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Every February, Tavis Smiley hosts his "State of the Black Union Symposium." I watched last year to my own nausea and this year, I chose not to indulge myself in the whackness. This year's theme was "Defining the African American Agenda."

Good luck on that one.

The symposium as I see it, is merely an event where a panel mostly full of "so-called" black leaders, ministers, and intellectually arrogant individuals discuss the "black issues," strategize for the future, and do their best to out-talk one another, while manipulating the emotions of the people to applaud.

This year, the symposium was held at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia. But don't let the level playing ground fool you. Bishop Eddie Long, pastor of the church, was brought under scrutiny for supporting bans on homosexual marriages as well as attending a meeting at the White House. The nerve of him! We must remember, blacks must only be loyal to the Democratic Party because the Democrats are in fact, god.

During the panelist discussion, Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr., a Democrat who voted for President Bush in the last election, announced what he felt was the dawn of a new black agenda based on the Bible. Here is where the fall-out begins.

I have a problem with Tavis Smiley's endeavor. And trust me when I say it's not just because I am unhinged by Dr. Cornel West's refusal to groom himself or the uppitiness of University of Pennsylvania professor Michael Eric Dyson (whose books exude so much bourgeoisie intellectual snobbery, they don't even make sense). The problem I have is with this "We Are the World" notion of black people coming together under one banner and one cause.

Forgive me if this sounds terribly simplistic, but it's not going to work. Not under current conditions because there are too many different allegiances present for that to take place. I'm fairly young, and even I am tired of hearing black people moan about how "we just need to come together." It sounds really great, but there's a reason why it hasn't happened: conflicting gods (and yes, we all have them).

This year the symposium was "treated" to the presence of ~~Nation of Islam~~ Black Nationalist leader, "Minister" Farrakhan, who had the following to say about black unity in America:

There are some who are watching by television and some in this audience who think that we will never come together, that we will never make the right covenant or contract. I say to you: Go back and read your scripture, "So the Son of Man went back to His Sender and he said, 'I been talking, the bones have been shaking, but there's no life in them.' He said, 'Well don't talk to the bones no more. Prophesy to the winds, and let the winds blow on these bones.'

"You see, Bush is a wind. Your rejection at the table is a wind. My brothers going to dinner in the White House and can't come away with what's in the best interest of all our people; Jesse running twice, but still couldn't come away with what our people need, all of this is a farce, if, if, we don't make up our minds—today—to make this contract, this covenant, today. Not with us and the Democratic Party. To hell with the Democratic Party and to hell with the Republican Party. If they want our vote, let's come as a unified body.

And I say this to you Louis Farrakhan: go back and read your scripture. Poor Biblical interpretation and application aside, it is common knowledge that the black community is rich with spiritual history. This will never go away. And if we're dumb enough to think that the ~~Nation of Islam~~ Black Nationalists are talking about the same God of the Bible, then we're really in trouble. The "unification" message everyone keeps touting has to have a clear moral foundation. I promise you, race alone isn't strong enough to be that foundation, and true Christians and Black Nationalists can agree on very little these days.

For there to be any type of unity, Black America needs to decide under which banner we will seek to empower people. Education isn't enough. Entrepreneurship isn't enough. We can meet, assign committees, and sympose (I made that word up) all we want, but as long as we attempt to build unity under the deification of race, we'll keep beating the air.

So, do you have the same problem with the Black conservative version?

And if Tavis' effort only gets "Black liberals", so what? If the "Black conservative" version only gets "Black conservatives" so what?

If they both get no one, so what?

Personally, I hope it works. Personally, I don't believe that "all Blacks" can get together now. It didn't happen during the Civil Rights era either.

I don't care too much for West. Dyson lost me with his support of hip hop, though I like that he has been the only person to shut down Ann Coulter.

I have a hard time understanding all this fuss over gay marriage. In my world, gays can't get married. Marriage is between a man and a woman. I know that, you know that and THEY know that. But I suppose it needs to be voiced that it is improper (even though it doesn't exist) and I applaud Bishop Long for that. That is a darn sight better than Rev.(?) Al Sharpton has done--he actually came out in support of gay marriage. I was so appalled I wanted to 'Nehemiah' him. My desire is for Blacks to come back together. We had more (although not nearly perfect) unity before integration. We need to regain a true sense of community somehow. Oh, and let Dr. West have his hair.

Darkstar: If the black conservative version has the same focus and rallies around race as the sole means for unity, then no, I don't support that effort either. The thing is, Tavis's deal isn't "Liberal." It's supposedly all-inclusive of blacks from varying beliefs (hence Long and Farrahkan on the same stage). Comparing the two doesn't exactly make a credible argument.

My second favorite movie of all time is "A Raisin in the Sun." There is a scene with Sydney (refering to Louis Gossett Jr.?) talking about college boys.

I always think of that scene when I hear Cornel West. (Hee, hee...)

Hi Ambra - first time poster and I just read your comment policy... cracked me up. Sorry, but when the obvious has to be spelled out I have to grin a little. It certainly goes without saying that you've done a great job with your site.

I started reading several weeks ago and find myself gravitating here several times a week. I like your style, your politics, and your recognition of The Master.

But today's topic regarding Black leadership caused me to respond. I am not black and because of this recognize a limited ground for expressing my opinions on the subject. I understand we all have obstacles in life, some more than others - but all are afflicted.

