Obama to Harry Belafonte: "cut me some slack" Belafonte: "What makes you think we haven't?"

[Better Believe It]

Harry Belafonte Explodes the Presidential "Make Me Do It" Myth
A Black Agenda Radio commentary by BAR managing editor Bruce A. Dixon
May 17, 2011

There is a popular myth which explains President Barack Obama's reluctance to stand up to Pentagon militarists, Wall Street banksters and corporate greedheads. This myth excuses the president for ignoring massive black unemployment and not providing his promised path to citizenship for the undocumented, for not using presidential authority to halt the foreclosure epidemic, or curbing the hyper-incarceration of black and brown youth. The myth of course, is that President Barack Obama really does want to do all these things and more, but if they haven't happened it's because we the people have abandoned our responsibility to somehow “make him do it.”

Applied to the Obama presidency however, “make me do it” is a popular myth. It's popular because the president and his lackeys repeat it endlessly. It's a myth because it's not true. Longtime activist Harry Belafonte, who played a key role in the Freedom Movement of the fifties and sixties, exploded the myth in a Democracy Now interview broadcast on May 16.

Belafonte was asked by host Amy Goodman whether he'd used his occasional access to directly share his many critical and valuable public policy insights with the White House. Belafonte replied that his only access to the president has been for a few seconds at a time, not long enough for any substantive discussion. But, he said, at one such event President Obama approached him to inquire when Belafonte and Cornel West were going “to cut me some slack.”

“What makes you think we haven't?” Belafonte replied to the president? At this point the brief encounter was over.

Read or listen to the full radio commentary at:

http://www.blackagendareport.com/content/harry-belafonte-explodes-presidential-make-me-do-it-myth

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. Sing it, Harry. K&R

[FiveGoodMen]

2. Highly recommended.

[Angry Dragon]

3. If a person has to be forced to do something then

they must not really want it...........


k&r


I have found this position by the president highly questionable

[Hannah Bell]

117. i think the argument that agitation from the masses provides political cover is reasonable.

what's unreasonable is that when the agitation comes, the administration seems more interested in tamping it down than using it for political cover.

[lark]

162. Yes, Obama wants agitation, only so he can disown it

and prove to the Independents and "Moderates (ha) of both parties" that he's not a progressive and really is one of them, barely a Dem at all. Obama uses us as fodder to fuel his post partisanship fantasies.

[Hannah Bell]

231. be as snarky as you want, but i'm just commenting on the facts.

for example, he made a big speech about wanting folks to "make him" do things -- but when people who campaigned for him finally criticize him, he asks for slack?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

4. Harry...

:wow:

He's been at this along time, and he is still fighting the good fight. Go Harry!

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Better Believe It]

6. Here's the link to the Democracy Now interview with Harry Belefonte

“Sing Your Song”: Harry Belafonte on Art & Politics, Civil Rights & His Critique of President Obama

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/5/16/sing_your_song_harry_belafonte_on

[truedelphi]

53. Thank you for the link.

I wish we had had a chance to vote for someone like Bellafonte, rather than a person who is obviously a water carrier for the same ol' same ol'.

Under Barack, we received more wars, more gifts to banks, continued exemptions for Big Oil and Big Energy, even as they destroy the Gulf and the aquifers, and less for everyone else.

With fifty three billion bucks to be offered up by Barack to the Nuke People, as Wall Street won't touch the Nuke Industry with a 150 foot pole.

[xfundy]

7. Geez, it was unrec'd by more than 1.

My rec didn't move it at all. WTF?

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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[Zorra]

87. Some posters automatically hit unrec on certain subjects. nt

[Jefferson23]

8. It is one of the most offensive lines Obama has used imo. That he asks

to be cut some slack doesn't surprise me at all. Presidents would like very much for their critics
to back off but it was great Harry reminded him that he already had.

[ProSense]

9. Oh brother

<...>

Let's pause to think about that. When President Obama cusses out Cornel West and personally demands that historic stalwarts of the movement for peace and justice “cut him some slack” on black unemployment, on foreclosures and the prison state, on torture and the military budget, on unjust wars and corporate welfare, on fulfilling the just demands of those who elected him, our first black president is revealing his real self. Far from saying “make me do it,” President Obama is saying how dare you pressure me to do what you elected me to do.

Harry Belafonte has done a great public service in helping us distinguish the imaginary Barack Obama of “make me do it” from the real Barack Obama, who demands our support, but expects us to “cut him some slack.” Rather than agitating and organizing in our communities to “make him do it” all the real President Obama wants of movement activists is for us to sit down and shut up, until it's time to help chase everybody out to vote for him in 2012.

<...>

Dixon and Ford are noted Obama haters and opportunists. It figures they'd use this old anecdote by Belafonte to try to justify West's bullshit.

The President isn't a community organizer, and he's not going to organize a movement against himself. It's hilarious to read screed after screed claiming the President personally wants someone to shut up. Maybe they should stop writing about who wants them to STFU and start organizing. Oops, did I just tell them to STFU? My bad.

:rofl:

[Name removed]

31. Deleted sub-thread

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[Name removed]

71. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

72. The name

the quote, the newest and the avatar drips with irony!

[cui bono]

110. How is doing what the people want organizing a movement against himself?

See... that would mean the president isn't for the people.

Obama can't have it both ways. He can't say "make me do it" and then tell the ones who are trying to do just that to "cut me some slack". Do you really not see that while you :rofl:? Who do you think is behind the messages coming out of the WH telling progressives to STFU? And if Obama telling Belafonte to his face to "cut me some slack" isn't the president personally wanting someone to shut up then what is it? He never sat down and listened to Harry B.

You still :rofl:? Cuz if you are you really should find a different interest.

[JDPriestly]

149. ProSense, are you accusing Harry Belafonte of lying?

[HankyDubs]

158. lol...cracking up

you're having more and more difficulty churning out this crap, aren't you?

"he's not going to organize a movement against himself."

Against himself? So if a person works in favor of a librul/progressive agenda, they should count the president as an opponent?

:wtf:

[lark]

164. There are none so blind

as those who pull the wool over their own eyes. Wonder what he'd have to do for them to realize he's not the progressive savior they dreamed he was?

