LaShawn Barber

This is the fourth in a series of interviews with bloggers who are part of The Blogdom of God. The Blogdom of God is a loose group of Blogs that identify themselves as 'God blogs'. Today's interview is with LaShawn Barber of La Shawn Barber's Corner

Q: You’ve had articles published in the Washington Times, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Denver Post, and Baltimore Times, among others. Do you remember the first time you were published? Where was it?

A: The first op-ed I ever wrote was published in the Philadelphia Inquirer in August 2002. I’d talked about writing for years, but I finally decided to write. The op-ed, Heresy and Politics, was my theory on why some blacks call conservative blacks derogatory names like “Uncle Tom.” I worked on it for about a week, polished it up, proofread it and e-mailed it to the opinion editor. A few hours later, I got an e-mail from an assistant editor saying she wanted to publish it. A few days after that, I had my first byline in a major newspaper and a $100.00 check. It was very exciting, and I was hooked.

Q: How long have you been writing and what led you to the type of writing that you do?

A: I’ve been writing in some capacity for as long as I can remember. For the past 18 years, I’ve kept a journal. When I was in high school, I took a journalism class and daily journaling was an ongoing assignment. I hated writing for a grade and usually turned it in late. But after the class was over, I kept writing in my journal for some reason. Over the years, those black and white composition notebooks I used started piling up.

I got into political writing for two reasons: 1) I have strong opinions and know how to get my point across succinctly; 2) There is a lack of black conservative voices and I wanted to help fill the void. I don’t plan to pursue a political column much longer, however. My goal is to write full time for a variety of publications. I want to write magazine and newspaper articles, some commercial writing, and any other kind of writing (except erotica) that pays well.

I have an article published in Today’s Christian Woman, and two others will be published in 2004 issues of Women of Spirit and Evangel, also Christian magazines. I hope to have more published articles during the year.

Q: How did you get into blogging and do you see a difference in the type of writing done on a blog vs. more traditional journalism?

A: Unfortunately, a liberal bias has saturated news reporting and writing so much that the word “journalist” carries a negative connotation. I don’t consider myself a journalist; I am an opinion columnist. I have no formal journalism training and I don’t purport to be a journalist. I’m just a writer who believes the public benefits from exposure to different viewpoints in the “marketplace of ideas”, and not just those in the mainstream. Because my column comes out only twice a month, I started a blog to “rant” between columns.

I see many differences between blogs and traditional journalism. Journalists are trained in reporting and writing about timely events, and gathering information through interviewing and research. The ideal result is a fair and balanced story. Some blogs are written by journalists; however, most seem written by regular people like myself with something to say.

I think it’s fine for non-journalists to publish blogs, which range from personal online journals to true web logs with lots of links to other sites. But journalistic standards should apply to anyone publishing anything. Bloggers should be held accountable for libel (publishing a false and defamatory statement which damages the reputation of an individual).

Also, I think bloggers should be just as careful with grammar, spelling and punctuation. As for my blog, I strive for thoughtful postings, less ranting and no name-calling.

Q: It seems ironic to me that the Bush Administration has more minorities in top positions than any other administration in memory, yet they are routinely accused of being racist and for the rich only. Why do you think many minority groups buy into that kind of thinking?

A: It’s a “black thing.” That is, in the black community as a whole, certain behaviors and viewpoints are required for someone to be “authentically black.” Black is not just a skin color or race; it’s code for a set of proscribed behaviors and attitudes. Being authentically black means meeting a set of criteria, including thinking like other blacks and displaying certain “black” behavior. Sad but true.

Being authentically black also means a willingness to espouse the dated rhetoric of the post-Civil Rights era. To be authentically black is to perceive white racism in the most mundane situations. One of the key features about being authentically black is resorting to emotionalism to make one’s point rather than intellectually challenging the argument. This is why it’s so easy for black liberals to refer to black conservatives as Aunt Jemimas and Uncle Toms, symbols of subservient slaves. This leads to ad hominem attacks, which replace thoughtful discussion and debate.

I wrote all of that to say that people like Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice aren’t considered authentically black, so the fact that they hold top posts in the Bush Administration means nothing to most blacks. Sad but true.

Q: Many white people are intimidated by African-Americans in the sense that we feel like we’re constantly walking on egg shells in order to not be accused of being a racist. Any advice on how to deal with that?

A: I’d advise whites not to be intimidated by politically correct nonsense. I can’t stress enough the need to avoid giving liberals this sort of power. It’s illegimate power based on an illusion. As a black person, I can’t really understand the fear of being called a racist. I suppose the closest I come to understanding this fear is when I’m called a “homophobe.” Although it doesn’t intimidate me, the ad hominem tends to stifle the debate. Once people call you a homophobe or a racist, they’ve pretty much said all they have to say. I don’t think any meaningful discussion can be had after that.

Q: You’ve written that courting the black vote won’t work. Is there anything that would be particularly effective at reaching out to black voters?

A: Although statistics show that more younger black voters are self-identifying as Republicans and Independents, there are fundamental issues blacks have with conservatism. I believe that years of half-truths contribute to suspicion, animosity and distrust.

For at least the past 25 years, liberals have taken a core ideology of permissiveness and immorality and hidden it in “black” issues like welfare, entitlements, race preferences and a blame-whites-for-your-problems mentality. Liberals appeal to the basic weaknesses in human nature: the desire to avoid responsibility and consequences of our own actions.

I firmly believe that once blacks begin to pick apart the liberal agenda and examine each aspect of it, they will clearly see—especially those who call themselves Christians—that the ungodly agenda of child-killing and homosexual “marriage”, just to name two, is not an agenda most of them support.

Another problem for blacks is the Republicans’ distrust of big government. Blacks have either experienced real racism or were told stories about how the federal government enforced their civil rights after Reconstruction, got them jobs under the New Deal and protected them from billy clubs, dogs and water hoses in the 1960s. When blacks hear “small government”, they think “states’ rights.” States’ rights evokes images of the violence of the Civil Rights movement and how Southern Democrats fought against societal change.

In my opinion, Republicans should not go after blacks as a group. That’s the forte of Democrats, who are much better at it.

Q: You’re very open in professing your belief in Jesus Christ. How did you become a Christian and what has been the most important part of your spiritual walk?

A: Seven years ago, I gave up an 11-year drinking habit. I thought I could do anything after that. I came up with my own salvation plan and decided to be “moral.” I thought I might even get bonus points for being sober! But that was just a façade. Read all about my journey in A Sobering Truth.

The most important part of my spiritual walk is a humble dependence on Christ. I’ve always been prideful and stubborn, but the Lord has been working on those areas in my life.

Q: Are you involved with your local church?

A: Not as involved as I hope to be. I just started attending a new church a couple of months ago, and I look forward to becoming involved. I attended a small, conservative church for a few years, but I left to find a larger church that offers a wider variety of Sunday School classes and ministry opportunities. I think I’ve found that in my new church.

Q: When are you going to write a book?

A: So many people have asked me that, I’m beginning to think I should write a book. I actually plan to write many books. The hardest part is deciding what kind of book the first one will be. Will it be political in nature, autobiographical, or both? It’ll probably be about my journey from liberalism to conservatism.

Be sure to check out LaShawn Barber's Corner for his views on Christianity and Politics from a conservative point of view.

Are you a member of the Blogdom of God and interested in being interviewed? Contact me.