Where is Obama’s award?

There has never been a moment or a period since our arrival in this strange land that we have not discussed and debated this and other related issues. Never.

Senator Obama has no moral or ethical responsibility or right to lead black folks or this country in such a discussion. I am supporting him for president because I believe that he is far and away the best candidate and he has a civic vision that I would like to see implemented.

I am not supporting Obama to tell me what it means for me to be black or because I believe that he will provide any special guidance to black folks. We are quite capable of doing that for ourselves and his participation in this discussion would have to be as a peer, not as our president.

In any case, black people do not need to have this discussion within the context of a presidential election especially when one of the candidates is black. In truth, we do not need to have this discussion with white Americans if the issues are about our own internal affairs.

He’s basically saying that because Obama is black, he has a special duty to point out black pathology or negative black behavior.

But such statements would make Obama “black America’s president”… and would probably cause Williams to criticize Barack for focusing too much on “black issues”!

I agree that black Americans need an internal debate concerning their behavior and strategies for progress. But that’s a real distraction for a national election campaign; the portion of America that is not black (87% of the population) will not care.

There’s a time and place for Obama to be part of this discussion. But a presidential campaign is not the venue for that.

“You know the damage one ignorant Negro can do?” – Master Sergeant Vernon Waters

A straight up SAMBO.

And, he needs to go somewhere and STFU.

I’m truly puzzled. If Juan were an actual journalist who had spent 5 minutes on the ‘internets’, he would know that Barack has been making this point since he began running and this is why he initially attracted the attention of conservatives such as George Will, Tucker Carlson and Peggy Noonan. They were utterly surprised to find that there was a Democrat and black politician who would go into black churches and neighborhoods (SW DC) and demand that we engage in personal responsibility as a people.

Juan is a buffoon who clearly lacks any rigorous journalistic skills. Mostly he simply appears jealous of Barack.

G.D.-

I agree, Latinos held one another put on a united front. They also have many of the same problems and that blacks in inner cities have. I grew up in the Bronx, they dominanted the South Bronx and the crime was tremendous. They came together to try and clean up their neighborhoods. You would not once hear them go on T.V. and talk against their people the way that Juan Williams does.

I agree with P.T. Cruiser. Juan Williams does not need to be talking on behalf of the black electorate. He obviously has issues with those that he claims he is speaking for and about. Juan Williams is obviously very naive in regards to the dynamics of discourse in the black community if he could talk “victimhood” talk.

You said:

“We should not fool ourselves on this issue. There is no evidence or social science survey findings showing that black folks attribute all or even most of their problems simply to racism. Williams and people like him have a vested interests in promoting this meme because it guarantees their role as paid interpreters.”

Wonderfully said!!

It is a serious tactical error on our part to allow people like Williams and people like him to define the black electorate and what is the acceptable universe of universe within our community. Williams’ obsession about what Obama needs to do to satisfy Williams and Williams’ paymasters is a bullet aimed at the heart of the black community.

We should not fool ourselves on this issue. There is no evidence or social science survey findings showing that black folks attribute all or even most of their problems simply to racism. Williams and people like him have a vested interests in promoting this meme because it guarantees their role as paid interpreters.

In addition, and this is a personal note, if I hear Obama make one more damn apology for Rev. Wright or make a speech even moderately close to the nonsense that Williams is suggesting, I will write in Nader’s name and withdraw as a volunteer and financial contributor to his campaign. Enough of this b.s.

Williams, Bob Johnson and the Clintons need to get over themselves and appreciate the fact that they can’t cash loser’s tickets at the winner’s window.

Shut The Fuck Up

However they have pride. I never see them going on Fox News or any other network speaking about their people and making generalizations.If blacks were at the center of the whole illegal immigration mess, you will see all kinds of coons on TV begging the government to send them back.

I also am half latino and half black so you need not tell me about latinos.