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Bill Maher's Definition of a Black President Reveals Racial Ignorance 
by Dr. Boyce Watkins
Apparently Bill Maher, the ultra-liberal talk show host who both entertains and annoys me, doesn't understand what it means to be a black man. During a recent episode of his popular show, Real Time with Bill Maher, the host criticized President Barack Obama for not being a "real black president," (whatever that means) in his response to the gulf region oil spill. Rather than paraphrasing, please allow me to quote Maher's exact words.
"I thought when we elected a black president, we were going to get a black president. You know, this [oil spill] is where I want a real black president. I want him in a meeting with the BP CEOs, you know, where he lifts up his shirt where you can see the gun in his pants. That's -- 'we've got a motherfu**ing problem here?' Shoot somebody in the foot."
Let's start off by saying that Maher's joke would be really funny if it were shared around a kitchen table, or with those who understand the genuine heterogeneity of the African-American population. The problem is that making such a joke to an audience that is already inundated with black stereotypes does nothing good for a community that must consistently fight to have its humanity taken seriously. Most of us know that black men can be gangsters, scientists, fathers, police officers, prison inmates, basketball players, firemen and attorneys. Sadly enough, America is still trying to figure that out.
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