PDF The Black Presidency: Barack Obama and the Politics of Race in America by Michael Eric Dyson in History

Review

73 of 75 people found the following review helpful. Very Interesting ReadBy Jeff A. GrenzAs a white American; undoubtedly under-appreciative of black American life and experience; I mostly enjoyed the perspective and insight of an African-American writer critiquing our first African-American president.At certain points in his book; I thought Mr. Dyson was too harsh in his assessments of President Obama's performance as a spokesperson and advocate for African-Americans; his outrage over the president's criticisms of black failures of responsibility within certain segments of their communities while failing to equally criticize continuing individual; systemic; institutional white bigotry and racism missed an important political point. Had President Obama taken white racists and racism to task; the backlash he would have suffered would probably have stopped his political agenda and policies in their tracks and mired his terms in office in an unending defense of any such comments and observations he might have made. I write this in no way as a denial of the continuing; pernicious racism that exists in this country. It is; instead; a recognition of the fact that President Obama is not a black leader in the same vein as Frederick Douglas; Martin Luther King Jr.; Jesse Jackson; or John Lewis. Those men; for the most part; were leaders of a movement of an oppressed people; operating outside; while engaging with; the country's political system. President Obama is the embodiment of our political system. As such; he is obliged to represent all the American people; not merely advocate for a particular segment of the population. The president might have called on white Americans to open their hearts and let go of their fear; prejudice; even hatred of black Americans. Those who would be open to such a calling; I suspect; have already largely let go of these toxic emotions. For the rest; an appeal of that sort; coming from a black president; would be met with only anger and resentment.Perhaps he should have tempered or resisted making his comments on African-American shortcomings; but I assume he thought it important enough that any reticence he felt was overcome by what he viewed as am important issue to address. I am not cynical enough to believe the president made such comments in the vain hope of scoring political points. Nor; I should point out; does the author make such a claim.Mr. Dyson also failed to take an accounting of the president's heritage. He was born in Hawaii; a state hardly caught up in the tensions and violence of the civil rights movement of the mid twentieth century. His mother was white. His father was Kenyan and absent from his life. He was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents. He grew up with few other African-Americans. I would think it would be difficult for a man from such a background to be fully empathetic to the experience of African-Americans who grew up with Jim Crow and the pernicious racism of an America an ocean away. And the voluntary absence of his father might well have felt like abandonment to the young Barack Obama. It would not be beyond the realm of possibility that Obama's angry words regarding the issue of absent black fathers came from a place of personal pain.As I said in opening; I am white; and because of that fact; I cannot experience the presidency of Barack Obama as an African-American experiences it. That is what made this work important and well worth reading to me. I found Mr. Dyson's writing skills beyond reproach. His mastery of the English language makes the book engaging; thought provoking and challenging to one's passively held point of view. I definitely learned a bit about how our differences of experience; heritage; and history shape our differing perceptions of shared events.I highly recommend this book to anyone with interest in current events; recent history; and especially race relations; racism; and social-political perception and perspective.9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. 'Most Consequential President' but for who though?By Terry TeacherOMG; nobody breaks it down like Michael D. (MD); king of metaphors. He tells the truth about our POTUS without disrespecting or demonizing him – to use his words President Obama ‘… deserves to go down as one of the most important and consequential presidents in our history; and yet; when it came to race; he often stumbled’. ‘Stumbled’ may not be a strong enough word; he damn near fell off the precipice. I must admit when I first started reading this book I didn’t think MD would forthrightly report on the president and his laissez-faire attitude when confronting or handling African American policies and issues; boy; was I wrong. What I especially appreciated (as I do with every book I’ve read by him) is his inductive reasoning where he brilliantly states and illuminates the many false equivalencies asserted by the POTUS such as between ‘black and white experiences and how the president mistakes racial effects for their causes’. Also; in his ‘fear of alienating white people’ POTUS several times equates white and black anger (as if) while failing to mention white privilege. As MD reminds us: ‘Not only did white privilege and government assistance enhance the standing of whites; but it also sharply contrasted to; and reinforced; black suffering’ (JIM CROW yesterday and today).MD expounds on how black anger for POTUS is ‘… counterproductive when it extends to the present; white anger; by comparison; is explained only in contemporary terms and thus severed from its racist roots. The disturbing result is that it is okay to be white and angry; it is not okay to be black and angry. ‘And the biggest one; especially in today’s climate with a Black person being killed every day it seems; the president’s assertion of a false equivalency between the thuggish police who are armed and how they kill African Americans at will. And let me just interject here for all those out there that like to say ‘most cops are good….’ Where are they? Why aren’t they assisting in stamping out the ‘bad’ ones.So much more revealed in this book. Two terms he used to describe black people’s collective terror that I thought were so apropos and resonated with me and should become part of our lexicon: ‘slow terror – which seeps into every nook and cranny of black existence’– denied opportunities for generations/forever in US – you know: jobs; education; deplorable housing and being kept out by redlining; our kids being expelled and locked up at disgusting rates etc; and ‘Fast terror- is more dynamic; more explicitly lethal; more grossly evident. It is the spectacle of black death in public displays of vengeance and violence directed against defenseless black bodies.’In some ways I feel pity (lack of a better word) for our brilliant POTUS. The man is brilliant and a prophet of sorts that chose to prophesize what was politically expedient for him and the Democratic/Republican (pretty much the same) Party. He drank the Kool-Aid that so many blacks do that believe that they ‘can get rid of the “thug” label by denouncing rap music; sagging pants; and the boorish behavior of a few wayward youths.’ The way he pandered to the Republicans; even in his final quarters was disheartening and the final coup de grace was when he gave away the chance to put an African American on the SCOTUS bench; preferably a Black woman; his largest support group; he nominated another white man. Not to mention he had three chances and never did he nominate an African American though he did nominate Sonia Sotomayor – a great choice.As Michael Dyson points out his ‘presidency …. hardly put a dent in the forces that pulverize black life: high infant mortality rates; high unemployment; atrocious educational inequality; racial profiling; and deadly police brutality.’ And that’s unfortunate; to say the least.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great book! And I'm not a big reader!By Joseph JamesFirst I would like to mention that I rarely ever make reviews on (even though I shop here regularly!); so this was very significant for me to do so. I also am not a big reader; but I just finished this book 4/16/17 and received this book mid January after I ordered it. I have to say that I just love Michael Eric Dyson's mind. He makes me want to study the dictionary. A dictionary is what you will need in order to learn the words he uses! It's great though because it makes me learn new words I never knew before and expand my vocabulary. Michael Eric Dyson's assessment of President Obama is a very honest and thorough one. It's not all complimentary; which is good. If it were all praise; then I believe it would make you question just how honest he was really being. It is definitely a great read and I plan to get MED's new book; Tears We Cannot Stop. Great book!