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Running the Republicans
Stanley Crouch's culture pieces have appeared in Harper's, The New York Times, Vogue, Downbeat, The New Yorker, and more. He has served as artistic consultant for jazz programming at Lincoln Center since 1987, and is a founder of Jazz at Lincoln Center. In June 2006 his first major collection of jazz criticism, Considering Genius: Jazz Writings, was published. Next year the first volume of his long-awaited biography of Charlie Parker will appear.
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Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP Photo
Michael Steele thought he’d scored a historic achievement when he got himself elected chairman of the Republican National Committee. Now he has to run it.
A fundamental aspect of black barbershop disparagement—what you might call a suspicion of things as they seem to be—is that white people never give any power toys over to black Americans until they are through with them. Or unless they are so rusty that only a fool could not see how far beyond repair those toys actually are.
The people taking those positions are not defeatists, or do not think of themselves that way. Their sense of the world is not based in Frederick Douglass’ observation that power does not give the opposition anything without a fight. They merely think that color rules are hard, fast, and very different. Power is never given or trusted in the hands of those who are not white.
Steele seems to actually function like those black drops put in the buckets of Liberty Paint in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. Mixed in, that black stuff made the paint more radiantly white.
For them, proof comes from the fact that one black mayor after another took over when cities were prime examples of urban blight, business evacuation, and a diminishing quality of public service that was the result of shrinking tax bases. Cities were thought to be, it was argued, much less important than the suburbs, which were where the better schools, better law enforcement, housing, and so on were easy to be found. In short, the opportunity to sit in the big chair becomes a funky and debilitating version of the blues.
This grim vision is put on Barack Obama by the most insipidly cynical. But it may well fit our man Michael Steele much better in what has become the intellectual blight of the Republican Party, where the base is found further and further beyond the outskirts of town. Steele was elected the head of the Republican National Committee almost as an example of dumb fumbling in an apparent attempt to make itself appealing to a nation of voters that has become darker over the last few decades. Yes but not quite yes.
Steele seems to actually function like one of the most memorable symbols in American literature: those black drops put in the buckets of Liberty Paint in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. Mixed in, that black stuff made the paint more radiantly white. While Steele and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (whom his severest detractors refer to as “Gunga Din”) have attempted to appropriate Obama’s remaking of American patriotism, they do not seem to have succeeded. Sure, as Obama has proven, embracing both the darker sides of our history and the ongoing struggles against them provides plenty enough to be proud of, but no one appears to actually accept it from the mouths of Steele and Jindal.
Rush Limbaugh is one of those who doesn’t believe them and demands that Republican politicians and those in high positions of influence heel at the sound of his elephantine bark. After correctly calling Limbaugh an entertainer with an ugly message on CNN, Steele had to brown his nose and his tongue in the usual apologetic manner, claiming he had been misunderstood, the rhetorical flak vest worn by every coward and kiss-ass out here.
During an interview with Politico after Limbaugh served him a talk-radio caning for moving too far beyond the compound, Steele said of the host, “He brings a very important message to the American people to wake up and pay attention to what the administration is doing. No. 2, there are those out there who want to look at what he’s saying as incendiary and divisive and ugly. That’s what I was trying to say. It didn’t come out that way. … He does what he does best, which is provoke: He provokes thought, he provokes the left. And they’re clearly the ones who are most excited about him.”
Negro, please: Provokes thought? Where, when, and how? The central problem facing the Republicans is that they offer nothing resembling intellectual substance that is not offensively hostile. The tires have been worn bald on their vehicle and are now given to perpetual flats which are passed off as proof of how good the tires are, so smooth, so shiny, so lacking in bulky treads. The Republican role has been forgotten by people like Limbaugh, who is cheered on by Ann Coulter, that professional witch here to prove that blondes neither have more fun nor can provide any to people interested in substantial criticisms based in actual hope for the country. Coulter is the extremely slim bartender whose private stock contains one drink: bile.
