February 27, 2006: Lots of Googlers landing on this post! This is last year’s State of the Black Union entry, and I don’t plan on listening to or blogging about the event this year. However, I have a question for people who attended or watched.
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I am listening to the State of the Black Union symposium. Word Faith Bishop Eddie Long is a little over the top with “God raised up Tavis Smiley” stuff, but I’m still listening. Check for updates throughout the day.
“Black people have been raised up to be the conscience of this country,” says Smiley. What does that mean? He says blacks are not a monolith, but there are at least 10 things we can agree on, and these things can be placed in a “Contract with Black America.” I can’t wait to hear what they are.
The time has come for “black folk,” he calls us, to stop being taken for granted by Democrats and Republicans. Smiley sounds like he’s preaching without the Gospel message. He’s preaching about being soldiers. Sounds like something from the 1960s. Oh, no he didn’t say moving “with the quickness.” Haven’t heard that in years.
Smiley reiterates “We are not a monolith,” and “Thank God we don’t all think and act the same.” Got that right, buddy!
Sorry I can’t do quick updates on this. I’m also trying to do other things at the same time, but check back throughout the day.
While Travis is thanking various sponsors, his speech is laced with slang, I presume to show he’s “down” and “keeping it real.” He says the symposium is a chance for black folk to show the world that blacks don’t just, run, shoot (guns or basketballs?), jump, dance and sing. We think, too. Standing O.
For the next symposium, I’m requesting a press pass.
Smiley is thanking thugs in prison for writing to him. “We ain’t forgot about you!” Nice touch. I’ll get to substantive blogging eventually. As soon I hear a substantive message…
Why am I watching this again? Oh, yeah. So I can make an informed assessement of the “State of Black America.” Smiley made a comment about the vice presidential debate when Vice President Cheney and Sen. John Edwards were asked about AIDS “by the one black moderator that got up in there….” What he’s doing here is insinuating that one black moderator wasn’t enough. There should have been many more black moderators “up in there.”
If Smiley were standing in front of me, I’d ask how many black moderators would have been enough to satisfy him. Two? Half the number of moderators? If that were the case, blacks on the moderating panel would have been overrepresented, not underrepresented, as he implies. Anyway, the topic is AIDS. He says neither Cheney nor Edwards knows about the effect of AIDS in the black community.
Update: More blogging later on the state our “black union,” but until then, go visit Christopher Arps at New Leadership Blog. Welcome my new conservative friend to the blogosphere!
Also see Part I and Part II of the symposium.
