By Andrew L. Jaffee

Jamaal Young writing for the New York Press impressed me with his deep introspection into the psyche of the African-American community — looking from the inside out, and inside in. He postulates that Barack Obama’s election has changed the political landscape for the better, for example, ending the domination of Black America’s public “voice” by charlatans, bigots, and shakedown artists like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Here are some snippets from Young’s article, but you should read the whole thing:

… The presence of Obama on the national stage has led the mainstream media, long distrusted by black America, to fill its programming with a more diverse array of black voices — CNN, PBS and Fox News regularly feature anchors and opinion-makers like Donna Brazile, Juan Williams, Suzanne Malveaux and Tavis Smiley. Spike Lee has been on MSNBC’s Morning Joe so many times I’m starting to think that he and conservative co-host Joe Scarborough might have a hot lil’ interracial bromance going on. … [Continues below...]

I guess the revolution has been televised after all.

It’s not hyperbole to say the election of this one man, this black man represents our most audacious hope that we as a nation have of ridding ourselves of the many tried-and-true stereotypes of my people — performed by my people. There are words, concepts, actions, even people that are no longer acceptable in this new world order and unless you wanna miss out on the ‘Bama Bandwagon, you better plug in, turn on and get right.

To help you out, I have highlighted just a few of these pre-Obama endangered species. It won’t be easy saying good-bye to these cultural touchstones that have brought us so many laughs over the years, but I say let us begin the mourning process now. So without further delay, I give you… The Black List. …

… As author and Manhattan Institute senior fellow, John McWhorter recently pointed out in Forbes magazine that the “illusion that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are black America’s leaders is now officially dispelled.” I’ll take it a step further — their prolific careers in television are now officially over. It is no longer acceptable for major media outlets to interview the good Reverends every time something pertaining to the black community arises. So no more CNN, no more ABC, no more MSNBC. There’s just one exception: If FOX News wanted to sponsor the O’Reilly-Sharpton Hour, I’d definitely watch. …

Listening to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton is listening to a washed-out dogma of victimization. The energies of African-Americans would be better spent in: 1) using great achievers like Condoleezza Rice, Colin L. Powell, Roderick R. Paige, Alphonso Jackson, Claude Allen, Leo S. Mackay, Jr., Larry D. Thompson, Stephen A. Perry, and President-elect Barack Obama as role-models; and, 2) addressing problems plaguing the Black community, like rampant internecine violence, a popularized “gangsta” culture, and too much uninformed political correctness. Black America — all of America — should be listening to the voices of people like Oprah, Bill Cosby, and Juan Williams. Perhaps with Obama’s election, people will start listening to and internalizing the positive messages of true African-American leaders.

---

---

Related: Corruption, Obama, Public Opinion, Racism, Society

---