Tom Joyner: Vote for Obama Because He’s Black

By: Takia Hollowell

Originally posted at www.kiradavis.net

Tom Joyner, syndicated talk show host, recently called for blacks to vote for Obama simply because “he’s a black man.”  The message was not hinted or implied but stated plainly, openly and overtly.  What if a Republican said something like this? It would make the top news headlines! We would be called all kinds of names if we said to vote for a man simply because of his race.”  A hypocritical double-standard definitely exists. However, if you think that’s bad then keep reading.

What motivated Mr. Joyner to pen those words? Was it MLK’s dream to judge a man by his character and NOT by the color of his skin? No, that notion clearly contradicts Dr. King’s dream.  Instead, he was motivated by a voter that had been discouraged to continue supporting the President.  It turns out that a series on public scrutiny of President Obama (called the Poverty Tour) hosted by Tavis Smiley and Cornel Westcaused this particular voter to ask, “What IS Obama doing for Black people? Look at how many of us are unemployed; he’s not doing nothing about that.”

Mr. Joyner dismissed the validity of the statement and merely diagnosed the voter’s questioning by saying: “He actually began to let the negativity seep into his brain.” No ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Joyner’s diagnosis of negativity was far off. What he witnessed was a man who began to think. As an attempt to thwart his thinking, Tom Joyner wrote:

“Let’s not even deal with the facts right now. Let’s deal with just our blackness and pride – and loyalty. We have the chance to re-elect the first African-American president, and that’s what we ought to be doing. And I’m not afraid or ashamed to say that as black people, we should do it because he’s a black man. There are a great number of people who are against him because he’s a black man. That should be enough motivation for us to band together and get it done.”

Let’s not even deal with the facts right now? Why?

Let’s not deal with the fact that unemployment has increased by 25% since Obama held office.

Let’s not deal with the fact that the unemployment rate (16.7%) in urban areas is almost double the national average and worse since Obama held office. (Source: US Dept. of Labor Report for September 2011) Making it the highest in 27 years!

Let’s not deal with the fact that the cost of gasoline went from an average of $1.81 per gallon to $3.50+ since Obama held office. (Source: US Department of Energy)

Let’s not deal with the fact that America’s credit has downgraded from AAA to AA+ since Obama has held office.

Let’s not deal with the fact that the national debt has increased from $10.4 trillion to $15 trillion since Obama has held office.

Let’s not deal with the fact that many blacks have been forced to abandon liberal cities and relocate to more conservative areas where job growth is since Obama held office.

It is no wonder why Tom Joyner wanted to “not even deal with the facts right now”.  The intent of the plea to re-elect President Obama was not based on reason or facts; but rather race.  His plea was emotional and void of logic. Mr. Joyner wants to discourage his audience from thinking (as if blackness is going to create jobs and put food on your table). No, this isn’t a counter-plea to be ashamed of your race as some will try to say.  Right now, I’m talking green (money green).

Before you try to dismiss the writer of this blog as just another conservative pundit (and all other sorts of names), I challenge you to logically ponder the facts presented.  Ask yourself if the conditions of the economy have gotten worse since the President’s inauguration. Am I proclaiming the innocence of Republicans? Not at all. However, if you have bought into the excuse that all of the negative conditions of the economy are due to the Tea Party, let me remind you that Democrats have had a SUPER majority. The Executive Branch, House of Representatives and the Senate were under Democratic control since Obama took office in 2008 – November of 2010. After November of 2010, 2/3’s of DC is still under Democratic control as they have the majority in the Executive Branch and the Senate. Republicans only control the House of Representatives.  So even if Republicans wanted the economy to do badly for political purposes, they do not possess the power to do so. Out goes that silly theory…..

Don’t turn your head sideways, dump your brains on the ground and pull the voting lever because of the melanin in the President’s skin.  Form your opinions based on the facts, not the other way around.

This entry was posted on January 23, 2012 at 9:43 pm and is filed under Takia Hollowell. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.