I am glad to see that the annual State of the Black Union (SOBU) conference put together by Tavis Smiley over the past 10 years is over. [SOURCE]
I enjoyed it ... as I did the commentary of Tavis Smiley during the early years. In fact, I worked with Mr. Smiley on a similiar effort, Blacks In Technology, back in the day when I was national president-elect of an organization of Black IT professionals.
SOBU had some remarkable moments, including a rant by civil rights activist Dick Gregory. However, the entire conference ... and Mr. Smiley's reputation began to tank when he started pouting about the fact that Barack Obama wouldn't attend the 2008 SOBU.
It seems that Tavis Smiley has been criticizing Barack Obama on every television appearance since then. Obama was cool enough to appear by videoconference at the SOBU conference held last year.
Anyhow, Smiley apparently plans to spend more time in 2010 publishing the memoirs of R. Kelly.
Seriously?!?
Anyone willing to dig into the sewer of R. Kelly's mind is no longer worthy of serious consideration as an activist or journalist. I suppose that Smiley will continue to be a highly-paid speaker on the circuit of Black conferences, banquets and such. It just seems that he no longer as the respect of the Black community.
What are your thoughts about the end of the State of the Black Union conference? What are your thoughts about Tavis Smiley's future as an activist in the Black community?
