The latest article in the Washington Post's "Black Men" series is up. This time is focuses on a single individual, Eric Motley, a Black Republican.
I have some observations that I am going to make:
- For a Black person to be defined as an "independent thinker," all that person has to do is register as a Republican. Who cares if said "independent thinker" thinks the same as Republican thinkers. Do you get the point on that one?
- Public "independent thinkers" often say that most Blacks are socially conservative. Using that as a foundation, does that say that most Blacks are then "independent thinkers"?
- Voter registration numbers for Blacks indicate that a growing number of Blacks are registering as Independent. Why isn't that "standard" used as defining Blacks who are "independent thinkers"?
- Eric Motley was raised in a Black environment that could easily be called a conservative environment. Motley was loved and nurtured in that Black environment. He was recognized in that environment as being special. Others also recognized he was special and broadened his life experiences.
Quotes of note:
- His thoughts about politics were beginning to crystallize. "I think it was also the first time I became truly illumined that I was expected to think a certain way, given my race. It was countering everything my grandparents taught me: Think for yourself. Use your own mind. Be your own person. All these retired black persons who had been tutoring me said: 'Stand on your own two feet!' I didn't need the Negro College Fund to tell me a mind is a terrible thing to waste."
- He was becoming his own man in other ways, as well. Motown, the prideful anthems of Curtis Mayfield and the sweeping poetry of Langston Hughes did not move him. He preferred Bach, Glenn Gould and Tennyson.
- One evening, Gwendolyn Brooks wanted some fried chicken, some soul food. Motley didn't know of any soul food restaurants, and didn't know any black Birmingham families well enough to get an invitation to Sunday dinner. So he decided to take Brooks to Church's Fried Chicken. "Me and her were standing there, ordering chicken and collard greens," says Motley.
- "I just think he's risen way above rap music and never agreed with those contentious and rebellious lines of rap music," says Corts, who brought up rap music without any prompting.
Fried chicken and rap?
Oh. Kay.
This was a reverse political hit piece. It is a good article, but it is what it is.
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