Cobb: A Black Summit

February 28, 2005

A Black Summit

Something important happened this weekend. It wasn't the Oscars though, it was something called the State of the Black Union. It was moderated by Tavis Smiley, whom I thought would disappear after leaving his NPR show. It starred George Fraser, Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Lee Petersen, Jesse Jackson, Michael Eric Dyson and a host of others.

I missed it entirely.

But Deet, my brother, says there's going to be a DVD. That's good. I wonder if the bootleg of that will get around to as many black barbershops as the rest of the Hollywood hits. We'll see.

What the LA Times says of this event is that the participants seem to be split on ideological lines. This is to me, a surprise. When I had retired from the top ranks of national black campus leadership in the late 80s, our dilemma was one of class. We saw black unity failing because, although many of us were pretty much aligned on ideological grounds, we had serious problems with reconciling the needs and desires of those further ahead on the road to destiny with those straggling behind. Who could be authentically black suckling on the proper corporate, educational or government teat? Was it the Cosby kid or the Boyz from the Hood?

The idea that we would be choosing between Democrats and Republicans never occurred to us in 1988. We were still trying to get Jesse into the White House. This year Jesse Jackson sealed his own doom by saying that blacks have an agenda, precisely the one that Martin Luther King left us. Martin Luther King is dead.

Sooner or later, some explicit criticism will careen around the 'sphere on these matters. I'm a bit disappointed to take it all in second-hand. But if anything great was said, we'll see it on DVD.

Posted by mbowen at February 28, 2005 09:11 AM

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Comments

I watched it live on c span. Some of it. I couldnt sit through the feminists, gay apologists, union workers, democrats, cornell west. I just couldnt. All the questiones were favorable to liberals and anytime someone suggested black america operating in personal reponsibilty tavis brought it back to the "system". You should watch it just go to c spans website and watch any one you want. It was all about bush got elected what do we do now? tavis kept invoking, advertising, for michael moores new movie. The very idea of those elitits creating a contract on behalf of black america is condescending. No average everday black was present to persent ideas. The panelits and "leaders" gave input.

Posted by: shari at February 28, 2005 04:50 PM

Mr. Cobb,

I watched some of the show on C-Span and enjoyed it. I don't think Tavis Smiley is going to disappear any time soon. Have you not seen his talk show PBS?

PS
I really enjoy your blog; however, your misuse of "whom" is driving me bonkers. The word "whom" is used in the objective case, as one would use "him" or "her" or "us." For example: "To whom should I give the book? Should I give it to her or him?"

You seem to use "whom" mistakenly in the nomnitive case, as one would use "he" or "she" or "we." For example: "Who is calling? She is calling."

Posted by: Chuck at March 2, 2005 12:51 AM