Former President Obama recently questioned the lack of enthusiasm for Black men for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, in a statement that has garnered some criticism and much discussion.
“Part of it makes me feel that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons,” the former president said. “We have not yet seen the same kind of energy and turnout in all quarters of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running.”
He then continued saying that the apprehension “seems to be more pronounced with the brothers.”
Some Black men found his remarks to be “disrespectful” and ”condescending.”
“I’m tired of Barack Obama lecturing Black men,” one social media user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
However, another Black male social media user said that most Black men in his circle had no qualms with Obama’s remarks.
“I don’t know a single Black man upset about what former President Barack Obama said. All I’ve seen is people giving hot takes about an imaginary Black male grievance about what he said,” the social media user wrote.
If Harris loses on Nov. 5, Black men or women will not be the cause.
According to statistics, no group of Democratic voters is more consistently unreliable and disloyal than white women. Indeed, white women heavily contributed to Hillary Clinton’s loss to former President Donald J. Trump in 2016.
Nonetheless, any lack of support for Harris – be it voting for Trump, not voting, staying home, or writing in the name of someone not on the ballot – can contribute to her loss in a race that is within the margin of error less than two weeks before the election.
The same Trump who is asking Black men for their vote is the same man who refuses to apologize for taking out a full-page ad calling for the execution of the Central Park Five, even after DNA established their innocence– as they always claimed– years later.
Nor do Black men need to vote for someone who views himself as an inspiration to them because he has a mugshot and criminal record.
Harris has a plan to empower Black men.
“[Harris] has a plan that will lift up Black men and their families,” Obama wrote on X. “ She’s laid out some ways to give Black men the tools to build wealth, achieve financial freedom, and lower costs.”
Do not vote for Harris because she is a woman, or due to her race and ethnic background.
While Vice President Harris is not perfect — and no candidate is — her qualifications and character should be considered when voting on or before Nov. 5.