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The Grand Old Party Can’t Handle the Truth!
- By Roy Douglas Malonson
- Published 09/14/2009
- Editorial and Opinion
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Roy Douglas Malonson
Roy D. Malonson is publisher of the African-American News&Issues.
View all articles by Roy Douglas Malonson
One of my employees was having blood drawn for a series of medical tests when the White phlebotomist responded to a short radio commercial about President Obama’s then upcoming speech to students. As she stuck the needle into his arm, she said, “That president is so evil. Using kids to push his health plan.” Because the vision of Michael Jackson dying from the effects of having a needle stuck somewhere in his body was fresh in his memory, the employee didn’t say anything ... at that time.
It’s a sad state in America when Americans don’t want the president of the United States talking to their children. It’s bad enough that we had to tell ourselves and our little Black children the oft told lie, “If you work hard enough, you can be anything you want—even the president of the U.S.” And when we finally get one, we find out that statement really wasn’t meant for Blacks.
The reality is, White Americans don’t want a Black man talking to their children—even when the message is positive. Even when it comes to the things of God, Blacks can sit under the Joel Osteens of the world, but how many Whites do you see sitting under the I.V. Hillliards? Perhaps they would rather the message come from a gangster rapper like Tupac (may God rest his soul) or 50 Cent since it appears that White youth buys the majority of rap music—although the argument is over whether or not the figure is actually 60 percent instead of 70 percent.
Maybe the message of teenage pregnancies, drug and alcohol abuse, and dropping out of school, is what really resonates with these off the wall parents. Afterall, someone is telling their trenchcoat, black makeup, spiked-hair wearing kids that it’s okay to shoot up their schools, but to share a message of motivation is a horse of a different color (no pun intended). And when all of the smoke finally cleared, many of the “protectors of America” had to back up and admit that the president was right all along.
That included former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a hardened Obama foe, who may run against him in 2012, Gingrich defended the speech and went even further by encouraging “every child” to read the remarks. Although conservatives said that the president had no right to speak to school children and felt certain that he would try to “indoctrinate” school children, Gingrich said the attacks are without merit.
“President Reagan did it, President George H.W. Bush did it,” he said. “I read the speech yesterday when it was posted and I think the White House was smart to post it. It’s a good speech,” he continued.
Former first lady Laura Bush got in on the act by lending her support adding, it is “really important for everyone to respect the president of the United States.” She said, “There’s a place for the president of the United States to talk to school children and encourage school children” to stay in school.
As to be expected, the speech to students was a hot topic both online and offline. Many of Obama political enemies stooped to attacking the number of times he referred to himself in the speech. Phyllis Darden-Caldwell, an Obama supporter stated, “perhaps all children should be home-schooled and kept inside at all times. That way parents can make sure that children only hear what parents want them to hear—only expose them to what parents want them exposed to. of course, that means turning off all electronics ... tv, radio, computers, iPods, telephones, etc... interview all friends, associates, family members.”
But more telling is how ignorant Whites like the phlebotomist in the beginning of this column, refuse to research for themselves and take whatever media spin they get, for gospel. She should have read the speech, which was not only posted on the White House Web site, but made available by news media outlets and independent school districts and she would have seen the truth with her own eyes. But alas, as the Bible says, “the truth will make you free,” and many people don’t want to know the truth. As Jack Nicholson’s character, Colonel Nathan R. Jessep said in the 1992 movie, A Few Good Men, “You can’t handle the truth!”
It’s a sad state in America when Americans don’t want the president of the United States talking to their children. It’s bad enough that we had to tell ourselves and our little Black children the oft told lie, “If you work hard enough, you can be anything you want—even the president of the U.S.” And when we finally get one, we find out that statement really wasn’t meant for Blacks.
The reality is, White Americans don’t want a Black man talking to their children—even when the message is positive. Even when it comes to the things of God, Blacks can sit under the Joel Osteens of the world, but how many Whites do you see sitting under the I.V. Hillliards? Perhaps they would rather the message come from a gangster rapper like Tupac (may God rest his soul) or 50 Cent since it appears that White youth buys the majority of rap music—although the argument is over whether or not the figure is actually 60 percent instead of 70 percent.
Maybe the message of teenage pregnancies, drug and alcohol abuse, and dropping out of school, is what really resonates with these off the wall parents. Afterall, someone is telling their trenchcoat, black makeup, spiked-hair wearing kids that it’s okay to shoot up their schools, but to share a message of motivation is a horse of a different color (no pun intended). And when all of the smoke finally cleared, many of the “protectors of America” had to back up and admit that the president was right all along.
That included former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a hardened Obama foe, who may run against him in 2012, Gingrich defended the speech and went even further by encouraging “every child” to read the remarks. Although conservatives said that the president had no right to speak to school children and felt certain that he would try to “indoctrinate” school children, Gingrich said the attacks are without merit.
“President Reagan did it, President George H.W. Bush did it,” he said. “I read the speech yesterday when it was posted and I think the White House was smart to post it. It’s a good speech,” he continued.
Former first lady Laura Bush got in on the act by lending her support adding, it is “really important for everyone to respect the president of the United States.” She said, “There’s a place for the president of the United States to talk to school children and encourage school children” to stay in school.
As to be expected, the speech to students was a hot topic both online and offline. Many of Obama political enemies stooped to attacking the number of times he referred to himself in the speech. Phyllis Darden-Caldwell, an Obama supporter stated, “perhaps all children should be home-schooled and kept inside at all times. That way parents can make sure that children only hear what parents want them to hear—only expose them to what parents want them exposed to. of course, that means turning off all electronics ... tv, radio, computers, iPods, telephones, etc... interview all friends, associates, family members.”
But more telling is how ignorant Whites like the phlebotomist in the beginning of this column, refuse to research for themselves and take whatever media spin they get, for gospel. She should have read the speech, which was not only posted on the White House Web site, but made available by news media outlets and independent school districts and she would have seen the truth with her own eyes. But alas, as the Bible says, “the truth will make you free,” and many people don’t want to know the truth. As Jack Nicholson’s character, Colonel Nathan R. Jessep said in the 1992 movie, A Few Good Men, “You can’t handle the truth!”