he's a black man. That should be enough motivation for us to band together and get it done. "TOM JOYNER'S BLOG ON PRESIDENT OBAMA "

So, if you have a president who really thinks that we are a post-racial nation, than Joyner and the like are truly asking for a lot. No, I don't think that President Obama has turned his back on black people. But I do think that President Obama is a President who just happens to be black. Would it be absurd to say that maybe President Clinton was the truly the first black president, he just didn't have the skin to go with it (And, for the record, his doing for blacks was not all it was hyped to be). But a sad reality persist in this post-racial era. When we are able to get more or just as much from a Black President as from a White President than I will be ready to take Joyner's invite. Meanwhile, in this so-called post-racial era,it really doesn't make a dime of a difference. Does it? The table may be beautifully spread and there is good looking food, but the essence is in the taste. If you can't taste it, then stop pretending.

Last but not least, there is some degree of post-racialism today.

Which Black Athlete has the most compelling overcome story?

• Michael Vick
• Plaxico Burress
• Magic Johnson
• Muhammad Ali
• Ray Lewis

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