Will the Real Tavis Smiley Please Stand
This video interview of Senator Obama is awesome. Tavis Smiley interviewed Barack on October 18, 2007. Tavis appears supportive, proud, and loving during the entire interview.
During the interview Senator Obama addressed questions on the lack of black support for his candidacy, concerns about his safety, his campaign strategy, his experience, health insurance etc.
After viewing this video one wonders what really happened to change Travis Smiley’s attitude from the interviewer on this video and the Tavis voicing his comments on the Tom Joyner Morning Show on February 12, 2008.
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
http://politics.yourblackworld.com/2008/02/i-believe-obamas-hope-and-change_12.html
Monday, February 18, 2008
Will the Real Tavis Smiley Please Stand
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Tavis Smiley is a sellout just as his name suggests. Let’s not pretend sellouts no longer exists simply because we do not like the use of the word. Tavis’s commentary is sponsored by WalMart on the Tom Joyner Morning Show and not only does he vehemently supports Hilliary Clinton but he also attacks Obama every chance he gets. Ever since Hilliary mentioned Tavis in one of her speeches he’s been a zealed for her by going far and above the extra mile in attacking Sen. Obama.
Sure I once respected Tavis in the past as a positive voice for Black America but I also had a reserved sense that he’s not fully who he claims to be. He’s an opportunist who’s not very successful, which is why he’s never been fully accepted nor respected as a journalist. This is now proven more so today because he’s using his public voice to serve the needs of the establishment.
How can anyone claim Tavis has the voice of Black people while 90% of Black America supports Barack Obama. Is it about a bandwagon, sure if it means jumping on the bandwagon for true and positive change instead of sitting on the sidelines throwing bricks and hiding your hands. Tavis’s letter to Sen. Obama is pathetic and weak because he claims it’s a simple invitation in which he sent to all candidates yet he’s buck dancing for the media crying Obama has a “Missed Opportunity”, give me a break. Mr. Smiley is simply supporting Hilliary because he was directed to do so and he’s acting like any other good dog by attacking whomever his master tells him. Yes people, doing one enormous bad deed will wipe out all the good deeds a person has ever done. Tavis Smiley is a sellout in every sense of the word!
"After viewing this video one wonders what really happened to change Travis Smiley’s attitude from the interviewer on this video and the Tavis voicing his comments on the Tom Joyner Morning Show on February 12, 2008."
The short answer is ratings and dollars. Had Tavis been thinking when planning this event in a presidential election year, he might have considered looking at the calendar, figuring out where all the candidates SHOULD be based on primaries or caucuses, and ensure all the candidates were in Texas or Ohio (not Lousiana)to speak to the people of those states. Or, if he wanted to hold it at the site of this nation's shame, have it coincide with the Louisiana primary where all eyes would be focused and couldn't ignore black folks interest. But no, like the other elitist candidates who have made it clear middle America doesn't count, Tavis scheduled it at a location that served HIS agenda. Cincinatti would have made an excellent spot for discussing the state of Black America: alleged voter fraud, racial tension so thick near riots have ensued, the failure of our nation's economic AND educational policies...pick the topic, and Ohio is the poster child. Barack Obama has made a point to talk to the people in each voting constituency all along the way of his campaign to make sure they ALL know how important each individual is in the decision. Indeed, it has been the undoing of the opposition. Unfortunately for Tavis and Hillary, the campaign did not end in New York and California making the rest of the nation irrelevant as in the past. If Obama's campaign has done nothing else, it has pointed out that we ALL matter. Tavis would have Barack Obama abandon those to whom he has said "you matter to me and this nation" for "Hold that thought y'all...I got to represent with my peeps". I am a black woman born in Ohio 54 years ago. I'm a disabled veteran; I'm a community activist and an education advocate; who now lives in Texas. Barack is exactly where he should be...talking to the people...ALL of them...to ensure NO ONE feels marginalized as we have been made to feel for so long.
Tavis Smiley is a sellout and a exploiter of black people. Let us remember the words of Brother Malcolm.
"To understand this, you have to go back to what [the] young brother here referred to as the house Negro and the field Negro -- back during slavery. There was two kinds of slaves. There was the house Negro and the field Negro. The house Negroes - they lived in the house with master, they dressed pretty good, they ate good 'cause they ate his food -- what he left. They lived in the attic or the basement, but still they lived near the master; and they loved their master more than the master loved himself. They would give their life to save the master's house quicker than the master would. The house Negro, if the master said, "We got a good house here," the house Negro would say, "Yeah, we got a good house here." Whenever the master said "we," he said "we." That's how you can tell a house Negro.
If the master's house caught on fire, the house Negro would fight harder to put the blaze out than the master would. If the master got sick, the house Negro would say, "What's the matter, boss, we sick?" We sick! He identified himself with his master more than his master identified with himself. And if you came to the house Negro and said, "Let's run away, let's escape, let's separate," the house Negro would look at you and say, "Man, you crazy. What you mean, separate? Where is there a better house than this? Where can I wear better clothes than this? Where can I eat better food than this?" That was that house Negro. In those days he was called a "house nigger." And that's what we call him today, because we've still got some house niggers running around here."
We should boycott everything that Tavis is envolved in.
I know what happened.... Tavis got paid!!!
Well Now . . . Brother Tavis, like his girlfriend HRC, is having a "hissy" fit - "temper tantrum" because we decent and orderly Negroes are calling him out ..some people do understand that Barrack " had work to do"- which unfortunately did not include performing at MR. Tavis's command. And Tom Joyner - come on - when have you been "shy" about quietly & respectfully calling someone who is in your humble opinion "out of order" - no you CHOSE to blast on your show. I only hope that Barrack forgives Tavis and stays away from his toxicity. Come on, even you haters recognize that Barrack is unique - rather you like him or not. Vote - don't vote for him on the merits - but let us Negroes get away from some "false litmus test". Each and everyone of us Negroes live in a glass house - and not a stone but a humble "pebble" would cause many houses to collaspse!!!
Tavis, we know and you know, that you are beholden to the 'white master" Walmart, et al. It was an embarrassment to see all the logos behind Tavis - and how much did Tavis get paid? Dick Gregory was on the money - apologize to Bill (not HRC - she never said she was "down with you Negroes") afterall Toni and "You Negroes" deemed him your "black president"- and please take a hard look at her criteria - not much positive stuff there. It never ceases to amaze me that the "self-annointed/appointed black leaders" are always vying for the white crumbs "let me enlighten the white media about how we blacks feel"- and hollering "me first" - I am the best, the brighet and know best. For me personally, I do not have any "black leaders", with all due respect to Jesse, Al, Tavis, Cornell , etc - you all have your "thing" and I respect that - but leader??--not so much.
Barrack may or may not make it - but at least he had the "audacity" to run!!! Query: if the positions were reversed - having lost 11 primaries, borrowed from the kitty, demostrable temper tantrums - how long would "White America" and the "House negroes" tolerate his continue candidacy?? And another thing - remember your mother said if you can't say anything nice - remain silent.
Sometimes we need to learn when to humble ourselves rather than be full of ourselves...Tavis I will pray for you, get your ego checked!
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