White Liberals and Conservatives Often Common Bedfellows

Ran across this homemade video I made during one of the seasons I appeared on the WGBH show "Sing That Thing." I had a nice run on this cute little show and then one day the Executive Producer informed me that due to budget cuts the show was going through a reorganization. They would eliminate the post of " TV Show show announcer." This post held by the other African American male on the show would be retained and take my position as a vocal coach/judge. The Executive Producer said to me...."We are not inviting you back. "Besides, we could not have two Black men on the show at the same time anyway." Those words came out of the mouth of a seasoned WGBH Executive Producer the most liberal media outlets in America. I had hoped after I took the high road ( Michelle Obama) and met with the CEO, that producer and the Community Affairs Executive they would take progressively responsible action to make me whole again and address what the "Guilty" had felt empowered to say to me.

"Omarosa" who I am not a fan of triggered again my memory of this incident. You can be at the top of your game, but you are not exempt or safe from this kind of assault. I wonder how many times Anderson Cooper, Emily Rooney, Judy Woodruff, Wolf Blitzer or David Muir were told by an Executive Producer "we" cannot have two old white women, White Gays or old White men on the network or a broadcast at the same time? Just peruse these networks and view the saturation of wrinkled White faces over-represented and surrounded by a sea of Whiteness. I then listened to the news story and the way the White House Chief of Staff spoke to "Omarosa" and understood her anger and rage. In her case she had compromised her core values to be a part of this immoral White House "Klan" but in my case, I was an integral part of this WGBH show, saw myself as a team player and not the Black vocal. I was a strong advocate for the show and made a significant contribution. It seemed to not matter. "Omarosa" was labeled a "dog" eg "Bitch" and I was told we can't have two "niggahs" on this show at the same time. I took this matter to the top of the organization and received a verbal apology while "crocodile" tears stained the cooperate conference boardroom table.

Starbucks shut down for a day and did racism training and ABC terminated actor Roseanne Bar for her racist rant. What might WGBH have done to assure this kind of decision making would not occur in the future and assure me that my bringing the matter to the attention of those with the power to make a difference not allow me to carry the weight of this matter alone. As of now, business goes on as usual and I walk around baring the scars of another racial "macroaggression." In a strange twist of fate, I can identify with "Amarosa". She observed the racial animus directed towards people of color from the White House. In quiet liberal tones, I was told too many of you at once makes us uncomfortable so one of you has to go. The only power we possess is the moral power to speak the truth regardless of the consequences. I never deviated from my core values because I am a disciple of my Brooklyn Congresswomen Shirley Chisolm. Our power is sustained when we confront this "white privilege and cronyism that empowers people, especially those who proudly embrace their status of being a liberal. The current White House and citadels of Liberalism both engage in the most insidiously racist decision making and feel no restraints when they articulate their decisions to terminate, demote or accuse you of something with no forethought to what they are saying.

There are still a few of us who do not strive to be palatable"bed warmers" for Whites and backward Blacks in positions of authority. " We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes". And we will continue to speak with credibility representing the voiceless who clean your bathrooms. We must all remain committed to eradicating racist,

condescending and paternalistic behavior in all of its disguised deadly forms.

https://www.pbs.org/video/sing-that-thing-master-class-larry-watson-elements/