From this Internet veteran's standpoint, Tavis got what he needed to learn to be media savvy
By Gregory Moore
SAN ANTONIO -- If you haven't read, seen or heard by now, Tavis Smiley took some major heat the past two weeks for blasting Sen. Barack Obama's unwillingness to show up at last Saturday's State of the Black Union symposium that was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. If you haven't heard, seen or read any of the stories that have come forth you have missed a lesson in why it is important to be more above reproach and less egotistical when it comes to dealing with the Black community. But for those of you who haven't hard, seen or read the stories, let me give you a quick recap of what has transpired.
Roughly two weeks ago, Smiley had sent out invitations to the then four major presidential candidates to appear at the SOBU function. Of the four, only one candidate RSVP'd; Hillary Clinton. Barack Obama did not show up Saturday and neither did John McCain or Mike Huckabee. However the flack that Smiley is still receiving is not from his blast on McCain or Huckabee but on Obama. Smiley lambasted Sen. Obama's decision as a miscalculation on the Senator's part and he went on the Tom Joyner Morning Show and expressed his displeasure. It was from that standpoint that Smiley then received the grief he is currently receiving now.
"I have family in Indianapolis," Smiley told the Washington Post in an interview a few days later.
"They are harassing my momma, harassing my brother. It's getting to be crazy," Smiley told the newspaper.
If Smiley never understood why he cannot go on the radio and take crack shots at big time newsmakers, he got a quick lesson this month. Welcome the big leagues Tavis.
I can understand why Smiley may feel that he is now the poster child for everything wrong with Black leadership. What Smiley has never envisioned was that somebody was going to be against his thoughts, feelings and movement AND he never thought that Black America would be so savvy enough to let it be known of their displeasure. Well Tavis it happens and as an Internet veteran for over a decade, when you are on the national scene like you are, you are going to get major backlash from more than just a few people.
Smiley's comments and the fact that there were other Black commentators, bloggers and just ordinary people who have Internet access only heightened a precarious moment. I am quite sure that had he re-thought his strategy, Smiley would have never went on his buddy Tom Joyner's show and expressed his displeasure like he did. I'm still amazed that Joyner has not caught a similar backlash himself for "co-signing" with Smiley on this issue. Yet I can't say I'm surprised either. When you say something controversial, you had better expect some heat from somewhere.
The problem with Smiley is that he sincerely thinks he is the only voice out here in the "Blacksphere" of the black community. Veteran writers like Roland Martin, Dr. Boyce Watkins and even myself have been where he is today and we have all survived. The difference however is that I don't think any of us acted as arrogant as he did before the firestorm came his way.
The lesson that Smiley needs to learn is that Black America is not as duped and brain dumb as he thinks. In case he hasn't noticed, Black America has evolved from clamoring for a voice like a Julian Bond, Jesse Jackson, Al Shartpon and others. Today, Black America wants someone or a group of individuals who can show them how to not only still be Black (i.e. true to themselves and their beliefs) but also how to fit well into society at large. Today Black America realizes that we are the face of the country and that our problems are indeed no different than 95% of the country. Events like the SOBU is not about trying to get our voices heard but about how to deal with our problems internally and how to fix them internally.
Tavis is a big boy. Surely he will realize that when you have a national platform, you are going to take some hits. He's not the only one who has been taking to the woodshed and 'spanked'. This won't the first time his own community disagrees with him and he needs to realize that.
But there is a lesson to be learned here and hopfully he has learned it.
You have to be careful even in your criticisms and that sometimes whatever your personal agenda may be, it may not be what others have.
Had Tavis simply said that he respected Sen. Obama's decision not to participate and that he looks forward to future participation, this would have been a non-issue for him. It would have been because by all accounts, those in attendance didn't think it was a big deal for Obama missing the event.
The last part of the lesson is that very statement; if the attendees (meaning the community) didn't think it was a big deal, why didn't Smiley?
Gregory Moore is the Managing Editor/webmaster for the San Antonio Informer, found at www.sainformer.net. He is an Internet veteran columnist who has also been a contributor to various News Talk, Sports Talk and Sports programming for Fox Sports Radio, Sporting News Radio, and ESPN as well as for Clear Channel, Inc. and other media outlets including the nation's only premiere black sports website, Black Athlete Sports Network (www.blackathlete.net).