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Stanley Crouch's culture pieces have appeared in Harper's, The New York Times, Vogue, Downbeat, The New Yorker, and more. He has served as artistic consultant for jazz programming at Lincoln Center since 1987, and is a founder of Jazz at Lincoln Center. In June 2006 his first major collection of jazz criticism, Considering Genius: Jazz Writings, was published. Next year the first volume of his long-awaited biography of Charlie Parker will appear.
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Stanley Crouch's culture pieces have appeared in Harper's, The New York Times, Vogue, Downbeat, The New Yorker, and more. He has served as artistic consultant for jazz programming at Lincoln Center since 1987, and is a founder of Jazz at Lincoln Center. In June 2006 his first major collection of jazz criticism, Considering Genius: Jazz Writings, was published. Next year the first volume of his long-awaited biography of Charlie Parker will appear.
Wake Up, Tavis Smiley
Stanley Crouch's culture pieces have appeared in Harper's, The New York Times, Vogue, Downbeat, The New Yorker, and more. He has served as artistic consultant for jazz programming at Lincoln Center since 1987, and is a founder of Jazz at Lincoln Center. In June 2006 his first major collection of jazz criticism, Considering Genius: Jazz Writings, was published. Next year the first volume of his long-awaited biography of Charlie Parker will appear.
calvinbham
It appears to me that neither of these two black men is in charge of their parties. Although they both hold the highest ranking positions with in their parties, it is obvious that the white establishment is firmly in charge of both parties. For the Democrats it is Nancy Pelosi & Harry Ried. With the Republicans it is Rush Limbaugh & Newt Gingrich. Whether it is Obama cowering to Nancy and Harry on this porked filled spending bill, or Michael Steele tucking his tail between his legs and quivering up to Rush to apologizing like a coward. I think it is a shame to see spineless black men like these two. If Obama want true bipartisanship on his agenda he needs to stand up to the leadership within his party and do what the voters voted him to do. As for Steele, I think he should resign and leave the party. He will never be an effective voice after cowering to Rush.
BernieO
Let's see, Colin Powell held the powerful position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and Condi Rice was able as Secretary of State to get Bush to turn belatedly away from Cheney's my way or the highway approach. Now the American people have elected a black man with a strong majority. Let's not forget that African Americans represent less than 16% of the population, less than the percent that is Hispanic. It's time to drop the pity party. The big problem facing the AA community is one of class, not discrimination. Both poor whites and poor blacks are much less likely to get a good education and an opportunity to move into the middle class.
As for the "me" generation, that is an apt description of the "I got mine" attitude of the Republican Party, but not of most Democrats who are still trying to do something to improve the conditions for the least of us.
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LeighBeast
I find Crouch to be one of the most thought provoking writers on this site. I love reading all his articles. Thanks for another great read.
Johnny-Boy
I disagree completely. Now my comments are not intended to imply that race discrimination no longer exists, of course it does, however I believe the commentary of Mr. Couch is flawed.
Mr. Steele was not "given" the leadership post of the GOP for any reasons other than all of the promises that HE (Steele) made to the GOP about how he coud make the GOP fat with minorities if he were at the top spot.
It wasn't a GOP scheme to anoint a black man immediately followinig the election of the first black President, it was Steele's. He saw this as his best opportunity to play the race card on his own party.
This is evident in the number of absurd statements made by Steele following his securing of the position.
Such as;
"urban and suburban hip-hop settings"
"off the hook"
"one armed midgets"
Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
It's clear that Steele is not the Victim of any race ploy in place, but rather he is the initiator of said ploy, and the GOP took the bait.
This nation has now or has had a black President, a black Attorney General, a black Secretary of State, a black chairman of the joint chiefs. This list is impressively long and is ever expanding, so while racism in all forms is certainly not over, it continues to improve by leaps and bounds.
