The Story Behind A Touching White House Photo
Find Your Swimsuit Confidence
I saw news of the event everywhere. Most interesting was the image of President Obama dancing with Michelle and his kids with Stevie Wonder, Smokie Robinson, Jamie Foxx and John Legend crooning in the background. The president, who appeared to be doing his best, had the stiffness of a corpse, and the posture of a 92-year old woman, but the nation appreciated his effort.
"Interesting," I thought to myself. "The president is a really bad dancer, but I'm impressed that he can shake his butt to Motown while simultaneously dealing with the most complex foreign policy matters known to man. The man is really focused."
In addition to giving the president credit for at least trying to boogey to the music around him, I also wondered why the White House had worked so hard to promote their Motown event. This email, like many others before it, focused on things that appeared to be symbolic, rather than substantive matters in the lives of black people. Sure, we all love Motown, without a doubt. But in light of the fact that black unemployment continues to be in the double digits, and with the White House's insistence upon ignoring people of color on almost every relevant policy issue imaginable, it is ironic that the one time the administration is willing to publicly claim a concern for our existence is when we are dancing for them at the White House.
Yes, I have to say that I was a wee bit insulted. I can hear one of Obama's advisors saying, "Yes, black people love to dance and sing. Let's get some images of the president dancing to Motown music. That will make them believe that we're on their side for sure!"
After the Obama Administration finishes jamming to the beats and rhythms of Detroit, perhaps they will have the same sense of urgency when dealing with the horrifically high unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy rates of Detroit (which are far worse than the national average, even among black people). After that, I am hopeful that the administration will send me another email stating that they've decided to declare a state of emergency to save all of the failing public schools in Detroit and every other urban area around the United States. Our horrible school systems and economic inequality are a fundamental violation of our human rights, and as our president is given permission to celebrate Motown, he must also be given permission to deal with real racial inequality in America.
I saw last week that the Obama Administration took a very bold legal position on gay rights, effectively stating that they would stop defending a law that bars gay marriage. The gay community applauded the move loudly, for their president and attorney general had stood by them in their time of need. All the while, black people are facing the highest bankruptcy, jobless, incarceration and high school drop out rates in the United States, yet our president appeases us by dancing next to Stevie Wonder. I love Stevie and I love Motown, but I also love the black people who are struggling to pay their rent. Given that Obama Administration officials have not even uttered the words "black man," or "black woman" in any meaningful public forum, I find myself wondering whether their love for black people goes deeper than the fact that we can sing. In that regard, the White House has become The Cotton Club all over again, with a black man in charge instead of a white one.
After the Motown show, there is another song the president might want to learn by Beyonce Knowles, called "Say my name." If the Obama Administration wants to show that the president's Motown event is anything more than Bill Clinton playing the saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show, they should say our names in public and make historic racial inequality into a national issue. There is no better time to do this than during Black History Month and no president better equipped to lead the charge than the man who's been (perhaps incorrectly) compared with Dr. Martin Luther King. I will be carefully reviewing my next email from The White House to see if it contains anything more than the typical song and dance, but for some reason, I doubt that it will.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. To follow Dr. Boyce on Facebook, please click here. 
Comments: (245)
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By: simcrlyn on 3/06/2011 12:00AM
Dr. Boyce Please BE QUIET!
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By: Corey on 3/07/2011 5:24PM
I'm not insulted by Obama's Black History break. I never expected him to make a significant change to Blacks anyway. I will never forget that this is America and any change to uplift Blacks will be impeded.
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By: Bahati Sobukwe on 3/09/2011 1:14PM
What Obama should do! What Obama should do! What Obama should do! I am sick and tired of black folks, who had the same opportunity as President Obama to run for President. I'm sure Smiley, Dr. Boyce, Dr.West, Dr. Dyson, and a few other pundits who are trying to put themselves on the "white" talk shows will run for President in 2012. I want to see the lone black person that can make some of these blacks prepare themselves to work jobs or own something to give other people jobs. How is President Obama in two years going to send these drop-outs back to school, make the ones in school study and learn, get their mothers to understand it is their responsibility to teach their children what is important for their futures. Nevermind, you can't teach what you don't know.
What WE need to be doing is getting on black people cases about how they are letting their children disrespect their people, themselves, and everything about education. The few children that have home training are doing a tremendous job in these so-called inferior schools, in spite of the disruptive others.
I went to a inferior school and still managed to earn college degrees and live a life with dignity. Sure the school system is broken, but it's mostly broken because we don't have responsible parents. Now, I've said it and I'm glad I did. We all know what the problem is and we better get busy and start addressing these pathological behaviors. And stop digging up in Obama a##.
Too many of our children are so uncouth and ignorant--as is their parents--that it is little you can do to get them to be quiet so you can try to teach them. Most think thier lives and black culture is what they see in the media. Their mirrows are our comedy shows, comedians and writers that lay out this ignorant culture for them. While we die laughing. We think everything is funny. Our youth think being ignorant is being black, they thhink they are being for real.
Let me be clear, I know what slavery, Jim Crow, social engineering, oppression, institutional racism, personal racism, have done to black people. I'm just "sick and tired of being sick and tired," if I can use the black heroine, Fannie Lou Hammer's words, of black people and their foolisness.
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By: blake on 3/09/2011 2:06PM
Well Said Bahati!
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By: Lenore on 3/14/2011 5:07PM
In my opinion you are being petty.Do you have any programs to offer Pres. Obama specifically targeting Black Employment, Black home foreclosures or Black bankruptcy? If he followed your advice do you think he would have a chance of reelection? You shoule be supporting him in a positive way, giving him a chance to make a difference. He's been in office a very short time.
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