Jackson Incident Revives Some Blacks' Concerns About Obama

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: Jackson Incident Revives Some Blacks' Concerns About Obama
By Perry Bacon Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 11, 2008; Page A04

....(Jesse Jackson) told CNN that while he agrees with Obama's arguments that blacks must do more to improve their lot, "the moral message must be a much broader message. What we need really is racial justice and urban policy and jobs and health care."

Michael Eric Dyson, a vocal Obama backer and a sociology professor at Georgetown University, said he worries that the candidate's speeches criticizing the behavior of African Americans will distract attention from larger societal issues. "I'm quibbling with the use of his speeches," he said yesterday. Writing in Time magazine last month, Dyson likened Obama's critiques of the black community to that of comedian Chris Rock, but noted: "Rock's humor is so effective because he is just as hard on whites as on blacks. That's a part of the routine Obama has not yet adopted."

Ronald Walters, who teaches at the University of Maryland, worked on Jackson's presidential campaigns in the 1980s. He criticized a speech Obama gave last month chastising black fathers who were "acting like boys instead of men," and adding that "we need them to realize that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child -- it's the courage to raise one." Walters said that "we're not electing him to be preacher in chief," and that Obama needs to give more speeches about how he would help black communities.

Eric Easter, a blogger on the joint Web site of Jet and Ebony, two black-oriented magazines, wrote yesterday that some of Obama's rhetoric "smacked of calculated political expediency" in an effort to win over white voters....

But Al Sharpton, a New York civil rights activist, said Obama has been giving the right message, especially in his Father's Day speech. "It was a courageous, necessary statement," Sharpton said. "I think people misunderstand. I disagree that he's talking down to black people. The civil rights movement of the 21st century must be government accountability and personal responsibility."

Aides to Obama defended his remarks, with spokesman Bill Burton noting that the candidate "has spoken and written for many years about the issue of parental responsibility."...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/10/AR2008071002812.html

[babylonsister]

1. BALONEY! As Maddow said, now Bill O'Lielly is setting the talking

points agenda? And for supposed major news outlets? This is b.s.!!!!

[Buzz Clik]

11. Agreed. If anything, it points out the irrelevancy of Jackson.

[CakeGrrl]

2. As a black woman I have no problem with Obama's stance

No one group is blameless.

You can argue the degree to which prejudice and profiling play a part. Make no mistake, this nation has a deep history of that.

However, deadbeat dads and absentee fathers cross ALL demographics. There's nothing wrong with asking people to take individual responsibility.

While people can argue back and forth about how much societal reparation is in order, people can take responsibility for the type of parent they are - and whether they should even BECOME parents.

That said, it wouldn't surprise me if the MSM jumped on this as another opportunity to drive a wedge between Obama and a major voting bloc.

[skooooo]

3. Good thing we have the Washington Post so we know what Black folks are thinking!!!

:rofl:

[DeepModem Mom]

5. The writer of the piece, Perry Bacon, is a black man. nt

[skooooo]

6. So? Washington Post is a filthy conservative rag.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Just noting that fact -- nothing more. nt

[babylonsister]

12. It's not just the WaPo; it's every news outlet that made this an issue

when there really wasn't one. They're salivating at the thought of an 'issue', so they are creating one where there wasn't any. That's what they do.
I'm just annoyed that Faux has commandeered this parade.

[Captain Hilts]

13. They've actually got some good writers addressing issues of concern to the black community. nt

[scheming daemons]

4. Blacks will vote 9-to-1 (or better) for Obama.... any "concern" they have

will not cause them to vote for McCain.


Should he take them for granted? No..... but distancing from Jesse Jackson will not hurt Obama in the least.... It will be immensely helpful.

[DeepModem Mom]

8. Yes, they will. nt

[Connie_Corleone]

9. Did Perry talk to regular black people or just the activists and media pundits?

Didn't think so.

[BluegrassDem]

10. Obama's been talking about these issues for years

It's not something he just started doing after running for president. That's what all these people seem to leave out.

[Captain Hilts]

14. The media just loves Sharpton, doesn't it? nt