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Just because I disagree with the conventional black political thinking does not make me a sellout.
Black folks shouldn’t have their “black card” revoked just because they don’t share the opinions or conventional political views of the black community.
There is a troubling trend emerging in the black community relative to our freedom of speech and the right to dissent. I have been attacked and vilified, marginalized by some because I call for lower taxes and less government spending, and God forbid I try to talk about a strong national defense or disagree with President Obama’s handling of any particular issues. The smears come in a flood.
Just look on my recent Fox piece published on The Root or any other nasty vitriol coming, mostly, from black folks.
To be attacked or shunned for disagreeing (on occasion) with the black president, whom I voted for, campaigned for in Virginia (despite being a lifelong Republican) offends me deeply. I am proud of the Obamas, what they represent and what they’ve accomplished and no disagreement on policy will ever change that for me. And to have those policy disagreements escalate into racial name-calling is utterly ridiculous and a huge step backward.
While it is nothing new for black people to question each other’s loyalty to some idea of racial fealty, it seems to me to be more commonplace that we have come to see each other as “not black enough” or as “sellouts,” “Toms,” “House Negroes,” just because we disagree. And if those disagreements involve President Obama or his policies—then the scorn only intensifies. Then we become “Negroes gone rogue.” Some of us have come under attack for deviating, however slightly, from the Obama view of the world. Tavis Smiley, Bill Cosby, Michael Eric Dyson, Julianne Malveaux, Cornel West, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. (well he did go a bit too far with the “cut his nuts off” comment last year).
The argument over how black folks with differing political viewpoints ought to deal with each other stretches back to the beginning of the last century with the “conservative” Booker T. Washington and has continued through Clarence Thomas, both of whom were derided for being sellouts and Uncle Toms.
It continues today when former District of Columbia Councilman Kevin Chavous runs TV ads saying he supports President Obama, but disagrees with his position on D.C. school vouchers, which were helping 1,500 poor kids get a quality education. It continues when Fox News commentator Juan Williams, who wrote the award-winning, Eyes on the Prize as well as the biography of Thurgood Marshall, is told on national TV by radio personality Warren Ballentine to “get back on the porch” because Williams was discussing the NFL. And then there was the Rush Limbaugh controversy where Williams said he thought Rush should have the right to own a football team, despite his conservative and sometimes incendiary comments.
In the final analysis, it is because of those who dissented from the status quo that black people have advanced as much as we have since we arrived here as slaves in the 1600s. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X had differing perspectives on how to move our community forward—nonviolent disobedience versus armed uprising—but both men wanted to see justice done.
My point is this: We need to stop the name-calling and put-downs. We need to listen to each other instead of tearing each other down. We can disagree without vilifying or attacking people.
We need to return to an age of civility and respect, and we need to encourage the voices of dissent among us. We can’t keep tearing them down.
Sophia A. Nelson is a regular contributor to The Root.
Comments
It strikes me as odd that you would posit having voted for Obama and then turn round to "disagree" with him. The guy is doing everything he said he would do if and when elected. Where were you during the two-year long campaign?
What I also find intriguing and ironical is that you are quick to assert your right to dissent even as you wonder why others find your stance disagreeable.
For your information, name-calling in this country, when people disagree with one, is not a black thing and I am surprised and disappointed that you try to make it one. For proof, allow me to refer you to the circuses of this past summer that passed for Town Hall meetings; where everybody who disagreed with anybody was called one name or another. And you know what?..there were hardly any Black People in any of those gatherings.
If you have Uncle Tom Complex, don't take it out on Black People. Only you and your conscience know why you believe what you believe. You are not the first Republican nor are you the most prominent. No one amongst you can be more Republican than Colin Powell, yet, even he believes Government should play a role in the betterment of the lot of its people.
Political parties change. Out with the old, in with the new. In a republic such as the U.S. experiment, political party views change. Repubs after all used to be the party of the liberals. Long time ago of course.
Call Sophia a sell out all you want, but without a black voice(s) in the Repub party, I hate to say it, but then the AA community really only have a 1 political party system. It takes both wings for the eagle to fly straight. A One party system leaves the door way to open for coruption.
Who's watching the top dogs if they're all on the same team?
