All the President's Men: Is Reverend Al Sharpton the President's New BFF?

There is this postmodern theorem that states that whatever is considered revolutionary or subversive at the moment will invariably be subsumed into the prevailing power structure to be used toward its own ends. In other words, what is radical and revolutionary and subversive today will eventually yield its countercultural virtues and loyalties to that very thing it wishes so ardently to destroy.

More than a little amused, I have been quietly watching the Reverend Al Sharpton’s flirtations with the Barack Obama administration. Early on in President Obama’s historical campaign, both Sharpton and the Reverend Jesse Jackson tactfully and tactically indicated that they would hang back a bit to determine Obama’s posture toward the African American community.

However, many wondered if more than a little jealously was at play, and Reverend Jackson seemed to make it almost obvious with his remarks that he wanted to “cut [Obama’s] nuts out.” But then he made up for it with the image of tears of supposed joy streaming down his face on election night.

But Sharpton did eventually jump on board, and he campaigned hard for Obama. And when the president finally assumed the office, Sharpton was one of the first he received in the oval office.

And on a later date, as President Obama’s commitment to the African American community and a Black Agenda was being argued, Sharpton emerged from a meeting at the Whitehouse with the president and other black leaders who in their remarks seemed to suggest that President Obama didn’t need a Black Agenda. In facing and taking on the challenges of the nation, he is, in actuality, facing and taking on the challenges of all people to include African Americans.

That seemed like a sharp departure from all of Sharpton’s previous rhetoric. But my eyebrow really went up when Harvard professor and lawyer Charles Ogletree, the president’s former mentor and friend, announced Al Sharpton’s new role as administration ally, President Obama’s voice in the street, “a conduit between the disadvantaged and powerful leaders.” Pretty high-falutin language, huh?

This is problematic because Sharpton’s greatest worth to the African American community is in the role of agitator working from a position outside the power structure to keep it reasonably honest and fair in its dealings with that community.

Never mind the perm and the jogging suits and the big gold medallions of the good old days. No one can whip up an indignant protest like the Reverend Al Sharpton, however self-serving and self-aggrandizing he might seem.

No racist or corrupt politician or government official or police chief or CEO wants to look out their window to see a permed out Al Sharpton marching down the street, bullhorn in hand, leading a crowd of protestors whipped into a frenzy by his rhetoric.

Furthermore, the media loves Reverend Al, and he returns the love every chance he gets.  It seems that he never met a microphone or a television camera he didn’t like. But whatever you might say about him, he does use the media to his greatest advantage in taking on those issues and cases no politician would touch; he has, in many aspects, became the voice of the voiceless.

However, now he gives that all up. At one time he fought against the man; now he is the man’s right hand man in the streets. If you think about it, though, it was a masterful move on the part of President Obama. By courting Reverend Al, he kills two birds with one stone.

On the one hand, by bringing Reverend Al on board, he negates a powerful and potential voice of protest from within the African American community and reduces that community’s ability to hold the administration accountable.

Of course, Tavis Smiley is another voice of powerful and potential protest, but a number of African Americans, if not most, are cynical of Smiley’s motives, and should Smiley get too loud, Obama has Al Sharpton to attempt to keep him in check.

What do you think that whole other Black Agenda Summit hosted by Sharpton was about this weekend? It was to counter the Smiley hosted We Count!: The Black Agenda Is the American Agenda Summit. Reverend Sharpton is already on the job.

You know, I cannot figure out if our Uncle Al has sold out or bought in; I am actively trying to figure that out now. But it appears that for the time being, the revolutionary, subversive Al Sharpton has been thoroughly and completely subsumed.

What do you think of the Reverend Al Sharpton’s new role in the Obama administration? Do you think he is selling out or buying in?


Also see:  It's official, Al Sharpton finally becomes the HNIC: Sharpton touted as Obama's man in the streets!

The Black Agenda: Black Leadership in the Age of Obama

Take just a second and listen to the exchange embedded above between Tavis Smiley and Rev. Al Sharpton. Can you tell me just what is happening here? First of all, I’m a bit surprised that this very public and seemingly acrimonious disagreement took place the way it did. Usually, African Americans do not air our dirty laundry in public like that. But most importantly, I am wondering what are they arguing about anyway?

Many times I’ve asked readers to enlighten me on just what is this “Black Agenda” I keep hearing so much about. And not only that, what this “Black Agenda” consists of. Furthermore, just who set this “Black Agenda”?

