(ThyBlackMan.com) An associate of mine that I occasionally ride the train with alerted me to a startling report. He showed me an article that expounded on how President Obama talks down to his constituents. Particularly, the article pointed out how he’s disconnected with “blue-collared White Americans.” My friend and I could instantly see through the thinly veiled euphemism to see that the writer was referring to low to middle income White people. More specifically, it was referring to those that live along the belt of the Appalachian Mountains.
To be blunt – it was talking about rednecks! It wouldn’t surprise me if it was the same group that reelected George Bush – having identified with 
him because of his inability to articulate himself with even the most common of colloquialisms. “Fool me once…” It went on to talk about how President Obama’s choice and use of certain words left them with a feeling of being talked down to and alienated.
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The Obama ChronicleWho’s Black, White and mis-
read by color struck views in
The Red, White and Blue?
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While I can understand the rationality of this point, what baffled my mind is the way in which the article made it seem as if this is evidence of a national disconnect for our President; as if his education is preventing him from relating to common folk. Is this where we’ve come to now?!! My friend and I are both college-educated African-American professionals with wives and children that we care for in-house. As such, we are more accustomed to hearing the more thickly veiled, albeit unintentional, insult: “You’re so articulate!” As much as this astounds and now amuses us, we were both taken aback by this statement about President Obama’s vocabulary.
We’ve ”progressed” from an implication that we aren’t supposed to have a convincing command of the English language to now being too articulate. I suppose they would prefer that Obama study at the same mosque as fellow Muslim Lupe Fiasco. At least he could get a proper education from a respectable rapper on how to Dumb It Down. Go figure.
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The African King’s EnglishThe King’s English has
To be dumbed down when smart Blacks
Articulate it.
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I suppose there’s only one thing left to say and only one Native Son way to say it: “Dat der don’t make no sense.” I hope that’s plain enough for all the slack-jawed yokels to feel safe since having the physique of a Bigger Thomas but the speech of Merriam Webster is too much of a scary thing for them to deal.
Staff Writer; Reggie Legend
Can find more about this writer over at; http://www.steelwaterspoetry.com/blog
Also available as a Keynote Speaker – Book him Today; Speakerwiki – Reggie Legend
