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State of the Black Union: An Annual Tavisty
By Raynard Jackson, BV Views columnist
February 23, 2005
Once again we come to the time of the year where radical, liberal blacks begin their annual pilgrimage to beat up on white folks and Republicans. Of course I am talking about Tavis Smiley and Tom Joyner's annual "complaint session" that outlines what white folks are not doing for blacks and how Republicans are responsible for all the social pathologies in our community. It begins around King's birthday, continues through Black History Month and culminates with the Congressional Black Caucus annual "party," disguised as an annual legislative conference.
As if that isn't bad enough, Smiley and Joyner have invited as their speakers the usual cast of characters: Cornell West, professor at Princeton; Marian Wright Edelman, The Children's Defense Fund; Julian Bond, NAACP; Theodore Shaw, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; Jesse Jackson Sr., Rainbow/PUSH Coalition; Harry Belafonte, actor and activist; Bishop Eddie L. Long; U.S. Rep. and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), to name a few.
What do all these have in common? They are all radical liberals with no new ideas. Name me ANY issue and I will tell you their response because they are so predictable.
Let's assume for the sake of this discussion, that we could magically snap our fingers and all white folks disappeared. How would that change the fact that black kids watch more TV than any other group, that more black women are graduating from college than our males, that black girls continue to have out-of-wedlock births at an alarming rate, and that blacks who do go to college are studying subjects with no future job demand, such as Afro-American studies?
The tragedy behind Smiley's annual complaint session is that in our community, a wealth of ideas and views exist, but Smiley only assembles those who are like-minded. When you are seeking solutions to devastating problems, friendships and like ideologies is not the answer. We must tap into the brilliance that all our people have shown throughout history, and could offer up at such a forum.
Even though there were Malcolm and Martin wings of the civil rights movement, for the most part, both factions made positive contributions to the struggle. There was the Washington-Dubois factions, but again they both contributed to the cause.
We must not isolate any group that has positive solutions to contribute to our community, be it black or white, Democrat or Republican. There's too much at stake!
I challenge BV members to name one tangible thing that has come as a result of Smiley's annual complaint session (or any of the similar meetings that take place annually in our community). You will have more than 10,000 people to attend this event and to what avail?
These annual gatherings from Smiley, Joyner, the Congressional Black Caucus and the NAACP must stop if they are going to remain devoid of substance. They have become like sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
Reach Raynard Jackson at raynardjackson@aol.com
Published: Feb. 23, 2005