Shelby Steele happens to be one of the few black conservatives that I admire or even take the time to listen to. I think his book,
"The Content Of Our Character" , is an American classic. And when some of my people slammed him in
the past, I defended him. Having said that, I can't help but be amused at his latest musings about
Barack Obama.
Steele, who is anti affirmative action, actually argues that Obama will never win the democratic nomination for president; because, as he puts it, Obama is caught between pleasing black folks and whitey. Steele argues that "Obama has adopted a mask to appease white A-merry-ca's fear of being thought of as racist by offering them the opportunity to embrace a non threatening black". OK no news there. The field and like minded people have been saying this all along. It's just that it seems kind of strange coming from a black conservative. A man who argues that everything in A-merry-ca should be based on a color blind construct. Whatever happened to being judged by the content of ones character and not the color of ones skin? Isn't Mr. Steele now arguing that Obama's race is in fact an issue with most A-merry-cans? And shouldn't Steele take Obama for who he says he is, and not try to create some type of racial ulterior motive to Obama's persona?
“He needs a self. There’s no self there. I think it comes from a lifetime of being bound up and playing one side, and another side, and never feeling that he had the right to be his own man,” ... “This is the tragedy, certainly, of the black intellectual class in America. They don’t think they have the right to be individuals, so they’re all just predictable, victim-focused, old line. It’s a generation that’s failed to really take us further. Obama is a part of that. There’s nobody there.”
Shelby, I hate to break it to you, but you could be easily talking about yourself. The only difference is, instead of being "victim focused", you and others of your ilk seem to focus on blaming the victim and finding ways to make yourselves palpable to those in the majority. Which, ironically, is the exact same thing you are accusing Obama of doing.
Steele also argues that blacks in America typically wear one of two “masks”: He goes on to say that they are either challengers or bargainers. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are challengers: Such blacks assume whites are racist until they prove otherwise. Bargainers, on the other hand, make a deal with whites by not rubbing their faces in a history of racism — think of Louis Armstrong or Oprah" he says. What is this Shelby, a new twist on the old house Negro field Negro dichotomy among us black folks? If this is the case, you might want to add Shelby Steele and all your conservative brothers and sisters to the list of "Bargainers", or should I say house Negroes? I mean honestly, what's the difference? You call Obama a bargainer? Pot, meet kettle.
I heard George Will on one of these Sunday talk shows declare; if Obama wins the presidency it will put Sharpton and Jessie out of business. In your dreams Mr. Will. Electing a black man to be president won't change the heart of the millions of bigots in this country. In fact, it will only serve to harden it. And Reverend Inc. will probably be busier than ever. Civil rights is not a business Mr. Will, and Barak isn't some CEO you can put in charge to do away with the problems that make our civil rights hard to come by.
But on one point I will agree with Steele. Obama will never win by trying to appeal to the conscience of the well meaning white folks among us, or to the white A-merry-cans fear of being thought of as racist. Besides, if he does win, and white A-merry-cans can use his victory to excuse racism, what would be the point? We would still be the same fucked up country we were before he got elected. The only difference is that our country would be led by one of us. Or, well, a half one of us.
*****Hat tip to my man over at African American Political Pundit for turning me on to this story.
The sunday morning talk show was 'this week' with stephanopolous( woozie might check on the spelling there the origin is I believe Greek).
ReplyDeleteIn a way I think George Will is right. I believe what he meant is that the black community will have a different kind of leader and not that problems in the black community will disappear.
On another note I really get amused when stephanoupolous talks about HRC. I can't help wondering what Steph..he is thinking. He always looks very uncomfortable.
I still don't understand why blacks are having a hard time getting behind Obama.I have trouble understanding what blacks want him to say or do.
So this peckerhead Shelby Steele says if you're white (I am) and support Barack Obama (I do) that this somehow helps whites assuage their racism?
ReplyDeleteAw, how do you spell: B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T?
What does Obama have to do to make the black community think he's legit? Maybe use a Jay-Z song as a campaign jingle and kill a white person?
Consider:
Obama turned down lucrative corporate job offers out of law school, instead choosing to work in the Chicago community where he led people of diverse backgrounds to recognize their similarities and not focus on their differences. The clown George Bush by contrast said he was a "uniter, not a divider." Obama doesn't need to utter such meaningless bon mots: he talks the talk and walks the walk.
When he was an Illinois state senator, he looked after the interests of all people and not just the rich, the poor, blacks, or whites. He's continued on down this road as a U.S. senator. He has been an unapologetic supporter of LGBT people and our rights since he entered the political world.