[EFerrari]

10. K&R. Time to get a bigger bus.

:)

[Cali_Democrat]

17. It's getting awfully crowded under there. n/t

[Creideiki]

98. There's good news

We won't get sunburned this summer.

Oh, and if we're not in the east, we probably won't drown because of the lack of an environmental/energy policy.

[emulatorloo]

23. Happily BBI keeps pointing out people to be thrown under the bus

I had no idea Harry Belefonte was ON the bus.

(I think this under the bus nonsense is getting tiresome. If some DU'er disagree with Belefonte, it is not going to hurt him. I don't think we have to be so damn melodramatic all the time.)

[EFerrari]

28. It's not melodramatic to point out that instead of engaging the issues

of West, Belafonte et all, the default is to engage in character assassination.

That is nonsense. But you're right. I seriously doubt Belafonte loses any sleep over what Obama loyalists say about him. :)

[emulatorloo]

35. Some are touchy and have low standards for what they consider "character assassination"

BBI has another thread up claiming Melissa Harris-Perry "personally attacked" West. Perry certainly engaged with the issues.

Any kind of criticism or disagreement is considered a Personal Attack. it is a bit tiresome.

I am sure you have noticed this kind of thing too.

[EFerrari]

40. I don't think BBI is touchy in the least.

And if you search the threads personally attacking West (instead of dealing with his arguments), you'll find they fall well within the definition of a personal attack. He's a racist, he's irrational, he's a do nothing, he's all bombast, he's been beat like a dead horse. Not one of DU's finest conversations.

[emulatorloo]

56. I am glad I missed that.

I was not singling out BBI for touchyness.

[EFerrari]

57. Sorry, I thought you were.

Yeah, that whole group of threads isn't something to write home about. We always do better when we try to focus on the issue. Everything else tends to devolve into yuck.

lol

[emulatorloo]

58. I was out for two weeks because it seemed like too much yuck.

and not much else. Lots of overheated rhetoric, not much in the way issues. It is a shame.

[JDPriestly]

153. Obama has turned his back on supporters on too many issues.

He has done some good, granted. But, he has failed to mobilize the energy of his supporters to accomplish much of what he said during the 2008 primaries was his agenda.

He surrounded himself with conservative economic advisers and followed their advice. The results are unemployment that is far, far too high, massive foreclosures and more to come and low tax revenues due to the reduced earnings of middle-class Americans.

Obama has the biggest, tallest, most powerful bully-pulpit in the world, and what has he used it for? To promote the interests of big corporations and the ideas of his Republican "friends."

He is self-satisfied about his health care reform although it was a half-measure that did nothing about the real problem - the profits that the big insurance companies take from our health care dollars. He has done nothing to revitalize manufacturing and the good jobs it brings, thus worsening our trade deficit.

And now, he is in cahoots with the Republicans on cutting Social Security and Medicare. I know that those of you who are his apologists don't want to admit this last point. But just wait. Your optimism about Obama has been proved wrong just about every time thus far. And there is no cause for optimism here.

And once Social Security and Medicare have been cut, life for honest middle-class Americans will become even more dismal than it is, regardless of age.

Thank you, Harry Belafonte, for speaking truth to power.

[JDPriestly]

150. But for a lot of melodrama back in 1776, we would not be a nation.

If it takes some melodrama to get back our country from today's corporate aristocracy, I'm all for it.

[Enthusiast]

169. Great point!

I appreciate your posts on this issue. There is no point looking at the President through rose colored glasses. If we ALL demanded more from the President we would see real progress.

[JoePhilly]

11. Apparently, Harry thinks he is an important adviser to Obama too.

He and West should start a 3rd party.

[Better Believe It]

13. He doesn't have the political clout like Wall Street! Under the bus with Harry! Next ....

[JoePhilly]

15. Why would Harry be an important advisor to ANY President?

Can you answer that?

I would like to be an important adviser to the President.

There are LOTS of people who have done important work that could be important advisers to the President. And yet very few EVER get to have that role, regardless of President.

Harry and West come across as guys who WANT to be important advisers to Obama, but who are not. And they seem ticked about that. They don't just critique his policies, they describe how they perceive that they were slighted, personally.

[Donnachaidh]

21. ahhh, the first wave of character assassinations are in the air

:eyes:

[JoePhilly]

128. The only character assination I see ...

is from folks like West and Harry themselves, targeting President Obama.

[EFerrari]

138. Without Belafonte there would likely be no Barack Obama

since he and Jackie Robinson started and fought the British government for the program which got Obama Sr. a scholarship to study in the United States.

[JoePhilly]

140. And that matters why?

I'm serous.

Both you and I are here only because of a very, very, very, very, very, long string of fortunate circumstances.

If just one of any number of thousands of small details were changed, you and I are not posting in this thread because we would have never born.

[EFerrari]

142. But we're not talking about a long string of fortunate circumstances.

We're talking about the activism and the dedication of Harry Belafonte, who personally fought the British government so that the plane that Obama Sr. got on would be able to take off and fly him to America.

That's who "folks like Harry" is.

[JoePhilly]

200. Really, Harry determined that he needed to bring the father of

future President Obama to the US ... I did not know that.

Is Obama supposed to make Harry part of his cabinet now? Does Obama need to run his decisions past Harry now?

I think Harry's activism has been important and generally positive ... but do I think that President Obama needs to adopt Harry's views on everything, because with out Harry, Obama never gets born, no.

[Solomon]

131. I'm still reading the thread and I haven't gotten to any character

assasination yet, other than Obama's. You guys reach too hard.

[Enthusiast]

171. Predictable.

Funny how it mirrors the right wing's Limbaugh types.

[Doctor Hurt]

174. What's to assassinate?

He's a singer. Why should I care what he thinks?

[EFerrari]

178. Try reading the thread. n/t

[Divernan]

190. Belafonte is a world-renowned civil rights activist, human rights activist and political activist.

Google is your friend.

[Doctor Hurt]

175. What's to assassinate?

He's a singer. Why should I care what he thinks?

[Dr Fate]

24. Obama is the one asking him to cut some slack.

So apparently he does feel the need to listen to what he says, then address him in return, one way or the other.

Is Harry claiming that he is, or should be an offical advisor? I thought that was West.

[EFerrari]

32. No, that's wrong. There are not LOTS of people like Belafonte and West.

Maybe you have them confused with someone else.