SAN ANTONIO -- If you haven't read, seen or heard by now, Tavis Smiley took some major heat the past two weeks for blasting Sen. Barack Obama's unwillingness to show up at last Saturday's State of the Black Union symposium that was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. If you haven't heard, seen or read any of the stories that have come forth you have missed a lesson in why it is important to be more above reproach and less egotistical when it comes to dealing with the Black community. But for those of you who haven't hard, seen or read the stories, let me give you a quick recap of what has transpired.
Roughly two weeks ago, Smiley had sent out invitations to the then four major presidential candidates to appear at the SOBU function. Of the four, only one candidate RSVP'd; Hillary Clinton. Barack Obama did not show up Saturday and neither did John McCain or Mike Huckabee. However the flack that Smiley is still receiving is not from his blast on McCain or Huckabee but on Obama. Smiley lambasted Sen. Obama's decision as a miscalculation on the Senator's part and he went on the Tom Joyner Morning Show and expressed his displeasure. It was from that standpoint that Smiley then received the grief he is currently receiving now.
"I have family in Indianapolis," Smiley told the Washington Post in an interview a few days later.
"They are harassing my momma, harassing my brother. It's getting to be crazy," Smiley told the newspaper.
If Smiley never understood why he cannot go on the radio and take crack shots at big time newsmakers, he got a quick lesson this month. Welcome the big leagues Tavis.
I can understand why Smiley may feel that he is now the poster child for everything wrong with Black leadership. What Smiley has never envisioned was that somebody was going to be against his thoughts, feelings and movement AND he never thought that Black America would be so savvy enough to let it be known of their displeasure. Well Tavis it happens and as an Internet veteran for over a decade, when you are on the national scene like you are, you are going to get major backlash from more than just a few people.
Smiley's comments and the fact that there were other Black commentators, bloggers and just ordinary people who have Internet access only heightened a precarious moment. I am quite sure that had he re-thought his strategy, Smiley would have never went on his buddy Tom Joyner's show and expressed his displeasure like he did. I'm still amazed that Joyner has not caught a similar backlash himself for "co-signing" with Smiley on this issue. Yet I can't say I'm surprised either. When you say something controversial, you had better expect some heat from somewhere.
The problem with Smiley is that he sincerely thinks he is the only voice out here in the "Blacksphere" of the black community. Veteran writers like Roland Martin, Dr. Boyce Watkins and even myself have been where he is today and we have all survived. The difference however is that I don't think any of us acted as arrogant as he did before the firestorm came his way.
The lesson that Smiley needs to learn is that Black America is not as duped and brain dumb as he thinks. In case he hasn't noticed, Black America has evolved from clamoring for a voice like a Julian Bond, Jesse Jackson, Al Shartpon and others. Today, Black America wants someone or a group of individuals who can show them how to not only still be Black (i.e. true to themselves and their beliefs) but also how to fit well into society at large. Today Black America realizes that we are the face of the country and that our problems are indeed no different than 95% of the country. Events like the SOBU is not about trying to get our voices heard but about how to deal with our problems internally and how to fix them internally.
Tavis is a big boy. Surely he will realize that when you have a national platform, you are going to take some hits. He's not the only one who has been taking to the woodshed and 'spanked'. This won't the first time his own community disagrees with him and he needs to realize that.
But there is a lesson to be learned here and hopfully he has learned it.
You have to be careful even in your criticisms and that sometimes whatever your personal agenda may be, it may not be what others have.
Had Tavis simply said that he respected Sen. Obama's decision not to participate and that he looks forward to future participation, this would have been a non-issue for him. It would have been because by all accounts, those in attendance didn't think it was a big deal for Obama missing the event.
The last part of the lesson is that very statement; if the attendees (meaning the community) didn't think it was a big deal, why didn't Smiley?
Gregory Moore is the Managing Editor/webmaster for the San Antonio Informer, found at www.sainformer.net. He is an Internet veteran columnist who has also been a contributor to various News Talk, Sports Talk and Sports programming for Fox Sports Radio, Sporting News Radio, and ESPN as well as for Clear Channel, Inc. and other media outlets including the nation's only premiere black sports website, Black Athlete Sports Network (www.blackathlete.net).
posted by NBA Scribe (Gregory) | 12:01 PM
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