Obama was a Constitutional law professor and a civil rights lawyer. He will never support legislation that tries to shred this nation's governing document and act as if the Bill of Rights is a obstacle to corporate America and Big Brother stepping on our backs.
Obama introduced the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act to enable investigations into deceptive practices that undermine the Voting Rights Act. It establishes harsh penalties for election officials who have engaged in fraud and it provides voters who have been misinformed with accurate and full information so they can vote.
Personally, I am weary to my bones of the Bush and Clinton families treating the presidency as if it's their family business. It's not. The U.S. is a big country with many different ethnicities. It's long since time to take down the "Whites Only" sign on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
thanks for this, field. shelby steele is as much a part of reverend inc. as any of these other guys. HIS place on the table is determined by how much noise he can make about race. period. for his kids to eat, he HAS to talk about race, in a way that protects the current structure. steele was fun for me when i was in college, someone i could talk about and use to defend any arguments i had. unfirtunately, i am not standing on the quad, having ramen for dinner and wondering whether i'm gonna play frisbee golf tonight or get fucked up off cheap vodka. we're all growns up now, mr. steele, all growns up. i think we should look at how credible obama is as a candidate first, as oppposed to whatever 'agenda' steele sees in his game. of course race is going to be a part of the dialog, but for steele, this is THE only part of the dialog. to paraprase tribe called quest, 'please nigga, [we] worked too hard for this.'
ReplyDeleteGreat post Field. Coopted people always baffle me. You've added some more definition to the equation for me. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteNow about the last comment. . . . was that necessary?
Regards,
SH
This has always been my gripe with conservative Black people. They have no soul and it seems they are so enthusiastic to argue for the white side, like in order to be a successful and productive African-American in this country you must assimilate to white culture.
ReplyDeleteYet in this case with Obama showing this almost aracial(I know Its not a word!) approach he is faulting him for that when that has been the approach of most black conservatives.
Just like Obama these poor folks have no identity or have lost themselves along time ago with the deal they made with the devil
"There’s no self there. I think it comes from a lifetime of being bound up and playing one side, and another side, and never feeling that he had the right to be his own man ... “This is the tragedy, certainly, of the black intellectual class in America."
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised Steele FEELS this way. I argue with these guys all the time. Most of them feel this way. I'm just surprised Steele said it publicly. Here, I think Steele said more than he intended: That, in talking about Obama, he is really talking about himself.
Often, in just one session, a marriage counselor can get a couple to see that the behavior or characteristic a husband dislikes in his wife is the same behavior or characteristic that he possesses; and could be the very behavior or characteristic that attracted him to her in the first place.
In the same way, Steele is rightfully identifying and criticizing a characteristic in Obama that's really more about himself and conservative black intellectuals like McWhorter.
The great Algerian writer Albert Camus (The Stranger) said the same thing when he wrote that "Every statement is an autobiography," meaning the behavior or characteristc we attribute to others are often the very behavior or characteristic we fail to see in ourselves.
I don't think we'll hear this from Steele again. I think that he unconsciously gave away the store. In criticizing Obama, he creally criticized himself and conservative black intellectuals.
On the other hand, he does provide at least a partial explanation for the reason some blacks have yet to warm to Obama. They sense that he care about America as a whole but still question how committed, how genuine he is about helping them face critical issues such as unemployment discrimination, rampant violence in our neighborhoods, chronic poverty or incarceration.
I think it's valid for them to have these concerns. How real is Obama or his party about helping us?
I'm a white, Independent voter. Senator Obama appeals to me because he displays outstanding leadership qualities and a tremendous mental capacity. He ain’t perfect, but who is?
ReplyDeleteGeorge Will is a hypocrite with a lack of ethics. He should be ridiculed repeatedly. He certainly had a double standard for Jesse Jackson and GW Bush as presidential candidates. Will’s shortcomings are documented in ”The Hypocrisy of George Will” at Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting.
You know FN, we will have to separate. Cause I have no admiration for Shelby Steele. From where I sit, he's Example 101 of the Self-hating Sambo, plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteBut, I do love the torture of such self-haters. They do everything in their power to turn in their ' Black Cards'.
YET, they know the ONLY reason why they get PAID is because some White folks believe they have a Black Card. In fact, what drives them nuts is that they know that they'll never be able to give in their Black Cards, because they know that, no matter what they do, they'll never be given White Cards, which is all that they want.