Apart from attacking him personally, have you anything to say about Belafonte's points?

[EFerrari]

60. This president thought he was worth the whistling.

Maybe you have a treat in store for you, figuring out who this guy is.

[cui bono]

112. Well how about you list your activist resume and Belafonte's activist resume

and see if you have both done the same amount of fighting for what is right.

[Le Taz Hot]

129. Why?

Because he's been fighting for Civil Rights since the 1950's. He's walked the walk, he's talked the talk. And he's still talking, it's just not what the Party Faithful want to hear. You'd think that would garner SOME kind of respect from the party-before-country crowd but apparently no one is immune from ignorant character assassination.

[EFerrari]

134. Respect.

[JDPriestly]

154. I would rather see Obama get advice from Harry Belafonte

and Cornel West than from Timothy Geithner and Ben Bernanke.

And then, there's Hillary, Walmart's creation, who never saw a war she didn't love.

Obama left a whole sector of our country and of the Democratic Party out of his cabinet, out of the White House and out of the Democratic Party. It's good to know that Harry Belafonte is using the bully pulpit he has to point this out.

[bvar22]

188. Because Harry has actually put on the confortable shoes and walked the line,

not just talked about it.


"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone

[Divernan]

189. Why? Belafonte's decades as a civil rights, human rights & political activist

And don't forget his position as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, his personal meetings with Chavez & Castro, his work against apartheid in South Africa. He has traveled the world far more than Barack Obama.

Belafonte supported the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and was one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s confidants. He provided for King's family, since King made only $8,000 a year as a preacher. Like many civil rights activists, Belafonte was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. He bailed King out of the Birmingham City Jail and raised thousands of dollars to release other civil rights protesters. He financed the Freedom Rides, supported voter registration drives, and helped to organize the March on Washington in 1963.

During "Freedom Summer" in 1964, Belafonte bankrolled the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, flying to Mississippi that August with $60,000 in cash and entertaining crowds in Greenwood.

Those are just a few examples of why Obama should treat Belafonte with respect and not blow him off.

So there's an answer for you.

Now kindly enlighten me on your credentials to ridicule and demean such a leading Black American as Harry Belafonte.

[JoePhilly]

226. I don't think I demeaned him at all.

My point is very simple. There are MANY activists like West and Belafonte who think that THEY should now be sitting at Obama's side.

My sense is that a key reason that they can not sit there next to Obama is the same reason that Rev Wright can't sit there. The sad reality is that their extremely painful experiences in the civil rights movement won't let them look forward with anything but anger.

Go back and listen to Obama's speech in Philly after the Rev Wright explosion.

The right wing (and the media) want to paint Obama as the "scary black man" ... and having Wright, West, and Belefante coming unglued every 5 minutes would do nothing but reinforce that stereotype.

[Dr Fate]

18. Who does Harry think he is? An oil executive or an off-shoring CEO?

The nerve.

[EFerrari]

22. You'd think he worked at Goldman Sachs.

Sheesh.

[Enthusiast]

173. Exactly..............nt

[liberation]

160. Yeah, those black guys with their uppity expectation that a politician has to represent them

and listen to their demands. What do they think we live in, a democracy?

The gall of some people, right? Expecting the emper... I mean the president to be accountable.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

16. T-Shirt idea:

Obama told me to STFU and now I don't have a job! :(

[Dr Fate]

20. Go for it.

Let us know how that one turns out for ya.

[EFerrari]

25. Like Harry freakin Belafonte needs the Beltway to find him work.

Hilarious.

LOLOL

[ProSense]

29. Belafonte?

Try the rabble-rousing opportunist who continue to read the President's mind and rehash old quotes to claim Obama personally told them to STFU.

[Dr Fate]

33. "Rabble-rousing?" Is that the opposite of giving massive tax breaks to the Koch Brothers?

Rabble rousers just cry and whine about the Koch Brothers and the wars and beg DEMS to oppose both.

Actual elected DEMS dont just cry and rouse-they take ACTION- by giving the Kochs massive tax breaks and funding the wars.

I see the difference now!

[EFerrari]

34. That's a classic, right there.

Shouldn't you at least pretend to know something about one of the most important American civil rights and human rights activists of your lifetime?

Is your Google broken? Or does that smack too much of the rabble for you, ProSense?

[Dr Fate]

37. Civil rights is old timey Liberal stuff. Harry may as well be Ayers at this point. n/t

n/t

[EFerrari]

45. Harry Belafonte practically invented World Music as a mode

of asserting human rights all by himself.

But then, he's always been down with "the rabble".

:rofl:

[me b zola]

111. Mr Potter referred to the "rabble" as well n/t

[deutsey]

157. Yeah, it roused too much rabble in its day.

:eyes:

[ProSense]

39. Wait

"Shouldn't you at least pretend to know something about one of the most important American civil rights and human rights activists of your lifetime?"

Is that your understanding of the OP author?

Maybe your Google is broken!

[EFerrari]

42. Calling Harry Belafonte an opportunistic rabble rouser doesn't reflect

on him.

[ProSense]

46. Why are you calling Belafonte an "opportunistic rabble rouser"? n/t

[EFerrari]

48. Brings to mind one of his hits, Jump in the Line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic87SfqQAAM

:)

[ProSense]

59. Brings back memories of

the time Harry Belafonte attacked the President's ethnicity. Oh, sorry, that was Cornel West.

Got a clip of Belafonte endorsing West's screed?

[EFerrari]

63. So, are you setting yourself up as an arbiter

for how members of the black community should speak to each other?

Really?

Another classic.

[ProSense]

Well

as a member of the black community, West's comments were offensive.

In fact, West inadvertently did Obama a favor with his clownish performance.

[EFerrari]

65. Apparently, not everyone shares your opinion. n/t

[ProSense]

67. Apparently

you have no idea how many were turned off by West's comments.

[EFerrari]

68. Yes, that's why his comments went to the top of the Greatest page at DU.

Because even here where he is so little known, his comments resonated with so many people.

You'd really be farther ahead to simply argue your position instead of this swiping at West.

[ProSense]

69. Wow

you mean the black community spoke via the "Greatest page at DU"?

Fascinating!

