Soul Brother #1 is still complaining about Barack Obama not sitting down for an interview with him during this past primary season and now during this Presidential election.
In case you forgot, Tavis Smiley received alot of backlash from the African American community for what they perceived as a “crabs in the barrel mentality” held by Smiley for his lack of support for Barack Obama. Every year Smiley hosts “State of the Black Union” where several leaders discuss issues plaguing the black community. For two years in a row, Barack Obama has not attended this panel and seems to have angered Tavis Smiley in doing so.
In 2007 Obama could not attend because he was launching his own Presidential Campaign in Illinois. This past year while Hillary Clinton did attend the event, Barack Obama did not because he was stumping around the country trying to be competitive in perhaps the most intense Primary ever.
So what does this all mean? Tavis Smiley claims to be holding Barack Obama accountable, because Smiley is the newly self appointed spokesperson for the black community. He represents people of color’s interests and has made himself some sort of gatekeeper with the black community.
I don’t have to tell you that the statement I just made is rediculous because you thought that while reading what I just wrote. However, this is the ego Tavis Smiley has created for himself. Over the past few months I have heard more whining from him than attempts to find out Barack Obama’s comprehensive plan for people of color. What some black leaders fail to understand is that in order to be the President of the United States you must address all issues and not just the issues of those who share the same skin color as you. While the plight of African Americans is important in this country so are the plights of Asian Americans, Indian Americans and so on and so on.
It’s so interesting that at a time when as a nation we are faced with such turmoil this is what “so called black leaders” want to complain about. We have an economy that is staring at it’s worst shape since the Great Depression. We are fighting two wars, we have a dependence on foreign oil that stands as a national threat to our economy and safety. Education systems that need reform, millions of people without health care and people have the nerve to feel slighted about an interview. It’s an insult to the many people who are losing their homes to foreclosures right now, the young men and women dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. African Americans who are dying in the street trade of drugs or being imprisoned at disproportionate rates from their white counterparts.Instead of attacking these issues and working with someone of Barack’s stature to create solutions Tavis Smiley would rather whine because his ego is bruised.
If Tavis Smiley really feels that he is the most important black journalist and speaks for people of color then he should advocate for people of color to become informed about the political process and become involved in local politics so that change can be affected. VOTE OBAMA 08!
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