Welcome To The New American Gladiators, Political-Edition
I can recall when Tavis Smiley first came on the radio. I remember how excited I was to hear such an intelligent brother give such solid commentary on the conditions of our community with eloquence and insight. His brilliance was undeniable.
Fast forward several years later. I would get to my office of my very own business sometimes as early at 4 a.m. to listen to the NPR archived broadcast of Tavis' daily shows. He had such great guests and I knew there would always be great dialogue.
For about 10 years, it was not unusual for me to listen to his commentaries online of the Tom Joyner Morning Show. I listened for years because I always perceived that whatever the topic or call to action would be, it would be done in love for the love of Black people.
BREAKING! Michelle Obama's Audio Response to Tavis Smiley's Refusal
When Senator Barack Obama first announced he was running for President, not once - not even for a second - did I believe that every Black person in America would fall in lock step to vote for him. And you know what, that was alright with me. I've always said that the beauty of this campaign was that just maybe the American media would finally figure out that we as Black people are not a monolith. We all have varied views and perspectives - and this is alright. This is what helps make the world go round and what's great about living in America.
Continue with TAVIS SMILEY RESPONDS: 'WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A FREE BLACK MAN OR A FREE BLACK WOMAN?'