For the last month or so I have been listening to “The Tom Joyner’s Morning Show” in Houston. Today while listening to the show I was surprised at the tone of Tavis Smiley’s comments. His tone appeared to be very defensive and anti-Obama.
Tavis discussed what it means to be a free man in America. I am assuming (and we know what that means) that he was clarifying his right to his own opinions about the upcoming primaries and the candidates.
Most black people agree that Tavis has the right to voice his personal opinions on any issue. Being free in America also gives me a right to disagree with Mr. Smiley on this particular issue.
I am a true Obama supporter. One of the ways that I have shown my support for him and his historic quest for the Presidency is expressing that fact on this site. Additionally, this past Saturday I was involved in grass root politics for the first time in my life.
A group of enthusiastic black women and I reported to Thomas Brooks’ home in Sugar Land, TX for three hours of door-to-door canvassing for Obama. Our group consisted of 16 females and Mr. Brooks.
On Sunday I wore my “Texans For Obama 2008” T-shirt to the 12 pm church service at Windsor Village United Methodist Church. I wore the Obama shirt to recruit others to join the movement to elect Obama. I was successful in my mission because several members of the church expressed their desire to get involved.
The writer who posted the following comment on another site has expressed my sentiments towards Tavis’s latest commentary on “The Tom Joyner’s Morning Show.”
Senator Obama's Choices: Cater to Tavis' Ego or Run for President?
By: norman922/12/2008 7:19:33 AM
"It's clearer than ever that Tavis Smiley is ego-tripping. By his estimation, attending his forum--with limited exposure--is more of test to loyal to Black folks than winning the presidency and effecting REAL policy that can change the trajectory of millions of lives. PLEASE! We all love the annual forum, but has there been any measurable outcome with the exception of Tavis selling books? After today, Senator Obama is facing an uphill battle in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. He cannot afford to be NOT campaigning for even day. But Tavis would have Black folks believe that him not taking a day off from campaigning to attend HIS forum is an insult to ALL Black folks. Hillary Clinton can afford to take a day off for a number of reasons: she's leading in the polls in all three of the aforementioned states; her husband will be campaigning for her (and a better campaigner than her) and she needs to make inroads with African American. Tavis really needs to back the hell up! Let Senator Obama do what he needs to do: campaign NON-STOP until he wins this nomination."
Vera Richardson is the author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined."
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ISBN=9780615177014
1 comment:
Tavis, like everyone else is entitled to his opinion. I am surprise at you, suggesting that somehow "birds of a feather should stick together". God gave everyone a brain by which to think for outselves. You may disagree, but don't take away his right of free will. You know-it-all black people are doing the unknowledgeable black people a disservice. Obvious you don't know what it means to be free or you would not have a problem with Tavis's free-will think for himself. You all need to give it a rest. A couple of hours out of any the candidates time would not have hurt...give me a break. If Obama had appeared and Clinton had not...you and the rest of Obama followers would be all over her. Enough of the one-sided election rhetoric.
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