White Man's Burden

 

This is what I was trying to avoid. Earl gets mad at the Beautiful Man for honoring WMCS 1290’s station policy, spews hate-filled inanities on his show, opens the phone lines for a “Slam James T. Harris” soiree, and then...

Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it....

Voila! It’s open season on conservatism, public discourse, and yes, James T. Harris.

But here's the rub: By berating a conservative brotha on black radio, look at whom Earl has given his nodding approval to join in the beat down! White liberals! And Earl’s “community” calls me a sell out?

Sigh.

Why? Is it because intellectual diversity is a scary thing? Is it because I actually think for myself and question the direction that this “community” is going? If that’s being an “Uncle Tom” – or whatever other ignorant, racist slurs they want to throw out – then pass the arugula and the duck confit because I’ll sell out every day of the week and twice on Sundays (which, by the way, is a fine day to eat duck confit while listening to the National Conversation on News Radio 620 WTMJ!).

Seriously, I feel like Michael Corleone in Godfather III: “Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in.”

I’d like to not respond. I’d like to take the high road and just let these personal attacks roll off my back. But then some Euro-wannabe white* lefty has to go and write something like this:

“Harris is a black with an asterisk.”

OK, Mr. Jay Bullock and your junior reporter, Bert? Whatever… all liberal asterisks write the same…. right?

Jay, is it the prerogative of white men to assign value judgments in terms of whether minority men meet your standard of authenticity? That’s a lot of power you have, Exalted Leader. Do I get to put an asterisk next to your level of “whiteness,” Wizard Bullock?

Seriously. I’ve been “black” since the day I was born. I grew up in the city of Milwaukee and I have friends and family members throughout this great city who can more than vouch for my “blackness,” despite the illustrious wisdom of Uncle Jay & Company. I just hosted a “black” 30-year reunion celebration for the “black” church in which I was raised! Yeah, we had nearly thirty “black” people (most of whom would agree with your politics) in our “black” backyard celebrating our “black” friendships… fool!

And yet – as if stupidity and prejudice were twin babes that needed more suckling from the milk of Milwaukee’s Grand Wizard – Bullock’s surrogate continues:

“Harris also sounds like a phony black, trying a little too hard to speak the way suburbanites think blacks should sound, as in the quotation above when he throws out ‘that's just the way I roll’ or ‘my brother’ to a fellow black.”

Dear LORD! Is it 1950? Are we in Mississippi? Did I somehow get abducted from my home in Sherman Park’s Uptown Crossing, a predominantly “black” neighborhood, by the way… where I reside with my gorgeous, smoking hot “black” wife and my three brilliant and beautiful “black” children (though the Wizard might denounce the above as my phony black wife, phony black kids and phony neighborhood… he of infinite, all-knowing phony black wisdom)?

Seriously, my patience for this ridiculous liberal race dance has now run out. I’m black and conservative among many other things…

Get over it.

I don’t need any arrogant, liberal Euro-wannabe lefty or his surrogate telling me how to vote, think or talk. Earl and his “community” of listeners obviously do.

Dats why dey be Democrats!

Comments

[Billiam]

James, they get upset when you don't call them Massa, and ask permission. Keep the faith..

[Melissa]

Good for you James. They want you to be fake, not be yourself because then they get what they want..another vote for them & more power. You are a strong honest smart and loving person. Do not let these fools get to you.

[Frank]

James T., you got my monitor smokin'. Have at em'.

[Dan K. (previously blogger at BipolarNation)]

Hey James - I'd say not to take these personal attacks to heart because there's a lot of judgment and projection behind them. When Bert writes:

"Harris sports phony conservative implants because they are unusual on a black man and thereby attract the leering attention of conservatives and their media outlet managers."

and:

"Harris also sounds like a phony black, trying a little too hard to speak the way suburbanites think blacks should sound, as in the quotation above when he throws out "that's just the way I roll" or "my brother" to a fellow black."

...it's just his personal opinion. I've never seen you as someone with a fake persona.

Similarly, when Earl says that you're only about promoting your own career (promoting one's career: not a sin by the way), I see projection going on - he criticizes his delusion of you rather than the actual you.

This experience is terrible.

I think of the (black) astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, who was made to feel bad for his choice in career by another black man because, according to that black man, such a smart young man could do so much more for the black cause if he didn't spend all of his time studying the stars.

Eventually, when Tyson was interviewed on TV about something related to astronomy/astrophysics and he realized that the subject of his skin color was never brought up - that a black astrophysicist could simply go on television and talk about ASTROPHYSICS - he realized that he had made the right choice.

Do your best to stay out of the racial gutter of what a black man is supposed to act like and continue being who you really are - a conservative. You will do more for equality that way. Let the smaller minds ponder your "blackness."

[Frank]

By the way, Dan K. That was a great post.

[Melissa]

well put Dan

[Maddie - Saukville]

Dan, I love physics and I love that anecdote about Tyson.

I don't know, James, you want to slap them or shake them and ask if they don't see the irony in how they behave toward you but you know you've got a lot of people out here who love you brother and love to see you succeed because you carry the messages of conservative ideals so well, ideals like judgment based upon character rather than *gasp* a charicature.

[James T.]

Dan is right, of course. However... That was fun writing!

The truth is God has blessed me with a wealth of friends across the spectrum and with a wonderful family to boot.

My "black card" got revoked early in life so I have been free to "me" for a long time.

No worries Dan, this is as close to the mud that I care to get because at the end of the day... I am the Beautiful Man!

Thanks for the kind words... All of you.

James T.

[PC]

Keep bein' the class act you are. Way to turn the other cheek. You are a great role model!

[Dan K. (previously blogger at BipolarNation)]

That's the great thing - I know you know it James! It's great to have you stay on message when people like me need someone like that.