I'm LMAO on the Mask thing..um, didn't DuBois nail this in Souls of Black Folk, like, over 100 years ago?
I've been asking this question, and nobody's answered it yet.
What kind of Negro am I, since I believe in:
Hard work
AND
' The Man'
These Negroes putting forth that there are 2 Black races, making this the dividing line.
Shelby Steele is just another 'hater' on Obama. He, like McWhorter, and other conservatives, are just jealous as all put out that here's the Black man, who has broken the mold of the past Black ' leader', and been able to navigate waters for himself. They're 'haters', I tell you. 'Haters'.
"There’s no self there. I think it comes from a lifetime of being bound up and playing one side, and another side, and never feeling that he had the right to be his own man ... “This is the tragedy, certainly, of the black intellectual class in America."
I'm not surprised Steele FEELS this way. I argue with these guys all the time. Most of them feel this way. I'm just surprised Steele said it publicly. Here, I think Steele said more than he intended: That, in talking about Obama, he is really talking about himself.
I completely agree with you on this, and they're mad at Obama for going through his time of self-challenge and making certain choices for himself.
Making the choice to actually go work WITH POOR Black folk.
Making the choice to join one of the most activist churches in Chicago.
Making the choice to not only marry a Black woman, but a VISIBLY Black woman.
Obama's been through his times of confusion, and made his decision - I am Black.
It can't be coincidence that a lot of 'haters' on the other side, well, um, let's just say it, made completely opposite choices of Obama. They are, in blackface, like the Tucker Carlson's of the world, who, when talking about ' Obama says that he's Black, when he's bi-racial', and look like they're about to blow a gasket over it.
You know my feelings about Obama's run. Every month that he stays in it, has to be a positve for the republic in which we stand.
thank you for continuing to reaffirm why I don' t care what George Will or Shelby Steele think about Barack Obama.
ReplyDeleteI want to know what the hell can the government do to help us overcome as a people? You can't legislate these types of things, so what good is it to participate in this political process?
ReplyDeleteI don't think we'll hear this from Steele again. I think that he unconsciously gave away the store. In criticizing Obama, he creally criticized himself and conservative black intellectuals.
ReplyDeleteNow, Mac, that's putting it down in the Fields. I've been saying that about Shelby Steele since he came on the scene with Ward Connerly (I thought brothas in Northern Cal were going to lose it and bum-rush this Negro on the Stanford Campus).
He gave away the store and Field Negroes weren't even shopping there.
Field, I wondered how long it would take you to see this House Negro for what he really is. I have my own issues with Obama, but "self" wasn't one of them...
I want to know what the hell can the government do to help us overcome as a people? You can't legislate these types of things, so what good is it to participate in this political process?
ReplyDeleteIf voting wasn't that important, then tell me why a certain party works overtime to create ways to strip certain communities of their voting rights?
If it weren't important.
Politics isn't the only solution for our community, but us not using it to the extent that we could is our fault and responsibility.
Steele is correct when you cut and paste the passages together. Obama is in sore need of "self." So far, he has just been hope & hype--JFK without the machne and bootlegger daddy behind him. Also, Sharpton and Jesse, Sr are not "challengers." They are system pimps--the alter agos of clowns such as O'Reilley or Hannity. Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if all of them (hell, even Bush and Bin laden) don't sit around and PLAN this shit to maximize their mutual exposure and power!
ReplyDeleteShelby knows better. That's why I hink his essays are indeed a sort of Da Vinci Code, wherein the truth is between the lines of the usual conservative dross.
PS for those of you like me who braved the traffic on 95, 85 and all other roads b/w Boston and Atlanta this holiday--BRAVO!!!
I'm also glad others are bring up these points. See, there are ' haters' and there are 'skeptics'. I go around the blogosphere, and I understand the difference between the two.
ReplyDeleteToo many people assign the label ' hater' to those who have genuine policy differences with Obama. See, those folks are 'skeptics', and I have no problems with them. They are Field Negroes, FN, and we talked about in that post below as to why the author was wrong about calling our Field Negroes with regards to Obama. They are the most honest with regards to Obama.
It's our friends dancing the Sambo Shuffle in the House that usually DON'T come up with POLICY differences about Obama.(I would like to point out that this isn't political philsophical exclusive -there are as many Democratic Sambo Shufflers as Republican who hate Obama) It's the gobbedly-gook like Steele is putting forth here. They're haters; hating on his accomplishments. Hating on his star power that THEY thought they should have. Look behind it, and you'll see it, FN.
