I would have been outraged by Patrick's attempt to depict black America as hopeless victims besieged by daily suffering and want. I would have been beside myself reading his characterization of black America as desolate and oppressed.
Now, I'm not bothered at all.
There's no real reason to be troubled by Gov. Patrick's remarks. His rhetoric is mere showmanship, the same sort of showmanship that aided him in his victory last November.
You must understand: Patrick has to depict black America as a barren wasteland in his rhetoric. It's what his liberal white supporters want to hear.
Patrick obviously knows that black America is not nearly as hopeless as he made it out to be in his speeches. He obviously knows that, despite continued problems, black Americans are, on the whole, enjoying more prosperity than they have ever had at any point in American history.
African-Americans such as Richard Parsons and Kenneth Chenault are running Fortune 500 companies. We're on the rise in the business world and still holding our own in the sports and entertainment fields.
Patrick's very life story is a testament to black American success-- so you know he's "just playing with you" when he tries to depict black America as being unable to succeed!
Leave aside Patrick's politics for a moment (believe me, that's hard for me to do too). This is a guy who figured out long ago that he'd have to work hard, damn hard, to get what he wanted. Everything he's achieved in his life is owing to that work ethic.
Patrick simply didn't allow himself to be stopped by racism--so he's pulling your leg when he suggests that black America continues to be thwarted by bigotry. If racism still had such insurmountable power, he wouldn't be Governor.
Patrick can't get up there and speak about black America's success and achievement, because his white liberal backers would get upset (since the white left insists upon depicting America as being stuck in the pre-civil rights era in terms of race relations). So he has to speak negatively about modern American race relations.
On some level, I can't blame the guy. He knows where his bread is buttered.
I just hope nobody gets upset. He's merely reading from a script.
