The 16-Year-Old Who Could Take It All
Imagine crowds of screaming, enraged citizens, most of them white Americans, yelling obscenities, hurling racial epithets and calling for the impeachment of President Barack Obama.
Now imagine these same citizens being instrumental to creating a movement that has gained enough momentum to drive Democrats out of office, change the course of political history and direct economic policy for the unforeseeable future.
Nervous yet? You should be.
In nothing short of resounding fashion, the nation is once again turning red, as Tea Party-endorsed candidates gain control of the House of Representatives and make tremendous inroads to overtaking the Senate.
That fact alone is extremely disturbing; however, drowned out by the raucous cheers of the Republican Party on the eve of the Democrats crushing defeat in the House, was one issue that speaks volumes about the current socio-political climate:
There will not be one African-American member in the incoming 2011 U.S. Senate.
Illinois Senator Roland Burris, who inherited then-Senator Obama's term after he was elected President, announced his retirement, and underdog candidates Florida's Kendrick Meek, Georgia's Michael Thurmond and South Carolina's Alvin Greene all were defeated by Tea Party Republicans.
In addition to Burris and Obama, Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois, Edward Brooke of Massachusetts and Blanche K. Bruce and Hiram Revels of Mississippi are the only six African Americans to ever serve in the U.S. Senate.
Ironically, the two black Senators elected during the Reconstruction Era, Bruce -- a former slave, and Revels, were members of the Republican Party. During that tumultuous time after the Civil War, Republicans represented the party of Abraham Lincoln and emancipation, while the Southern Democrats represented the party of slavery and secession.
Regrettably, a seismic shift in political ideology has allowed a Tea Party movement bred from the dregs of racial contempt, fear-mongering and economic rebellion to become primarily responsible for moving a party historically in support of African-American rights firmly back in to the driver's seat.
I understand the foundation of Republican values, I truly do. Government shouldn't interfere with citizens' affairs, and more importantly, we cannot turn the United States into one gigantic plantation with our government masters making sure we're clothed, fed and in reasonably good health, so we can go out and work for someone else.
However, the capitalist agenda that the Good Ole Party is pushing today does not address the fact that slavery -- and subsequently Jim Crow -- ripped apart a nation of people whose children still feel the effects today. It does not address that though slaves were "freed," the party of Lincoln did not invest in their education or ensure they received fair wages or training. With no semblance of equality, the daughters and sons of "field Negroes" were thrust in to a hostile world and told, "Sink or swim on your own."
How does that manifest today?
Take a look at our women bartering their sexuality for money. Glance around at the emasculation of our African-American men who are still less likely to be employed and more likely to be arrested. Pay attention to the minority children who have to endure a sub-par education in high-crime areas and then be chastised for not keeping up with their white counterparts. Ponder why African Americans have the highest cholesterol, blood pressure and obesity rates of any other ethnic group.
The elections yesterday reflect a sentiment that, according to Terry Smith, a Distinguished Research Professor of Law at DePaul College of Law, was voiced during the 62nd Congress by Senator Davis of Georgia, who complained that "[few [Negroes] care to vote and none ask to hold office, except when stirred by this same disturbing element of the Republican Party, usually imported from the North or East. . . ."
It's tragic that, based on exit polls, this still holds true. Lulled into either a sense of complacency or just wary at government's inability to solve the nation's ills in a heartbeat, African-American turnout was an estimated 10 percent, compared to 13 percent in 2008, at one of the most critical junctures in American politics.
As 56 percent of voters say they want government to do less, and the Tea-infused Republican Party secures its place in the history books, I urge progressives and liberals with their complacent assurance of minority support to never again underestimate the power of people who feel they have something to fight for...and according to yesterday's elections, that's a feeling the Democratic Party seems to have lost.
Comments: (189)
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By: acura2010 on 11/03/2010 7:46PM
Black people not showing up to the polls didn't surprise me and I am disppointed but do understand how they felt. Democrats have taken black votes for granted year after year. The only time they show up to black forum when "they" want something. I hope black voters get behind the voting process to benefit themselves but in this hostile white man anger election, take a stand black america. Look after you, republicans don't have our best interest. Black wealth and power is phenomenol and need to use it to their advantage. Put whitey under your feet. Stop giving in to their causes and making them wealthy off of you. Black athletes, this is your time to take a stand.
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By: Frederick on 11/04/2010 6:09AM
I completely agree with your assessment. For my 70 years I have watched the Democrats take us for granted and not offer anything to court our vote. Why should we vote for the Democratic candidate?
