At the risk of having my opinion dismissed again as “garbage,” I am going to give you my two cents worth on the complaints some black Americans have against President Obama.
Of course President Obama did not meet the expectations of all black Americans. There may even be some justice in accusations that his administration was unfair to black farmers. And the persistent high unemployment among minorities in America is inexcusable.
But think of the fallout if he had favored the 11 percent of the country who happen to have denser melanin than the rest. The other 89 percent would have been in an uproar.
As president, Barack Obama had a duty to all Americans, not just the ones with skin color resembling his own.
Only history will tell how much Barack and Michelle did for black American culture. They were wonderful role models, for one thing.
I don’t think black Americans have much to gain from promoting a racial view of American politics, anyway. They just don’t have the votes. The population is about 70 percent white, and Hispanics have overtaken African-Americans as the largest ethnic minority.
Besides, I would ask Obama’s critics to consider how well Jamaican immigrants have done in this country.
They faced the same barriers but refused to be defeated.
Don’t get me wrong, I know black Americans who have done very well, too. (Of course, they didn’t adopt defiantly outlandish styles and talk like “gangstas.”)
To believe that Donald Trump will offer black Americans a new deal is delusional. Trump is a rogue who is in it for himself, not anyone else.
He will promise anything to get his way, but his promises are worthless. He has what we call in Jamaica “sweet mouth.”
If the Democratic Party has been derelict in representing its loyal black following, I suggest we set out to reform the party – not abandon it.
With all its flaws, it’s still our best bet for racial and social justice in America.