[EFerrari]

70. Shake it! Of course, I didn't say that.

:)

[NorthCarolina]

187. That is simply it. The rah-rah crowd can't argue their position

because they know their position does not resonate with the general public. The only avenue open to them is to make cheap character shots against Liberals, signal their associates to chime in with total enthusiastic agreement, and then hope that they can smother the issues at hand. Typical right-wing SOP, no facts, just relentless character attacks.

[guruoo]

198. Or it could be that anti-Obama threads make the best troll bait. nt

[joentokyo]

84. Absolutely! A black president is above criticism because he is . . well, black!

[ProSense]

85. I get it

A black President is supposed to be exposed to offensive criticism because he is...well, black!

Wonder if West believes other President's were afraid of "free black men" or is it just Obama?

[joentokyo]

92. If a man lies to you about what he will do if elected, how is it offensive to call the

man out for lying his way into office. President Obama has not done more than 1% of what he promised, and he has not even tried to do more. But according to you I only have that opinion because he is black, not because he is dishonest. He is a wall street tool in the pocket of Goldman Sachs. Face it.

[ProSense]

94. "President Obama has not done more than 1% of what he promised"

Damn he must have promised a lot.

[Solomon]

132. What did he promise black people? That's what I want to

know. I'm black and I'm looking for a broken promise to complain about too. I feel slighted. Damn. You'd think he would at least have the dignity to break a promise to us too since he broke so many for everyone else.

I want a whaaambulance too dammit!

[Name removed]

95. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Divernan]

186. Are you referring to yourself as a member of the black community, or to West?

[Dr Fate]

54. What will "the rabble" beg for next? Another pony perhaps? LOL! Let us laugh at them all!

Centrism is gonna prove them all to be wrong one day.

One day the rabble will realize that 3 wars, tax breaks for the Kochs, subsidies as apparent reward for off shoring- are really, really good things that help America.

But all sarcasm aside-In the interest of balance, I think I saw some blue text somewhere that you can click on that supposedly band aids all of the above.

[EFerrari]

55. It's pretty bizarre that people don't even recognize

these leading figures from the world of social justice. What a strange, circumscribed world view that must lead to.

Somebody call Danny Glove quick and tell him he's next.

lol

[joentokyo]

93. So anyone who disagrees with the great Dr. Fate is rabble as are all who try to hold

politicians to account.

[Dr Fate]

222. LOL! I was being sarcastic- read the rest of my posts on this thread.

But if you think my posts represensts true centrism, then I guess it was not in vain.

[msanthrope]

99. He isn't calling Harry Belafonte an opportunistic rabble rouser. n/t

[sudopod]

108. "rabble-rousing opportunist "

well at least he isn't a running-dog. :p

[cui bono]

115. Opportunist??? Seriously???

Do you have any idea what Belafonte has done with his life? Clearly not. You should go read about it before you keep posting more dribble in this thread that makes no sense and is really thoughtless and cold-hearted. It is seriously time for you to reign in your blind loyalty, it is making you say some truly weird and cruel things.

[Name removed]

116. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lorien]

123. ....

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

He's done a hell of a lot more for civil rights and the working guy than pro-war, pro-bank bailout, pro corporate crony Obama has!

[G_j]

161. booo!

enough w/ the pony nonsense, and Belefonte has done more then Obama to make the world a better place, IMHO.


:thumbsdown:

[Donnachaidh]

19. Harry Belafonte under the bus in 5,4,3,2....

And next we'll have dozens of postings badmouthing HB, and every single thing he's ever done....


Swarm sightings on this yet?

[Lorien]

121. Yep, right above your post. They won't address the message (as usual) so they

do the predictable and call HB " irrelevant" . It's their favorite pathetic attempt at a defense against the Obama administration's very real betrayals of those of us who got him elected, and their promotion of a far right wing agenda.

[Doctor Hurt]

172. To go under the bus

wouldn't he have to have mattered to begin with?

I mean, who thinks Belafonte is an opinion leader?

[AlabamaLibrul]

227. I guess you had to be there (nt)

[Dreamer Tatum]

26. Looks like someone didn't get he banana tally. nt

[Better Believe It]

27. Who does this Belafonte guy think he is anyway?

Tonight, PBS's American Experience airs the documentary Freedom Riders, about the effort of students to end segregation in the South.

A prominent supporter of the Freedom Riders and the greater civil rights movement was Harry Belafonte, who gave an extensive interview on Democracy Now! today.

The son of Jamaican immigrants, Belafonte grew up in the streets of Harlem and Jamaica. In the '50s, he spearheaded the calypso craze, was the first person in history to sell over a million albums. He was also the first African American to win an Emmy. Along with his rise to worldwide stardom, Belafonte became deeply involved in the civil rights movement. He was one of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's closest confidants and helped to organize the March on Washington in 1963.

Now a new documentary chronicles his life. It's called Sing Your Song. It's co-produced by Harry Belafonte's daughter Gina. Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman talked with Belafonte in Park City, Utah, after his film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/democracy-now/sing-your-song-harry-bela_b_862703.html

[Dr Fate]

30. Who do these "voters" and "citizens" think they are? n/t

n/t

[sabrina 1]

41. Yes, that's all fine, but does he have any influence on Wall St.??

Seriously, it's really turning me off this WH the way their supporters never address issues, but launch into attacks on people who have done so much for this country if they dare to voice their opinions as citizens about policies that affect the American people.

Do they really think that is an effective strategy?

An effective strategy would be to invite West and Belafonte to the WH and show some respect for the people who got them there in the first place.

I can't understand the fawning over political figures in this country. THEY WORK FOR US! And if anyone thinks any politician is their friend, they are delusional.

When you have to pay $35,000 to get near the POTUS, something has gone very wrong with this country.

[TBF]

64. Right on - except for the part about how they work for us.

They don't work for us, unless you happen to be a multi-millionaire (I'm not). They work for the folks who hold most of the wealth in this country, and it ain't most of us.

[sabrina 1]

73. That's true, my mistake.

:-)

[sendero]

119. Not only are his policies Bush II...

... his thin-skinned assumption that everything he does is good because he did it smacks of Bush also.

[Starry Messenger]

50. He's just jealous.

:sarcasm:

[blindpig]

36. 'Make me do it' is a bullshit game

One making such statement can do what he likes and simply say that the effort to'make him do it' has been insufficient or just put them on 'ignore'.