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By: Eugene on 11/04/2010 7:24AM
Acura2010 the greatest recent example of the Democratic Party taking the black vote for granted was their lame invitation of that group of Black Bloggers to the White House a month ago.
This Republican Party beatdown was beautiful and should now really make black people re-assess their undying love and loyalty for the Democratic Party since they only know you when they need you.
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By: cut_the_BS on 11/04/2010 7:32AM
black people if this article title isn't enough proof that aol is against us, I don't know what else is.
whenever something goes wrong, they (the country) and media outlets like aol try to "blame it on the blacks."
when crazy white itches attack themselves or hurt their families who do they blame? blacks
when the housing crisis hit, who did they try to blame? blacks - even though whites were the main ones buying play-dough wanna be rich houses they couldn't afford
when the gov't goes into a major deficit, who do they blame? blacks on welfare, even though about 65% of welfare recipients are WHITE and 95% of SS recipients are WHITE
now they want to blame the republicans win on blacks... do they have no shame? white independent voters who can't make up their daggone minds and don't like seeing a smart black man in office too much (they only "tolerate" it) are the ones that caused the republicans to take the house!
black people wake up -- these people (including AOL) are not on our side. fight back and make it known that you are not falling for the okey doke anymore. we are not taking the blame for your BS anymore America!! you caused this mess!
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By: vdog on 11/04/2010 7:56AM
That BLACK WEALTH AND POWER STATEMENT WAS WEAK. Face it- WE CONSUME TOO MUCH and DO NOT INVEST ENOUGH and do not HAVE POWER as a result.
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By: Mimi on 11/04/2010 8:00AM
@ cut_the_BS
I AGREE
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By: White man on 11/04/2010 8:51AM
I read a book the other day that black people might find interesting. Micheal Meyers, a black PhD., linked the fall decline of the KKK in the 50s with these people entering politics on the democrat side.
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By: madmax on 11/04/2010 1:04PM
By: cut_the_BS on 11/04/2010 7:32AM-There is a lot of truth to this, but the Democrats are more than just innocent bystanders in this. They will blame President Obama for their loss, forgetting how they allowed their opponents to falsely connect them to a failed economy and President Obama's policies. Not a single one of them fought back, or tied their opponents to George Bush...not one. what the heck were they afraid of...losing badly instead of very badly? The Republicans controlled the message, and diverted the attention of the electorate from the causes of the problems, by using dog whistle politics and coded racist inferences, and we stood back, and let it happen. Believe me, it wioll be worse next time, because there is blood in the water. Every racist moron in the country will use the teabaggers as cover to run on the same platform that got Rand Paul and other fruitcakes in office, and remember that those senate seats the Democrats lost won't be back up for grabs until 2016...they are gone for good.
What do we need to do? Instead of hand wringing, we need to "give fear a chance." We need to restore full voting rights to ex-felons and the incarcerated. The Republicans are going to use this victory as an excuse to defund every minority program they can get their hands on, as a means to punish blacks for the 2008 elections and restore their power base, claiming they are cutting spending. Anyone who gets in their way will be branded a free-spending liberal ( the new code word for negro lover). The white Democratic leadership will join them to save their own skins, and the black Democratic leadership will be playing defense alone. We need to scrub our own voting rolls and talk about voter registration as if our lives depended on it. We need to call for defense cuts and overseas base closings. We need to call for closing tax loopholes, and investigating secret overseas bank accounts. We need to call for hearing of Halliburton, KBR, and all the big defense contractors and make them explain where the money went, and watch the Republicans scramble to protect them. Finally, on the day the Republicans are sworn in, we need to start asking where the jobs are.
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By: pimpinperry2 on 11/04/2010 3:04PM
One of our biggest problems as blacks is that we don't utilize the policital system to our advantage.
1) We complain and pray..yet when it come time to do something as simple as voting we come up with excuses.
2) Although we represent 12% of the U.S. population we don't have not one black U.S. Senator which is where the real power in the house of representaive is.
3)Our influence in voting has been diluted by redistricting, felony convictions which mean that you can't vote, the high number of black men in prision estimated @ 1.2 million and the general apathy of blacks when it comes to educating themselves about the issues when it comes to voting.
So the bottom line is if you didn't vote then stop complaining. Now that the republicans hold the house or reps they will continue with there policies of making americans economic slaves to debt.
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By: BROKE A** AMERICAN on 11/06/2010 2:40AM
SEEMS LIKE OUR DEMOCRATIC POLITICIANS ARE RICH WHITE PEOPLE ?
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