Asked during the YouTube debate whether he was "black enough," Barack Obama replied, "When I'm catching a cab in Manhattan..." Obama was making a wry reference to the widely-held notion that blacks--and especially black males--have difficulty getting cabs in major cities. Years ago African-American scholar Cornel West wrote that when he wears his casual or "cool" attire, cabs routinely pass him by. West complained that they only pick him up when he's in a suit. So the paradigm of the racist cabbie has become a standard citation in the portrait of America as a racist society.
This subject has been well studied, both in New York and Washington D.C., and there's no doubt that cabdrivers are indeed more reluctant to pick up black men. Yet here is a wrinkle in the civil rights narrative: most of the cabdrivers in New York and D.C. are not white. They are either nonwhite immigrants or they are African American. So why would a cabdriver from Pakistan or NIgeria refuse to pick up a black man? Why would African American cabbies in Chicago drive by a wildly-gesticulating Obama?
One possible explanation is that they have internalized white racism. I find this an unlikely explanation because the discrimination is not aimed at all African Americans but is more specifically targeted. Cabs are more hesitant to pick up black males than black females. Cabs are apparently willing to stop for Cornel West when he looks like a Princeton professor and not when he doesn't. A more likely explanation for the behavior of cabdrivers is that they are reluctant to pick up black males because this group, alas, has the highest violent crime rate in the country. Some studies show that black males are roughly 10 times more likely to be arrested and convicted of violent crimes than young white males. On any given day nearly one in four young black males is in prison, on probation, or on parole. This sad data is cited and footnoted in my book The End of Racism.
I interviewed a number of cabdrivers for that book, and here is what they told me. Driving a cab is one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, because drivers are routinely picking up people they don't know. The law requires cabdrivers not to discriminate, and yet it seems that cabbies of all backgrounds are willing to circumvent the law when they believe there is a risk to their security. Cabdrivers know that the average black male is not a criminal, but given what they perceive to be the increased likelihood of being mugged or held up by a member of this group, they don't want to take a chance. My conclusion is that this kind of discrimination is hard to eradicate because it's not based on mere prejudice; it is also based on behavioral differences between groups.
Does Barack Obama--who likes to be considered Mr. Straight Talk--have the guts to address this issue? I highly doubt it. Here's what I'd like to hear him say: of course the law-abiding black male who can't get a cab has a right to be angry, just as the law-abiding Muslim has a right to object to being considered by airport security to be a possible terrorist. (As a brown-skinned native of India, I too am sometimes mistaken for a Middle Eastern Muslim and given the full-body search.) But the legitimate anger that we minorities feel is best directed not at cabdrivers and airline security personnel, who are only trying to exercise caution, but rather at criminals and terrorists who give African Americans and Muslims a bad name.
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 4)
31. dc gen: "Weather I am black or white that is not the issue. The issue is that in America
you can be cruel and get by with it, The mean and hateful can lie, steel cheat commit crimes agianist the public and recive from the courts a slap on the hand and an early release."
That's what I said: it's class, not race.
Joe Bob at 4:42PM on Jul 25th 2007
32. As an African American who has never spent a second in police custody, with a college degree and as a rule, I do not go anywhere unless I can tip, I dont go to restaurants, take cabs, order pizza, etc... that being said, I refuse to feel as if tipping is a MUST... it is not! That is why is it called "gratutity", if the service is bad, if I feel that you werent friendly enough,(in fact curt), then I shouldnt have to feel obligagted to pay you as if you were....
simply put: when I enter your cab or call for a pizza we enter a tacit agreement in which you make me feel important and I pay you for it.
Cliff at 5:06PM on Jul 25th 2007
33. In Guiliani's last term as mayor, he placed an ordinance or law requiring New York City yellow cabs not to refuse a patron based upon color.
Why? Danny Glover, the actor, was in New York City, and made numerous attempts to catch a yellow cab in daylight, and could not. This was brought to the mayor's attention, and he took action.
Racism as it relates to New York City yellow cabs is not a myth. I am a proctor of the TLC exams taken by potential yellow cab drivers. I am African-American.
As for Dinesh D'Souza, he appears from his articles and books written that he is trying to make his claim to fame by denouncing African-Americans and leading African-Americans claim of racism ever so slightly, or for that matter, boldly.
What Mr. D'Souza is actually covering under the guise of scholarly writing is his own racist attitudes; which are shared by many White-Americans and those immigrants who feel the need to assimulate by the tools of racism.
Lastly, I had a personal encounter with Mr. D'Souza at Carnegie Hall several years ago or therebouts, and his real attitudes towards African-Americans showed its "true colors." To a point that his lady-friend or wife was embarrassed.
Obama was asked a question, he gave an answer. The question was asked because he is African and American.
Dmaye at 5:16PM on Jul 25th 2007
34. So let me got this straight, Geo. If I say pit bulls are bad, then in your mind I have said all dogs are bad? Then Leslie pipes up with, 'if you're not Black, shut the f*&# up.' Racism is a festering sore in this country, but these points of view are precisely why things are still going badly. This exclusionary mind set leads people of otherwise good conscience to say, 'Fine. You want me to shut up? You want to paint me with a brush just as broad as the one you claim I am holding? Awesome. Have a nice day.' Things cannot get better without discussion. This discussion is bound to be painful for all parties involved. However, this discussion is never going to happen constructively unless all parties get to speak and be heard...really heard. Wasn't that what Mr. King was after? This is also why the Black community should distance itself from the Al Sharptons of the world. It's a little hard to be taken seriously if you appear to be spoken for by clowns.
