Columbia professor and political commentator, Marc Lamont Hill, recognized Columbus Day by creating a “15 Most Overrated White People” list. Christopher Columbus is considered by some to be a controversial historical figure. Hill’s list was designed to highlight his belief that the national holiday is a “bizarre cultural” ritual.
In his Huffington Post blog, Hill maintains that history has proven Christopher Columbus to be both immoral and a treasure hunter. The Columbia professor points out how difficult it was for the explorer to discover a land which was already inhabited by indigenous non-whites.
Marc Lamont Hill had this to say about why he authored the list of overrated white people:
“To honor the true spirit of Columbus Day, I have created my own list of overrated white people. Of course, the list is not exhaustive, as there are countless other white people who are equally underwhelming.”
Although Marc Hill typically voices the liberal point of view when appearing Fox News and other programs, his overrated white people list takes aim at notables from both parties. Politicians and celebrities that Hill considers underwhelming include Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Elvis Presley, Babe Ruth, President Obama’s economic team, Joel Osteen, Justin Bieber, William Shakespeare, Tim Tebow, and Eminem, according to excerpts republished on The Blaze .
The English professor had this to say about Bill Clinton:
“Black folk regularly regard Clinton as a messianic figure. He may have been better than Bush, but Slick Willie was far from a savior.”
Marc Lamont Hill notes that the tween favorite, Justin Bieber, can sing and dance, but feels the young man cannot perform better than dozens of black Rhythm and Blues singers. Hill also chastises President Obama’s economic team for pushing forward a business-as-usual strategy that he feels stimulates the wealthy, rewards big business, and denies poor people around the world the opportunity to earn a living wage.
Some “15 Most Overrated White People” list readers feel the professor’s blog post is racist and promotes an “us against them” mentality. What do you think?
