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Dissent is Healthy

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Martin Luther King Jr., President Johnson, Whitney Young, and James Farmer inside the White House Oval Office.

Dissent is healthy, our nation is rooted in it.

I was at a dinner party the other night and the issue of critiquing
“larger bloggers” came up.

I thought to myself, talking shit about someone is ONE thing. Critiquing their work is something else.

As an athlete and a writer, I understand that I only get better with critique. Some days its easier to take than others. It also depends on whether the person doing the critique is trying to give feedback or trying to humiliate. As a woman, I know that if someone can’t deal with my argument, rather than analyze it, they may want to go personal. Then I just be like #negroimfromthefuturemissmewiththose.

Critique is healthy for democracies as well.

There appears to be an unwillingness for Negros to engage and critique other negros publicly. Where does this leave Black people in general and our democracy specifically?

What if all those Civil Rights jawns failed to critique LBJ around the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act?

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I get it. I was initially really uncomfortable critiquing hip hop publicly, but, I came to learn that a.)the world didn’t blow up b.) a lot of? other people felt similar c.) once I did it I was able to do it again.

What does it mean that Black folks are reluctant to critique other Black bloggers?

As I thought about writing this post, I reflected on my own identity as a writer, and what it means to be willing to offer a critique. I realize that for my world, the issue has to do with wanting to shine, but also being committed to being authentic and trying to figure out how to do so simultaneously. The new shit then is #shineauthentic. Yassuh!

What does it mean that the Congressional Black Caucus is extremely reluctant to critique and or apply pressure on the president? Whose interests are being served by this?

Has any president every done anything specifically for Black people, low income or otherwise without being publicly pressured to do so?


What does it mean that Bobby Kennedy could be the first and last modern president to understand the importance of taking direct action to change (better) the material conditions of lives of low income Americans in general and low income Blacks specifically?

You practice #shiningauthntic lately? Why or why not?

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Comments

  1. john says

    I agree with your sentiments! I think we as black people are willing to let too much just slide by. I also think as far as the president is concerned we are so happy that he’s there that he can do no wrong in some peoples eyes. I think it is healthy to critique each other and offer healthy feedback and sugestions. How do you perfect your graft if not, if your the only one that thinks your the best writer in the world then you may want to re-evaluate yourself. The same goes for our music also we have people with no musical talent or that are very low on it in the limelight more than those with boatloads and its quite disgusting to watch. All or some in part due to people not wanting to be called a hater! GOD forbid you are labeled a hater your lifes over lol! I think people with no talent put that in place in order to make those with positive critiques and commonsense opinions to be afraid to assert them! For instance when India Irie gave her opinion of lady Gaga she was called a hater,ugly,bald and having no talent! Really I did not know nor was I aware of this! lol But, in her opinion and statement she didnt disrespect lady gaga gave her praise in some instances but said she didn’t like the messages being put out to the children. How is that hate people have this thing that if your not as successful as someone then your opinion is invalid well Jesus didn’t know that neither do I! We need to have more people speack up and give positive critiscism so that we can grow not stay stagnant and think our S*%t don’t stink.

  2. admin says

    Thank you for responding John.
    You always put your heart into you comments.

    For instance when India Irie gave her opinion of lady Gaga she was called a hater,ugly,bald and having no talent! Really I did not know nor was I aware of this! lol But, in her opinion and statement she didnt disrespect lady gaga gave her praise in some instances but said she didn?t like the messages being put out to the children.
    ========
    Being able to understand a critique is indicitive of having critical faculties. Unfortuantly OUR educational system, by and large, is rooting in teaching folks to consume, not to think critically.

    I saw India’s tweet longer jawn yesterday and wondered what she was responding to, because it was HELLLA long…but shit…its awesome and good for her.

    Something’s just need to be said when it comes to the influence that POP shit has on young bucks.

    ~R

  3. arieswym says

    My question about addressing black issues with the president and holding him accountable is when and how was that done with previous presidential administrations? It what ways did the CBC and Tavis/other outside black forces obtain policy successes recently?

    I think there are vast areas in which the CBC and the black community can critique the president and push him to more directly address issues facing our community. However, not overtly pressuring the president probably polls well among the CBC’s constituents and without a demand from their constituents, the CBC members have a reduced electoral incentive to push the president

    John Edwards addressed poverty during his campaign in 2007. It wasn’t as well covered as Bobby Kennedy, but poverty and inequality were a major theme of his campaign. When the race for the Democratic nominee, reduced to Clinton and Obama that issue was rarely mentioned again and with Edwards’ personal issues, he is no longer in a position to advocate for this issues outside of the administration.

  4. admin says

    However, not overtly pressuring the president probably polls well among the CBC?s constituents and without a demand from their constituents, the CBC members have a reduced electoral incentive to push the president
    =====
    I hear you. And the contradiction here is that the CBC’s constituents are NOT the Low income folks that Tavis et al are talking about. CBC’s constituents are Black middle class, (college educated, home owning, once a year traveling somewhere out the country). I say this not to be snarky, but to help build a working language around class.
    In fact this dilemma underscores how negros are NOT a heterogeneous group, class wise.

    John did address poverty in his campaign. However a campaign ain’t a presidency.

    My question about addressing black issues with the president and holding him accountable is when and how was that done with previous presidential administrations? It what ways did the CBC and Tavis/other outside black forces obtain policy successes recently?
    =========
    Is is it reasonable to assume that what has worked for other presidents should work for this one, given the fact that this one is Black?

    Was Bush willing to do anything for Low income anyone, Negros, Asian folks, Latinos, Native Americans or White Folks?

  5. arieswym says

    I didn’t get the impression that Tavis was focused exclusively on the lower class. His books, appearances and commentary seemed to me to be focused on the Black middle class that the CBC represents.

    I agree that no one is focused on the lower income people of any race.

    Bobby Kennedy was never president, he ran for the Democratic nomination in 1968 but he was assassinated in June 1968. That’s why I thought the comparison to Edwards was apt.

    What worked on non-white presidents may not work on a black president but it will at least be a point of comparison onto how blacks effectively received benefits through political pressure. Bush never did anything for low income anyone, but are there examples of Clinton or Carter, anyone post-LBJ delivering policy successes to blacks (or low-income people) after receiving political pressure from blacks?