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April 5, 2007
why does the Congressional Black Caucus suck so much?
As you already know, I am not a fan of the CBC. As I wrote almost exactly a year ago:
The votes [by CBC members against net neutrality] throw a neatly illuminating light on the coming disconnect between the civil rights establishment and the overwhelmingly white "net-roots." It's fair to say both sides view each other with some distrust. We're living through a deeply contradictory time when black folks (and what's left of the unions) are the Dems only truly reliable voting block, and yet every other manifesto for Democratic revitalization is some kind of attenuated, okie-doke Souljah-moment retread. War or no war, that particular center will not hold, and when it comes finally undone the pressure will be on our black and Latino Democrats to articulate a vision of civil rights, diversity and community that intuitively understand issues of net neutrality as one of "our" issues. Performances like yesterday's make me a little nervous, though. [full me]
It's a common talking-android punk-move to gripe about black leadership, but jeez! Must we be so consistently let down by our so-called leaders? The decision by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute to partner with FOX News on presidental debates is just another crap move by an organization that increasingly seems to serve no real purpose. To (mis)quote a (white) man:
Have you no sense of decency, Congressional Black Caucus Institute, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency? [the real quote]
Rather than repeat myself, I would instead like to turn the floor over to the folks at Color of Change:
Last Thursday, the Congressional Black Caucus Institute announced plans to partner with Fox News to host presidential debates--using the name and legacy of the Congressional Black Caucus to legitimize an organization that has shown nothing but hostility to Black Americans.The announcement came after the Institute ignored more than 12,000 emails from [Colorofchange.org] members, and after 790 phone calls to CBC leaders asking them to denounce the deal were met with side-stepping and inaction.
The CBC and CBCI are betraying Black America, not just by partnering with Fox, but by willfully ignoring the people they claim to represent. It's a display of irresponsible representation and disconnected leadership.
Voices of protest from Black America and our allies are getting louder every day, but members of the CBC still haven't responded. Will you join us in demanding that they take a public stance, today?
Today, we're launching a campaign to ramp up pressure on the CBC. We have two goals: to force the CBC Institute to call off the Fox debates and to make it clear that Black elected leaders cannot act in our names while ignoring our voices.
Our first step is targeting members of the CBC. We know that some members of the CBC oppose a partnership with Fox, but none have spoken publicly. Their silence implies agreement and lends credibility to the Institute's decision. If we can force each member to publicly take a stance on this issue, we're confident some will come out against the partnership. Once there's dissension in the ranks, the Institute's leadership will not be able to maintain the legitimacy of their decision.
But getting there won't be easy. CBC offices have given our members the runaround for weeks--saying the Fox debates are an Institute issue that they can do nothing about and then referring our members to a CBC Institute voicemail box that was full for over two weeks. Members are clearly not trying to go on the record about this issue. But with enough pressure, they will have to speak, and if they continue to hide, we will broadcast their cowardice to Black America and voters in their district.
The pressure is already mounting. Following the lead of ColorOfChange.org members, Black bloggers, academics, and community newspapers have all taken bold stands. Now it's up to us. If we keep up the pressure, we can force voices of reason and conscience to arise from within the CBC, and help bring the CBC back in line with Black America. Please join us.
Thank You and Peace,
-- James, Van, Clarissa, Gabriel, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
April 5th, 2007
Resources:ColorOfChange.org members taking a stand on this has helped it get plenty of coverage: in national news, blogs, online journals, and the Black press. Here are links to some of the posts and articles, as well as letters sent from ColorOfChange.org to CBC members and the CBC Institute.
Black blogs:
"Who will lead?" Afro-Netizen.com, April 4, 2007
"Update on CBC Fox Debates," Jack and Jill Politics, March 30, 2007
"Fox News sets debates with Congressional Black Caucus Institute???" Superspade.blogspot.com March 29, 2007
"Why is the Congressional Black Caucus Institute hopping in the sack with Faux News?" Pam's House Blend, March 30, 2007
"The CBC Needs to Learn From Us: Just Say No to FOX," CorrenteWire, March 14, 2007
Because the so-called netroots are currently, like, whiter than my graduating class at Yale, web outrage at a Democratic caucus getting in bed with FOX has been pretty much akin to the sound of your nutty Polish neighbor yelling at something across a backyard fence. You don't talk Polish, she don't speak English; who knows what the fuck old girl is going on about today.
The outrage of the white folks is meaningless to black incumbents sitting in safe districts. Until they feel pressure from black folks, the CBCI will continue to sell us out in order to get available pieces of the pie. It was telecom pie last year, FOX pie this year, who knows the year after that?
I was speaking to a pretty smart person yesterday who was like: well, it's not as if anyone is lining up to give the CBCI money. Sure, of course. I understand that no one is lining up to give the CBCI money. But an organization's values are best indicated by the hard choices it makes when the proverbial chips are down. I already know you're broke and that you wouldn't dream of taking money from the Klan; big deal. If you want to impress me, show me real character and vision. I don't give a fuck about your lengthy record of fundraising balls, invite-only morning legislative breakfasts, and yearly conventions; I have no interest in partying with Michael Eric Dyson. Lead, already, or get out of the way.
This is an aside, but if Obama becomes president, who do you think is going to have more room on his coat-tails: ColorofChange.org or the CBCI? Black-enuf, not-black-enuf isn't about race, it's about political power in a post-internet political context. There is a realignment coming, and when it does, these folks will not know what hit them. At that point, the CBCI will likely go running to Russell Simmons or maybe BET asking to be made relevant again "with the youth." I dunno about Viacom, but Russell will likely oblige, this as long as the CBCI agrees to partner with him on an educational program about "underbanking," this as a trojan horse to promote his crap, stored-value RushCard. You heard it here first!
Posted by ebogjonson in black president, race and other identities, talking androids, on April 5, 2007 12:10 PM
Comments
The CBC has also balked at making ANY statements about the 101 Haitians that recently washed up on South Florida's shores with an impending threat to be returned via the racist wet foot dry foot policy that would give Cuban immigrants in the same situation instant promise of residency in the U.S. One member of the boat load has already died, yet their is literally NO NATIONAL COVERAGE of the Haitian refugees' plight. Check the Miami Herald for the story. The CBC has made statments in support of the Haitian community in the past, but it seems that they fear antagonizing the Preval administration by adressing the conditions in Haiti that have forced its poor to seek refuge on the shore's of South Florida. I think if this had occured during the Latortue administration, Maxine Waters would be screaming for the return of Aristide at the top of her lungs. The CBC giveth and the CBC taketh away...
Posted by: ABdul-Jabar at April 5, 2007 4:26 PM
I think you are spot-on with the realighnment bit. Whatever happenes with Obama, this "issue of black leadership" is at a ground swell. Black folks are tired of talking about "blackness" and "culture" and "community" when we are the ones killing and raping each other. Our communities are our people who need what we need: net neutrality, health care, a living wage, a viable Legislative branch, etc. The same things pink and brown and green folks care about.
Smart black people are gonna have to stop getting a lobotomy when they get elected into office. Its like once the Maxine Waters and Sen. Robert Fords get to them, perfectly rational-thinking and reasoning people start singing in Christian Choirs and shit....
Posted by: ProblemWithCaring at April 6, 2007 11:44 AM
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