http://open.salon.com/blog/norman_kelley/2011/09/25/obamas_chutzpah_performance_before_the_cbc
All,
I'm a big fan of Kelley's work and have been for a long time--even when he's dead wrong. I especially liked his 2004 tome entitled The Head Negro in Charge Syndrome: The Dead End of Black Politics (Nation Books), which though flawed is still a serious, honest, and insightful attempt at a genuinely independent and critical theoretical analysis of black political thought and practice in the United States. Really good to see him and his often intellectually scathing and deeply incisive work again...He's a real social and cultural critic as well as political analyst and we sorely need many more like him generally--and especially in the African American intellectual and politically activist community nationwide...
Norman Kelley
Location
Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Bio
Norman Kelley is an independent journalist, author, and former segment radio producer at WBAI 99.5 FM Pacifica Radio. He has written for Society, L A Weekly, The Brooklyn Rail, The Village Voice, The Nation, New York Press, Newsday, Word.com, The Black Star News, New Politics, Black Renaissance/Noir, and The Bedford Stuyvesant Current. He is also the author of the "noir soul"/ mystery series that features "Nina Halligan" in Black Heat (Amistad), The Big Mango (Akashic Books), and A Phat Death (2003). Norman Kelley was also a contributing writer to Brooklyn Noir (Akashic Books, 2004) and DC Noir (Akashic Books, 2006) and Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs at the Turn of the Millennium (Random House 2000). He edited and contributed to R&B (Rhythm and Business): The Political Economy of Black Music (Akashic Books, 2005; 2002).
Obama's Chutzpah Performance Before the CBC
by Norman Kelley
Watching Obama telling the Black Congressional Caucus to stop its bellyachin' has got to be one of the greatest chutzpah performances of all time.
Here's a guy who even cratered his own accomplishments by being the master of pre-emptive compromise, yet he's going to get an attitude that black elected officials and blacks are pissed at his poor performance as a leader?!
And don't forget, days before his appearance at the CBC event, he showed what a man of steel he was by doing what all American politicians are great at: genuflecting before the state of Israel.
Meanwhile it's been reported that Obama okayed that country getting "bunker buster" bombs, which will undoubtedly be used on suspected Iranian nuclear facilities.
Yet cynical Republicans sensing weakness and some Jewish Americans are trying to drum up a "Jewish problem" for Obama because he wants Israel to stop building settlements and get down to negotiating with the Palestinians.
Let's face it: he ain't a real Christian devotee of Israel like Rick Perry.
Obama's real complaint regarding the black electorate? They aren't fully appreciative of the symbolic importance of him being the first black president, which surely dwarfs their economic despair.
I mean, get your priorities right, people!
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All,
I'm a big fan of Kelley's work and have been for a long time--even when he's dead wrong. I especially liked his 2004 tome entitled The Head Negro in Charge Syndrome: The Dead End of Black Politics (Nation Books), which though flawed is still a serious, honest, and insightful attempt at a genuinely independent and critical theoretical analysis of black political thought and practice in the United States. Really good to see him and his often intellectually scathing and deeply incisive work again...He's a real social and cultural critic as well as political analyst and we sorely need many more like him generally--and especially in the African American intellectual and politically activist community nationwide...
Kofi
Norman KelleyLocation
Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Bio
Norman Kelley is an independent journalist, author, and former segment radio producer at WBAI 99.5 FM Pacifica Radio. He has written for Society, L A Weekly, The Brooklyn Rail, The Village Voice, The Nation, New York Press, Newsday, Word.com, The Black Star News, New Politics, Black Renaissance/Noir, and The Bedford Stuyvesant Current. He is also the author of the "noir soul"/ mystery series that features "Nina Halligan" in Black Heat (Amistad), The Big Mango (Akashic Books), and A Phat Death (2003). Norman Kelley was also a contributing writer to Brooklyn Noir (Akashic Books, 2004) and DC Noir (Akashic Books, 2006) and Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs at the Turn of the Millennium (Random House 2000). He edited and contributed to R&B (Rhythm and Business): The Political Economy of Black Music (Akashic Books, 2005; 2002).
Obama's Chutzpah Performance Before the CBC
by Norman Kelley
Watching Obama telling the Black Congressional Caucus to stop its bellyachin' has got to be one of the greatest chutzpah performances of all time.
Here's a guy who even cratered his own accomplishments by being the master of pre-emptive compromise, yet he's going to get an attitude that black elected officials and blacks are pissed at his poor performance as a leader?!
And don't forget, days before his appearance at the CBC event, he showed what a man of steel he was by doing what all American politicians are great at: genuflecting before the state of Israel.
Meanwhile it's been reported that Obama okayed that country getting "bunker buster" bombs, which will undoubtedly be used on suspected Iranian nuclear facilities.
Yet cynical Republicans sensing weakness and some Jewish Americans are trying to drum up a "Jewish problem" for Obama because he wants Israel to stop building settlements and get down to negotiating with the Palestinians.
Let's face it: he ain't a real Christian devotee of Israel like Rick Perry.
Obama's real complaint regarding the black electorate? They aren't fully appreciative of the symbolic importance of him being the first black president, which surely dwarfs their economic despair.
I mean, get your priorities right, people!
MY RECENT POSTS
The 99% Anthem: "This Land is Your Land"
October 09, 2011 09:50PM
Predator Drone Strikes on Wall Street Banskters! Yowza!
October 04, 2011 08:23PM
A Pot of Cain Calling a Kettle of Perry Black!
October 02, 2011 10:04PM
The Post's "Niggerhead" article Is Missing the Photo
October 02, 2011 05:01PM
Carl Bernstein on Hacking, Murdoch, and Journalism
September 29, 2011 10:18PM