And so it goes.

[liberation]

163. Exact-o-mondo

"make me do it" implies that Obama does not want to do it out of their own accord, or he is trying to transfer the burden from himself to the people he is supposed to work for and represent. In either case it is not a good thing.

[bobbolink]

38. I guess Mr. Belefonte didn't get his pony, either.

:sarcasm:

That was truly ugly, Mr. President. Clean up your act and learn a modicum of common courtesy.

[ProSense]

43. Wouldn't it be great if

instead of post after post about how Obama wants people to shut up, there were actually criticisms of the policies in place to address hunger and homelessness?

"first major federal antipoverty effort in decades"

Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness

HUD MAKES AVAILABLE $61 MILLION TO SIX APPLICANTS TO PROVIDE QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, REVITALIZE NEIGHBORHOODS

Govt announces plan to reduce health disparities

Second Chance Act

Programs like these could be scrutinized for their potential inadequacies and possible underfunding.

Evidently, STFU claims are more popular.

[Hannah Bell]

44. kr

[live love laugh]

47. I have serious problems with West and Belafonte's positions

I am black. I knew before he was elected that America's first black president could NEVER be a president just for the black community.

AMERICA has massive unemployment problems--not just the black community.

Obama cannot dedicate his minute resources to one group--even if it is my group. To do so would only cause those who are the opposite of the Wests and the Belafontes to cry foul at any signs of favoritism.

Everybody wants something from Obama--the gay community, corporatists, blacks, unemployed, the disenfranchised...
Where should he focus? He can only do so much in what is an almost totally corrupt system.

I do not like everything he has done. I feel that he has done too little to help those like me who have seen their lives demolished by the banksters and the housing crisis.

I will continue to give him time and hope that he comes around.

I continue to be more thankful for the fact that we have a man at the helm who is at least thoughtful, smart, poised, diplomatic and all that his predecessor was not and could never be. I am thankful enough that Bush is gone to cut Obama a lot of slack because I also know that many even worse than Bush are waiting in the wings to succeed Obama. They know that they got away with murder and if they were able to do that, what does the future hold for us all?

[EFerrari]

51. Well, obviously the president doesn't have a problem knowing where he should focus.

And if you've followed both West, Belafonte and other critics of the president's in the black community, I don't think you'd really have a problem with their positions. They went far out of their way to cut him that slack he didn't recognize and for years now. The trajectory of their relationship to the president isn't even singular. A lot of his constituencies have followed a similar one.

It's not reasonable, when you think about it, to expect these men to withhold their criticism when the big capital interests in DC have hundreds of lobbyists at their disposal.

[sabrina 1]

74. Your comment made me think about something. The people don't

have lobbyists. Why don't we hire some? Supposing we hired West and Belafonte to work as lobbyists for the people? I'm sure the reason why neither of them can get any time with the president is because they can't pay for the time. But if we gave them some money, maybe he'd set aside a few minutes for them?

If voting doesn't work, 'if you can't lick'm, join'em'. All the money people donate now to candidates individually could be put into a 'lobbying account' and then we too could buy a few of them.

I don't know, I'm feeling hopeless I guess, after watching the HC fiasco and the Wall St. Reform 'debate' which the people had no say in.

Money talks, but not in ten dollar amounts divided between hundreds of candidates. It would be better to concentrate the money where it could do the most good. We could even buy a few Repubs maybe when there is a critical issue on the agenda. Trying to work within a system that doesn't exist, doing the same thing over and over again, and getting the same results, is stupid at this point. Why not work with the system as it is until we get enough money to change it?

[Number23]

76. West has NEVER cut Obama any slack and has been very vocal about that

You are pontificating all in this thread as if this is something that you are personally invested in.

I have seen a dozen articles from black thinkers and academics who are nauseated by West's comments so your comment that people familiar with West wouldn't "have a problem with his position" is patently untrue. His petty, bigoted focus on the president's upbringing and biology is something I am absolutely astounded to see so many "liberals" defend.

[ProSense]

80. Bitterness does that.

Cornel West pulled a Tavis with this one and dragging the President's race into it added a unique stench. Tavis lost all credibility, not even West's current defenders will touch him.

Trying to defend West's misguided screed is futile. The stench of this will follow him for a long time. It's pathetic.

[EFerrari]

81. Still nothing but personal attacks. That's too bad. n/t

[ProSense]

83. Maybe

you have a better theory about why this screed about the President's race was necessary:

<...>

I think my dear brother Barack Obama has a certain fear of free black men. It’s understandable. As a young brother who grows up in a white context, brilliant African father, he’s always had to fear being a white man with black skin. All he has known culturally is white. He is just as human as I am, but that is his cultural formation. When he meets an independent black brother, it is frightening. And that’s true for a white brother. When you get a white brother who meets a free, independent black man, they got to be mature to really embrace fully what the brother is saying to them. It’s a tension, given the history. It can be overcome. Obama, coming out of Kansas influence, white, loving grandparents, coming out of Hawaii and Indonesia, when he meets these independent black folk who have a history of slavery, Jim Crow, Jane Crow and so on, he is very apprehensive. He has a certain rootlessness, a deracination. It is understandable.

<...>

Any thoughts?

[Divernan]

192. Agreed. Those personal attacks have an awful stench, don't they?

[Lorien]

124. Please provide links for a dozen of those articles. nt

[Better Believe It]

52. "Where should he focus?" Well, focusing on the problems of working people would be a good start ..

and proposing bold actions to solve those problems.

Joblessness, foreclosures, lack of decent healthcare, wage and benefit cuts are just a few of the major problems impacting working people.

Those problems impact millions of Black people, millions of other minorities and millions of white people.

It's all about class and racial exploitation.

So are we doing better now than two and a half years ago?

[xphile]

97. Nobody is asking Obama to be the president of just the black community.

But we can and ought to expect that he actually address issues of the black community and we can and ought to expect him to put into place policies which does NOT harm the black community.

Shitty economic policies from a black president don't become less shitty because the person pushing them is black.

And as long as the black community refuses to do a proper job of holding our leaders feet to the fire we will always be taken for granted and our issues ignored by politicians both black and white.

