Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2008 > January > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USSays Joe Lowery: Obama’s black doubters have a ‘slave mentality’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just when you thought supporters of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton had gotten past this race thing.
In an address to the Hungry Club at Butler Street YMCA in downtown Atlanta, the Rev. Joseph Lowery re-stoked the fires on Wednesday when he told the largely African-American audience that “a slave mentality” was fueling black doubts about Obama’s chances of capturing the White House.
The report comes from our AJC colleague, John Hollis, who was at the event.
“No matter how much education they have, they never graduated from the slave mentality,” Lowery said of those who have advised Obama to wait, or have doubted his ability to compete in a general election.
“The slavery mentality compels us to say, ‘We can’t win, we can’t do,’” said Lowery, an avid Obama supporter and a co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Strong words, when you consider that they include people like U.S. Rep. John Lewis or former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young.
Lowery likened discouraging comments about Obama to ones Martin Luther King received while imprisoned in a Birmingham jail in 1963.
A number of local white ministers told King at the time they agreed with him, but they didn’t think the time was right for such civil dissent.
“Martin said the people who were saying ‘later’ were really saying ‘never.’ But the time to do right is always right now,” Lowery said.
When asked whether the Democratic party was ready for a black president, Lowery replied, “I don’t care. They weren’t ready for a lot of things.”
Here’s a transcript of a Monday exchange between Lowery and Lewis on the same topic, on PBS’ “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer.”
.JPG)
-1.JPG)
Services »
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Wayne
January 16, 2008 4:49 PM | Link to this
I know you mean well but please leave race out of this.
By moe
January 16, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this
I’m an Obama supporter and as a black person there are two reason why you wont vote for Obama:
You dont agree with his leadership, social, or economics policies
You dont think a black man can win
1 is perfectly reasonable, we dont and should all vote alike.
2 is a slave mentality as you dont have limited your scope of what is possible for you race.
All he is saying is that if you don’t vote for Obama, dont let it be because of statement 2
By ThunderNoodle
January 16, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this
The real problem here is that black voters will not — and probably cannot — see and evaluate “Obama the Candidate” independent of his and their racial identities, and therefore are showing themselves incapable of acting in accordance with MLK’s own “dream.” They publicly admit that the issue of whether to support him or not is principally one of race … ignoring, of course, the obvious fact that if whites did the same, they would be branded “racists,” en masse. The hypocrisy on the topic of race in this country is truly astounding.
By Philadelphia
January 16, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this
Lowery made some ‘ill-advised’ comments himself. I looked this interview up after I read them and found him to be mindful of the delicate way we need to use words in this campaign. Then he went and blew it. I hope this is a hiccup and we will go forward as both candidates want to as expressed in last nights debate. We have to grow up as an intelligent people making an intelligent choice of our own free will. Why must we win at any cost? Because we don’t really believe in a better way. Here’s hoping that Barack Obama is as inspiring as he thinks he is and can handle his representatives as a first test of his leadership.
By moe
January 16, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this
I’m an Obama supporter and as a black person there are two reason why you wont vote for Obama:
You dont agree with his leadership, social, or economics policies
You dont think a black man can win
1 is perfectly reasonable, we dont and should all vote alike.
2 is a slave mentality as you dont have limited your scope of what is possible for you race.
All he is saying is that if you don’t vote for Obama, dont let it be because of statement 2
By Jane
January 16, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this
I am an Obama supporter. I am white. I have been knocking on many doors up in Harlem and it looks to us that there is going to be a stampede in the African American community for Obama on Primary Day.
By Dr. I.Q.
January 16, 2008 5:17 PM | Link to this
The Rev. Joseph Lowery, has made a living for the last 40 years, stirring the race pot.
Give it up. My, God, it’s been 150 freakin’ years —- and you’re still talking about slavery.
And, by the way, why don’t you focus on getting the paperwork in on your organization —- or do you feel you don’t have to abide by the laws that govern non-profits?
By Shelly
January 16, 2008 5:31 PM | Link to this
I’m an AA woman and I agree with Joe Lowery’s POV. This is what is being discussed in nearly every black home across America. Many feel like Mr. Lowery does. I don’t think he is saying that a black person should vote for Senator Obama simply because he is black. Rather outraged by the fact that we have a truly viable candidate. The DREAM candidate we’ve been waiting for. He’s perfect in every way! If blacks can’t/won’t vote for him..who on earth will the vote for????? Yes, most can understand why many blacks would not support Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. However, Senator Obama is NOT in the same category with them. Out with the old and in with the new in EVERY way. I also love the fact that he just happens to be a black man running for president. He’s not running as the ‘black people’s president’. He truly represents ALL of us in this country. This is good for us all!
By Markus Anderson
January 16, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this
Senator Obama is winning the hearts and minds of AMERICANS regardless of race, color, or gender.
I am incredibly proud of the way he’s been running his campaign, and I will be caucusing for him this Saturday.
OBAMA SUPPORTER ALL THE WAY!
By Russell
January 16, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this
Perhaps the reason Obama has fractured support is because he’s the most right-wing of the Democratic candidates- refusing to offer a health care plan that provides for all, and offering no more than tax cuts as an economic stimulus. Face it Obama supporters, he was pulled to the right from the beginning. We need a New Deal populist, not more empty rhetoric.
By Jack
January 16, 2008 5:38 PM | Link to this
Clinton overcame long odds to become the first woman in US history to win a major-party primary, no leading news outlet trumpeted this landmark feat. Many failed to mention it at all. Obama & David Axelrod focus on RACE
By Richard W Williams
January 16, 2008 5:44 PM | Link to this
I am a white, normally Republican, Obama supporter who thinks this IS the right time for a change. Nothing racial about that.
By Fred
January 16, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this
As a life long (55years) republican voter I encourage everyone to vote for Obama as I am! For many this will be a once in a lifetime oppertunity to help unite and improve this country as no one else, but MLK and Lincoln, has ever done. If you carefully consider the alternatives there should be no doubts; Don’t wait for the right time - Obama is right for the job - right now.
By scott
January 16, 2008 5:49 PM | Link to this
If I do not vote for Obama b/c he is black then I am a racist. If I DO vote for him b/c he is black, then I am no less of a racist. I am just a “good” racist”. Obama is a liberal pantywaste. My impression of him is that he is slick and incredibly well rehearsed. However, until he decides to tell us something other than what is in his Ipod, then people who want to discuss issues (and not race) will continue to think he is an empty suit.
By Karen
January 16, 2008 6:00 PM | Link to this
What we need to come to terms with is that if we believe we can then we can. Obama speaks for all of us as whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Indians etc and in our ability to set the course of this country. From the beginning of the formation of this great Democratcy it was not about figures, numbers or experience (as many like to call just being around politics or politicians as experience) it was about the belief that those wise men had about the American spirit. The American ability to take lemons and make lemonade, the ability to put aside differences and work for the greater good of the country and most of all the hope that one day this nation can live out the true meaning of its creed. HOPE does not mean blind or clumsy, HOPE means determination built on hard work and principles. Whites and Blacks who believe that this country’s greatest days are still ahead of us should vote for Obama. Vote for him not because of his color, vote for him because he stands for what is right about America, not for what is wrong.