Obama on Father's Day!

[Tressie]

An excerpt:

You know, sometimes I'll go to an eighth-grade graduation and there's all that pomp and circumstance and gowns and flowers. And I think to myself, it's just eighth grade. To really compete, they need to graduate high school, and then they need to graduate college, and they probably need a graduate degree too. An eighth-grade education doesn't cut it today. Let's give them a handshake and tell them to get their butts back in the library!

It's up to us - as fathers and parents - to instill this ethic of excellence in our children. It's up to us to say to our daughters, don't ever let images on TV tell you what you are worth, because I expect you to dream without limit and reach for those goals. It's up to us to tell our sons, those songs on the radio may glorify violence, but in my house we live glory to achievement, self respect, and hard work. It's up to us to set these high expectations. And that means meeting those expectations ourselves. That means setting examples of excellence in our own lives.

The full speech here.

It's official. It's love.

[Tressie]

Actually, I also want to add that religion is a problem, too. As I think on this I realize I would approach such a community school would be to address issues of identity as it pertains to universal conciousness and self-actualization. But the whole Black Church thing would have people crying to have me burnt at the stake, I think. The thing is, other than our collective persecution do we have enough in common OTHER than our complexion? What can be used as the rally? I seriously wonder.

[Tressie]

I honestly believe that our communities should create cultural academies like the Greeks and Jews have. Of course, we'll have to define our "community" and get into the whole identity thing and that's always the problem, right? But, something has to be institutionalized to replace what is so obviously not being addressed in home or in school. But, god, it's not the kids but the parents who I think would make it a nightmare. I swear they'd have to sign a 20 page, iron clad agreement to leave me the hell alone - not the right spirit to get things popping, I guess.

[Ciwara-yo]

I liked the speech. But I think it's also an issue of whether we leave it at the speech or whether we do something about it. In one context, it might be seen as just the educated talking to the educated which is a very valid thing to be concerned about. However, I think dismissing his speech as "just a speech" is probably not the thing to do either.

Fixing this problem has everything to do with fixing the way men's sense of self-esteem is bound up with the behaviors they believe to be masculine. It also has to do with the ways in which men create and define status for themselves which includes things like decent jobs, freedom from harassment by law enforcement and being given respect as a fundamental human right. But it also includes taking responsibility for one's own actions, refusing to allow BET or any of the other vectors of commercial culture to define what black humanity (or lack of it) looks like for men, women AND children, and coming to grips with the way white supremacy has lead to mal-adaptations on the part of oppressed cultures and individuals.

If part of your survival depends on not showing emotion and not allowing oppressors to see your fear, you might well develop a notion of masculinity that values toughness and domination, the mal-adaptation comes about when this notion of masculinity is deployed against other black people.

I think it's time we recognized what kinds of poisoned values are being internalized by all people living in a capitalist, patriarchal, white supremacist society and how we can figure out ways of deprogramming ourselves and others instead of simply dissing one another a la Cosby, C Delores Tucker AND Fi'ty Cent, Lil Wayne etc.

We need more publically honored figures of responsible parenthood in ALL communities. It's a specifically self-identified issue in poorer black communities but it's an issue for all of us.

[Tracie G.]

Okay, I think what bugs me most are the people who think this speech came from Barack the politician. I mean, of COURSE it came from him as that because it's inextricable; HOWEVER, one has to keep in mind that at the end of the day, Barack has EVERY right to speak about Black fathers needing to step the hell up and raise their kids...BECAUSE HE KNOWS FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN THEY DON'T. Even if it was slurred with the colloquialisms of a drunkard I'd NEVER compare it with the Bill's senile soundbite rantings...and to be honest it makes me downright ANGRY at those who do.

[Mel D]

An eighth-grade education doesn't cut it today. Let's give them a handshake and tell them to get their butts back in the library!

Shit. Amen. I don't remember getting the good shit for the 8th grade. It was never a question that I wasn't going to the 9th.

too many parents come and they say "oh, this child's got a great report card. They got all B's. I say 'All B's? Is that the highest grade?"
this speech is too much. Honesty. I used to hate my parents for that shit but now I understand.

[Mel D]

I don't even feel right comparing this speech to Dr. Cosby's infamous NAACP speech. This is well presented, angry but positive and inspiring. As much bullshit as I get into with my father, I am grateful for his presence in my life. I have seen what can happen too often when the father is not there. And with my peers, I am seeing the effect the "baby daddy" ism has on the mother.
This speech is more uplifting than Bill Cosby's ever was or could have hoped to be.

[Correy Jackson]

I agree wholeheartedly, except that this speech was not spoken to nor intended for "his" people he was talking about.

[Tressie]

You know, systemic marginalization AND personal responsibility can coexist. They are not mutually exclusive. You speak to your audience, and if you love the people you better tell them truth. The "system" hasn't yet made condoms more expensive than gas or physically barred men from cultivating relationships with their children.

[Correy Jackson]

Obama has nothing to lose with this speech. He has his black following and support. More importantly, many of the blacks who tend to vote will naturally side with his sentiments. This speech, similar to what Bill Cosby has said, is reminiscent of another Bill--Bill Clinton. It's no different than Clinton's attack on Sista Soulja when he was running for office. Clinton needed to bring white men back to the Democratic party, so he distanced himself by playing on white opinions of black life. In essence, Obama did the same thing. He needs white voters, so his status as a "black man" only heightens white sensibilities to his persepectives on "black make life." As a political move--kudos. We all know he has to be a black man w/out accentuating his blackness...he's American first and foremost...right.

He can't just come out and attack white patricarchy and dominance...the type that has created, supported and financed many of the social and physical structures that contribute to black nihilistic attitudes and practces. He can't just come out and admit that his pastor has been at the forefront of Black Liberation Theology for decades...can he?

Like Farrakkhan at the Million Man March. When I was a college student, I trekked to this historic event hoping to see all types of blackness represented. Different social classes, cultures, and generations that all bring different perspectives and experiences to the table. What I learned was that the black educated, professional, and organized showed up and were spoken to.

Just like Obama's speech, we shout in agreeance because we are not the black men he is speaking to....right!! We are the educated, the professional, the greek organization-toting soon-to-be leaders of our communities...right!!

Once again I say, "Good political move Obama." And like Cosby---you were able to pull it off because truly, the blacks who you were speaking about...the ones born of the streets and dying of the streets...the ones in prisons and on corners...the ones who you know won't vote and you have no desire to reach---you won over whites, working-class and middle-class blacks, and many others----all at the cost of separating yourself even further from the "black fathers" who whites feel represent the blackness you must separate yourself from.