For this week’s episode of The Glenn Show, we’ve upped our production game a little. In late August, John McWhorter and I met up for an all-too-rare in-person conversation in Manhattan, and the filmmaker Rob Montz and his crew were on hand to record it. It was wonderful to be able sit face-to-face with John, and Rob did a wonderful job capturing the energy in the room.
I listened to this a couple of days ago, and feel compelled to comment about Al Sharpton. Can someone who was actively involved in multiple events where people were murdered, ever have "forgiveness" - to the point that it's okay to have them in a position of public prominence? Does that not require any expression of contrition or regret on his part? And barring any such expression (which I don't think he's ever made), it's impossible for me to not see his current actions-where he has zero regard for the truth of his inflammatory claims or their consequences-as of a piece with his earlier despicable behavior, just that he's gotten a little smarter about it.
On a different note, I'll point out regarding the coverage of the Jacob Blake shooting, that I think it was a couple of days before the Wisconsin AG announced that there was a knife present at the scene, and several months before it was announced that Blake was holding it at the time when he was shot.
Glenn: I left comments about your Obama rant on the abridged version of this video. But regarding Al Sharpton…….I feel the exact same way about Sidney Powell, Lin Wood, and Rudy Giuliani snd their spiel about election fraud. I guess ‘election fraud’ is to old white, grumpy Christian Republicans that ‘systemic racism’ is to poor, young, black Democrats.
I didn't want to say this because my respect for Dr. Loury is paramount.
But Jesus, man. I hope somewhere in your memoir you explain this deep antipathy for Obama--in REALISTIC terms.
Meaning, something that doesn't sound like a speech on Fox News.
And particularly against the backdrop of the absolute blankety-blank that you FINALLY acknowledged after 1/6 lol
Dr. G, if Obama did everything you said he should have done, how much of a difference do you think it would have made? Seriously. I am genuinely curious.
You know what the Republican party and his opposition eventually became. We all do.
And, in fairness, Obama DID do some of those things you said he should have done in terms of speaking out against violence and irresponsibility.
Sure. He could have done more.
I guess I'm like John on this. I don't think Obama was a god by any stretch, but damn, bro lol.
Clearly we have a new context at work today. I don't get how anybody of your brilliance (and forbearance) can so blithely overlook the society, as it is, in FULL.
But that's just me. Still a proud paid subscriber =)
For John, if you want to forgive someone for an action to which you object, is it unreasonable to expect an apology from them? I'm Jewish and I can't imagine forgiving Al Sharpton for inciting a pogrom (and other race riots) at least until he acknowledged that he did something wrong.
And if it's reasonable for me to withhold forgiveness, why is it reasonable for you to forgive him?
Y'all need to get back to the Bloggingheads look, gents. What the heck was this? lol
No need for all that skyline and "closeup profile shots to wide shots"--huh?--and all that extra-extra lighting? Distracting as hell. Whose idea was this? =)
And from AUGUST? (Please tell me it's because the memoir is coming soon.)
Just this morning I was going through my substack subscriptions deciding which I was going to keep and at what subscription level I was going to renew. When I came to Loury the recent Bessner and Wright posts were fresh in my mind and I said to myself: "why am I subscribing as a founding member for this kind of content?"
Thank goodness for today's discussion with McWhorter, which reminded me what drew me to Glenn Loury in the first place. While it got off to a slow start, and I never thought of "motherfucker" as a particularly black term, it kicked into high gear at 20:58 with the discussion about Eric Adams and then went full bore on Obama, Sharpton and Jacob Blake. What I liked most about the discussion was that Glenn was all about the facts while John tended to revert to his feelings and perceptions and political correctness.
I loved Glenn's full throated condemnation of Al (go on down to Del Rio and decry white racism at the border because of the border patrol on horseback trying to control thousands of illegal border crashers from Haiti) Sharpton as a race baiting anti semitic hustler.
I also enjoyed seeing Glenn take off the gloves with John and challenge him on his numerous shibboleths.
My decision was easy. A founding member I will remain.
Thank god for Glenn on this one!
