My Sunday Morning Rant
I stopped by the Community Values Summit this weekend at Charles Tinley Charter School on the east side. I was looking for an elected official to do a quick interview on something I was working on. I couldn’t find the official, but I did find something that I thought was a bit disturbing.
It wasn’t the Summit itself. I actually am very happy when members of the community and their local government officials get together to deal with local issues, particularly crime. There’s nothing better than when people step up to the plate and take charge.
What bothered me was the nature of a conversation I had with one local activist. The activist asked me if I would allow them to come on my morning radio program and talk about some of the things they’re doing to keep at-risk young Black men on the straight and narrow. I said sure, folks like you are always welcome. I was then told, and this is the kicker, that a significant portion of the Black activist community doesn’t trust me and consider me the “white people’s radio talk show host.” Say what?!
I told her you have to be kidding me? She told me “no.” I told the activist that I not just the radio talk show host for white people. Now I have some Democrats who think I am the radio talk show host for the local GOP, and the anti-smoking crowd say I’m the talk show host for the tobacco companies, but those are log posts for another time. I reminded her that my job is to talk about issues that face ALL people of Indianapolis and the surrounding area, not just white people. Some days we do a really great job, other days we could use a mulligan.
But what was most annoying, and I should know better by now, was that someone who is supposed be helping young black men get on the straight and narrow, would have an issue with a black man who exemplifies everything they want the young black men to be. Instead of being mad at the black man with the microphone, law degree and ears of local leaders, how about you tap him as a resource to talk and connect with some of these young guys who don’t have role models?! Instead of being mad at the guy who uses proper English, get mad at the people who use be in its infinitive form. And instead of getting mad a the guy who drives a nice car, get mad at the guys driving cars into day care centers!
I freely admit my personal political philosophy isn’t that of the typical black activist crowd, but I like to think we have the same goal; empower people to make decisions for themselves and live up to their full potential. Like I said it’s really annoying and at times frustrating to have to deal with people who look like me and are more upset about what I do for a living than the young guys who have my same skin color who are making living in their communities unbearable.
Unfortunately, it’s something I’ve had to live with all my adult life and I really shouldn’t be surprised to have to deal with it again. Oh well, I guess I can always hope for change.
Enjoy your day.
