DAVIE – As in the case of a number of successful Black folk in this country, good fortune has come at the cost of incredible sacrifice and hard work. Much of the sacrifice has produced sometimes extremely bright individuals.
Irony of ironies, I am convinced the one good thing the Clarence Thomas hearings of years ago did was to unearth a whole slew of black intellectuals who we would probably not have known about, had they not been called to testify in the hearings.
That the current president of this country is an intellectual would be a major understatement. He has sought to benefit from all the schooling he could find, did well and has sought to share this learning through teaching youngsters.
I am among a number of people across this country who are convinced that much of the pressures and opposition he has experienced, not since January, but since he decided to run for president, has been prompted by an anti-intellectualism that simply refuses to hide its ugly face.
About a decade ago, one of the sayings making the rounds in the African American community was that white America did not know what to do with a smart black man. Problem is that a way has been found, and that is to negate much of what black men who demonstrate their smartness, seek to do. This is extremely frustrating and confusing because all along black folk have been told to go to school and do well!
Winston Barnes
Host – “Open Mic” WAVS 1170AM
Voice your opinion on “Open Mic” with Winston Barnes daily on WAVS 1170AM or listen on-line www.wavs1170am.com
