What a laugh. The most visible African Americans won’t even criticize Reverend Jeremiah Wright. They’ve never criticized one of their own, except for Tavis Smiley. I’m on a personal campaign - end Affirmative Action. White America got Obama over the top and elected. Equality has been reached.

This article and Mr. Swint’s analysis is PRECISELY why our country is far, far from being ‘post-racial’ and continues to be consumed and mired in race.

President Obama was rarely criticized during the campaign by ANYBODY - regardless of race - with the exception of conservatives, both black and white. He was treated as a cultural candidate, not a political one. Legions of people voted for him solely because of his race; issues truly didn’t matter - and, apparently, still don’t. He can do whatever he wants - and nobody calls him on it.

The mainstream media never criticizes him. The Rush Limbaughs, Sean Hannitys and Ann Coulters of the world will bring up issues - and are promptly demonized.

‘Black America’ doesn’t criticize him - and if a black American does, then THEY are criticized.

The entire thing is so pathetic.

As a 48-year-old white American, I’m perfectly content to have ALL of the presidents for the rest of my life be black. I honestly could care less. I cast my vote on values, and values only - and I can’t think of a single value that I share with President Obama.

With the amount of accurate news and information available, I find it surprising that we see the same inaccurate statements posted over and over again.

1. The statements of Jeremiah Wright were both criticized by and supported by members of the black community. One of Wright’s biggest rebukes came from the Obamas who chose to leave his church. As with all issues in all communities, there were diverse opinions of support and dissent with Wright’s comments. The same could be said by Catholics regarding the Rev. Michael Pfleger. Since Rev. Pfleger defended Wright’s comments, does that mean all Catholics or Catholic priests agree and also support Wright?

2. The extent to how much candidate Barack Obama was criticized during the campaign is debatable. There were double-standards in media coverage that widely question Obama about Wright and Pfleger, but did not question McCain about Pastor John Hagee and Rod Parsley about their inflammatory comments.

3. The Washington Post story is about the right of Black Americans to be critical or even hyper-critical of President Obama’s decisions and policies. I commented on the historical context in which the Black community warmed to Obama after first questioning whether his biracial heritage and upbringing separated him from the trials and tribulations of growing up Black in America. Further, at no time were white journalists questioned about their ability to impartially do their jobs and cover John McCain fairly. Black journalists were routinely questioned by mainstream and conservative media about their ability to be impartial in their coverage of Obama and were accused of “reporting soft.” Respected journalist Gwen Ifil was questioned and criticized as she prepared to host the vice presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis.

4. John C., it will be interesting to watch the reaction in the black community of how Obama’s black critics will be treated and whether their vocal criticism of Obana will affect the multi-racial coalition that got Obama elected in the first place.

This is just another attempt of the Black leaders to start the long held position of “Give me” cause we be black. If Obama don’t deliver then he’s a sellout, Oreo cookie or any other slap they decide to call him.

I want to address one particular item in the Black agenda ” gaps in educational achievement” Teachers can’t make children learn, this is a cultural problem and it needs to be address by Black people “FUBU”
I think our public schools should have a moratorium on integration of schools and have black kids attend schools with only black kids for the first 7 grades. Then after they are taught the basic then join in with the rest of society. Also those schools should segregate the males and females this would allow those kids to concentrate on education instead of making babies.

The govt …: The debate over whether President Obama fights to alleviate specific problems in the Black community has followed him for his entire political career, from his effort to unseat Ill. Congressman Bobby Rush, his Illinois Legislature race, his U.S. Senate race and his presidential campaign. Nothing new there.

Second, the thought and introspection of your first statement is undermined by the ignorance displayed in your second paragraph. I agree that the educational gaps in Black achievement are an area of concern and in cities with large black populations like Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia, academies were created specifically for black male students. Your statement about “concentrating on education instead of making babies” is rooted in ignorance. Though the numbers have tipped slightly upward in recent years, the pregnancy rates among teens of all races have dropped for nearly a decade.

