Negrophilia by Erik Rush

Summary:

Negrophilia studies the undue and inordinate affinity for blacks (as opposed to antipathy toward them) that has been promoted by activists, politicians and the establishment press for the past 40 years and which has fostered an erroneous perception of blacks, particularly in America. The book dissects the dynamic of race relations and race politics with an emphasis on same since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, how these are likely to develop given a Barack Obama presidency, and how conscientious Americans may discern the deeper truths of these matters and thus develop healthier perceptions.

My take: 4 looks

Originally reviewed November 1, 2011

I am giving this one four stars because of the author’s true voice in the midst of scoff and scorn. Mr. Rush has it nicely summarized: the only thing keeping blacks down is other blacks. He sees it for what it is, and calls it perfectly. Written at a higher reading level than most non-fiction I’ve read, sort of like a sociology thesis. I’m glad to find someone in the black community who believes like I do.

July 31, 2020 Update:

With all of the Black Lives Matter protests, videoed killings of black men by police officers, and a white woman weaponizing her color to call police on a black man who simply corrected her … times have changed since my initial review. I now know that I will NEVER know what it means to be black in this country. Just like a man will never know what it feels like to be a woman. While I do agree that race-opportunists like Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton make a very nice living off of keeping race relations in conflict, I see so much evidence that assures me that there is much more that white people need to do to bring equality to people of color. The Civil Rights of the 1960s had many white supporters, and that was necessary to move the cause forward. Nothing changes unless we are ALL outraged, not just the people being directly affected.

While it is true that black-on-black crime is at an all-time high, there are things to be done that will change that. Living wages, more emphasis on community programs, more robust public schooling, greater access to higher education. It is not a problem that will go away overnight, but I think the author is totally wrong that blacks have gone from the slave block to a pedestal. They are merely slaves in a different way now.