Political scientist Dr. Ricky L. Jones, known for his analysis on race and politics, recently sparked discussion by asserting that if Kamala Harris achieved a decisive leadership role, it might inadvertently pacify Black Americans’ drive for systemic change. Jones argues that symbolic victories often result in complacency, where Black communities celebrate representation at the expense of pushing for deeper structural reforms. This perspective echoes his previous critiques in his book “What’s Wrong with Obamamania?”
In a post election video posted to YouTube, Jones said, “Don’t listen to the noise–It was the economy this, it was that economy that. This ain’t about no economy. This is just more proof that the majority of white people in this country weren’t not going to vote for a Black woman, period.”
He continued, “All this talk about democracy, freedom, justice, liberty…a good percentage of white people in this country don’t give a damn about any of these things…They were willing to go out to vote for a white supremacist, a fascist, an authoritarian. You’ll have to understand that’s the way they roll.”
He pointed out while Black people believe in diverse coalitions, others don’t. And he had hoped the election would have turned out differently. “I hoped sister Kamala was going to pull this out, but I was pretty sure she wasn’t,” he shared.
He added that the the election only proved that Black community does not have very many true allies by saying, “All we got is us.”
Jones suggests that while representation is vital, it must be coupled with mobilization and accountability to ensure that true progress follows. Black leaders, he stresses, should not just be symbols but also workers for actual change.
A professor of Pan-African Studies at the University of Louisville, Jones, an Atlanta native was educated as an undergraduate at the U.S. Naval Academy and Morehouse College. He was only the second African-American to receive a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Kentucky where he specialized in Political Philosophy and Comparative Politics.
Among the books he has authored are two editions of “Black Haze: Violence, Sacrifice, and Manhood in Black Greek-Letter Fraternities” and “What’s Wrong with Obamamania?: Black America, Black Leadership, and the Death of Political Imagination.” Dr. Jones has served as a local, national, and international social and political analyst across various media including appearances on HBO, CNN, Fox News, ESPN, the Travel Channel, a variety of NPR and PBS programs, the BBC, E! Entertainment, the Katie (Couric) Show, the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, among others, according to his Muck Rack bio.