You may or may not know the topic of school vouchers remains a fiercly debated and divisive topic in the Black community and cuts along educational and income lines. Parents of all races want good schools for their children. As income and tax base inequalities effect the quality of education in urban schools, some parents make the case for vouchers allowing them to place their children in better performing schools outside of their assigned public school. Others argue urban schools will never improve if more students are pulled from the district and still others back specialized charter schools as a solution. So while you raise the point of if specialized schools are needed to tackle the problem of educational gaps, teen pregnancy rates have very little to do with it.

Mr. Swift,

I’m not sure if you felt my post contained some of the ’same inaccurate statements posted over and over again,’ but since there were only two entries, I’ll assume I’m included as part of the guilty.

I, of course, didn’t mention Reverend Wright, but since you brought him up - and highlighted a supposed media ‘double-standard’ with that of a lack of criticism on comments given by John Hagee and Rob Parsley (and their support of John McCain) - my input would be that Mr. McCain didn’t sit in the church for two decades of either of these men, nor did Mr. McCain view either of these two men as a mentor and naming his autobiography after one of their sermons. From my perspective, the situations aren’t even remotely comparable.

I NEVER saw a mention of ANY black journalist being questioned on whether they could objectively do their jobs covering then-Senator Obama. NEVER. The ONLY reference to this in the conservative media was when Obama appeared at a gathering of minority journalists - and they gave him a standing ovation, offering up approving ’shouts’ during the speech.

The ONLY questioning I saw was, as you noted, the possible duplicity of having Gwen Ifill moderate the vice-presidential debate - while she had a book on President Obama, and other black leaders, coming out on election day. It was a valid ‘conflict of interest’ question - but Ms. Ifill did very well, was very objective - and the whole thing went away soon after the debate.

I DO hold to the position that the mainstream media didn’t investigate Mr. Obama during the campaign - and didn’t criticize him…and, sadly, I believe it goes back to race. White journaiists were unwilling to ask Mr. Obama tough questions because they didn’t want to be tagged as being ‘racist’ if they grilled the man.

As a result, men like Steve Kroft asked him inanities such as ‘Is America ready for a black president?’ while Katie Couric asked him such hard-hitters as when the last time he cried was. I find it hard to believe that, in 1960, Howard K. Smith would have asked either John Kennedy or Richard Nixon something as stupid as that.

The only genuinely tough interview I saw druing the campaign was when Bill O’Reilly interviewed Obama. The questions were tough, fair - and I thought Obama did a respectable job. O’Reilly showed RESPECT to Obama in this interview - as opposed to the pandering and condescension we saw from every other journalist.

John C., for your consideration:

http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/07/25/1222169.aspx

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/07/28/can-minority-journalists-cover-obama-objectively.aspx

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jan/21/entertainment/et-bet21

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/obama-at-unity-convention/

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/05/ferraro-at-it-again.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/drew-westen/how-should-journalists-co_b_115256.html

http://www.mije.org/staffpicks/don%E2%80%99t-question-my-credibility-because-i%E2%80%99m-black

Regarding the “preachers” debate, much was made of requests for Obama to repudiate Wright’s comments. The same degree of interest, requests and veracity of coverage was absent regarding McCain and both Hagee and Parsley.

I agree with you that some of the toughest questions Obama faced were in the O’Reilly interview. And while each was firm in his beliefs and convictions, the interview was conducted with mutual respect.

Darryl,

Thanks for the links. I’ll take a look.

I believe Obama was asked to repudiate Reverend Wright’s comments simply because he had such a long personal history with the man - and Wright’s comments WERE toxic.

McCain had no such history with either Hagee or Parsley - so not much was made of the issue. Had McCain sat under the tutelage of either pastor for decades, he most certainly would (and should) have been questioned profusely as to why.