I realized several years ago that the Black community was hindered by their leadership. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Louis Farrakhan speak with a logic that can only be described as confusing. Your quote of Farrakhan was a great example - I just can't follow the logic of what he's saying except to know that he doesn't like Bush, which certainly doesn't add to what is already known.

At the same time, people such as Colin Powell, Clarence Thomas, and Condoleeza Rice receive next to no recognition from black leadership. Obviously it's because they have formed a separate conservative voice of their own.

So it was refreshing to hear your opinions about this topic - such commentary is often overlooked by the MSM.

It's late - I need to get to bed. Love your insights... wish I had time to clean up my post and impress you with my writing, but maybe if I did it still wouldn't amount to much soooo...

Good night.

-Ter

Terri: your grammar looks fine to me. Nice commentary for a first-timer. You observe an unfortunately true norm in "black political thought:" Lack of (good) leadership.

Yesterday, a fellow blogger, Michael King talked about there being such a thing as the "right kind of black." Interesting stuff.

Thanks for your comment. And to think, I was impressed even without your proofreading.

1) why were black ministers not chastised for meeting with bill clinton

2) whats up with farakan talking about "the good shepherd will lay down his life for his sheep" muslims believe in the diety of Jesus now?

Shari, the NOI (Nation of Islam) DOES NOT recognize Jesus as anything other than a prophet. However, Louis X has a habit of using biblical allusions to blur the lines between his doctrine and that of mainstream Black Christianity. From what I can tell, it has been an effective tool for him. He isn't nearly the pariah he was years ago and should be now. SOME of what he says is cool, but those things are so in the realm of common sense as to be devoid of any sort of revelation. I personally think he is a dangerous man. Why? Simply because he has proven to be quite a charming rogue. SNAKES BITE, no matter how pretty they may appear to be.

I watched the State of the Black Union. I too looked beyond Farrakahn's loose interpretation of the "the bones" scripture and saw that in essence he was saying quit depending on political leaders (democrat or republican) to do something for "our people", "get up off our shoulders", and stop looking for someone to blame or hand us something.

We fought for equal rights and the end of segregation, now that we have it (and rightfully so), we have been trying in vain for over 40 years to regroup and 'get back together'. It seems like after the Civil Rights era, we all scattered to enjoy our newfound equality, but the innate unity of the black community seemed to be dismantled at the same time. How do you put a drinking glass back together after it has shattered into thousands upon thousands of little pieces? In my opinion, a 'covenant' to get black folk on one accord just seems a little too simplistic. In the end it would be a symbolic gesture that, as long as there is BET on the other side of the spectrum, would mean nothing. But that is a different subject entirely.

All in all I enjoy watching the State of the Black Union every year, I like to hear what everytone has to say. I also think a lot of the panelists engage in a lot of puffery and bullsh*t, but hey thats fun to watch too. I like Tavis Smiley and although he doesn't but it on front street, I think he ponders the sincerity and motives of the black church-which I find myself doing at times as well (yet another subject matter). With that said I will conclude.

Farrakhan's use of the "bones" scripture is fairly traditional in the Black church. If you grew up in the South and went to a Protestant church, you've heard the sermon before. That's not to say that it is good theology, but it certainly moves a crowd. What he meant was that we can not build community without addressing the conditions under which we live. "Prophesy to the winds" is a call to action.

Unity remains a problem for Black leadership. I suggest that the civil rights movement was most successful in drawing together the Black community not because we had a common cause or even a common goal, but because we had a common enemy. What the Black State of the Union is attempting to do, then, is something that has never been accomplished on any scale.

While I doubt that it will happen, as my contribution to community, I am willing to support the effort.

I appreciate your insight, however wrong I think it may be. The Black State of the Union serves as a venue of unification where a form of synergy can take place amongst Black "Leaders" and the rest of us. Feel free to criticize the event, for this is America; but, what would you have Black America do to improve its situation?...and to pretend that race is NOT a factor simply means that one is color-blind. Being blind to anything (especially race in America) is nothing less than a handicap and potentially fatal. I wish that we could improve Black America without emphasizing the plight of the Black male and female, but it is simply not possible.
If you have such a HUGE problem with these esteemed black leaders, how about becoming a prominent leader yourself, rally Black America around one of the issues that you claim we can't rally around, and prove Dr. West, Dr. Dyson, and Min. Farrakhan inadequate to merely sit on a panel of "LEADERS." Until then, you are simply playing the role of the other two crabs in the barrel...pulling everyone else down because you are not at the top. This prevailing theme of jealousy...no, ENVY, is the disease that plagues our homes, communities, and culture. I look forward to future dialogue with you because this was a very well-written article. It made me think. I do, however, believe that you need to really re-examine what it means to be Black in America. Thanks!

I saw the last half of the Ministers speech and I was in awe and surprise. I didn't hear mention of Allah. That struck me odd, and when he started quoting the Bible, more than once, made reference to Jesus... more than once...I was convinced that I was being bamboozled. But every word from his mouth is TRUTH and I can't find the text online from the speech. He talked about making a covenant with the Devil and expecting that the Devil will honor it. Isnt that the truth! Wont he send us to Iraq to fight when we have no democracy at home?!? Farrakhan has the right to worship whom he wants and he is one of our most powerful and forward leaders. *Million Man March*... God or Allah, whichever. Im feelin tha brother. To hell with this fake azz democracy