I think my friend Shelby is trying to sell his latest book right now, so don't be so hard on him yawll. The man has to eat. Still, he makes some crazy ass statements about Obama which looks more like projection than anything else.
ReplyDeleteI swear if Obama was a white man some of these HN would just love him. But we all know how that self hate thing goes.
And for the record; I might not even vote for the guy, because as I have stated before, he is just kind of coming up soft for me right now. But to slap him down just because he is a black man running for president, and not on matters of policy etc. is just bullshit!
Look, don't even get me started. I just watched my Birds lose to the Spietriots and I am not in a good mood :(
"...I think that he unconsciously gave away the store. In criticizing Obama, he creally criticized himself and conservative black intellectuals" Yep!
BTW, rikyrah makes a good point about participating in the political process. Believe me, I get frustrated with it at times too, but right now it's all we got.
"Obama's been through his times of confusion, and made his decision - I am Black.
ReplyDeleterikyrah: Put it down! I'm with you.
I've criticized the Obama campaign for not going after Hillary or for not coming up with a strong message for the black community, the democratic partie's most loyal voters. But that in no way suggests that he's a no-identity, self-hating sellout. That's Steele.
The mere possibility that a field Negro may walk out of the field, hang out on the patio and win the highest office in the land is really bothering ol Shelby and his swine-eating, massa-loving homies. Right now, they're considered the "experts" on the darkies in the field and those other darkies stirring them up: that slick-hair Al Sharpton and rhyme-talking preacher Jessie Jackson. And massa loves it when those two are criticized at parties, especially those given by Republican committees. But this skinny guy "Out of Africa" has them breathing more heavily, eating more pork and taking extra more pills to sleep at night. They know they are already at the lower end of the social pole. But that Obama could get them thrown off the pole altoger. And how will they keep their jobs? How will they keep their homes near massa? Will their children be able to go to school with massa's children? Uh Uh. I feel a "Crisis of the Black Intellectual" coming on.
Note to Obama:
To drive the swine-eating, self-hating house Negroes like ol' Steele really crazy and beat out that manipulative, phony-smiling Hillary in the process, here's what you need to do:
1. Select one or two issues and make it your own.
2.My two recommendations: Violence and jobs.
3. Go to the biggest black church in South Carolina and talk about nothing but violence and jobs. One (jobs) will especially connect with whites. The other (violence). will especially with blacks. Your white consultants and staff don't know this, but violence is destroying the black community as never before. It's not just homocide. It's thugs breaking into houses, robbing and raping. It's kids being intimidated, beaten and stabbed just trying to get or come from school. It's myriad types of violence that has us in fear.
Beat on violence and jobs like children-loving male prisoners pounce on a new prisoner/pedophile on his first trip to the shower. Beat on violence and jobs like grandma whacks on a dusty quilt on the line on Spring Cleaning Day!
Do these 3 things and you will not only beat Hillary, you may cause ol' Shelby and his "boys" to do some more self-examinig. And who knows? They may put down that pork chop and take a therapeutic trip to the field.
There's a whole generation of folks that could care less about what Shelby Steele says because they're too busy being in one of Obama's many Facebook fan clubs.
ReplyDeleteDid Hillary's camp suggest that he write this piece now that Obama's springing ahead in the Iowa polls? Does Shelby really think the answer lies in the likes of Guiliani or McCain? Or is he gonna propose Darth Vader make a run for it and whip all the ghetto negroes into pull-yourself-up submission?
And how easy a target for the, "He needs a self," arrow is a man who is biracial. Steele is jumping back to that same ole tragic mulatto b.s. that folks like to pull out every once in awhile to prove a point about someone. Obama can't be black enough and he can't be white enough...he must be a lost soul with a confused identity, so how could he possibly run America?
I hope Shelby can find some "bargains" at the K-Mart when the checks stop coming in.
Or is he going to be working for Fox sometime soon?
hey all. i hope i didn't offend anyone with my comments. i thought i would introduce some levity by tossing out a little tribe in my diatribe. anyhoo, i am sorry if i hurt anyone. if i DID offend you, please accept my apology.
ReplyDeleteIf voting wasn't that important, then tell me why a certain party works overtime to create ways to strip certain communities of their voting rights?
ReplyDeleteIf it weren't important.
Politics isn't the only solution for our community, but us not using it to the extent that we could is our fault and responsibility.
______________
They try so hard to take away our voting rights because some of us have fallen into the trap of depending on this government to do something for us that we really can do for our own, but they want us to believe that they are the only way for us to overcome. So when they take away our rights we feel helpless and that is nothing but a copout to me. Why depend on a government that has historically shunned us since the beginnings of this country?
