More on Obama myths... Black Agenda Report takes on Obama's excuses, false historical analogies
[Editor's note: The folllowing came to Substance from Black Agenda Report and is reprinted here with permission. Readers are advised to also read the related stories, including the Cornel West interview. Harry Belafonte Explodes the Presidential "Make Me Do It" Myth, Tue, 05/17/2011 - 22:59 — Bruce A. Dixon, Black Misleadership Class, ba radio commentary, Obamarama, Harry Belafonte, Democrats, Cornel West. A Black Agenda Radio commentary by BAR managing editor Bruce A. Dixon]
Martin Luther King Jr. and Harry Belafonte during the days more than 40 years ago when Belafonte was a major supporter of King's struggles.Does President Obama really want us to “make him do it,” to organize and agitate and create the conditions that will let him end the wars, cut the military budget, create jobs and address the hyper-incarceration of black and brown youth? Or is the “make me do it” president an urban legend who lives only inside our heads? A recent presidential encounter with Harry Belafonte tells more than some of us may want to know.
Harry Belafonte Explodes the Presidential “Make Me Do It” Myth
A Black Agenda Radio commentary by BAR managing editor Bruce A. Dixon
There is a popular myth which explains President Barack Obama's reluctance to stand up to Pentagon militarists, Wall Street banksters and corporate greedheads. This myth excuses the president for ignoring massive black unemployment and not providing his promised path to citizenship for the undocumented, for not using presidential authority to halt the foreclosure epidemic, or curbing the hyper-incarceration of black and brown youth. The myth of course, is that President Barack Obama really does want to do all these things and more, but if they haven't happened it's because we the people have abandoned our responsibility to somehow “make him do it.”
The myth stems from the apocryphal story of a meeting between African American labor leader A. Philip Randolph and President Franklin Roosevelt back in the 1940s. Randolph laid out black America's list of demands for economic and social justice. In response, Roosevelt said he wanted to do all of it, but that Randolph and the movement of that time would still have to “make him” do these things.
Applied to the Obama presidency however, “make me do it” is a popular myth. It's popular because the president and his lackeys repeat it endlessly. It's a myth because it's not true. Longtime activist Harry Belafonte, who played a key role in the Freedom Movement of the fifties and sixties, exploded the myth in a Democracy Now interview broadcast on May 16.
Belafonte was asked by host Amy Goodman whether he'd used his occasional access to directly share his many critical and valuable public policy insights with the White House. Belafonte replied that his only access to the president has been for a few seconds at a time, not long enough for any substantive discussion. But, he said, at one such event President Obama approached him to inquire when Belafonte and Cornel West were going “to cut me some slack.”
“What makes you think we haven't?” Belafonte replied to the president? At this point the brief encounter was over.
Let's pause to think about that. When President Obama cusses out Cornel West and personally demands that historic stalwarts of the movement for peace and justice “cut him some slack” on black unemployment, on foreclosures and the prison state, on torture and the military budget, on unjust wars and corporate welfare, on fulfilling the just demands of those who elected him, our first black president is revealing his real self. Far from saying “make me do it,” President Obama is saying how dare you pressure me to do what you elected me to do.
Harry Belafonte has done a great public service in helping us distinguish the imaginary Barack Obama of “make me do it” from the real Barack Obama, who demands our support, but expects us to “cut him some slack.” Rather than agitating and organizing in our communities to “make him do it” all the real President Obama wants of movement activists is for us to sit down and shut up, until it's time to help chase everybody out to vote for him in 2012.
By then, there will be fewer chasers, and somewhat less chasing than in 2008. But this will be something that President Obama made us do, not the other way around. For Black Agenda Radio, I'm Bruce Dixon. Find us on the web at www.blackagendareport.com.
Bruce A. Dixon is managing editor at Black Agenda Report, and is based in Marietta GA, where he is on the state committee of the Georgia Green Party.
COMMENTS FROM BLACK AGENDA REPORT:
CORNEL WEST ACCURATELY DISSECTS OBAMA'S MINDSET
Enlightened Cynic - 05/18/2011 - 16:47
In essence he states what most of us have said many times before: that Obama is actually MORE COMFORTABLE being around elite, "brilliant," highly-educated, Ivy-Leaguish White folks," than Blacks, White men especially.
If the Right Wing whiners got one thing right, it's that Obama is an Elitist. Sure, Obama might have Jay Z on the ipod, big deal, David Duke might have James Brown and Parliament Funkadelic on his for all I know. The "First Black President": I pity the damn fool. Plus, why do people with white mothers and black fathers always have to be black? Maybe we don't want to claim all of them??? lol When it comes to the "racial draft," we'll take a pass on Obama. He can either go "undrafted," or well trade him to the Jews for 2 future picks.
http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?title=racial-draft&videoId=162807 p.s. I heard that in the up and coming Fall Season, the Jews select Obama in the first round of the Racial Draft, either that or the Black folks ate/absored his contract, or bought him out for $1.00 ... stay tuned.
http://original.antiwar.com/smith-grant/2011/05/15/obama-vs-reagan-on-aipac/ Politico reports that President Barack Obama may attend the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) gathering in Washington, D.C. According to documents released last week by the National Archives, President Ronald Reagan had a more appropriate answer to invitations [.pdf] and party pressure to attend AIPAC’s gathering on May 15, 1988—”No, thanks” [.pdf]. Until Bill Clinton came along, no American president had ever accepted an invitation to speak at the Israel lobby’s annual confab while still in office. President Obama may this month reveal himself to be more pliable to Israeli, party, stealth PAC, and single-issue campaign contributors than many of his forebears. But what factors should a modern president consider before responding to an AIPAC invitation?
WHY IS WEST GOING ON MSNBC TO DEFEND HIMSELF? (Fanon - 05/18/2011 - 22:01)
I think that was weak and disingenuous on his part. Ed whatever only managed to make West's case weak. West should be prepared for their attacks. They will try to discredit and silence him. His career may be attacked. I laugh when these Obama shills talk about his achievements. The highest on the list these days is 'killing Bin Laden'. LOL
WEST WENT ON SCHULTZ SHOW, BSeale - 05/19/2011 - 03:06
West went on Schultz Show because the producer of the show contacted him and told him his remarks were going to be the subject of a segment. At that point West had to make a decision, one that is not very easy. Do I defend those remarks despite the fact I will have little if any control over the proceedings or do I blow it off and allow Schultz and Katrina Vanden Hoople's attack dog Melissa Harris Perry to rake me over the coals infettered. Not an easy call. Bobby Seale
