I can imagine some people nodded thoughtfully at
this on Facebook, which is another reason I cast the platform aside.
· Picture a southern man--albeit one currently married to an African-American woman--whose relevant documents identify him as "white."· Imagine him being very, very cagey in how he describes his background.· Now imagine him raising millions of dollars explicitly for black improvement.· And then picture said man repeatedly failing to deliver on the various fundraisers' promises.· And then visualize the same individual alienating the employees who work for him in these endeavors--95% of whom he describes as people of color. At least in the one that’s still in existence.· And then imagine him repeatedly pulling the plug on his efforts, all the while refusing to submit his fundraising to an independent review.· Then picture him taking credit for $22 million in fundraising he had nothing to do with.· Then imagine him telling staffers in his remaining struggling enterprise "to be your best black self."
What you are imagining is reality: the background
and public
record of shattered trust compiled by one Shaun King.
A tooth-deficient white supremacist from Central
Casting couldn't have done as much damage.
By the way, if you are interested, you can check
out this
compilation of nicknames for Mr. King from Black Twitter.
In other words, don't overestimate his influence.
I have been wondering why King's comments have gotten so much play and screen time online. the outrage against his comments on Iconoclasm gave him a far greater signal boost and audience- and, potentially, influence- than they would possibly have gotten otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI think it's because he's taken far more seriously by white folks across the political spectrum than by black folks. For the latter, familiarity continues to breed contempt, though he does have his supporters among people of color.
ReplyDeleteBut whites--especially the bigfooting "white ally" contingent--aren't aware of his track record and decidedly-controversial standing within the black community. They just see the chyron below his name and run with it. Good enough for them.
You don't have to go far on twitter to find a lot of people echoing his sentiment. Or ready to burn the church as a whole.
ReplyDeleteIndeed I'd say this whole rioting movement is proof enough that sometimes ignoring problems doesn't make them go away.