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Author Criticizes Black Homophobia, Praises Obama While Promoting New Book in Southfield

Author Michael Eric Dyson spoke at the Southfield Public Library Feb. 6 promoting his new book, "The Black Presidency: Barack Obama and the Politics of Race in America." The event was sponsored by local independent store Book Beat.
The Detroit native, speaking before a packed auditorium, praised President Obama's accomplishments and said he will go down as one of the most important presidents in history.
However, Dyson, added, "We do him no great service by ignoring the contradictions and failures."
Obama has not done enough to help black people in America, Dyson argued, saying that the president offered black Americans "platitudes instead of policy."
Dyson was particularly critical of Obama for not "going 60 miles" north to Flint during his Jan. 20 visit to Detroit while "doing a victory lap for the automobile industry." Obama toured the North American Auto Show but did not visit Flint where residents, predominantly black and poor, have been living with a poisoned water for two years. A majority of the audience nodded and murmured in agreement with Dyson.
Dyson also criticized homophobia in the black community.
"When did black people become homophobic?" he asked the predominantly black audience.
"We all knew who was gay," he continued, adding, "We see you, Andre!" causing a ripple of knowing laughter from the audience.
Refuting the argument that being gay is a choice he asked, "When did you choose to be heterosexual?"
Dyson, an ordained minister, criticized the use of the Bible against LGBT people arguing that the Bible has been used in the same way by white people against blacks.
He also pointed out that while some black churches may preach against homosexuality, none refuse gay tithes.
Dyson, who has been married three times and divorced twice, said he supported marriage equality but that he couldn't understand why gays and lesbians would want to be married in the first place. "You mean you had a pass?" he joked.
Asked by an audience member about the 2016 election, Dyson said he hoped that Hillary Clinton, who he referred to as "the Notorious HRC," or Bernie Sanders gets elected. He said he didn't want to be alarmist, but "the other side of the aisle… Man, it's looking rough over there."
"I hope all good people of conscience show up and vote," he said. "This 2016 campaign is really important and black people need to show up."

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