I listened to this a couple of days ago, and feel compelled to comment about Al Sharpton. Can someone who was actively involved in multiple events where people were murdered, ever have "forgiveness" - to the point that it's okay to have them in a position of public prominence? Does that not require any expression of contrition or regret on his part? And barring any such expression (which I don't think he's ever made), it's impossible for me to not see his current actions-where he has zero regard for the truth of his inflammatory claims or their consequences-as of a piece with his earlier despicable behavior, just that he's gotten a little smarter about it.
On a different note, I'll point out regarding the coverage of the Jacob Blake shooting, that I think it was a couple of days before the Wisconsin AG announced that there was a knife present at the scene, and several months before it was announced that Blake was holding it at the time when he was shot.
I looked up Blues Opera and found this link on Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/Harold-Arlen-Andre-Kostelanetz-And-His-Orchestra-Blues-Opera/release/4760115
Is this the what JMcW is talking about? the cover art is all white folks, probably a weird 1950's racism thing.
Great to see you two in the same room together.
Glenn: I left comments about your Obama rant on the abridged version of this video. But regarding Al Sharpton…….I feel the exact same way about Sidney Powell, Lin Wood, and Rudy Giuliani snd their spiel about election fraud. I guess ‘election fraud’ is to old white, grumpy Christian Republicans that ‘systemic racism’ is to poor, young, black Democrats.
I didn't want to say this because my respect for Dr. Loury is paramount.
But Jesus, man. I hope somewhere in your memoir you explain this deep antipathy for Obama--in REALISTIC terms.
Meaning, something that doesn't sound like a speech on Fox News.
And particularly against the backdrop of the absolute blankety-blank that you FINALLY acknowledged after 1/6 lol
Dr. G, if Obama did everything you said he should have done, how much of a difference do you think it would have made? Seriously. I am genuinely curious.
You know what the Republican party and his opposition eventually became. We all do.
And, in fairness, Obama DID do some of those things you said he should have done in terms of speaking out against violence and irresponsibility.
Sure. He could have done more.
I guess I'm like John on this. I don't think Obama was a god by any stretch, but damn, bro lol.
Clearly we have a new context at work today. I don't get how anybody of your brilliance (and forbearance) can so blithely overlook the society, as it is, in FULL.
But that's just me. Still a proud paid subscriber =)
For John, if you want to forgive someone for an action to which you object, is it unreasonable to expect an apology from them? I'm Jewish and I can't imagine forgiving Al Sharpton for inciting a pogrom (and other race riots) at least until he acknowledged that he did something wrong.
And if it's reasonable for me to withhold forgiveness, why is it reasonable for you to forgive him?
Gentlemen, please! More of these!
Great Episode. These two men should meet a few times during the year for the same type of format.
Y'all need to get back to the Bloggingheads look, gents. What the heck was this? lol
No need for all that skyline and "closeup profile shots to wide shots"--huh?--and all that extra-extra lighting? Distracting as hell. Whose idea was this? =)
And from AUGUST? (Please tell me it's because the memoir is coming soon.)
Word. I like the distinction Prof. McWhorter makes between passive competence and active competence. It is something many people do not get. 👌⭐
Just this morning I was going through my substack subscriptions deciding which I was going to keep and at what subscription level I was going to renew. When I came to Loury the recent Bessner and Wright posts were fresh in my mind and I said to myself: "why am I subscribing as a founding member for this kind of content?"
Thank goodness for today's discussion with McWhorter, which reminded me what drew me to Glenn Loury in the first place. While it got off to a slow start, and I never thought of "motherfucker" as a particularly black term, it kicked into high gear at 20:58 with the discussion about Eric Adams and then went full bore on Obama, Sharpton and Jacob Blake. What I liked most about the discussion was that Glenn was all about the facts while John tended to revert to his feelings and perceptions and political correctness.
I loved Glenn's full throated condemnation of Al (go on down to Del Rio and decry white racism at the border because of the border patrol on horseback trying to control thousands of illegal border crashers from Haiti) Sharpton as a race baiting anti semitic hustler.
I also enjoyed seeing Glenn take off the gloves with John and challenge him on his numerous shibboleths.
My decision was easy. A founding member I will remain.