I'm really worried about my community right now

[journalist3072]

As an African-American, I'm really worried about my community right now.

I hope and pray that I am wrong, but if listening to Tom Joyner's daily show is any indication, it seems as though there are some in my community, who really don't want to be educated about the issues in this campaign.

Today was another very interesting day on the Tom Joyner Show. Tavis Smiley gave his commentary, and once again, a few folks called in to berate him. They are upset that Tavis keeps reminding people of the need to hold people accountable, including Barack Obama.

Basically, the crux of Tavis' commentary has been this: "we" (in Black America) love and celebrate what Barack Obama has accomplished. Now, I kind of take offense to him including me in that we, since I don't support Obama.

But at any rate, Tavis has been saying that after you fall in love, you still have to hold people accountable.

And some of my fellow Black sisters and brothers have been calling in, just taking Tavis to task over that. One person called in last week I believe, and said that we need to elect Obama first, THEN see what he wants to do for Black America. I was just dumbfounded. Elect him first, then see what he wants to do? Amazing.

Then today, after Tavis' commentary, one woman called in and said Tavis needs to "just leave us alone." Meaning, leave Black America alone. Then she said "he needs to just get his White woman and go live in the surburbs."

I was incredulous. So just because Tavis has been reminding us of the importance of accountability, you think he's in love with a White woman?

It just really made me sad. Even Tom Joyner, an unabashed Obama supporter who is quite bold and unapologetic about the fact that he's voting for Obama because he's Black, came to Tavis' defense. He told the callers that Tavis was talking about how it was important to love Black America more. Love Obama..but love Black America more (thus, make sure the issues get addressed).

And this is why I continue to question whether some in my own community, really want to be educated about the issues in this campaign, and really want solutions to the problems in our community.

-We have an unemployment rate that has at times been twice that of the national unemployment rate.

-We have the growing gap between rich and poor, and an inexcusable poverty rate.

-We still have people trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina.

-We have a Supreme Court that has tried to strip away at affirmative action.

-We are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS.

And so many more issues.

And it appears to me that many people are just voting based on emotion. Another DUer reported that they saw an African-American voter on CNN, saying that Black folks who support Obama are "racial pride voters." Huh? I don't need to prove I'm a proud African-American, by voting for Barack Obama.

But whoever we vote for, we need to make sure we hold that person accountable. Since when did accountability become a dirty word in my community?

[AX10]

1. I makes no sense.

[Skittles]

2. hey Journalist

the Obama hero-worship certainly is not limited to the black community and you are correct - I see all kinds of reasons to be alarmed by it, absolutely

[Tulkas]

3. No, he is right, But you also need to hold the Clintons to the same standards

If you do that Barack wins by a landslide.

[journalist3072]

7. Tavis has said we need to hold EVERYONE accountable. He's not singaling out

Obama for accountability.

In fact, after Tavis Smiley published the Convenant With Black America, the heads of both the Democratic and Republican party pledged that they would address those issues in the convenant, during the campaign.

And Tavis even said then that this wasn't about a party, but about Black America. And basically we neeed to put the issues out there, and see who was really serious about addressing them.

That was his point.

[Steely_Dan]

4. Excellent Post...n/t

[Catherine Vincent]

5. You should do yourself a favor and stop listening to Joyner so much.

They're nothing but a bunch of clowns. They are not serious djs in my eyes. Every morning they are usually making childish remarks about people and I admit some of them are funny but I wouldn't dare let someone like Joyner dictate who I should vote for.

[journalist3072]

9. Normally, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Tom Joyner. He's been extremely passionate

about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and has a foundation that awards money to students to help them attend an HBCU.

So he does more than entertainment.

But, I've been extremely disappointed in the way he's handled this campaign. He has not helped elevate the level of conversation in Black America at all during this campaign. It's all been "ra ra, let's vote for the Black candidate." For example, when Rep. Kendrid Meek of Florida came on the show to endorse Sen. Clinton, Tom asked him "There's a perfectly qualified Black man running for President. Why aren't you supporting Sen. Obama?" Just a few days before the Michigan primary, he asked Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick of Michigan who he was supporting. Kilpatrick said he was undecided. He said he didn't want to get all caught up in the emotion, and that he wanted to see who had the best plans to address the issues his city is facing. And Tom asked him "You're not endorsing the Black man?" or something like that.

What's more, I've never heard Tom engage Barack Obama in a substantive policy discussion. It's usually "How's Michelle and the kids" and stuff like that.

Yet, he engaged Sen. Clinton in a very in depth discussion about her health plan.

[gateley]

6. I think our whole country is hurting and we're all scared.

We grasp onto something to help us believe things will get better.

Your post makes me sad for your community and for all the communities in our country who are at this place in time.

:hug:

[blm]

8. I have been since they were targeted by Poppy Bush's CIA Drugrunning operations

I wonder what ever happened to that investigation that showed the CIA was targeting black communities with all that cheap IranContra cocaine they had to dump.

Anyone know? Besides the mainstream lie that it never happened.

[Cleita]

10. Well as a Hispanic woman, go figure that I would

support a southern white man especially since I believe the southern religious white vote brought us the agony of Bush, but yet here I am supporting the man, John Edwards, whom I think mirrors my principles and ideals more closely than any of the other candidates other than Dennis Kucinich who has dropped out.

[Skittles]

12. good for you Clieta, for not letting the MSM tell you who to vote for

I will more Amercians - including DUers - would do this

[busymom]

11. I'm sorry...

I...don't know what to say to be supportive...but your post was really touching.