From the RCP blog comes this article on the inroads that the Republican party has made with African-Americans.
It is no secret to those of the enlightened population (be they black or white) that the Reverend Jesse Jackson's whole function in the world is to stir up class warfare, by exploiting race as an issue. No black poverty, no need for Mr. Jackson. Never was this more evident as it was, in the aftermath of Katrina. Any chance to turn something into a racial thing, will be capitalized on, swiftly and surely, with out so much as an ounce of thought, as to how hypocritical it may sound.
Bryant Gumbel, on the other hand doesn't need poor blacks to justify his existence, he just needs enough ignorant people to believe his bigoted views, in order to remain relevant in his own eyes. By now, most know of his bigoted remarks made on his pathetic sports show about the Winter Olympics. Keep in mind that this is a show that is neither interesting, nor informative. But it has plenty of bias, which has been Mr. Gumbel's specialty, since he was lead anchor of the Today Show.
Since that time, he has made himself some self-appointed champion to right wrongs that have somehow (in his mind) befallen blacks, in this country and at the hands of white people. His ratings stunk on the Today Show, so they canned him. Then, he got his own show on CBS that was tailor made for him. He got much artistic control, but still he could not sway people into buying the snake oil, he was selling. They canned him, too. Now he is back where he started, in sports. But not to worry, Bryant still finds a way to alienate viewers in his usual bitter and bigoted way.
I remember one incident many years ago, with Gumbel. Ralph Fiennes, a talented British actor, played an evil Nazi concentration camp officer, in Schindler's List. Gumbel got him on the Today Show as an interview. He, then, tried to blind side him by trying a line of questioning designed to take the angle that somehow Ralph did such a good job in that role, because he himself, had those Nazi sentiments.
But these are the kinds of things that are beginning to open up some eyes, within the African-American community. The soft bigotry of low expectations that is promoted by the Jacksons and the Gumbels of the world, is being noticed by more and more people. And they are beginning to reject that message more and more, as times passes. Many have come to expect more from and for, themselves. They have discovered that they, themselves, hold the keys to their successes or failures.
Try telling Robert Johnson, founder of BET television network and all-around filthy rich billionaire that he cannot make it in America, because he is black. Then watch him laugh you right out of the room. Do that and you'll receive a brisk escorting out of his office, because he has way too much work to do, and he will not be inclined to allow you to waste any more of his valuable and precious time. You see, Mr. Johnson just this week, picked up some more assets along the way with the purchase of some hotels, in the Indianapolis area.
The more blacks that can own their own business, own their own homes, and get a quality education by hard work, the less he will be needed to drive wedges between the races. The more blacks that realize this potential, the more they will be disinclined to buy into the sales pitches of the Reverend, and his brother in arms Gumbel.
The Democrats that have long had a lock on the black vote are now beginning to watch their support erode, more and more, each time a prominent Democrat opens his/her mouth. Robert Johnson, Oprah, or anyone else on this list, did not need the Democratic party to achieve their wealth or success. They may vote Democratic, I don't really know. But they didn't need them. And, they did not need government to attain their status either. All they needed was an idea, a dream, a work ethic, and some courage to take risks. The rest is history.
3 comments:
//You can't just take a success story like Robert Johnson's or Oprah Winfrey's and infer that anybody else can do it too. Blacks have simply more odds to overcome than whites.//
I didn't mean to infer that anyone can be as successful as those two. I know many whites that could never and will never reach that level. But that doesn't mean that they can't make it without more government help either.
That's the point I was trying to make.
It is true that many inner city blacks are at a disadvantage. It is true that some may have to work harder, to overcome more. But that doesn't mean that it cannot be done. Being black is NOT an excuse. Mnay whites have to overcome a lot, as well.
Where I live there are a lot of African-Americans that are middle class. They do not depend on government. They work hard, they own things, and they reap the rewards. That, to me, is successful.
Many of them started out in the inner city and worked their way out of it. They did not succumb to this victim mentality. They didn't say, Iwent to a crummy inner-city school therefore, I can't make it. They said, I have to find a way out of here and I am going to work my ass off, so I can. And then they did it.
Is there bigotry in the U.S.? You bet there is. And it occurs on both sides. Is it right? No, not at all. But, you have to play the hand that you are dealt. You have to set your sights on an attainable goal and work to attain it. Sadly enough, there will always be bigotry for many to overcome.
You aren't going to change it, I am not going to change it, and government isn't going to change it either. The only thing that will change it, is each individual looking within themselves and mustering up enough courage to beat whatever seemingly insurmoutable odds they must face, and do it for themselves.
So you make some good points, but I am still not able to see that using the excuse of being black,as a valid excuse for failure. And when people like Jesse Jackson and Bryant Gumbel stop telling people that kind of garbage, the faster people will get out of the victim mentality and begin to take the reins themselves. And when they do, they may be pleasantly surprised at what they can do without someone telling them they can't.
//I agree with you that it's obvious that using being black "as an excuse for failure" is not going to help anyone. I think most blacks realize that. But they're also grateful to people like Jesse Jackson which they rightfully (IMO) perceive as helping them get ahead in society.//
Just how has Jesse Jackson helped blacks get ahead? Most of the causes he takes up these days are nothing more than a chance to get in front of the camera. If I had to wager a bet, only 10-15% of the cases he has been involved with, have neen justified. But in my estimation, the vast majority of the time, he seems to make a cause for rascism/discrimination when there is none.
When Martin Luther King started his movement, there were widespread cases of racism and discrimination throughout the country. But today, those cases are more isolated. As I said, there are certainly cases. But the number of them is nowhere near what Jesse and the left, would have us all believe. Nowhere near the level they were when MLK was alive. A lot of progress has been made.
The way I see it is, many of these so called civil rights leaders today, keep the flames fanned and continuously keep the wedge driven between the races. They are divisive, only for the purpose of justifying their existence.
I give you at least one: he very actively encourages them to vote.
In 2005, he has also helped the UK's blacks in "Operation Black Vote."
I see ads on just about every TV station in America encouraging people to vote. MTV has their "Rock The Vote" campaign. Everybody does it. Why should that, alone, impress me?
he was chosen by blacks as their "most important leader" by 15% of them.
That means he WASN'T chosen by 85% of them.
I am not black and I don't think I am qualified enough to judge who blacks should pick as their leaders.
How is criticizing them when I feel they are wrong, picking their leaders for them?
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