Do you think it’s fair for Blacks to openly criticize other Blacks?
I do, as long as it’s done in a respectable manner and the criticism is followed by a positive suggestion or potential solution.
Lately, however, there have been instances where I feel African-Americans have publicly criticized other Blacks in a way that was not only grossly inappropriate, but also failed to foster growth.
Consider George Lambus for example.
Lambus is a Black man who is running for mayor in Jackson, Miss. On one of his campaign fliers the Republican mayoral candidate called some city leaders “incompetent negro Democrats.” As if that comment weren’t insidious Lambus also said that the most effective way to combat crime in Jackson is “with a nose and a stout tree limb.”
The entire statement on Lambus’ flier reads as follows:
“Incompetent negro Democrats at City Hall, negroes without civic pride, negro criminals and corrupt negro police officers have just about driven this city into the ground. Any negro Democrat running for mayor who tells you that he or she can reduce crime and bring jobs to Jackson is a damn lie. They only want to be mayor for the salary. Job creation is contingent upon the economy improving, and crime can only be alleviated by a noose and a stout tree limb. I will provide the noose, and when the economy improves, I will get the jobs here.”
During an interview with 16 WAPT in Jackson, Lambus said, “The situation is bad now, but it’s going to get worse. We have a whole generation of Blacks that will soon be Negroes because they aren’t going to have an education or be able to marry.”
While I can certainly respect an individual’s freedom of speech and their personal viewpoint, Lambus’ comments are making it difficult for me. His comments, in the ultra conservative state of Mississippi set Blacks back.
If Lambus wants to criticize Blacks, he’s certainly entitled, however — he needs to do it in a way that is less offensive. It’s never a good idea to berate a person while trying to get your point across because more often than not, that person will completely miss the issue you have with them because they’ll be too focused on your negative comments.
Actor Bill Cosby is a wonderful example of a Black man who is effectively able to criticize his community while also offering plausible solutions. Come On People, the book Cosby co-authored with Alvin Poussaint is one of the best I’ve ever read. The duo does an exemplary job of not only addressing the various issues our community faces, but they also carefully examined the roots of all the problems in an effort to obtain the best solution possible.
Lambus’ comments were so off the wall that I wasn’t sure I wanted to dedicate print space to such rubbish. After careful consideration, I deemed it far more effective to publicize the remarks, as opposed to sweeping them under the carpet. After all, in order to truly evolve in the future, we have to address the issues before us today.
I’ve had discussions with many Blacks who are grossly offended by an apology that Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee made to conservative Rush Limbaugh.
The apology came after Steele called Limbaugh an “entertainer” who can be “incendiary” when Limbaugh said he hopes President Barack Obama and his administration fails.
Nearly all of the Black individuals I spoke with said that Steele’s apology excused or “swept under the rug” Limbaugh’s crude remarks.
It doesn’t matter that Limbaugh is white and Obama is Black. The problem is that no American should say that they hope the president fails. As the leader of the GOP, Steele should have been more responsible by setting an example and openly opposing Limbaugh’s comments and stressing that such unpatriotic behavior isn’t the mission of the RNC. There is no way our country as a whole can ever progress with such overt abhorrence.