We have any number of people claiming the mantle of leadership in African America, and any number of people claiming to represent “The Black Agenda,” but I cannot for the life of me figure out what this “Black Agenda” is, nor can I find it articulated anywhere. Not only that, I cannot figure out exactly who is out front leading, and more specifically, where they are leading African Americans to?

Plus join me tonight along with RiPPa, our new co-host Fungke Blak Chik, and special guest Kris Broughton of the blog Brown Man Thinking Hard and contributor to Slate Magazine, Talking Points Memo, and The Big Think, as we engage in a round table discussion on the relevance of “Black Leadership” in the age of Obama.

Using the recent controversial and very public disagreement between Al Sharpton & Tavis Smiley on national radio, we’ll explore this disagreement to expand on the idea of a “Black Agenda.” Or what exactly is a “Black Agenda”. How do we incorporate said agenda in our perceived “post-racial” society? How do we go about communicating said agenda and is said “agenda” a political liability for Barack Obama?

Most importantly, we’ll discuss the division within our community caused by said agenda and try to come up with a solution as to just what is best for Black America. We’ll also explore the New York Times’ piece on the CBC, and discuss their relevancy as it relates the Black electorate at large. Are they, like “Black Leadership,” doing enough for Black America?

Stop by tonight to get in on the discussion at 9 PM EST. You can either listen directly from the platform at Freedom thru Speech Radio or by using the dial-in number at 914-803-4881. And remember, the most important voice in this discussion is yours.

Our Crazy Uncles: Are Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson still relevant?

It appears Reverend Uncle Al Sharpton is back, but where is Reverend Uncle Jesse? I haven’t seen or heard from him since that shot of him in tears following President Obama’s election night victory.

It appears, though, Uncle Al has got in good with the White House. Recently, he has made more visits to the White House than any representative from any of the noted civil rights organizations. And after his most recent visit, he emerged as the co-founder of the bi partisan Education Equality Project.

The image of Uncle Al sitting down to conversate with president is in stark contrast to the image of Uncle Al from the campaign who along with Uncle Jesse, withheld their endorsement to the very last minute, not that it mattered much at that point anyway. At some point in the campaign, Uncle Jesse even expressed the sentiment that he would like to “cut Obama’s nuts off.”

I could never figure out why the acted so begrudgingly toward then candidate Obama. Certainly, it could not have been jealousy as speculated. Both men previously ran for president, but I never saw them as serious candidates. They were simply too invested in the notion of blackness, whereas candidate Obama’s appeal was quite the opposite.

Uncles Al and Jesse were always seen as black men running for president, while candidate Obama was seen as a man running for president who just happened to be black. He caught on to that whole post-racial thing and played it to the hilt.

And it’s doubtful that either of the two could ever get elected to a national office. Yeah, must black folks know them and love them. If they come to town and give a speech, the house will invariably be packed. Perhaps I’m projecting my attitude toward them on the whole of African America, but I don’t see them as particularly politically viable or politically relevant at this point in time. I simply see them us to goodly, avuncular individuals who deserve our respect on the basis of what they have achieved and contributed over the course of their lifetime.

Perhaps this analogy will help to sum up my sentiments toward uncles Al and Jesse.

Growing up I had a favorite uncle, as most of us do. To me there was none greater in this world. And he forever gave me advice which mostly I took to heart.

But as I grew and matured and developed a more discerning, more critical eye, I realized how much my uncle said was absolute BS. And even further, I realized that he didn’t always follow his own advice. In fact, I began to see what my mother and others meant when they said, “That Negro is absolutely crazy!”.

But I loved him no less. To this day I continue to listen to what he has to say, but I simply sift through it and take what I can use and simply nod in agreement to the rest.

You have to admit, uncles Al and Jesse have put in much work for black folks over the years. I’m not quite sure how much of that work was simply self-serving and self-aggrandizement, but no one can deny their contributions.

I once heard comedian and activist Dick Gregory say that in our society and culture the most important role is that of the agitator who performs just like the working element in a washing machine. If we removed the agitator, that working element that moves vigorously from side to side, from the washing machine, we would end up with a pile of dirty clothes. Likewise if we remove the agitator from our society and culture, the powers that be would simply run roughshod over the little people, those people whose voice is stifled amidst the noise of the mechanizations of power and privilege.

I perhaps would not vote for either man if he were running for office, but if I am ever in trouble, I sure would welcome the sight of them coming with the microphones and camera crews they always seem to attract trailing dutifully behind. Thus, perhaps their role now is simply that of the agitator. And they seem to play that role very well.

What are your views of the Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson? Are they still relevant in our current political arena?