Race-Baiting Leaders: Bookerista Perspectives

Javier David: "Jesse Jackson's Race-Baiting Is Doing The President No Favor"

The conservative writer in New York City, USA opines about Rev. Jackson's attack on Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) for voting against government-run health care, stating against the moderate Democrat: "You can't vote against health care and call yourself a black man": "With those impolitic remarks, Rev. Jackson set a new low in the already controversial debate over President Obama's signature domestic initiative. Because some of the president's most ardent defenders continue to conflate legitimate opposition to his policies - as well as animated grassroots activism such as the Tea Party movement - with racism, it's not a leap of logic to view Rev. Jackson's comments as an extension of a very cynical ploy to use race to intimidate President Obama's critics. It is also consistent with a disturbing pattern of black public figures attacking other blacks who express reservations about President Obama's agenda, or even slightly agree with his critics."

Mr. David argues that the Left's obsession with race delays racial reconciliation: "The behavior exhibited by Rev Jackson - and those like [Warren] Ballentine [against moderate-liberal commentator Juan Williams] - is consistent with the relentlessly hostile treatment, which black liberals normally reserve for black conservatives. Since President Obama's ascendance, anything less than complete fealty to the president is perceived as traitorous to the black community. Rev. Jackson's remarks not only have a chilling effect on public discourse, they also undermine the concept of African-American political maturity, one that doesn't require all blacks to think and vote monolithically. Alas, race-baiting is proving a stubborn beast to slay, despite the initial promise of racial comity when the president was inaugurated last January. Little wonder that a recent Gallup poll showed only marginal movement in America's attitudes toward race relations after a spurt higher in the wake of President Obama's historic election."

Justice Malala: "Blackened By Fire"

The South African center-right journalist opines: "I am launching a new black consciousness movement for black managers. Call me the New Management Steve Biko. Or New Man Steve for short. Because we black managers are tired, just plain tired, okay, of being misrepresented by [African National Congress Youth League president] Julius Malema. The aim of the new movement is to fight for the right of black business leaders to be fired for failure to increase profits, just like any leader of a company, and not have our colour come into it. Let the world know: we too can be incompetent. In Malema's world, no matter how gross our transgressions, we are fired because we are black. Otherwise we are perfect. When the Eskom board tried to kick out on-off CEO Jacob Maroga, Malema donned his blue light and was first on the scene. He fingered the white miner, Bobby Godsell. 'He hated Maroga for nothing. He hates Maroga because Maroga is black, that is the only thing,' said Malema. 'This is not a banana republic where a white chairperson of a board can wake up and harass people, as they used to do in the past.' Hawu batho! What if Maroga was asked to step down because he forgot to make sure there was enough coal to fire the power stations? It is an insult to the man to say he was fired because he is black."

More: "Oh, and then along comes Armscor CEO Sipho Thomo. While Maroga was allegedly being fired for being a black manager, Armscor board chair Popo Molefe told parliament's portfolio committee on defence that he had asked Thomo to quit. He said Armscor had come to the conclusion that Thomo was 'taking all of us down' and that the state arms procurement utility's woes could be resolved only if he left. 'We have asked him to resign,' Molefe said. No statement, flashing blue lights or toyi-toying from the venerable ANC Youth League leader. Only blacks can say other blacks are 'taking all of us down'."

Deneen Borelli: "Jackson Is Acting Like A Slaveowner"

That's what Ms. Borelli, a Republican fellow for black conservative group Project 21, asserts in a news release emailed to Booker Rising about Rev. Jackson's comments against Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.): "Shame on Jesse Jackson for using the race card in an attempt to influence the views of another black politician. Ironically, Jackson is acting like a slaveowner trying to keep blacks on his ideological plantation, where they are required to support government programs that increase public dependency on a bureaucracy. In Jackson's world, it appears a black man cannot have independent thought. They must follow Jackson blindly or face lashes from his tongue."

Kevin Martin: "Welcome To The Club, Davis"

The conservative Republican and Project 21 member states in a news release emailed to Booker Rising: "What makes Jesse Jackson an authority on being black in America more than anyone else? Why is he able to determine how we must think? It's no mystery why Jackson consistently failed to win broad appeal for his goals and must instead resort to ugly racial politics. Blacks who have sought to exercise their free will are well aware of the disdain, disrespect and derision that comes with straying from the liberal plantation. Welcome to the club, Congressman Davis."

Afrocity: "Your Race Card Has Been Declined"

The moderate-conservative Republican blogger in Chicago, Ill., on Rev. Jackson: "Now you know what Afrocity would say: Country before race, gender or party!!! What gives Rev. Jesse Jackson the right to say who is and isn’t black? Look Jesse…Thank you for your contributions to African American history but you of all people, the man who stood by Martin Luther King Jr.’s side as he was assassinated should know that no man worth his salt will be intimated by the hateful words and deeds of others. I suppose you voted for Obama while secretly wanting to cut off his nuts because ….he was black? Jesse are you OK? Are we talking about the same man who fought for the civil rights of others? Now you have the audacity to take away someone’s 'black card' (As if there should even be such an idiotic thing) because they voted against the health care bill? Who died and made you the melanin fairy?"

More commentary from Afrocity: "At precisely the point where we are in a so called 'post racial America', the weak Uncle Tom vs. the symbolic black Patriarchal Mandingo leadership meme once again attempts to strip power and virility from any person of color that dares to cut the cord with Democrats. Sounds like a plantation to me."