DarkStar, a black moderate-liberal blogger, comments on the televised broadcast of "State Of The Black Union" event on C-SPAN: "Tavis Smiley called out some Black Republicans. Tavis reminded people that Black Republicans/Republicans/Black conservatives/conservatives claim that Blacks don't 'invite' 'other voices' to speak at functions or to hear other views besides 'Democrat'/'liberal' views. At the 'State of the Black Union' that appeared on CSPAN-1, Tavis Smiley said the following: Ken Blackwell was invited, confirmed, and then canceled. Janette Bradley was invited, confirmed, and then canceled. Alphonso Jackson was invited, confirmed and then didn't appear. Smiley went further to say that he, Smiley, saw Jackson at the hotel the previous evening. Michael Steele was invited but declined. He went further to say that he mentioned this so that the next day, stations *cough*FOX*cough* won't say that 'other voices' were not invited. I'm going further to say that it appears to me that there is more interest in 'being the victim' than addressing Black folk were they be at. How can people complain they are not invited, then get invited, accept the invitation, and then turn it down? Was there an 'order from on high' to say back out of it?....Is it easier to stand up for what you believe to an audience that already supports you? Or, is it to proclaim the crown of victim? Some people punked out. But the white conservative media will still proclaim these people to be brave. What. Ever."
Their choice, but they should have gone. Now, where are the black moderates (Ms. Bradley would have been a moderate Republican voice) and libertarians?
Callin' People Out
Posted by Shay Riley at 2/25/2006
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5 comments:
I think it was a good thing to call the so-called black Republicans out! They're operating out of the same context as their white benefactors, i.e. G. Dubya and all the rest. The only black Republican in attendance was an unknown Oregon State Senator along with two Republican lites--Rev's Floyd Flake and Harry Jackson.
This was a liberal agenda and I am surprise any conservatives came. To me travis was pushing a certain agenda. By saying what he said about being invited and not showing wasn't necessary. He should have just invited them and had the records later to justify that no one was left out.
Thanks
Tavis Smiley Presents was not supporting a particular agenda. I admire Tavis courage to try to highlight issues that confront people of color in this country. Tavis doesn't have to struggle but he cares about his people. What do people want him to do? Neglect his people? Talk about how much money he been able to make in America. The State of the Black Union has a purpose and I hold heartly support the agenda and cause!
Tavis I love you brotha, but it ain't going to work and here's why.
I watched the whole event yesterday and felt that we have to agree to disagree and that Farrakhan had the right to say what he said cause he has paid his dues and have fought for black people most of his life.
As a Elder he has earned that right, if we can't say and speak what is on our mind without someone else apologizing for what was said then Tavis is wasting his time.
At this critical jucnture no one should be trying to correct what Farrakhan stated on a national broadcast. It give's the appearance that we're not together and that you only had Farrakhan there to reach his supporters.
The problem Tavis had was there wasn't enough people on the stage that felt like Farrakhan did. Tavis gave us the talented tenth and Farrakhan, andn't a true amalgamation of the black world. When Farrakhan received a standing ovation after he spoke Tavis should of realized that the masses of people in the auditorium agreed with Farrakhan andn't the talented tenth group that Tavis assembled.
When you call your movement Covenannt with Black Amerika you have systematically alienated the rest of the black world.We as black Afrikans have the same problem all over the disapora..The whiteman..so we have to come together collectively as Pan Afrikanists. It should of simply been called The Black Covenant whereas you wouldn't have alienated groups of people that matter.
Tavis also didn't give ample time time to Walter Mosley who has written a book called "Life out of context" also wrote a profound article called "A New Black Power" which professes that we start a Black political power of our own. Which ran contrary to Tavis's thought that we continue to work with the democratic & republican parties..which is a joke. He read from letter's from each party leadership that they will sit down with the Black Covenant representatives and come to some agreement over issues in the black community. I find this to be absurd and foolish..These parties will continue to do what they have done to us historically and that is to ignore us.
Walter Mosley was talking about something that they're not willing to do and that is to form our own political parties andn't be beholden to others to do for us, when we can do for self. That is to revolutionary for Tavis's group of talented tenth. I like to know how can you have a Black Covenant andn't have included in that covenant of creating a black political party ? This is the question that I like Tavis to answer.
People should read Walter Mosley piece A New Black Power for it's a work of genius and to insult Walter Mosley by making him the very last speaker and also giving him only three minutes to speak was also a smack in the face.
You don't bring a person like Walter Mosley to a important conference like this and give him only three minutes to speak. It really makes you wonder if they intentionally didn't want Walter Mosley to speak. Next year I hope that Tavis include on the stage a wider range of people who represent The Pan Afrikan community and when you say that you have a youth group panel that the range is from 13 to 30 andn't 30 to mid fifties.
I like to state now I'm in agreement with what Tavis is doing and what he has done but it has to be more inclusive with the black community worldwide, and have their representives represent them. What Tavis is doing is like what the whiteman has done for centuries is tell the masses of our people what they have done for us and that we should be happy about what they have done and no need for us to try to change things that ain't broken.
Thank You
First of all having to listen to the liberal democrats think they are the mouthpiece for the black human race anyway, I'm glad they (the republicans)did change their minds if that's what happened because it don't matter what input those republicans would have had, at the end of the day the liberal democrats would have had something else to chew on and bitch about and make a mochary out of the next day. I don't understand why black republicans give them the time of day when they do because all they ever do is throw insults like some kids on the playground; throw temper tandrums when nobody pays them any attention, complain about whatever is put forth anyway, are never satisfied no matter what anybody else does, so I don't understand what they really want. I think they really want to tell otheer blacks how to think;. they want to bully somebody so they choose black republicans since they are too cowardly to go too far with the whites; and they sound desperate and dangerous too, so they day in and day out just pick, pick, pick, on blacks who choose to vote republican because that's what American is all about FREEDOM OF CHOICE. They can't stand blacks who think for themselves and don't need their input, listen how they behave. They for some reason think we all are not entitled to think for self. They'd better get real because according to scripture, God expects each of us to get right to come to him thru Jesus, not black liberal democrats, and that's a INDIVIDUAL CHOICE TOO, so Who do they think they are? When I was a child and was called names mama used to tell me to "ignore them, they're no better than you no matter what they say, you keep on going on about your business, as long as they don't put their hands on you, ignore them." I did and eventually they went away and they just looked mad and dangerous whenever I passed because they knew I would not help be a part of them disrespecting me, when I knew, my mama knew, my brother knew, my sisters knew they did not like me for whatever reason. I wish the black liberals and democrats go on and do what the hell they want to do and stop thinking their way is the only way and the best way for everybody else. Besides why keep trying to get with somebody whose not banging your door down to get with you? They need to get over thinking they, only they have all the answers to what "people of color need" after all, How many blacks could they (liberals and democrats) airlift from a roof in New Orleans? Black liberal democrats should be tired of playing this tired old boring game of name calling and trying to set black republicans up, it has gotten old. Besides the only Covenant black people need to be making that matters is one with God anyway, and that MEANS not going along with someone who looks like you at times just to be in the "know."
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