“I’m a victim of Democracy!” and “I embrace my Niggerdom – I’m a Nigga! I’m a Nigga! And all you Niggas out there get down with me.”—Michael Eric Dyson
Several years ago at one of PBS host Tavis Smiley’s annual “State of The Black Union” symposiums, I witnessed on C-SPAN Georgetown professor and “victim of Democracy” Michael Eric Dyson, urge the predominately African American audience to emphatically “embrace their Niggerdom.” Dyson has never really explained what embracing your Niggerdom meant, and unfortunately, video clips of him saying this have been scrubbed from the Internet. The only mention I could find is from this 2005 post from conservative African American blogger LaShawn Barber:
“During his closing remarks, Michael Eric Dyson, went on a unstoppable tirade about being proud of his “Niggerdom.” Dyson screamed, “I’m a victim of Democracy!” and “I embrace my Niggerdom — I’m a Nigga! I’m a Nigga! And all you Niggas out there get down with me.” Dyson received a standing ovation from Jesse Jackson and the audience.”
As we head into the 2012 presidential election cycle, recent incendiary comments from members of the Congressional Black Caucus may give us a clue as to what “embracing your Niggerdom” means. California Congresswoman Maxine Waters said that “the Tea Party can go straight to hell.” Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson claims that “the real enemy is the Tea Party” and that the Tea Party “holds the Congress hostage.” And finally, Indiana Congressman Andre Carson made the comment that the Tea Party movement “would love to see you and me … hanging on a tree.”
Andrew Breitbart and me at the “Meet Me in St. Louis” Black Conservatives’ conference in August.
In these instances, it seems embracing your Niggerdom is just a crude and all too familiar way of using race and past discrimination for political advantage, in other words, perpetuating victimization. CBC members seem to be setting the stage for why they believe rank and file Tea Party members vehemently oppose this president and his policies. As an African American, these members comments are both shameful, unfortunate, and untrue. I’ve attended several Tea Party functions here in St. Louis and I have always felt nothing but welcome and respected. At every rally, there have been several African American speakers, including one being an event emcee. I’m often asked why you don’t see many African Americans at tea party rallies, and with sentiments expressed like those above, how can you blame them for not wanting to be castigated by their fellow African Americans?
St. Louis Tea Party founders Bill Hennessy and Dana Loesch have wholeheartedly supported my organization Move-On-Up.org financially and with their time and talents. Andrew Breitbart, the creator of this blog, attended and spoke at our recent “Meet Me in St. Louis” Black conservatives conference. And, he endorsed an Allen West/Herman Cain ticket earlier this summer for president and vice president. Doesn’t exactly sound like a bunch of racists, does it? People of good conscience need to call these people out on their race baiting. Enough is enough!