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In reply to the discussion: Tavis Smiley On Obama's Trayvon Martin Speech: 'He Was Pushed To That Podium' (VIDEO) [View all]Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)The issue is that there have been some black pundits/intellectuals who have questioned Barack Obama's authenticity as a black man.
After Obama failed to appear at Smiley's "State of Black America" event in 2008, both he and Cornel West took the stage to blast Obama's "blackness". They accused Obama of not being black enough, especially since his father was not a direct descendant of American slaves and therefore could not relate to the struggle, history and impact of slavery and racial discrimination in this country.
Because you continue to ignore the backstory regarding the origin of West and Smiley's disdain for the president, it's hard for you to understand what a lot of us are referring to when we assert that West and Smiley lack credibility. They lack credibility, not because they don't make some valid criticisms of the president; they lack credibility precisely because they have personal issues with the president. Please read the entire thread for context.
Read for comprehension.