"The Professor Who Schooled Tavis Smiley"

[Number23]

Oh this is a MUST READ.

"The Professor Who Schooled Tavis Smiley"
Harvard's Randall Kennedy used the TV host's show to debunk his rants about Obama.
http://www.theroot.com/views/professor-who-schooled-tavis-smiley

Snip:

"Why exactly do so many key black Democrat leaders remain so steadfast in their immutable opposition to President Obama? Faced with similar opposition from key black leaders in the 1920s, wildly popular black nationalist Marcus Garvey recalled the adage that "a thief does not like to see another man carrying a long bag." Number23 note: Oh LORD, ain't that the truth!

Adrift now among their brethren, with scars to show for it, Smiley and these diehard Clinton loyalists seem vested not so much in trumpeting Obama successes as they are in whooping about failures in order to redeem themselves with "I-told-you-so's."

Boy does THAT sound familiar. :eyes:

"After resisting every nudge for reason and restraint during Kennedy's 26-minute clinic on the Obama presidency, the host offered the professor no choice but to flunk him respectfully as a cocksure student dead wrong on every key question.

Seldom has such baloney passed through the grinder with such melancholy ignorance."

Smiley's comments about "black tribalism" and that Obama's success is merely "symbolic" show he has gone way past sipping the Haterade and is now swimming in the stuff.

Props to Randall Kennedy for attempting the Herculean task of trying to school Smiley (and Cornel in absentia) but I'm sure that it was will be wasted effort.

[Kind of Blue]

1. My Darling, Number 23...

I had to find the video. I've been waiting for this man, who confidently knows what he knows, and can articulate so much of what I feel. I wonder if Tavis knew what he was getting into. If so, kudos to Smiley for facing such a fine opponent, I'll give him that much but not more. But I still think Smiley cannot get over that a black man with a dissimilar background, but nevertheless a black man, can be president. Sorry Tavis, as Randall says, "Black folks are like other folks" - get over it.
http://video.pbs.org/video/2114625102/

edit: I'm sorry, girl. I didn't thank you. Thank you! :hug: :hug: :hug:

[Number23]

2. I'm so glad to see you!!!

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

Just about the only negative to not having a donor star on this web site is the inability to post in AAIG. That was the ONLY thing that I missed. I'd see the threads here and think "man, I miss not being able to post here. But oh well, life goes on" 'cause there was no chance of me donating to DU again. As you can see from my sig line, a very kind and special person decided to do it for me. :) Your thread on that "confederate daughter" had me dying and seriously confused at the same time!! :rofl:

Back to the topic at hand, can you believe the things that Tavis is saying about black people??! :wow: :wow: What in God's name has happened to this man? So, as you so beautifully stated, because black people are supporting a different kind of brother (but a brother nonetheless) we are doing so because we are "tribalistic?" And black folks only did it after "getting permission" from white people?? He has TRULY lost his damn mind.

Thank you so much for posting the video too. It's apparent to anyone who has been paying even the slightest bit of attention that Tavis' issues with the president are not even close to being about "policy." He hates Obama for the same bigoted bullshit reasons that Cornel does.

T. Coates at The Atlantic gave them a none too subtle dig recently:

"But being taken seriously involves actual work. It means a poverty tour that doesn't just bark (Obama the black mascot) but bites (voter registration in swing districts.) If you don't like the current iteration of America, you need to remember that you are America. The failure to build a more progressive America isn't merely a testimony to dastardly evil, it's a testimony to the failure of progressives." http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/09/liberal-sorcery/245142/

:headbang:

[Kind of Blue]

3. Right friggin' on! This is the type of analysis

that will lead into the nasty rhetoric of election season and I'm looking forward to strong and many doses of reality checks that must be reckoned with.

Number 23, are you on Facebook?. I'm not here much. DU at large is distasteful. But I want to know how you are and stuff instead of occasionally, like this. But if too personal, I understand. I'll take what I can get of you :hug: :hug: :hug:

[Number23]

5. No darling

I'm not on Facebook. And you know that I agree completely that DU is just revolting now. The stuff that is posted here makes me weep for the "liberal" movement and America in general.

Did you see the OP I did on Daily Kos?? They seem to be trying to give DU a run for its money in the "distasteful" department.

We can always hang out more and chat better on DFP. I'm only on there a little bit. I think we should hang out there a bit more.

[TheBigotBasher]

6. Hey up, hope you are well.

Daily Kos is at least trying (perhaps badly) to deal with the trolls.

I never you were on Kos, I'll try and add a follow. Got a link to your diary?

[Number23]

7. Hey BB!

No, I'm not on Daily Kos. I've read quite a few diaries from there but never joined myself.

Are you on there? Send me a link if you are! I'd love to read your stuff.

[Kind of Blue]

4. Forgot to say Well done, NatBurner!

I vow to be as attentive as he!

Wasn't that lady a trip?!? I want to be seriously respectful of her feelings. But jeeze, lady. I honestly don't get it, except for just pure love for family, no matter the color - of course. But whether you're a slave or not????

[SemperEadem]

8. the main reason why Smiley, and by extension West, is mad at Obama

is because Obama passed on Smiley's "State of the Black Union" during that campaign. That's it. He felt Obama should have come and paid homage to him and his little program and B said "schedule conflict". Smiley has never/will never forgive him for that. It's one of the reasons why young black intellectuals have rejected Smiley, West and their posturing.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

9. Silence during the Bill-Monica fiasco as well. Black Americans have been the most loyal

to the Democratic Party, even when it hasn't done much for us. However, this weird God-complex that has been laid at Obama's feet was strangely absent for other white Democratic leaders of the past. The standards are so incredibly high for him. Not so much for other so-called progressive leaders, and includes the Congressional Black Caucus!