Magic on a Post-modern stick

Blacking it Up # 152

The above podcast, Blacking It Up (officially comprised of reasonable Negroes), was, to quote  host (and unofficial spokesperson for the ACLU) Elon James, "magic on a stick".  It provides zen-like commentary on a topic covered in previous posts on, Interracial Friendship, specifically interracial friendship in America  (the dynamic in Europe is similar).  The issue of friendship,  discussed in the lecture featured in Interracial Friendship was framed in the context of political brinksmanship between Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.  The friendship was productive but tenuous.  Granted this interracial friendship took place over 100 years ago, during the modern era.  Has interracial friendship changed in the post-modern era?

The above podcast is an excellent example of the discussion of post-modern blackness.  Melissa Harris-Perry published an article in the Nation blog.  The post put forth a hypothesis in progress or an argument that white liberals are seemingly less supportive of President Obama, due  to his race.  The article, published in the October 10, 2011 edition of The Nation, appeared in the Sister Citizen feature.  Black President Double Standard:Why White Liberals Are Abandoning Obama, sparked a fire storm among liberals, apparently.  Perhaps the level of controversy was high, because Dr. Harris Perry is quite well regarded in Liberal circles, perhaps not.

Joan Walsh and David Sirota, mentioned in the podcast, seemingly took offence to Harris-Perry's article   .  Walsh asked on Salon.com,  Are White Liberals Abandoning the President? in her piece and she does not see the evidence.  Sirota also queried on AlterNet.org  if race had anything to do with white liberals cooling to Predident Obama.  As the podcast points out, Wlash and Sirota's arguments included some valid points but they were twinned with a tone of "How dare you accuse us....US! We have done so much for you people, I mean I am friends with black people and I voted for President Obama, I can't be racist!" Walsh's claim of Harris-Perry as  "friend" was eerily close to the my best friends are black response of the "privileged". Both Walsh and Sirota and are respectable, able and usually, excellent journalists.  It seems a scab was opened on the soar topic of race, or not. 

Interestingly, Harris Perry has published previous articles on electoral racism, however, the Nation article caused quite a stir in the internets, including some who attempted to critically assess the topic. but one wonders if the topic or the culture of  arena in which the touchy topic of race was broached caused so much controversy.  Listen to the Podcast for a funny and informative take on the wrangle.  Hear it above, or in the Podcast section, it also updates daily on this blog, go grab the feed and listen for yourself.  Full disclosure, it is one of my favourite podcasts, it has a permanent place on my playlist...