Rob Zimmeman at 6:36PM on Jul 25th 2007
35. This is silly....making a mountain out of a molehill. Obama was making a joke - he laughed. It may not be a laughing matter, but that is for another day. Everyone is getting tired of this racist crap. 90% of us "whitey" folks don't care if you are black, white, purple or green. Personally, I'll take Obama over Clinton any day and I'm a Republican!
Linda at 5:29PM on Jul 25th 2007
36. dinesh is a pathetic suck up who needs to debate time dealing with the dark versus light skin racism in india , before he comes here and tries to pass himself off as white
database at 6:29PM on Jul 25th 2007
37. dinesh is a loser,
what people are missing is that certain people help to divide and polarize this country like dinesh or michael savage.
brown skineast indians are as racist as it gets, and their secret desire is to marry white, it's true.
dinesh could care less about america or americans, just usint the racial animus to distance himself from his african roots, and to make money in the process. pathetic
michael savage is just a jewish supremacist
people wake up
database at 6:35PM on Jul 25th 2007
38. white people miss this but minorities see it clearly all cultures that have brown in their population will do anything to distance themselves from the perception of " blackness"
this is all dinesh is doing, he takes pictures with reagan and john wayne in the background, probaly wants a 57 chevy, and dreams of marrying white
the spanish also have this same problem this guy is a phony fraudlent race baiter
database at 6:34PM on Jul 25th 2007
39. what people like dinesh hate, is try as they might, ( without out right genocide)t he can;t eliminate the black african lineage of his people
see despite whatever they may say millions of indians look as black as lakeisha in the hood, BECAUSE THEY ARE BLACK PEOPLE
ghandi only wanted white colonists to not treat them the same as blacks , this is why they have problems with pakistani, cuz pakistanis are muslims who have a black heritage " sand iggers" ;
look at the hutus and tutsi's more black people who hate their blackness
database at 6:46PM on Jul 25th 2007
40. liberal jewish socialism on the left, elitist fascism and zionism on the right
and the people buy into this
dinesh is just a self hating race baiter profiting
from deep racial ( actually only one race= human) animosity
folks lets get our country back first then deal with interlopers like this
mathmatics at 6:46PM on Jul 25th 2007
41. Gandhi was once thrown out of a train compartment which was reserved exclusively for the Whites.
It was not that Gandhi was fighting on behalf of the local Africans that he broke the rule in getting into a Whites' compartment.
No! that was not the reason. Gandhi was so furious that he and his merchant caste Indians (Banias) were treated on par with the local Africans.
This is the real reason for his fighting race discrimination in South Africa, and he had absolutely no concern about the pitiable way the Africans were treated by the Whites.
mathmatics at 7:14PM on Jul 25th 2007
42. Mr. D'Souza I do believe you are correct in your opinion. However, keep in mind that just because an individual, particularly a politician, makes such a comment does not mean that it is true. Obama may never have had difficulty getting a cab at all. We can never know. But such a comment does play to a particular audience and there is no way to prove or disprove whether it happened. When it comes to politicians, particularly during these political races, it's best not to believe anything unless one has personally witnessed it.
Ted at 7:17PM on Jul 25th 2007
43. Many are critical about Obama's willingness to speak to hostile leaders. At least he has the guts and willingness to do it instead of dancing around it, or threatening them of invasion - I meant rescuing the nation from tyranny. There isn't anything wrong with talking and working it out instead of trying to blow up buildings and invading nations.
As for being black enough. I'm tired of that comment/issue. Black father + black mother = black; black mother + other father = black; black father + other mother = black. Get off it! Black is diverse. There is no such thing as black enough. Is there such thing as white enough? Is white being a skinhead or being one who treat others with respect? Such ignorance. The thing that needs to be concentrated on are the disparities between whites and non-whites in areas that were addressed in his response of education and healthcare. Let's deal with the issues.
As for the cab incident, that is nationwide, not just in New York. It is also perception issue. Numbers can be manipulated in any way. I can probably submit statistics as to why non-whites should fear whites.
D'Souza also states that "Some studies show that black males are roughly 10 times more likely to be arrested and convicted of violent crimes than young white males. On any given day nearly one in four young black males is in prison, on probation, or on parole". But fails to mention that in many cases blacks have not received fair treatment in the judicial system and that blacks and whites could do the same crime, but blacks and whites won't do the same time. There are social and judicial issues her that weren't addressed.
Obama is willing to deal with these issues that others have had the opportunity and time to deal with. We need a new direction. Let's take it with Obama.
Terrence at 7:49PM on Jul 25th 2007
44. Well, if only you people will stop being so afraid that we might have a black president. If yall arses weren't to damn evil, then you would not worry. Anytime you treat anyone poorly, you become afraid that if that person rise he will come back at get cha! lol... You know Obama is good and running this country than any other arse president we had. Obama touches on all issues. Anywho, don't be afraid. We will not come back and do what you people did to the Indians, Africans, and the Mexicans.
Me at 8:21PM on Jul 25th 2007
45. For the most part, big city cabbies are a very hetrogeneous group and their behavior cannot be explained by racism if one is honestly looking for an explanation rather than a slogan. Clearly, Mr. Obama is more adept at sloganeering than critical reflection.
Like other service workers, their behavior is a practical, experience-based reflection of their experience with different ethnic, socio-economic and gender groups. If different groups have different proclivities for violence, poor tipping or other undesireable behaviors, all members of that demographic demographic will be shunned in order to mitigate the disproportionate likelihood of the undesireable behavior.
You can call it prejudice, I call it discrimination. But a crucial aspect of the human ability to think is the ability to categorize and discriminate. Clearly, these cabbies are not stupid as demonstrated by their ability to discriminate.
Cincinnati Rick at 8:25PM on Jul 25th 2007