Our unemployment rate is still double the white rate. Our children are still more likely to end up in Special Ed than white children. Obama's policies aren't doing a hell of a lot to help us in those areas and I'm supposed to tell other black people to STFU? I don't think so. The whole don't air our dirty laundry thing hasn't served us well in the past and it's not doing us a hell of a lot of good now. I'm glad as hell that Bush is gone but I'm not about to let Obama slide just because he's not the idiot Bush was.

[ProSense]

104. "But we can and ought to expect that he actually address issues of the black community "

You mean like health care, income inequity and unemployment?

Shitty economic policies from a black president don't become less shitty because the person pushing them is black.

And as long as the black community refuses to do a proper job of holding our leaders feet to the fire we will always be taken for granted and our issues ignored by politicians both black and white.

Our unemployment rate is still double the white rate. Our children are still more likely to end up in Special Ed than white children. Obama's policies aren't doing a hell of a lot to help us in those areas and I'm supposed to tell other black people to STFU? I don't think so. The whole don't air our dirty laundry thing hasn't served us well in the past and it's not doing us a hell of a lot of good now. I'm glad as hell that Bush is gone but I'm not about to let Obama slide just because he's not the idiot Bush was.

Yes, because black Americans were doing so well before Obama. In fact, before Bush, life was a cakewalk in the black community. Blacks in prison was a rarity.

Did you seriously believe decades of inequity were going to be reversed in two and a half years as the economy is trying to recover from the worst recession in 70 years?

Who the hell is asking you to let Obama slide? "Dirty laundry"? Is that what West's bullshit personal attacks on the President's race were? He sure the hell didn't offer a lot of substance besides repeating oligarchs and plutocrats. Yeah, he claimed the President was afraid of "free black men" before suggesting two white men for his cabinet.

What a joke.

[Solomon]

133. Thank you. Good post.

This is yet another pathetic attempt to take something weay out of context. "cut me some slack" more likely means "give me some time" but ooohhhh nooooo, people don't want to believe that. Obama is evil, has bad intentions, only wants to help the rich, blah blah blah. It's ridiculous.

[EFerrari]

136. It's not out of context in the least.

You can watch Belafonte recount the story yourself in his Democracy Now! interview on Monday, linked above.

[Solomon]

156. It is out of context because this has nothing to do with Cornel West

but Belafonte is being used to support West's statements.

[EFerrari]

170. It's not out of context because in the story, Obama mentions

both West and Belafonte.

[Howler]

49. K&R

Cornel is right too.

[bigwillq]

61. K and R (nt)

[creon]

62. life is hard

Obama made a mistake.

He should have known that West and Belafonte have no use for him.

[Raine]

66. K&R! nt

:kick: :thumbsup:

[Stinky The Clown]

75. Harry Belafonte has been there since the beginning.

If anyone watched any of the event retrospectives on the civil rights activites of the 60s, Harry Belafonte was right there, front and center. He's earned the right to say what he wishes. He was a liberal Democrat when the term had meaning.

K&R

[EFerrari]

82. He was named Kennedy's advisor to the Peace Corps.

And he's only been more involved in every way since.

[Keith Bee]

77. Unrecced for being cheap

[Number23]

79. +1

[Lorien]

122. Recced for HB being a true Progressive and the best kind of citizen that America

has to offer; one that cares about the people and the planet, not just Wall Street's interests.

[EFerrari]

126. If you haven't and if you can, watch his interview with Amy at Sundance.

It's a treasure.

[Karmadillo]

78. K&R

nt

[progressoid]

86. Damn, I bet that was a fun evening.

WTG Harry.

[ecstatic]

88. Suddenly, DU is concerned about the Black Agenda nt

[EFerrari]

89. Maybe suddenly for you?

And is that like the Big Gay Agenda?

lol

[ecstatic]

90. Sorry, not buying the concern

The only time black activists/intellectuals are quoted on here is when it involves some sort of criticism of Pres. Obama. Very disingenuous, IMO.

[EFerrari]

91. You have done a search to verify that, I'm sure.

:)

[Canuckistanian]

96. It might be because

BLACK ISSUES ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED by Obama.

Ever imagine that in your wildest nightmares?

[msanthrope]

100. Of course. A Black President must address Black Issues when Glen Ford says he must.

Glen Ford.

Seriously???

[EFerrari]

101. This red herring won't even make it through make up.

lol

[msanthrope]

109. Glen Ford wrote: Barack Obama is a "unilateral surrender to white racism." In 2007. You agree?

http://www.counterpunch.org/ford06132007.html

Know why he wrote it??? Because President Obama wouldn't give him the time of day....

[Canuckistanian]

102. Glen Ford? Who brought up Glen Ford?

I mean, other than you.

[msanthrope]

107. Um, Jeebus. He wrote the frackin' piece in the OP.

I mean, really.

Perhaps you should be asking the OP poster why they chose to omit that particular fact....

[Canuckistanian]

120. Um, the author's name is right up there at the top

Bruce Dixon. A different human being. With his OWN opinions.

[msanthrope]

141. I mixed up the editors--Glen Ford is Executive Editor of BAR, Dixon is managing. My mistake.

I don't think for a minute that Mr. Dixon has his own opinions, distinct from Glen Ford.

[ecstatic]

103. I don't have to imagine anything. Been observing DU for 8 years now

way before Obama was a household name. Cornel West/ Harry Belafonte were never mentioned in GD prior to Obama's presidency.

[Canuckistanian]

105. Are you kidding?

Belafonte was LEGENDARY around here for slamming Smirky McFlightsuit.

[ecstatic]

148. lol. You and your fellow responders still don't get it.

I'm glad you found entertainment in Belafonte, but posting jokes made towards current and past presidents does not count as concern for the serious issues black americans face. Any interest displayed here is on a shallow, superficial level.

*Rolling my eyes at the examples of DU's concern (or lack thereof) throughout the years!*

[EFerrari]

152. There are more than ten pages of references to Belafonte

in the DU search engine. Roll your eyes all you like, but the fact is your claim is wrong.

[Bluebear]

113. lol

[meow mix]

127. lol, 8 years?

you fail soooo badly. :rofl:

[mistertrickster]

146. Your perception is not factual:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2138607

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Belafonte: Bush kept him from King rites

Legendary entertainer and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte on Tuesday explained his absence from Coretta Scott King's funeral.

