Lashawn Barber: Memo To White Conservatives
Ms. Barber points out that the jig is up for black conservatives......
Memorandum
TO: White Conservative Employers
FROM: Your Faithful (and Humble) Servant
RE: Exposure!———————————————————————
Friends, it looks like the jig is up. We’ve been caught!
My criticism of the black community has exposed me for the self-hater that I am. And you have been exposed as my employers, paying me all that big money to spout hatred for myself and the black community. Bad-mouthing fine leaders such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton has cost me dearly.
And I think the post about Barack Obama being just another liberal may have crossed the line. Black people should not talk about other blacks that way, especially in front of whites.
Daring to even imply that blacks should stop complaining and accept the consequences of their own moral failings and improve their own lot is taboo, as someone who’s been black all her life should know. I tried to see the world from a different perspective and express a “diverse” opinion. What was I thinking? Woe is me…no…I…whatever!
The fact is I wasn’t thinking. I was blinded by all the green you guys have been bribing me with! Listen to what they’re saying about me. Here’s an excerpt of just one of many e-mails I get. This very perceptive man appears to be some sort of psychoanalyst. He diagnoses my condition too well:
You seem to go to any lengths to NOT address the racism that is practiced by whites. Do you not see it or do you choose not to see it? How is it that you cannot admit that the racism whites practice has damaged and continues to damage an entire group of people, in spite of some small gains that we’ve made? In your columns, why are you not critical of whites when they continue to discriminate in all facets of American life?
“Do you know the demographics of your readers? Are they mostly white, male, conservative? If this is the predominant make up of your readership, it tells me that they agree with you because your writings make them comfortable in practicing their racism.
I have concluded that you did not address the issues I raise because: 1 — you are being well paid by a group of white conservatives to write the things you do; 2 — you have a deep self hatred for yourself and for Black people; 3 — you are exhibiting a combination of these two.
I suspect that I will never know the real motives for the reasons why you write as you do. I can only refer you to two books that could possibly explain your condition—
“The American Directory of Certified Uncle Toms” and “Black Skin, White Masks” by Frantz Fanon.”
He’s got me pegged, don’t you see? How can I hide the truth? Black people are not responsible for killing each other. We are not responsible for the crime and degradation in some of our own neighborhoods. Our small gains pale in comparison to what we could’ve achieved if it weren’t for racism. Our own immorality and character flaws are not the issue.
It is you who is responsible. It is YOU, white conservative man, who has brought these ills upon us. And we’re still waiting for the 40 acres and a mule you promised us a looooooong time ago. Al Sharpton said so.
I’m tired of playing the lackey. I’m just a patsy! My intentions were honorable. They really were. Despite the money you’re paying to pull my puppet strings, all I ever wanted to do was instill some pride and dignity back into the heart of the community. I wanted people to know that yes, we have brains and can think for ourselves.
I didn’t want to focus on “white racism”: I wanted the world to see that we can be hard-working, creative, innovative, non-complaining lovers of liberty. When I pointed out the immorality of our own behavior and how we need to fix that first before we deal with “racism,” I thought I was doing a responsible thing.
To assert that blacks have more important things to do than blame “the white man” for everything was quite ambitious, I must say. But I’d rather tell the truth: it’s not our fault. We are and will remain the helpless descendants of slaves (many generations removed, of course, but why quibble?) incapable of exercising our God-given, free moral agency and “tolerance” toward members of our group who dare to hold different views. Shame on me for thinking otherwise. What a self-hater I am!
I quit! DNC, here I come. Congressional Black Caucus, make room for me. I’m coming home! Jesse, I’m sooooooorrrrrryyyyy!
P.S. Uh…if this month’s check is already in the mail, please disregard this memo.
Memorandum
TO: White Conservative Employers
FROM: Your Faithful (and Humble) Servant
RE: Exposure!———————————————————————
Friends, it looks like the jig is up. We’ve been caught!
My criticism of the black community has exposed me for the self-hater that I am. And you have been exposed as my employers, paying me all that big money to spout hatred for myself and the black community. Bad-mouthing fine leaders such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton has cost me dearly.
And I think the post about Barack Obama being just another liberal may have crossed the line. Black people should not talk about other blacks that way, especially in front of whites.
Daring to even imply that blacks should stop complaining and accept the consequences of their own moral failings and improve their own lot is taboo, as someone who’s been black all her life should know. I tried to see the world from a different perspective and express a “diverse” opinion. What was I thinking? Woe is me…no…I…whatever!
The fact is I wasn’t thinking. I was blinded by all the green you guys have been bribing me with! Listen to what they’re saying about me. Here’s an excerpt of just one of many e-mails I get. This very perceptive man appears to be some sort of psychoanalyst. He diagnoses my condition too well:
You seem to go to any lengths to NOT address the racism that is practiced by whites. Do you not see it or do you choose not to see it? How is it that you cannot admit that the racism whites practice has damaged and continues to damage an entire group of people, in spite of some small gains that we’ve made? In your columns, why are you not critical of whites when they continue to discriminate in all facets of American life?
“Do you know the demographics of your readers? Are they mostly white, male, conservative? If this is the predominant make up of your readership, it tells me that they agree with you because your writings make them comfortable in practicing their racism.
I have concluded that you did not address the issues I raise because: 1 — you are being well paid by a group of white conservatives to write the things you do; 2 — you have a deep self hatred for yourself and for Black people; 3 — you are exhibiting a combination of these two.
I suspect that I will never know the real motives for the reasons why you write as you do. I can only refer you to two books that could possibly explain your condition—
“The American Directory of Certified Uncle Toms” and “Black Skin, White Masks” by Frantz Fanon.”
He’s got me pegged, don’t you see? How can I hide the truth? Black people are not responsible for killing each other. We are not responsible for the crime and degradation in some of our own neighborhoods. Our small gains pale in comparison to what we could’ve achieved if it weren’t for racism. Our own immorality and character flaws are not the issue.
It is you who is responsible. It is YOU, white conservative man, who has brought these ills upon us. And we’re still waiting for the 40 acres and a mule you promised us a looooooong time ago. Al Sharpton said so.
I’m tired of playing the lackey. I’m just a patsy! My intentions were honorable. They really were. Despite the money you’re paying to pull my puppet strings, all I ever wanted to do was instill some pride and dignity back into the heart of the community. I wanted people to know that yes, we have brains and can think for ourselves.
I didn’t want to focus on “white racism”: I wanted the world to see that we can be hard-working, creative, innovative, non-complaining lovers of liberty. When I pointed out the immorality of our own behavior and how we need to fix that first before we deal with “racism,” I thought I was doing a responsible thing.
To assert that blacks have more important things to do than blame “the white man” for everything was quite ambitious, I must say. But I’d rather tell the truth: it’s not our fault. We are and will remain the helpless descendants of slaves (many generations removed, of course, but why quibble?) incapable of exercising our God-given, free moral agency and “tolerance” toward members of our group who dare to hold different views. Shame on me for thinking otherwise. What a self-hater I am!
I quit! DNC, here I come. Congressional Black Caucus, make room for me. I’m coming home! Jesse, I’m sooooooorrrrrryyyyy!
P.S. Uh…if this month’s check is already in the mail, please disregard this memo.
posted by J.C. "Fanz23" Lewis, Jr | 4:21 PM
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