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The MLK Distinguished Lecture Series continued last Thursday in the Campus Center Ballroom with Dr. Michael Dyson, who gave students his opinion on race relations, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barrack Obama, homosexuality, and how to begin to erase black stereotypes, among other things.
After his speech, he briefly signed some books before moving to another room in the Campus Center to appear via satellite on Larry King Live.
Dr. Dyson is the author of 16 books and has been named by Essence Magazine as one of the 40 most inspiring African-Americans. Dr. Dyson serves currently as a Professor of Sociology at Georgetown University and has appeared as a guest lecturer at several others.
He holds a Ph.D in Religion from Princeton University and is an ordained minister. Dr. Dyson is also a well-known media commentator.
"I am honored to be here because the state of young black men is really in a crisis. And yet as we know the Chinese character for crises can also be translated as opportunity," he stated.
Dr. Dyson targeted contributing issues at the core of the crisis with young black men such as negative media, poverty, continuing discrimination, and the inability of some to acknowledge others with respect. Although he did not cite any figures, he told those in attendance that it is harder for them as blacks to get jobs because of discrimination.
The speech alternated between plain, urban exhortations and convoluted explanations such as, "When the negative perceptions prevailed people began to be more suspicious and skeptical of the fundamental capacity of young black men to be humane."
Dr. Dyson addressed poverty as a critical force restricting black males from flourishing. Dr. Dyson said that although there are also many poor white people as well, he feels that people of color tend to live in more concentrated areas together, typically in areas with few job opportunities and poor schools, which holds them back. Rather than cite facts and figures, he created words and used anecdotal evidence. When he ran out of things to say, he broke into song, and was immediately joined by the audience.
Dr. Dyson also made it clear that urban culture has played a role in the negative perception of black males. He specifically honed in on "The inability of black men to acknowledge one another as equally deserving of honor and respect and dignity." He pointed to their widespread desire to conform to popular stereotypes seen on MTV, movies, and heard in rap music.
He admonished the assembly to look to the past as a great model, rethink the paradigms of the past, and encouraged each individual to know their own worth.
Dr. Dyson also advised that younger men could learn from their elders how to treat a lady. He even led the audience through a series of acapella renditions of songs (Dr. Dyson would start the verse and the audience would fill in the missing words) such as" La La La La La La Means I Love You" and "Have You Seen Her" to contrast the tones and ways of addressing a woman with dignity.
Dr. Dyson reminded the audience that one has to love one's self before any of this will be effective.
Shortly afterwards Dr. Dyson launched into rapper Jay-Z's "I Just Want to Love You" with the crowd erupting in cheers and chanting along with him. He briefly addressed the violence and objectification of women in hip-hop culture by saying, "We must rethink that poison we see in Hip-Hop."
Despite speaking at length about 'Unity,' Dr. Dyson was full of controversial ideas. He compared those that have a problem with angry statements made by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright to those who assassinated Martin Luther King Jr.
He also defended R. Kelly's illegal sexual behavior by comparing him to Thomas Jefferson and his alleged affair with a black servant, saying that Jefferson was "trumped by his erotic attractions." Rather than defend R. Kelly on moral grounds, he instead talked of slavery and the South's troubled past.
When he began speaking about the recently unearthed anti-American or racializing comments by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's pastor and mentor, he passed them off by saying, "If black people told white people what we really think, it would scare a whole bunch of brothers & sisters."
The audience found this funny for the most part, but a few sat in stony silence. He justified Rev. Wright's behavior by bringing up some churches' past exclusion of blacks by saying, "You can't keep me out the club and then tell me how to run mine."
Dr. Dyson also attacked Supreme Court Justice Clearance Thomas, who is a black man, for "shirking his constitutional duties," and not doing enough to help the community." He saved his fiercest criticism for the President George W. Bush, mocking him in a white accent, and accusing him of launching a "testosterone-fueled war," as exclamations of "keep it real!" emanated from the audience.
Speaking to no one in particular, he exclaimed, "God will rise up to break the backbone of your power," before launching into an explanation of how to conduct proper relationships.
He told the audience, "If you are a strong black man you will accept and love a strong black woman." No advice was given to or about white or Latino students in attendance. As he launched into a spate of relationship advice, the tone of his voice lowered until he sounded like a late night Jazz DJ, and in fact behaved like one as he closed his speech with an musical montage, with audience assistance, describing the progression of relationships.
Dr. Dyson was mobbed following his speech, but quickly had to move into an adjoining room for a live via satellite interview on Larry King Live. He sat spotlighted alone in silence, waiting to be called on by Larry King, in contrast to only minutes earlier.
It appeared that he was being asked about Rev. Jeremiah Wright, because, although those in the room couldn't hear what was going on, Dr. Dyson began saying that there was no need to "fan the flames of divisiveness," and began criticizing what he termed the media's "disparagement" of Rev. Wright. It truly brought to life the statement he had made earlier in the afternoon when he said, "It depends on where you [are] to determine how you act."
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