Belafonte told reporters before a speech at Case Western Reserve University that President Bush influenced the King family to disinvite him from the funeral in suburban Atlanta on Feb. 7.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3814499

Posted: Friday, December 07, 2007

Edwards distanced himself from actor Harry Belafonte's controversial comments on George Bush and Hugo Chavez at a house party today. Belafonte endorsed the former North Carolina senator in Charleston, S.C., last night.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x151475

Fiery Belafonte focuses on injustice
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2006-01-16

[AlabamaLibrul]

228. Booyah nt

[Starbucks Anarchist]

203. Bingo.

I remember a post some time ago where Danny Glover criticized Obama and a DUer actually had the nerve to post that Obama was losing the black vote based on this.

:rofl:

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

215. EXACTLY!! The only reason why suddenly Cornel West has become the DU hero

is because he attacked Obama. You are exactly right!!!

[Number23]

106. I know. I can't decide whether to laugh hysterically, vomit, or cry.

[JI7]

114. it is one of those threads

[Divernan]

194. NOT suddenly. Many of us were actively involved in the civil rights movement.

I was, in Florida in the 60's. I walked the walk, and I will damn well talk the talk in support of Harry Belafonte. Anyone who dismisses Harry Belafonte as "just a singer" is sad evidence of how much the history education of Americans has been dumbed down.

[EFerrari]

218. What did you do in Florida, Divernan?

I don't remember much until around the time of Martin's funeral. But I remember HB there, next to Mrs. King.

[Imagevision]

118. To Obama; "actions speak louder than words" (and always will)

[Divernan]

195. Actually, it's campaign donations which speak louder than words.

[meow mix]

125. k&r

[mfcorey1]

130. The vitriol continues. Hell, if you hate him so much, don't vote for him. Believe me, the world

will go on and you can use some of your energy on the next President who will also ignore the ******* out of your rant.

[EFerrari]

135. Criticism is not hatred. n/t

[Bobbie Jo]

137. Depends who's dishing it out.

In this instance, the poster makes a valid point.

[EFerrari]

139. No, words mean things.

You can't just attach the word "hatred" to a criticism and expect anyone to take it as anything more than a slur.

[Bobbie Jo]

143. Certain patterns of dialogue "mean things" too.

As I said, in this particular instance, the poster makes a valid point.

[EFerrari]

145. Validating personal attacks isn't the fast track to good discussion.

Just as calling people hateful and telling them their opinion is of no consequence is not a response to the content of the OP.

[Bobbie Jo]

147. One should always consider the source when forming an opinion.

See: Faux "News"

[EFerrari]

177. Attributing emotions to a source is generally called projection. n/t

[Bobbie Jo]

191. Thank you, Dr. Freud....

The tendency for people to favor information that confirms their preconceptions, regardless if the information is accurate,
Is generally called confirmation bias.

[EFerrari]

197. And how does that speak to your attribution of hatred

to the OP? Did the OP fail to confirm your bias "in this instance" or what?

[Bobbie Jo]

211. It doesn't, obviously.

I thought we were exchanging "theories."

[mistertrickster]

144. Harry Belafonte was a major figure in 60's civil rights. Without people like him,

a black president would have been impossible.

Obama owes him, big time.

[Paladin]

159. Amen. Belafonte Is A Giant From The Civil Rights Era.

Time and time again, he supplied desperately-needed funding for the movement. He has plenty of standing to get in the President's face......

[Doctor Hurt]

176. A giant?

No. He was a celebrity supporter.

Lots of other people before him get to to be giants.

[EFerrari]

184. Belafonte was not just a check writer.

He was in Selma with everybody else.

[xchrom]

151. recommend

[jtuck004]

155. Kick and Recommend! eom

[DirkGently]

165. "Make me do it" would be a welcome change from "Stop taking drugs, you hippie professional leftists.

[slay]

166. I was behind Obama 90% at the election - didn't like his war talk about Afghanistan

and i've liked him less and less for the same reasons mentioned in the first paragraph of the OP. I really tried to wait it out - see some positive actions. but instead we've got the opposite. more medical marijuana raids, more war, no real attempt at job creation, and i swear Obama accepts so many republican positions from the 80's it's fucked up. it's like bill mahar said - the Dems have become Repubs and the Repubs have become crazy. or something to that effect.

[Lionessa]

206. If I were eloquent, I'd say exactly what you said.

[slay]

208. Awww thanks

And welcome to DU! :hi:

[Lionessa]

209. Your welcome, and thank you.

[emilyg]

167. knr

[Enthusiast]

168. K&R

Harry Belafonte has my full support.

[mfcorey1]

179. The problem is that the old guard has a tight grip on the interest of African Americans and has

failed to train the younger ones on what needs to be done. Barack Obama came onto the scene without their permission and a lot of them have not and will not get over it.

[EFerrari]

180. The "old guard" has never stopped training young people, who still today

can attend "Freedom Summers" to be trained in how to promote literacy.

[mfcorey1]

181. When and where? nt

[EFerrari]

183. When I search, they seem to be in several different locations.

I just happened to catch a BookTv segment on the Freedom Riders and an audience member got up and described the summer program she attended to learn how to go home and promote literacy. I think it's probably organized out of the CDF:

http://spacc.nonprofitoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={6CD82405-677C-4380-A964-DA6681AA208E}

[Zen Democrat]

182. "Make me do it" started with FDR. It's nothing new. n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

185. Apparently "make me do it"

worked with FDR. He got a whole lot accomplished -- much of which is in danger of being "unaccomplished" now.

[bvar22]

193. Day-O....DAYMN!

K&R for Harry Bellafonte
Keeping it REAL!
:patriot:

[Corruption Winz]

196. I applaud both Harry and West for not changing their tunes..

They've always seemed to have a belief that they stick to regardless of which president is at the helm. Good for them.

[Lionessa]

199. Long time reader (2008) first time poster, this hitting greatest gave me

reason to finally sign up. I agree with Bellefonte, but thought such comments were not really allowed here. I'll try to mind my manners, but Obama has certainly been a disappointment to those of us late aged persons unemployed with little or no hope of recovery anymore. I was so hopeful in 2008-9, but not anymore. Homelessness after 35 years of AAA credit, home, and employment (which ended 2.5 years ago) has really soured my outlook about him.

