There is an interesting tendency within Black America to engage in wishful thinking when it comes to our feelings about many of our leaders.  Let me give you an example.  When Clarence Thomas was nominated to the Supreme Court there was a split within Black America.  Despite a very conservative record—and actually very little demonstration of legal vision—there were some of us who took the position that being Black, soon-to-be Justice Thomas deserved our support.  I can remember the debates now.  Very sincere people suggested that we needed to give the “brother” a chance; that once he was appointed to the Supreme Court and had secured job security he would do the ‘right’ thing by Black America.

I hate to break it to you but the results have been terrible.  As you and I both know, Justice Thomas has failed to distinguish himself as a visionary jurist, but it is far worse than that.  His opinions, and those that he supports, have been so BAD, that I pray for mediocrity compared to what we have sitting on that bench.  His decisions have helped to set back the cause of Black freedom, and other progressive efforts, rather than advance our interests.

Yet, why was it that so many of us BELIEVED that Thomas would be far different than his history indicated he was capable of being?  I asked myself this question recently in the context of the Senatorial race in Maryland.  Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele (an African American by birth; a Republican by choice) is making a run for a vacant US Senate seat.  Much to my surprise Steele has received endorsements from otherwise progressive African Americans like Russell Simmons, as well as noted African American media entrepreneur Cathy Hughes.  Why, I asked myself, is Steele deserving of support?

My answer is that he is not.  Therefore, what is it that people I admire, such as Simmons and Hughes, see in Steele?  As far as I can tell, all it seems to be is that he is Black and appears to be a nice guy.  As a current TV ad by Steele’s opponent—Democrat Ben Cardin—points out, while Steele may like puppies (Steele has been running an ad mockingly saying that some people will accuse him of not liking puppies), Steele is in President Bush’s corner.  He supports the Iraq war; is against a woman’s right to choose, etc.  In other words, there is nothing in terms of Steele’s actual practice or ideas that distinguish him from the politics of the Bush administration, an administration which has us trapped in war, growing wealth inequality, and environmental disaster.

Why do we engage in wishful thinking?  Are we so desperate to have credible leaders that we are willing to throw caution and principle to the wind and embrace a Clarence Thomas; a Colin Powell, whose performance at the United Nations provided the cover for the Iraq invasion; a Condoleezza Rice, who sat back and supported the destruction of Lebanon by Israel; or a Michael Steele, who has done little in his political career to warrant the notion that he is a champion of Black freedom?

Yet, when many of us raise these concerns, if not criticisms, we are attacked for being insufficiently supportive of other “brothers” and “sisters.”  My response to this comes from a song from my youth:  don’t pat me on my back, stick your hands in my pocket, and call me your ‘brother.’  I want to know what someone is doing for Black people rather than fixating on their outward appearance and what they MIGHT do if the stars are properly aligned, the tide is on schedule…

Let’s deal with reality, not what we would like reality to be.

BC Editorial Board member Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a long-time labor and international activist and writer.  Currently a visiting professor at Brooklyn College-CUNY, he is the immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum.  Click here to contact Mr. Fletcher.

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