Was Tavis Smiley Dissing Barack Obama?

by Valencia Roner (contentblackwoman.blogspot.com)

I can recall when Tavis Smiley first came on the radio. I remember how excited I was to hear such an intelligent brother give such solid commentary on the conditions of our community with eloquence and insight. His brilliance was undeniable.

Fast forward several years later. I would get to my office of my very own business sometimes as early at 4 a.m. to listen to the NPR archived broadcast of Tavis' daily shows. He had such great guests and I knew there would always be great dialogue.

For about 10 years, it was not unusual for me to listen to his commentaries online of the Tom Joyner Morning Show. I listened for years because I always perceived that whatever the topic or call to action would be, it would be done in love for the love of Black people.

When Senator Barack Obama first announced he was running for President, not once - not even for a second - did I believe that every Black person in America would fall in lock step to vote for him. And you know what, that was alright with me. I've always said that the beauty of this campaign was that just maybe the American media would finally figure out that we as Black people are not a monolith. We all have varied views and perspectives - and this is alright. This is what helps make the world go round and what's great about living in America.

Then Tavis began making commentaries intended to ensure that we as Black America were awake to the issues of this particular election cycle by admonishing us to hold whoever is elected president in '08 accountable. There were passionate cries for accountability.

However, it quickly became apparent that tone and delivery were becoming an issue. It began to unnerve some of Smiley's most faithful fans. There were cries for unity and to just give peace - and the brother (meaning Obama) - a chance. But somehow, in the growing opinion of others, it appeared that Smiley wasn't even giving Obama a chance and people grew frustrated, hurt and angry. The perception was how can a bright Black man do this to another bright Black man?

This morning, the morning Smiley was scheduled to make it known who had not confirmed to attend his annual State of the Black Union, we got a very different and subdued Tavis Smiley on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. He started his commentary by saying, "What does it mean to be a free Black man or a a free Black woman?" It was a question he repeated several times during his 9 minutes or so of commentary.

I set my alarm clock for 5:15 a.m. PST just so I could get up to listen live to it on my computer.

Smiley shared that to be a free Black man or a free Black woman sometimes mean that there is a price to pay, a burden to bear and a cross to carry to hold on to the spirit of one's convictions. He went on to discuss that it sometimes takes "courage, care and commitment" to love Black people and that the State of the Black Union was intended to allow a space for those to think critically.

He said much more without directly addressing the controversy at hand. However, the thing that jumped out the most was his comment that we - as a community - are lacking a love language; so much so, that some folks are getting death threats. "Lord, my God, has it come to this?" I thought.

He ended his commentary by saying to thine ownself be true.

I felt Smiley's commentary this morning. I felt it deep.

While I cannot say for sure if Smiley took his "big boy" pill this morning, it sounded like it. He sounded strong. There most certainly wasn't putting anybody "on blast" - I know that.

Just the other day in a radio interview with Spike Lee, Chicago WVON's Santita Jackson stressed that we must "elevate the tone of the conversation" when it comes to expressing our differences and our preferences in debating our views on the issues and the candidates in this election cycle. Wiser words have rarely been spoken.

We must elevate the tone of the conversation to ensure substantive debate. We can disagree without being disagreeable.

As brilliant a figure as Smiley is, he and we didn't have to be in this place this morning. It wasn't necessary. No one declared war on us. A Black man just decided to run for President of the United States. That's it.

However, when a harsh tone is perceived to be used unnecessarily - conventional wisdom of those in the public eye dictates one must always be mindful of the public relations consequences. Debate can be encouraged without coming off as being on the attack. And while that may have not been the intention, just because the voice of the masses have been raised without it's normal leader doesn't mean they are all wrong. Sometimes we just have to admit there has been a miscalculation in the anticipated response and make the necessary adjustments.

Such adjustments can be made without the compromise of values.

A friend of mine told me the other day that while she loves her husband, she just wishes he would be more mindful of his tone. It isn't what he says, but how he says it.

We can be loved and led without being harsh with and to one another. We aren't children, but free thinking humans with the capability of thinking critically for ourselves. We deserve to be treated that way. And karma dictates that we get what we give.

So, with that, I have a suggestion. Let's begin again. Let's start over. Let's have a do over. Our households and our community cannot afford an "us against them" mentality. We have too much work to do. Our schools are in need of repair. We need affordable access to quality healthcare. We need communities that are thriving economically. We have too much work to do.

Remember, love still wins.

And while in order to lead the people, you have to love the people, sometimes we have to remember to lead them lovingly.

Valencia Roner runs the blog: contentblackwoman.blogspot.com.