[lbo-talk] Adolph Reed on the politics of the crisis

[John Thornton]

shag wrote:
> At 07:49 PM 10/1/2008, John Thornton wrote:
>
>> She's a professor of African-American studies at Princeton, knows her 
>> shit, and has more specific examples on the subject than I.
>> Or try Michael Eric Dyson's criticisms. He's sociology professor at 
>> Georgetown university and an Obama backer but is bothered by Obama's 
>> nonsensical rhetoric about personal responsibility as pandering to 
>> his white supporters because he know Blacks won't abandon him.
>
>
> but just because black folks agree with obama, it doesn't follow that 
> the rhetoric has to be supported -- as you point out with the examples 
> of obama's critics.
>
> iow, i don't think it was *just* pandering to whites; i think it was 
> pandering to a lot of black folks.

This is one of the weaknesses of Dyson's critique.
He incorrectly assumes that the prejudices Obama caters to with such 
rhetoric are not for consumption by some Blacks or other minorities.
He admits as much at times but then writes as if he hadn't admitted any 
such thing at other times. At least in my humble opinion.

The Black scrap metal buyers/sellers I know and deal with are very 
conflicted with regards to Obama although I doubt they'd tell any 
pollster this.
They will complain about Obama's right-wing rhetoric to each other and 
other minorities but don't criticize Obama to a white person.
The Blacks in my neighborhood have not ever spoken a word of discomfort 
concerning Obama's personal responsibility crap to me and I have 
discussed this with them at a recent Obama support gathering in the 
neighborhood.
Infinitesimally small samples, I know.

John Thornton