There is still a "Hallelujah" in my spirit. Tavis Smiley's mother has just prayed the benediction at the tenth State of the Black Union Symposium in Los Angeles. I watched half the symposium, and the half, as they say, won't be told by me tonight.I tuned into C-Span at the beginning of the afternoon session. President Barack Obama's taped video address and the second panel's dialogue has me full to overflowing with new information on a variety of subjects. I truly felt President Obama's address was not only a concise recap of his first 40 days in office, but also a healing moment considering the uproar that occurred over Tavis' comments during the presidential campaign. Eventhough I have spported Tavis in the past and I have spoken with him twice on my radio show, I must admit I was upset with him, too, so I almost didn't watch this 10th Union.
Tavis introduced a new book, Accountable: Making America As Good As Its Promise which outlines President Obama's campaign promises. He asked the audience to use it as a checklist for tracking Obama's progress, plus, as with the 2006 bestseller, Covenent With Black America, Tavis is going on the road to several big cities beginning Monday to discuss the book. Louisville is not on the tour this time, at least not in the first set of cities. Van Jones, Randall Robinson, Lani Guinier, and Erica Willams all shared profound insights on everything from the president's allocation of federal dollars for global warming and the ecology and the impact those dollars could have on blacks in the 'hood in terms of jobs, to exploring news ways of determining intelligence that includes, and not excludes, the African American intellect, to atrocities in African and other countries during the Clinton era. The first black Republican National Committe Chairman Michael Steele was a panelist as was Julianne Malveaux, Cornel West, Na'im Akbar, Jawanza Kunjufu, Danny Bakewell, Sr., and Karen Bass.
The comment that had me shoutin', however, not there was only one, came from Dr. Emily Towns when she said, "I know many of you are not going to like what I'm about to say, but the black church has to stop focusing so much on prosperity and start focusing on the prophetic (speaking truth to powers, not giving personal prophecies)." She said, "Prosperity is about yourself, your family, and those around you....The prophetic is about each and every one of us. If we don't move more into true communal relationship, Barack Obama will have only one term."
Remember, it is not Mohammad, Buddha, Confucius, nor New Age that saves. Jesus saves.
The sister at the This Old Black Church blog asked where was Tavis's new book when Bush was in office. This was my comment to her...
ReplyDeleteI must say that Tavis has disappointed me. And your questions is valid. Where was this book when Bush was in office? As for as I am concerned if Obama makes a slew of mistakes he can never come close to equaling the number of mistakes made during the Bush administration. As I stated on my blog, I almost didn't watch the 10th SOBU because of Tavis' comments during the presidential campaign. But I am glad the Lord allowed me to tune in this year. I learned something, just as I learned something over the course of the past 10 SOBUs. We all make mistakes and require mercy. I will keep praying for Tavis, and I hope you will do the same.
March 12, 2009 5:13 PM
[Photo] I keep hearing Tavis say we must hold the politicians accountable, however the only politician that he wants to hold accountable is President Obama. Where was the book on accountability when Bush was in office? It seems to me once the media found out that Tavis was willing to criticize Obama... it was on. Tavis has been on every main stream talk show. Why is that? These are my personal belief about Tavis. Mr. Smiley is creating an empire for himself bottom line. He has abandoned his interest in the Black community for self. Since Mr. Smiley has launched himself into this role as a spokesperson for Black America then he, too, should be held accountable. What has 10 years of the SOBU's done for the Black community? Is our community better or worse off since the inception of these 'conversations?' Have these conversations produced more than books? I wonder if he, himself, still lives in the 'hood?'If you are not out and about in the Black community, how in the world can you possibly know what is going on? Tavis is busy selling his book and building his own empire, that he hasn't notice that he has lost touch with the Black community.
posted by jjbrock at 3:43 AM on Mar 8, 2009