Imperious Entertainment

When Senator Barack Hussein Obama announced that he’d be running for president at the beginning of this year, media pundits all over the country began licking their chops. For the first time, they would have an opportunity to smear a legitimate black candidate for president. And they’ve done more than their share of mud slinging. However, the first blow surprisingly came in the form of faint praise from presidential hopeful Senator Joe Biden.

Biden described the Senator from Illinois as “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.”

Asked about Biden’s comments, Obama said in an interview, “I didn’t take it personally and I don’t think he intended to offend.” Obama added, “But the way he constructed the statement was probably a little unfortunate.”

I thought Obama played it a little too safe with this response, but he later redeemed himself (slightly) by responding, “I didn't take Senator Biden's comments personally, but obviously they were historically inaccurate. African-American presidential candidates like Jesse Jackson, Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton gave a voice to many important issues through their campaigns, and no one would call them inarticulate.”

At that moment, I realized the value of a candidate like the Rev. Al Sharpton. Al Sharpton? Yep, Reverend Al “Press N’ Perm” Sharpton. (I couldn’t believe I missed Big Al either!)

Like many candidates who run for the nation’s highest office, Sharpton knew from day one that he didn’t have a realistic shot at the presidency. However, he used his infamy to his advantage. Sharpton waddled up on his soap box and maximized every second of his fifteen minutes in the sun.

Sharpton shined the scathing light of truth into some of this country’s darkest closets where racial inequities in housing, education, and the criminal justice system fester at a sickening pace.

I liken Sharpton to a sixteenth seed in the March Madness tournament. He had nothing to lose and was determined to fight to the finish (he actually made great points if you stopped long enough to listen). Because nobody expected him to win he was free to go down swinging, jacking up more ill-advised shots than he’d attempted in his long controversial career.

When Biden made his comments, I rejoiced because I just knew Obama was going to rip into the hypocrisy of this great democracy and explain how when whites use the word in reference to blacks, it often carries a subtext of surprise, even bewilderment. This was his chance.

He was going to denounce the high praise for the casual prejudice that it really was. Obama was going to inform the entire nation that people who use the word as a compliment are really saying that someone is articulate for a black person. Such a subtext is inherently offensive because it suggests that the recipient of the “compliment” is significantly different from other black people (mass media is largely responsible for this stereotype). This was his chance.

He was going to share the pain that he felt when, as a black college student at an Ivy League school, his eloquence was received with shock as if most black people did not have the capacity to engage in articulate speech, while white people were automatically assumed to be articulate. This was his chance.

Like him or not, Sharpton would have had no qualms about flinging the ball in the direction of the basket (i.e., Joe Biden’s prejudiced ass). Obama simply fumbled the pass out of bounds. Turnover.

So I wasn’t surprised when Obama uninvited his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., from speaking at his presidential announcement in February after the media started painting the head of Obama's church as having a “black-separatist point of view." Turnover.

And I wasn’t surprised when Barack turned the other cheek when right-wing pundit Ann Coulter recently insinuated that the Senator is a terrorist. On the June 25 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, discussing Obama's June 23 speech at a church in Hartford, Connecticut, co-host Alan Colmes asked Ann Coulter if "[o]nly Republicans can talk in churches. Coulter replied: "No, but I do think anyone named B. Hussein Obama should avoid using 'hijack' and 'religion' in the same sentence." Turnover.

About two weeks ago, an attorney at work referred to me using the “A-word” during my mid-summer evaluation. This way my chance. I became incensed and let him have it. I explained the history of the “compliment” and told him that I’d appreciate it he didn’t refer to me as articulate in the future. Well, at least that’s the scene that played in my head.

In reality, I sat there and smiled. I’d choked. “I didn’t take it personally and I don’t think he intended to offend.” Turnover.

At that moment, I kind of empathized with Obama. I was only trying to secure a job at a law firm and couldn’t summon the courage to speak up. Obama, on the other hand, is on a quest to become the leader of the free world. He has obviously been well-coached to pick his battles.

Did he (we) do the right thing by grinning and bearing after being “complimented”? Who knows? Maybe we’ll see a radical change in Obama’s rhetoric as he begins to realize the “land of the free” and “home of the brave” is still DECADES aware from electing a black president. I doubt he’ll fire back because he’s already planning his campaign for 2016 (after another eight years of the Clintons occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.)

One thing’s for sure. I miss Sharpton.

Comments (5)

...
written by She Said , July 11, 2007

#1 I liked this line "Sharpton shined the scathing light of truth into some of this country’s darkest closets where racial inequities in housing, education, and the criminal justice system fester at a sickening pace."... i just don't think to make those kinds of little comparisons.

#2 picking your battles to claim the larger victory is so necessary... I appreciate the personal parallel, a lot of folk don't want to be honest with themselves when pointing fingers at Barack.

#3 So you're not ready for him to win?

...
written by zamaih , July 11, 2007

Brilliant! I love the way this was written. All of us face the challenge of picking when to speak up or letting them "pass" when complimented for being the "acceptable negro." Its much easier when you have a comfortable relationship with the person to explain that some things are just not cool to say. I do empathize with Obama, everything he says and does is being scrutinized. He's playing the role as all politicians do and I don't fault him for it if his intentions are good. Let Sharpton be the one to "keep it real" during a presidential campaign.

...
written by Sibo , July 11, 2007

Loved everything about this Drew. And it's crazy, because as disgusted as I was by obama's "turnover," I was on the edge of my seat as you described the scene of you letting the attorney "have it," thinking to myself, "what?! he did?? omg, what happened? does he still work there? is he ostracized now? maybe that wasn't such a good idea!" Then realizing that you didn't, I couldn't even be mad, because I doubt I would have been able to do the same. First half of the summer, I worked at a firm, and I couldn't help but to think everytime I was getting complimented for my work, the attorneys were really thinking, "this is great work....for a black person!" And to me, that's not a compliment. *sigh* It's a super tough position, because you don't want to be the angry black person whose credibility is shot as soon as they show some emotion, but at the same time, I am sooo sick and tired of tip-toeing around to please and to not piss others off...while meantime, I'm pissed off and FRUSTRATED the whole time inside. Some days I feel defeated, and other days I feel things can change. Either way, I appreciate this article. You articulate things so well!! (LOL :)

...
written by The Talented 10th AKA The Imperious Jewel , July 11, 2007

Well written D Stewart. Although I would have to say thought that a certain level of tact is required to be successful in a world ruled by people not like you or I. Im sure even in your decision to "choke" in the elevator required you to realize that there are more important things to speak up on and the skill required in choosing your battles. Im sure Obama trusted people were smart enough to discern BS when they see it. I mean do you think its more important for him to speak up every time something happens and further marginalize non black support he has and potentially lose the race, or get into office, have the W and then start setting the pace and making the public statements necessary to effect change?

...
written by T Pickens , July 25, 2007

I wonder about your definition of the word tact. I'm not sure he choked: I think that he found a tactful and, ahem, articulate way of demonstrating why Biden's remarks were both inarticulate and stupid. He also - albeit vaguely - demonstrated that the ill-advised, unintentional remark can also be just as ignorant and virulent. I mean, i didn't take a genius to ask Obama how he felt about the comment. White people knew it was offensive.

It may only be a baby step but I'm sure it will resonate like the 'one voice' commercial series.

---