By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
NNPA Columnist
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis
Now that the U.S. debt ceiling has finally been raised by the U.S. Congress, there are many who are quick to cast judgment on the leadership performance of President Barack H. Obama. Somehow there is a partisan loss of memory to the fact that the last seven presidents all supported the raising of the nation’s debt ceiling to avoid a national default. In fact, President Ronald Reagan, the popular Republican leader, raised the U.S. debt ceiling 18 times during his eight years as president without polarizing the nation. So the question must be asked: Why did the Republicans in the U.S. Congress so viciously attack President Obama’s leadership on this issue to the point of nearly creating another fiscal and economic crisis that would have paralyzed the nation’s standing in the global economy?
What’s really behind these attacks? Is this really just another example of the madness of the current body politic in the United States? Or is there something more fundamental going on today across America that exposes the need for President Obama to keep pushing forward to improve the quality for life in particular for the millions of people who voted for him and danced in the streets of America on the night of his election just three years ago in November 2008? I learned a long time ago, that if you want the right answers, you first have to ask the right questions.
President Obama has to be the leader of all the people, including even those who throw political stones at him no matter how much he tries to represent what is best for all as President of the United States. Black Americans already know and really understand that President Obama has to be concerned for the best interests of all Americans. Later this month, we will all pause to celebrate the unveiling of the national monument in tribute to the life, leadership, dream and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Yes, that will be another great historic day in the history of America.
Yet, as one who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in my home state of North Carolina back in the 1960’s as a youth organizer, I wonder how Dr. King today would view or respond to these systematic attacks on the leadership of President Obama? I believe Dr. King would speak out and take a stand to warn all people not to allow the obvious racial and political prejudices and undermining stereotypical attacks on President Obama to trigger a backward bigoted polarization of our nation and society. At a time when the nation should be focusing on rendering the best high quality education for all children in America and to be creating and providing millions of needed jobs so that the economy will rebound, it is sad to witness the ruthless behavior of those whose only mission is to defeat President Obama next year in the 2012 national elections.
Dr. King was a freedom fighter and leader who knew the importance of not allowing the status quo to determine the parameters, goals or objectives of the movement for freedom, justice and equality. Dr King’s leadership style was multifaceted including the spiritual, intellectual, moral and visionary articulation of the issues combined with social action at both the grass roots and national levels. It was a transcendent and transformative leadership that rose above the ignorance and petty prejudices of that time. Now, from a different vantage point, President Barack Obama is defining his own leadership style. In a sense, the election of President Obama was another indication that Dr. King was right about the future changes in American society with respect to the oneness of humanity and the inclusiveness of Black Americans into the American political mainstream. But the current challenges that President Obama faces are real and the forces that are aligning against him are gaining some national momentum.
At the end of the day, I believe President Obama will prevail as a direct result of his transcendent leadership style and significant progress attained during his presidency. Do you remember the passage of the reform of health care when no one thought it was politically possible? Effective presidential leadership made it happen. I am not surprised at all that the prestigious Wall Street Journal got it completely wrong when it recently characterized the President in an opinion editorial as “Barack Obama the Pessimist.” The Wall Street Journal went on to stipulate, “His lack of faith in American exceptionalism has dashed any hope a transformational presidency.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The progressive transformation of America will not be contingent on the arrogance or ignorance of the past, but will be accomplished by “optimistic” leaders like President Barack Obama who know how to rise above and to transcend the backward tides of reactionary and negative pessimism of visionless politicians that want to take the nation backward rather than forward.
So let’s not be dismayed or confused. Progress is being made. We now should be preparing to mobilize and rally the largest voter turnout in American history for the 2012 elections. Let’s focus on the economic development of our communities and most importantly we have to give the highest priority to getting the best education for all our children. It’s no time for hopelessness. Let’s revive the Civil Rights Movement. Let’s work harder to help President Barack Obama.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis is Senior Advisor to the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) and President of Educational Online Services Corporation.