This goes back to me believing that integration and the "Civil Rights Movement" was a detriment to Blacks here in America. Integration has in my opinion created this culture of dependence in our community, but that is a discussion for another day.
Class of 08
"Obama can't be black enough and he can't be white enough...he must be a lost soul with a confused identity, so how could he possibly run America?"
ReplyDeleteLiz: Yes, it is that tragic mulatto jive to rationalize rejection of Obama. I wonder if anyone else has noticed that black conservatives now would rather talk culture and abnormal psychology than policy? Have you noticed that the psychology is about some form of self-hatred or "low self-esteem." It's all seems straight out of the Self Improvement Section of Barnes & Nobles.
Could it be that they don't have any policy ideas?
Hey, Shelby: Be careful selecting them toys from K-Mart. Thanks to the failure of the Consumer Product Division, headed by one of the FRAT BOY's cronies, they got toys are from China which contains lead.
Merry Christmas!
baatin, you never have to apologize to ME for shit you say. If that's what you feel, say it.
ReplyDeleteStill, that was classy of you to apologize to your fellow field Negroes who might have been offended by something you said.
I could learn seomthing from you;)
Both Steele and Obama are mulatto.
ReplyDeleteBoth sired by a black/African father.
Steele married a white woman.
Obama married a black woman.
To me, that says something about where their heads are.
The only reason Steele is called a black conservative is because white folk will not let him be a white conservative.
`
mtlman,
ReplyDeleteWhen you buy something as simple as a soda and sit down to drink it, think about what you have just said.
I hope Shelby can find some "bargains" at the K-Mart when the checks stop coming in.
ReplyDeleteROFL! Brilliant, Liz.
...everybody wants to be black, but don't nobody want to be black...Paul Mooney
ReplyDeleteThese immortal words sum it up for me completely.
..any person who has/does support Bush and can claim that when it comes to Obama that there is "nothing there" can not be taken seriously.
Slightly off-topic, but I too want to thank baatin for his apology. Not because what he said offended me, but because he took the time to wonder if it might have.
ReplyDeleteMy own personal new goal in life is to beat down this idea that people should just say whatever the hell they want, in any and all circumstances, under the guise of being "honest." This idea that "speaking your mind" without fear, favor or kindness is always a good thing, and to be applauded as such.
Being forthright is good, of course. So is being civil. So is thinking about the impact of your words on other folks.
No doubt this post will be endlessly ridiculed.
Too bad.
baatin,
ReplyDeleteI had to reread what you wrote. You're doing fine. Thanks for the apology, but, like others, I was cool with what you wrote. You weren't hostile or mean, you were honest...it's all good.
Bravo to the Eagles. Almost did it. Of course, they did it without Donovan, who should retire...
ReplyDelete^ What he said, bravo to the Eagles. Deadskins suck.
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting post, but it (somehow) got me thinking that the 'race wars' of old are giving way to class wars between the 3% or whatever it is that controls 90% of the wealth, and everybody else. I'm even starting to see that shit in my town.
FN, Thanks for the shout out!
ReplyDeleteYou know I'm in agreement with you on Shelby Steele issue.
Maybe in many ways he is actually hating on Obama because he would like to have been a politico himself.
You know what i mean, get elected to the U.S. Senate, become a millionaire, maybe he (Steele) feels he blew it. Maybe Steele is looking into a mirror and does not like what he sees - An obama wanabe? I bet you he is trying to break the mirror hoping his own image will go away, silly man, it's there to stay.
The reason a lot of black people give for not supporting Obama is that "he can't win." It didn't stop their black arses from supporting John Kerry who was destined to lose. How come it's okay to support a white loser but not a black man for president. I recall when Jesse Jackson ran for president, everyone was walking around dewey eyed and singing we shall overcome. Now, there is a viable black condidate who offers a real change in US policy in just about everything and house negroes all over amerika decide "he can't win." Y'all must like the war in Iraq becasuse not only is Hillary going to keep us there for a good long while, she's joined the sabre rattling right wing about a war with Iran.
ReplyDeleteI know I'm crazy, but I don't want someone who's appeasing.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see a politician bang his/her fist on the podium and shout, "This shit ain't right, and it's time we got off our asses and did something about it!"
Obama was my only hope because Kucinich sure as hell isn't going to do it. (I don't think he can even reach the top of the podium without a booster chair).
And Hillary? If they select her, I'm out.