Elements Of The Black Establishment Protecting Each Other: Black Entertainers Avoid Grading Obama

There is no need to huddle the various elements of the Black Establishment into one room and instruct them on the key talking points that they must cleave to when it comes to Barack Obama.  Per the consciousness that many of them operate with - it is understood what a "Black person in good standing" is expected to say publicly.  In fact there is a greater negative consequence for being honest or even provisional in one's view rather than going over board with glowing accolades or, in the case of the people below - rendering a "no comment".

From the magazine: "Sister 2 Sister":

Anthony Hamilton, Mary J Blige and Kelly Price On Grading President Obama

• Anthony Hamilton: "I'm not one to judge anybody.  I think before you can judge you have to see the end result.  Right now he's still in transition and he's working it out.  It's not easy being a president.  It's not easy being a father.  It's a hard job
• Mary J Blige didn't want to grade the president either and is still inspired by his election.  "I can't grade Obama."   "But what I can say is this man has the most courage as an African American in America.  He took a stand on leadership for the world.  He hasn't let us down.  He was showing us how to do it for ourselves.  That's what his election meant to me.  When he was elected and showed us. 'You know what?  We can do this as a people' ".
• Kelly Price said that she stands behind the president and what he's done so far for the country.  "I don't have a letter grade or a number grade.  If anybody wants me to give one."  "I say we were very patient when the country was going in the wrong direction.  I think its unreasonable to ask him to perform a miracle.  He's not God. He needs time".

THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS!!!

Analysis

Along the left side panel of this blog is listed the key elements of the "Black Establishment".  On the list is the "Black Entertainer" and of course the "Black Politician".   There is both a symbiotic and incestuous relationship between these two.   In an unspoken form one agrees to not publicly attack a "favorable" member of the establishment and in return they will return the favor.   NOTHING about this agreement necessarily has the "Black Community's" (the rank and file's) best interests in mind.

There was a stinging bit of dishonesty by omission in all of these entertainer's reluctance to grade Obama.  (Please note - I personally like the product of each of them.  This is nothing personal with me.)

They all realize the economic suffering that is taking place within the Black community.  They are aware of so many hopes that were built up not only by the ascendancy of Obama but more importantly by all of the favorable politicians that have populated the lower rungs in the machine that lead up to the Obama presidency.  It is my opinion that in the mind of these and other Black Establishment members - they have a greater loyalty to protecting Obama than they are in speaking out in defense of the PERMANENT INTERESTS of the Black Community.  

To them BARACK OBAMA AS PRESIDENT IS THE BEST INTERESTS OF BLACK PEOPLE.
Our future excitement hinges on him being able to "make us happy again" by winning a second term in 2012 and being able to hold onto the Democratic majorities in both houses as well as in the lower rungs where Black people are populated.   A greater sense of depression would be had if Obama loses in November 2012.  No factoids about the "Black Community's Vital Statistics" as they go into the voting booth should trump this.

Let's be honest.  What about this is any different than before?
How many Black voters wake up on election day and walk through their community, past the broken promises and violated permanent interests, only to close the curtain and rationalize that "despite being disappointed AT LEAST the people who I am voting for are not Republicans"?

This is NOT about any claim of 'Black stupidity" in voting.  I will stand with you and attack this claim.
This is ONLY about the SYSTEM and the STACKED DECK that is present WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

What passes as short term victories in truth only masks the pain that persists despite the short lived exuberance. 

We are far more likely to hear  more heart-felt "rhythm and blues" songs from each of these people who declined to "grade Obama" as they capture the sentiment that is boiling up within the Black community.  Instead of an updated iteration of Janelle Monae's "My President Don't You See Us Suffering? Where Is Your Heart?" (paraphrased title)   we are more likely to see hear a song that doubles down, asking Black folks to remain unified BECAUSE the cost is that we will sound like our "enemies" as we criticize Obama.  

I wish I could figure out a tune that could ask a Black person:  "Are You A Tea Bagger Nigga?".  It would be a platinum record.


What we have is the VOID IN THE  COMMUNITY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ARCHITECTURE OF BLACK AMERICA being exploited.

So much of our community and racial hopes have been tied to getting the machine that we support (the Democrats & Progressive) assembled, where our community is one of its load bearing pillars.  Yet with the victory won and our future condition remaining in doubt - those who lead us did not prepare us to manage.  We only learned who to struggle.

Surely "The Blues" and a soulful R&B song can express our struggle and tap our emotions. 
I don't know of a song or an entertainment form that can teach us how to manage. 

The key subtext of this entire message is that all that has been permitted in the way of exploitation of our community interests as favoritism has run amok is that which stands in our way and threatens us. 

If there was ever a time to continue SINGING TRUTH TO POWER - it is now.