The faux revolutionaries: The rise of the "Noisy Negroes".

I sit on the board of a very good organization here in Philly. It's an up and coming 501(c) whose founder (Shout out to Malika) does great work with helping at risk young ladies get themselves together. I remember during the early stages of getting her organization off the ground, the group's founder would have various meetings and head sessions with so called leaders from different areas in the city. Some of these so called leaders talked a great game,-we could barely get trough meetings because of all the talking- and they were always down for whatever. As long, of course, as they were just talking about it. I suspect that they would be much like some people who comment on this board with very strong feelings about certain groups in various parts of the world. The thing is, when this young lady needed funding to help get her organization off the ground, these down ass leaders were nowhere to be found. When she needed actual volunteers to help out with various projects, these down ass leaders were nowhere to be found. This is typical of an individual I like to call the faux revolutionary, or the "Noisy Negro". They talk a lot, but that's about all they do: Talk.

I have issues with the tea party folks and the wingnuts who organize around right wing causes, but I will never accuse them of just talking a lot. They actually organize and put their boots on the ground, and they usually aren't afraid to write a check. They will walk to the voting booth, to Washington, and to the office of their local elected representatives. The farthest the "Noisy Negro" will walk is to his or her television to watch whatever, or to his or her computer to comment on a blog in order to cement his or her "Noisy Negro" status. Oh, and they will walk to meetings to talk if they can have the floor. That's just what "Noisy Negroes" do.

I suspect that's why many of our communities are in the shape they are in. We have "Noisy Negroes" in the pulpit, "Noisy Negroes" in city hall, and "Noisy Negroes" masquerading as community leaders.

"Noisy Negroes" are cool sometimes because they keep us entertained. They represent a kind of minstrel show, a comic relief from life. But sometimes we need a little more than just comic relief. Sometimes we need to get serious. These are serious times that call for serious actions. But I know that we won't get anything -even faintly resembling serious action- from the "Noisy Negro". Nope, that would actually require doing more than just talking or typing. That would require being quiet and listening for a minute.