As I've read here, I'd like to see Bernie Sanders run with Elizabeth Warren as his VP or visa versa, but alas doesn't look likely that anyone on the side of struggling elderly, or struggling families will be running.

[Lars39]

201. Welcome to DU, Lionessa!

:toast: :hug: :toast:

[Lionessa]

205. Thank you

Democratic Underground has been a good source of current news links, political and otherwise for me. When I first found it, I did some other searches about it and found somethings about purges and whatnot and it scared me off from registering or posting. I expect I won't comment too often for fear that my tactless, straightforward ways won't be appreciated.

[Lars39]

210. It won't take long to get used to things...

Here's the rules: http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html

The link at the top of that page is helpful, too. :)

:hi:

[Lionessa]

213. Yep, I read the rules again before leaping. We'll see if I can

manage my "mouth" when I type. I'm not convinced I can. Seems many disappear and yet I couldn't ever figure out why, some are obvious, but some... I don't get.

[Lars39]

216. Some tombstonings are "last straw" kinda things.

Management just gets fed up with the poster's anti-social behavior. You'll do fine. :)

[FiveGoodMen]

202. Welcome!

And I agree with all that you said.

Hope all goes well finding new living quarters!

:hug:

[MasonJar]

204. Why should any president be forced to do what is right for the people?

[Moondog]

207. Harry Belafonte has been Out There

doing what used to be called "Civil Rights" longer than Obama has been alive.

Barack owes Harry a very large, and public, apology.

I won't hold my breath waiting, and neither should Harry.

[WillyT]

212. K & Too Late To R !!!

Damn

:kick:

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

214. Wait a minute: wasn't it the Republicans and some blue dog Democrats who blocked the DREAM Act?

How is that Obama's fault?

Wasn't it the Republicans in the Senate who blocked every jobs bill, small business bill, and yes, the black farmer's bill in the Senate? How is that Obama's fault.

Sorry, Harry. You suffer from Obama Derangement Syndrome. What you are arguing makes absolutely NO sense!!!

[bvar22]

217. Well, thats what the Party Leadership would like you to believe.

In reality, it was not "ALL Joe Lieberman's fault". :cry:

Joe Lieberman just took one for Team DLC since he had nothing to lose,
but it made for great Kabuki Theater providing a plausible excuse for those who don't look any deeper.

Can you imagine what LBJ would have done to Joe Lieberman?
:rofl:

"Strong and successful presidents (meaning those who get what they want - whether that happens to be good for the country or not) do not accept "the best deal on the table". They take out their carpentry tools and the build the goddam piece of furniture themselves. Strong and successful presidents do not get dictated to by the political environment. They reshape the environment into one that is conducive to their political aspirations."

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/07/17

"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

220. Why would you compare LBJ's situation with Obama's? To do so is idiotic!

You and I both know that LBJ had the privilege of having MORE *liberal* Democrats, even liberal to moderate Republicans to create winning coalitions. Obama does not have that and is not confronted with the same political realies or in a similar political environment. I wish people would stop this. It is naive to make comparisons between LBJ and FDR to what Obama faces now, though I do agree that at least in the Senate, the leadership has been inept.

[bvar22]

221. And to blindly insist that comparisons are "foolish" is the work of a sophist.

These two Presidents can and should be compared on many points,
only one of which is how many votes each had in Congress.
I WISH Obama would compare/contrast himself more often to FDR/LBJ/Truman (and Harry Belafonte too) instead of Ronald Reagan.


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want a party that will STAND UP for Working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone


"By their works you will know them."

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

223. On the second point I agree. Leave the Reaganism out of this.

However, to act as if institutional arrangements and political environments don't have an impact on public policy outcomes is absolutely ridiculous!

How do we change the American voter mindset that is hellbent on persecuting liberals and the liberal agenda? Show me how we move the ball from a center-right to a center-left country, and you've got me. But to act as if this country is a bastion of liberalism and that everyone agrees with the philosophies that we agree with and that Bernie Sanders, Paul Wellstone, and Russ Feingold also believe in, is absolutely insane. Americans hate liberals because they've been told to hate liberals.

We change that mindset by working at the grassroots level to elect more progressives to office.

[bvar22]

229. I never stated, implied, or "acted as if "

"to act as if institutional arrangements and political environments don't have an impact on public policy outcomes is absolutely ridiculous!"

That is pure "Strawman".

[Go2Peace]

230. "How do we change the American voter mindset that is hellbent on persecuting liberals"

You hit right on one of the MAJOR failures or our current leadership and those who support the idea that staying "in the middle" will lead the way to a time when we can return to better values.

The reason that common sense and progressive values and proponents are getting beaten up is *directly* related to leadership not using the places of power to loudly proclaim what is right. People follow, and the current administration has allowed Republican values to continue to dominate the landscape, even when we had majorites.

Democrats are just lucky that the Republicans allowed the crazies free reign. If it wasn't for that they would be totally in the dumps by the time the next election comes.

[EFerrari]

232. It's worse than that. The White House has actively distanced itself

from liberal positions from Day 1. Unnecessary and counter productive.

After doing that, they then can't turn around and claim it's beyond their control if America doesn't like liberals.

[readmoreoften]

219. A late K&R

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

224. Joan Walsh wrote beautifully the sentiments that I agree with...

Since I can't seem to make myself any clearer, I thought I'd post this absolutely-brilliant excerpt from her piece on the Obama-West controversy:

The larger subtext here is a boiling progressive debate about whether, how and how much to criticize the president, and unfortunately, some of it is racial. I'm on record saying that despite my disappointments on the economic and civil liberties front, I support Obama's reelection: He's as progressive a leader as we're able to elect right now, and if you have issues with him -- as I do -- it's time to work to elect strong Democrats at the state and local level. I'm pro-Obama -- and also pro-reasonable organizing efforts to push him left. I also believe that there's a cruel racial component to the right's revolt against Obama, and in that context particularly, I understand that many African-Americans are understandably protective of our besieged president, and bothered by what they see as carping from the unrealistic left.

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/barack_obama/?story=/opinion/walsh/2011/05/19/cornel_west

She nails it!!

[tabasco]

225. Harry Belafonte kicks ass!! n/t