Thus my theory of the current state of Washington.........I believe they are all on the same team.......and they are up to bat for the everything but the people.
And the rich and elite are......................................Still laughin at ya!
With all DUE RESPECT to you as an individual. You have a right to affiliate with whomever you would like. You also have a right to free speech to express yourself as you like.
BUT
Don't expect for a minute that African Americans are going to take you seriously. Its not only the viewpoints that African Americans disagree with, more importantly, it's generally the people that Black Conservatives associate with - that causes problems.
IN GENERAL, Black Conservatives associate with White Conservatives who are racist and hate filled toward anyone but their own type and other "darkies" who flatter them.
Do you really believe that African Americans are going to join a Republican Party that is comprised of former Segregationalists and supporters of policies hostile to the African American community?
You wouldn't ask a Jewish person to consider the Nazi Party --- Don't ask African Americans to seriously consider a Party that has been openly hostile to them for the past 45 years.
Hey thanks for the suggestions, I'd like to clarify, keep it simple, I was speaking on the core values that have manifested thoughout the years. All ( ) programs that help provide for the people were fought hand and tooth by these operatives as they are called. In this game- one side represents business and the other people - the people have been hoodwinked time and time again by getting caught on the emotional plane. Only to suffer hardships put in play by the people they put in office. The blank faces of the small investors who lost it all, the grim look of layed off people as they try to westle with the truth that they voted them in. there have been major moves to cement their position: the dismantling of the unions, tax breaks to companies that would go oversees, etc etc etc.
All these things have proved to be good for Corp, not so good for the people.
Holla Back
CBG
Seems the GOP gets the C team out in force. The funniest I have seen is ragingelephants.org. The brotha down in Houston who is trying to get more Black people into the GOP. He had a seminar on that topic and got 40 people to come out, and get this THEY WERE ALL WHITE. These guys are a joke. I was just wondering what you expect when you attack Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and defend Rush what do you think is gonna happen? Check it out guys, funny.
While I appreciate the nominations and shout-outs, I have a hard time believing that it's tough getting anyone with progressive sensibilities to take one of these blowhards to task on the issues. That's the easy part. The HARD part is getting one of them to actually engage, stay on the issues, not revert to worn out old "tactics", and not run away or throwing up the old "agree to disagree" white flag of surrender.
THAT'S the hard part. Anyone seen Sophia around lately? Yeah, me neither! And something tells me when she DOES show her font again, it won't be to answer any of those pointed questions she's been tap-dancing & soft-shoeing around up until now.
I guess you never met a demecrat that was greedy......just sayin ((;
I've voted dem for the last few years.... and I've met many nasty mean spirited dems......and at the same time, i've met some very nice repubs.
Its so easy to generalize though......isn't it?
a pesant is a pesant.........dem or repub. The elite don't care bout a pesant. Watch the pesants fight over peanuts and hate on each other over color and creed.......laughin at ya!
I don't know bout you, but I'm just a squirl lookin for a nut!! good luck!! It aint my world, I'm just runnin round in it.
I'd like to thank BaddaDanu for the shoutout, "thanks", the lady totally missed the point.
History has exposed this PARTY for what they are.
CBG
We 2nd Sasha5100 in their "can we get a debate on issues?" post...
Let'z get it on...Let' Get It On...LET'Z GET IT ON.
Our money'z on BaddaDanU 2 KICK some rethuglikkkan @ss!
HTTP://theblackwhole.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/rebel-ghetto-messiah/
= )
--TBW
Methinks the base of the GOP is not only the wealthy, because they will do alright regardless of who's in power, but white males who are threatened by the demographic changes. I'm getting sick of the "war on Christmas", and other nonsense Republicans trot out year after year. Gee, I just can't wait for Limbaugh's latest racist rant, O'Reilly's imaginary assult on "Judeo/Christian" values and Newt's idea of an American Taliban. Fact is if we just ignore their racism the GOP's ideas are downright scary. They want to "Christianize" the country, take away a woman's control over her body and declare war on the environment. Sorry Sophie, I can't go there. How can any thinking person join a party controlled by Limbaugh, Palin and Bachmann? Please don't insult our intelligence by even suggesting we join the GOP.