“Happy Negro”: Boyce Watkins responds…
The Daily Orange’s Melissa Daniels interviews Boyce Watkins about the “Happy Negro” crack… (via Journal-isms)
DO: Tell us about the kind of responses that you’ve received in the past couple weeks.
Most of the response that I get from Fox viewers and Fox listeners have a very angry, nasty tone. Some of them are ‘how dare you do this to Juan Williams, he’s such as sweet guy,’ and then there are those that are like ‘You’re an idiot, how can a prestigious university like Syracuse have someone like you on the faculty, I can’t believe you’re a professor.’
When people say that, that tone is interesting because that’s almost an acknowledgement that I have credentials. When people say something like that, ‘I can’t believe you’re a professor at Syracuse, I can’t believe you have a Ph.D., I can’t believe you’re a doctor,’ that’s interesting to me because that’s saying, ‘I’m really angry about what you said, but I have to acknowledge what you’re saying because your credentials are so strong.’ I think if I were a bus driver and I said this, people would just ignore it. Really, I think when an educated African American makes strong statements like that, it causes people to kind of have a moment of pause and they respond.
Some of the e-mails have been angry, but then I’ve gotten a lot of e-mails that are full of ‘thank you very much.’ I even joked in the article that I was going to make ‘happy negro’ T-shirts, and I’ve had people e-mailing me back and say, ‘Yeah, make those T-shirts, I’ll buy one.’ There are a lot of people who have been angry at Juan Williams for a long time.
What kind of junk is this from Daniels. Where are the follow up questions. tshirts, “I have gotten a lot of e-mails” How many, what did you mean when you called him a “happy negro” I sure hope she doesn’t make a living as a journalist.
Comment by Kirk G — October 4, 2007 @ 10:24 am
Credentials? Watkins must be joking. Having a Ph.D. does not guarantee you have an educated man. What he said of Juan Williams is proof of that. He got the attention not because of any wisdom in his statement, but because of his
utter inability to articulate an argument beyond an ad-hominem attack. Watkins, you are nothing but an educated bozo, and I wonder how you got your “credentials.” Shame!
Comment by RGL — October 4, 2007 @ 10:25 am
This proved my original thesis… he’s just another college professor who thinks that because they have a PhD, they are immediately and infinitely smarter than everyone else.
What an elitist ass.
Comment by ImNotBlue — October 4, 2007 @ 10:44 am
What a hardhitting interview with many tough questions.(major sarcasm)
Comment by A.W. — October 4, 2007 @ 4:24 pm
Big Al Jessie move over.That’s what this is all about.Another Tawana Brawley moment.
Comment by SHANE — October 4, 2007 @ 4:39 pm
From his responses in the interview, it would seem that Watkins can neither articulate a cohesive argument nor form a coherent sentence. Were he to have one tenth the intellect, professionalism, and class of Juan Williams…
Comment by Caufield — October 4, 2007 @ 6:11 pm
He mentions Fox viewers WHY?He said Happy Negro on CNN.Are you telling me only Fox viewers were offended.So CNN veiwers were not offended? OH MY!!!
Comment by SHANE — October 4, 2007 @ 7:01 pm
People like Bill Cosby and Juan are trying to help the black cause, by constructively pointing out how people should take personal responsibility for their actions. Suggestions such as getting an education, attending church, being married before starting a family, having the father remain in the home, etc. are immediately rejected. And instead of listening to their ideas, these men are vilified by other blacks who find it easier to blame white society for all of their problems.
It is horrific that this pejorative was directed at Juan, and even worse that CNN let it go unchallenged. But that’s typical; accomplished conservative/libertarian “people of color”, such as Michelle Malkin, Condoleezza Rice, Michael Steele, Clarence Thomas, Larry Elder and Thomas Sowell are trashed on a regular basis because they stray from the victimization that liberals have decided should be felt by ALL minorities. This is pathetic and indicates a prejudice as bad as anything liberals typically disdain.
Boyce Watkins has had his 15 minutes; if anyone remembers him at all, it will be as a “victimizer” and/or race-baiter. But for CNN to let this slide is unconscionable! We will remember the trashing of the very respectable Juan Williams for a long time. CNN is the worst!
Comment by Missy — October 4, 2007 @ 8:25 pm
“I think when an educated African American makes strong statements like that, it causes people to kind of have a moment of pause”
From one better educated African American, listen carefully Boyce, it isn’t your alleged credentials making people pause, it’s your reprehensible comments giving people pause. And if you can’t tell the difference, ask your grade school for a refund.
Comment by Haile Welde — October 4, 2007 @ 9:00 pm
Right on, Missy. Remember the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan who, back in the 60s, wrote a treatise dealing with the pathologies of the black culture? There was a lot of denial among the liberals, and Moynican practically was shut down.
And so what followed was a long era of victimization, where Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and and other scoundrels have become the poster boys of this movement. Nothing will get better until these race merchants are there, and as long as Bill Cosby and Juan Williams get ignored and excoriated. This is as perverse as anything I have seen. The nation should have listened to Patrick Moynihan over 40 years ago, or we won’t be talking about the huge problems in the black community today.
Comment by RGL — October 4, 2007 @ 9:06 pm
You guys are racists, and it’s pathetic that you’re having this discussion. You couldn’t touch Dr. Watkins’ intellect with a 10 foot pole. He achieved more by the age of 24 than most of you will ever achieve, yet your racism blinds you to the ability to see that. Pathetic….I bet you guys all watch FOX News…..the idiot channel.
Comment by mathew couch — October 12, 2007 @ 11:14 pm