[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPJhzUAYfds]
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4 responses to “Tavis Smiley Announces End of State of the Black Union (Video)”
I definitely enjoyed the State of the Black Union before he got caught up with his own ego and the President not attending, but trying to send the First Lady instead. It is a shame to see Tavis moving away from quality work and now being reduced to publishing R. Kelly’s memoirs.
My history with Tavis is intertwined with my history with Morris. It's an interesting story, and goes back about a year or so, when Morris and I interested at the New York Times and he saw fit to bring me onto Tavis' radio show.
I was so humbled to be a part of all of that.
I've been a fan of Tavis for years now, although I wasn't even aware he had a radio show until I met Morris. I knew Tavis through his PBS talk show. Let's face it: I wasn't going to meet his guests on any other show. So, and I watched his "Thank you" video, he says things are getting better. I don't know about that.
Yes, there are more outlets for commentary now, but there are two trends which make that less than a good thing. First, there are millions of voices. Sure, we all deserve to be heard, but some of us have worked our way up the food chain through specific achievements which give our voice more resonance, more purpose, more promise than other voices. Societies cannot grow without identifying true leaders through their accomplishments. In the free-for-all which exists today, it is far from clear who the next leaders will be, and it is far from clear how the process of choosing them will unfold.
Second, there is more polarization now than ever. I've never, in almost 50 years on the planet, seen such political divisiveness, bordering on sabotage, in all levels of government. That hostility is reflected in the populace at large. We see in the comments sections of almost any opinion piece, people throwing daggers at each other, almost – no, actually CELEBRATING their ability to sow discord.
We have a population that is trying to tear itself down. And I am speaking of one of the most evolved, affluent nations on the planet. Imagine what's going on elsewhere.
I say that more than ever we still need leaders, and we need them to be identifiable by their accomplishments. Tavis is a rare individual, as I said before, post-MLK and pre-Obama, with a sensibility that is all too absent in the public arena. He needs more visibility, not less.
And so he's getting older. Yes, there is so much that he wishes to accomplish. Of course there is. That's what leaders do.
It is too soon to say that we no longer need organized efforts to raise consciousness. I do not see any sign that the grass roots of the internet world is ready to yield clarity. On the contrary, we are more confused than ever, not always knowing what or who to believe.
Gates/Crowley blew us to pieces. In 2009. In America. Blew us to pieces.
"Are we there yet?"
Depends on where "there" is, doesn't it?
I can't comment on this Walt…and you understand as to why.
I am sorry to hear this news. However, change is constant and how we do things must be the same. Tavis is too wise and too much of a leader to stagnate.