On claims that “Obama is the Worst President on Race Ever”

Partisans of argument #2 position things so that there is no — or almost no — angle by which it is even theoretically possible to give the President credit even for trying. When he presides without reference to race, which is kind of difficult to do when his race is blamed for every perceived failing, he is “ignoring the problem.” When he addresses race, as he is sometimes obliged to do in answer to direct questions, and often in answer to direct attacks, the response is naturally that he is “trading on race.” He should “shut up” on race.

When he speaks about the causes of racism, which include the historical context and the economic divide, he is “attacking white people” and “playing the race card.”

The argument that he is still making things worse gets special emphasis every time he speaks to White America from the perspective of an accomplished Black Person. How dare he? The implication, the wish, is that he should speak to Black People and get them to quit it — whatever “it” happens to be at the moment. What those who complain really want is for him to do ONLY what Bill Cosby did and tell Black people to stay in school, to get jobs, to pull their goddamned pants up, to speak literate English, and to stop blaming Whites for everything. These are not bad messages; they’re motivational, they’re arguments against despair. They’ve been fine reminders to the Black people since Frederick Douglas. But they are only half the message. They do no good whatsoever if the offenses against them still exist, if they can be harassed for simply going about their business.

And it’s certainly a sign of racism to think that Obama’s pronouncements on race, should he be allowed to make any at all, need to be limited to telling black people what they’re doing wrong. White people need to take their medicine too and they need to stop yelling racism whenever they’re asked to.