Swint: opined
The govt …: The debate over whether President Obama fights to alleviate specific problems in the Black community has followed him for his entire political career, from his effort to unseat Ill. Congressman Bobby Rush, his Illinois Legislature race, his U.S. Senate race and his presidential campaign. Nothing new there.

Mr. Swint
He Obama is black, and in this society as it stands now any interference in the problems of the Black community is look upond as interference by the white society. Answers forth coming are conceded showing no respect for the black community as a whole. If you deny that, then you’re fooling yourself, because you can’t fool me.

Swint opined:
Second, the thought and introspection of your first statement is undermined by the ignorance displayed in your second paragraph. I agree that the educational gaps in Black achievement are an area of concern and in cities with large black populations like Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia, academies were created specifically for black male students. Your statement about “concentrating on education instead of making babies” is rooted in ignorance. Though the numbers have tipped slightly upward in recent years, the pregnancy rates among teens of all races have dropped for nearly a decade.

Mr. Swint
I am not by any standard ignorant! Unless your arrogance have superseded your intelligence.

Please explain this paragraph:
I agree that the educational gaps in Black achievement are an area of concern and in cities with large black populations like Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia, academies were created specifically for black male.

Swint opined
You may or may not know the topic of school vouchers remains a fiercly debated and divisive topic in the Black community and cuts along educational and income lines.
This division is based solely on inter-city school systems are nothing but an employment agency based on the need of having African American a representative in the system. There are many that are incompetent people that are given those jobs strictly based on the color of their skin not based on talent. The prime example is right here in river city with collapse of the public system
Parents of all races want good schools for their children. As income and tax base inequalities effect the quality of education in urban schools, some parents make the case for vouchers allowing them to place their children in better performing schools outside of their assigned public school.

Mr.Swint
I suppose you have forgotten Deseg. It didn’t work, the poor grades by those city kids in the county schools were overshadowed by the non African American students. Now that those districts have a black student body of 60 to 90% are in failure, their MAP testing is DUNG.

Swint opined
Others argue urban schools will never improve if more students are pulled from the district and still others back specialized charter schools as a solution. So while you raise the point of if specialized schools are needed to tackle the problem of educational gaps, teen pregnancy rates have very little to do with it.

Mr. Swint
The teen pregnancy rates are important especially in the Black community. Just ask any Grandmother or great grand Mother if they want to raise those children. When there is a birth in the middle and high school age girls the chance of being in poverty increases, So it has a chilling effect on our society.The Thugs (gang members) is being raised by a high school dropout. The old saying Babies raising babies.

The gov: The back-and-forth is getting old. Let’s not monopolize the discussion or get off-topic. I will address your points and then let others participate.

Obama’s political career: Please research the House race between Bobby Rush and Obama. Once you do, you will see that the president has his skeptics in the African American community as he does elsewhere. There is no monolithic opinion in the African American community.

Ignorance: Please re-read my statement. I said your statement was ignorant, not you. If you researched, you will see that teen pregnancy rates are not at the epidemic levels seen in the 80s and 90s. Obviously, teens still get pregnant.

Educational gaps in black achievement: There is a large and growing achievement gap between black students and their white and Asian peers in testing. There are also disturbing dropout rates in several major cities, including those with large black populations: Chicago, Detroit, Gary, Ind., St. Louis. In several of these cities, grade school and middle school academies for young black boys were created, with varying degrees of success. In one such case in Detroit, parents successfully sued for the right to open the academy to both boys and girls.

Vouchers:
I have not forgotten about desegregation efforts. Those efforts resulted in some African American students getting better educations in county schools than they would have received in their home districts. But deseg also gave more money to county schools to compensate with their larger student bodies. The schools in the black communities remained comparatively underfunded. As court challenges to the programs were filed nationwide, suburban districts were given the choice to opt out of the deseg program. Locally, districts like Clayton and Ladue did so. In Clayton, students of all races staged a walk-out/rally in support of the diversity brought about by the deseg program. The tax base/funding discrepancy among city and county schools remains.