So please don't paint Steele as simply a pawn of the GOP with regard to the scheme of his appointment, he orchestrated the scheme to benefit himself.
The GOP, lately anyway, has displayed an amazing amount of ignorance by misjudging the ignorance of the American public. The placement of Sarah Palin simply to garner the Hillary Clinton supporters, and now the placement of Steele to counter the Obama factor.
Unfortunately for Steele, he is just not smart enough to be able to follow through with the sky-high promises he made of growing a more diversified GOP.
estcruzer
I voted for Obama, and he is doing what I wanted him to do. Bipartisanship was only a sideline, the main tent was 1) get the Republicans out of power, 2) Give Americans back their civil rights, 3) Get the country and world financial system back on line, 4) Refocus American priorities away from Hegemony, 5) Start the Great American Recovery from the devastation the Conservative Idealogy has wreaked upon us, 6) Show that color is NOT a deciding factor in American politics for the MAJORITY
estcruzer
Anyway, way down around 20 or so is offer an Olive branch to the people (and I use the term loosely) who got us into this mess in the first place - and if they reject it - great I wasn't really interested placating the Republican Leadership and Conservative Idealogues anyway.
Ruckus
You have nail it right on the head. Steele is weak at best. I have know idea why the R party doesn't see that?? Republicans are doomed with this guy at the wheel. He apologized to Rush as soon as he was told to. 51 minutes flat !! What a weak ass. But he does have nice suits. What a joke.
MajorDude
I am persuaded that neither Republicans or Democrats, nor loons on the far left, or wackos on the far right, or the press or the blogosphere are in power. Time and time again we have seen the political SYSTEM - which has become an entity in and of itself - squeeze the mavericks and those full of hope into ITS mold. A system - like a transmission on a car - cannot change it's own gears. Something outside of it must effect that change. Problem is: when an outsider enters the SYSTEM the outsider becomes a part (and lost in) of the SYSTEM.
sippewissett
It's not only sad that the GOP seems unable to embrace women and minorities into its LEADERSHIP ranks (though courting them for votes), but when it does reach out, it screws up royally with 'token' gestures of sex and race.
Palin was an egregiously ill-equipped candidate to land the women's vote. Her antiquated views on women's rights and religion made her laughable, except to the fringe. Now here's Steele, a black man seemingly elected to the RNC so he can deliver urban votes because he talks about "hop hop votes". (Now that it's clear he's a loose cannon, what will the GOP do for the next four years?)
How ghastly and embarassing for SERIOUS women politicians and minority politicians who are doing great work to see Palin and Steele elevated in the GOP instead of them. The myopia of the GOP that prevents them from finding talent among women and minorities is in good measure what is confining the party to its fringe, regional demise.
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VirginiaMom
I usually like Crouch's cantankerous contrarianism. But his argument (that whites cede positions to blacks only when a situation is beyond repair) is tired, and makes a mockery of the substantial political energy and optimism which fueled volunteers -- of every race -- who worked on the Obama campaign. Is this cynicism how Crouch accounts for his regular column space? I hope not.
xbainx
Crouch is fine, but I am tired of this union bashing stuff. I'm not in a union, but what's so wrong with workers banding together to serve their best interests. Businesses do it. Banks certainly do it. It's time we re-examined what makes a good business in America. Does a company that plays one state against each other for bigger tax breaks deserve sympathy? Does a plant that doesn't get the support it wants moving to Mexico or Canada seem patriotic? If anything, it is business, not unions, that has forced to the edge of collapse. When will capitalists be happy really, when everything is made in China and simply traded here like stocks?
Magnus73
OOPs excuse me didn't intent to interupt the Klan meeting. Carry on with the cross burning.
MsPolly
Mr Crouch,
Thank you for the wonderfully vivid imagery in this piece. The second last paragraph was so brutally effective it stopped me cold.
I'll be searching out more of your fine writing.
Thank you.
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