As someone who has worked for many years in the black conservative space, I have experienced the same invective and arrows as others in my position. In addition to the usual insults like “Uncle Tom”, “coon” and other slurs, I have also been subject to one of the most braindead tropes popularized by the progressive left: the idea that I am only trying “white approval” through spewing “white supremacist talk” points.
These insults are rarely used by intelligent, rational people on the left (yes they exist), who can have a conversation or a debate. They are preferred by people with low intelligence. Although it sounds like a personal attack, it is actually true.
This is my first attempt at writing a piece on it. Why? Because I don’t care at all about the opinions and ingenuity of unintelligent or irrational people. I also don’t value the opinions and ingenuity of imbeciles. Although I don’t identify as a conservative in any sense, I thought it would be good to address the issue after reading an article by Adam B. Coleman, my friend, and author.
Coleman wrote a Substack piece titled “Speaking Wrong at the Right Time” which I highly recommend as he is nearly as brilliant as mine. The article, “I Hate Being in the ‘Black Conservative Box’,” discussed some of the problems faced by melanated people whose politics are right-of-center.
He writes that being black and even moderately conservative puts you in a box with false narratives about your motivations and constantly fights against positions you have never made.” It’s a difficult battle to be heard because people only hear the voices of prominent black conservatives or the voice they have mentally created.
Coleman notes that “black conservative” is in fact a term used to describe a group of people who think the same way about everything.
He says, “Some people enjoy living in this box,” but he doesn’t.
This sentiment is one that I can empathize with, having lived in the same situation for many years. It was Coleman’s next sentence that got me thinking. He was reminded of a critic who once said that if he spoke the truth, he would lose white audiences.
Coleman says, “This statement implies I have no integrity” and that Coleman spends hours on end writing things that I don’t believe.
When I first read the article, I realized that the argument that progressives use – black-and-white – was one of the most outrageous displays of projection I’ve seen in the political world. This reminds me of an old saying: “Accuse your enemy of what you are doing.”
This implies that most black conservatives are simply tap dancing for a predominantly white audience. They tell them what they want to hear in order to get clicks, clout, and white praise.
This behavior is common among black people on the right if I’m honest. If they were honest, which they aren’t, they would admit that it is also common in progressive circles. It is more common on the left because there are more black people among Democrats than Republicans.
Black faces appear on MSNBC, CNN, and other activist media outlets, where they speak out about racism. This appeals to white progressive audiences and their white progressive bosses. These black faces will happily oblige, as white progressives pay them big bucks to appear on TV and label white people racist.
What would you expect if they stopped telling the progressive fairytale about white racist police officers who massacre unarmed black Americans each day? They would lose their white audience! Left-wing media prohibits black people from offering nuanced views on racial issues and they are not permitted to hold their party members accountable for their racism. This is something I have learned from behind-the-scenes conversations with these people.
Tap dancers are found in all areas of politics, and not just those of a particular skin color. Both the left and right-leaning influencers fall for the trap of offering red meat to their audiences without providing substance or nuance.
These people are more motivated by fame and money than they are by achieving positive change. It is easier for people to tell their audience what they want than to be truthful. Even if it means criticizing your political colleagues.
Coleman’s article is truly unfavorable because he is correct: It is unfair and unproductive. As a friend of Coleman’s, I know that he is sincere in his statements and not the cartoonist some portray him to be. However, this is not the case in American politics. It is important to recognize that people still value diversity, nuance, and a desire for social ills to be addressed.
These are my people.
These tactics were not worthy of being addressed or thought about, I knew that long ago. I prefer to work with people who are serious about changing.