[nosredna2]

JT, they're just jealous... and afraid to stop being prejudiced, for fear of what people will think of them. Keep flashing that smile and sense of humor and intellect.

[Chris]

Who had a bash session on you and went lengths to make sure you were not invited?

The Haters did.

That should actually make you feel good James, probly work in your favor too.

[Chris from Racine]

Hey James - keep on being The Beautiful Man. Jay and his ilk are actually rather pathetic. It's hard to believe that in this day and age people actually still think like that.

GREAT post, by the way!

[LegioNofZioN]

you got a lot of words of encouragement here James, so you don't need mine, but I'm going to give it anyway.

James,let them throw what they will at you. You aren't simply a man a black man or a conservative, you are one of God's very own children. what differetiate's you from many of His other children is you really try to keep His Word, and obey His law. on top of that you have been blessed to be a great communicator and to work in an industry that helps you to speak with so many others out there. It's ok to be angry, but it is time to turn the other cheek. Liberal-conservative divide is in this life only, none of that continues on as our spirits go to be with the Lord. you should pity the fools who mocked you, and you should pray for them. with actions like these their walk with God is clearly not as advanced as yours. God Bless you James T Harris.

[John Foust]

Hit 'em where it hits, Suh! I beg you!

You and I and Jay might not agree with all of his points, but he's got a right to say it, and there are interesting and relevant topics there to explore.

If I were to distill Bert's post, it would be his sentence "Harris reaps personal benefits from his black status for himself". An example? The way you were pulled out of line and brought to the front of the line so you could be the poster-boy for the Republicans when McCain came to town. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for the back-story you promised. Why do you need a camera for an appearance on someone else's radio show?

There's also excellent comments from Recess Supervisor on Boots and Sabers:
http://www.bootsandsabers.com/index.php/weblog/permalink/who_writes_on_folkbums_site._berts_racist_rant/

There's the meat of the issue. Care to expand on that some day?

[James T.]

Check out the podcast Johnny come lately. I've already expanded on every one of your tired concerns.

[John Foust]

Darn! I thought I was on a blog. You're saying I'm a caller on the radio?

OK, I guess I'll spend the next four hours listening to your podcast.

What do your other listeners do when their ears start to bleed?

[LegioNofZioN]

wow Foust you are a hornery sob aren't you ? I read the comment you noted on that blog. Not bad, but this is the problem with focusing on race you could say the same thing about anyone successful whether they are a part of the minority or majority. when you focus on James or anyone else's race and avoid the ideas being shared and judged in a public forum you display your own bias and your own shallow thinking as a result.

[LegioNofZioN]

now I'm not saying race is irrelevant, but it should be. at least insofar as it is the primary focus in any discussion on current affairs. John your leftness is showing.

[Frank]

"What do your other listeners do when their ears start to bleed". They get pissed off, and take it out on guy's like you.

[Joyce]

Legion... I'll say it: Race is irrelevant!

One's skin color has no bearing on what is in one's mind and heart. And no bearing on whether a person accomplishes success in life.

Excuses, rationalizations, finger-pointing and hatred are the tools of victims.

James T. You are the beautiful man! Thank you for your common sense and your undying sense of humor.

[MaddyPie]

Life would be boring if little men like jon-jon didn't need to try and enlarge their egos by pretending they have something of value to add to the Conversation.

Thanks for the laugh jon-jon. True to form libs BS never gets old, just more predictable.

[John Foust]

I didn't like the "phony black" part of Bert's post. It doesn't make sense to claim that about someone's ethnicity or gender or whatever other fixed attribute you choose.

On the other hand, the "No True Scotsman" argument is made all the time... "No true conservative would approve of this bill..."

And there's plenty of moments where Belling and Sykes sound like they're overreaching and trying too hard to sound like idiots, just for the sake of dramatic radio. Maybe it's a radio thang.

Frank, good luck on the difference between the plural and the possessive. Maybe Folkbum can help you there.

If not, I've got a gross of apostrophes for sale on Craigslist. They're all solid black, so they'll work well on any blog with a white background.

If anyone would like to point out which podcast and which minutes:seconds is the right spot to listen to hear the refudiation, I'm all ears.

[derek]

I'll speak in broad terms about race and political identity. The reality is, the civil rights movement puts a direct contradiction into the heart of conservatism. Literally what we have is the use of the federal government as a guarantor of freedom against corrupt state governments. That goes against any conservative critique of society. Conservatives believe the fed is taking away rights that would be enhanced by decentralization and small government.
So in the context of black american history (which presumably matters to black americans) how does one gravitate towards conservatism? The civil rights act, the voting rights act... etc. these aren't things that could spring forth from conservative ideology yet they are parts of the most important part of black american history.

So, in light of that, of course it's jarring to hear black conservatives. It's even more jarring because it's not like your intellectual tradition is founded in something like Zora Neale Hurston, or someone a little more taboo like George Schuyler... it's founded in movement conservatism. Which as far as race goes is pretty cynical and nihilistic, because movement conservatism is about power, not about conservative ideals.

But i suppose my main point comes down to this. In this day and age, your level of conservatism is most easily determined by just how much something like the civil rights act helped you. If it helped alot, you probably follow in that political tradition. The anomalies simply don't make sense. The people helped by the political tradition but that don't follow it. It shouldn't be racial, but damn, things are the way they are for a reason.

[James T.]

Hey, Johnny come lately, Scroll up the page a little, look to your left, click the podcast link that says "Download National Conversation Podcast!",

look for:
James T. Harris Part 2 07/17/10
Fellow local African American radio host takes cheap shots at James."

Download the Podcast and listen.

If your ears start to bleed, click out of the podcast.