I say Shirley Sherrod is correct; Obama needs to get acquainted with the southern Black experience. The Black- American experience cannot be fully grasped simply by being subjected to race-based bias. It is about understanding the path to progress that our kith and kin made from slavery to freedom in America and throughout the Western Hemisphere.

The Shirley Sherrod incident is the latest that proves a race neutral Obama administration is of no use to Black people. It also, proves that by compromising with the White-Right only makes you look like a fool – even in their eyes. We, the descendants of slaves in America, who gave Obama 96% of our vote, have the right to demand that he deal with race from our perspective. He can choose not to, but we have to start loosening our tongues and realize that a Black President is not a goal, but rather a greater means to and end. If a Black President cannot deliver on what we are owed, and refuses to stand up to race baiters then what good is he to us?

The bottom line is that racism is not a Hatfield vs. McCoy scenario. Blacks became victims of racism, a White constructed social pathology. Any President, black or white, that doesn’t deal with race from that perspective is not worth our support. That should be our litmus test NOT skin color alone.

This goes for Obama and Ben Jealous alike, Black America cannot afford to support leaders that are not unapologetically Black. As a people, we cannot afford to become race neutral before any other group does…all in the name of being progressive. Right now, Black America is the neighborhood girl that everyone has their way with because she doesn’t understand her value. STOP GETTING USED!

Stop believing that we can’t point out the generic history of White America’s murder, rape and oppression of Black people while maintaining the most basic human quality of love and respect for our fellow man. In short, we can be unapologetically Black and fair at the same time. Remember, while Joseph (virtually) ruled Egypt and steered that land through famine, it still didn’t quiet the Egyptian’s disdain, disgust and fear of the Children of Israel.

Next Article: Our Litmus Test for Obama, Paying Black Farmers!