The Black Commentator is a site I don't read often. When i do read it, I find its candor somewhat refreshing. But in this most recent edition, they goofed...making an error common in Black Politics, basically arguing that Al Sharpton was a boon to the Democratic Primaries without substantially offering any proof of the fact. The first snip knocked me over the head:
Rev. Al Sharpton’s race for the Democratic presidential nomination should be considered a resounding success – for just about everyone except the candidate himself.
Now given that Al Sharpton's been working closely with Republican operatives I think the last part is on point...MAYBE. That is, given the pass that Sharpton's been given in elite circles, I don't know whether this factoid will stick. But I'm not sure where the "resounding success" part comes in.
Now I think I might be somewhat alone on this. I remember talking to a social worker I play ball with about Sharpton just last week. He talked about how he didn't think that Sharpton would win, but he thought that Sharpton brought up issues that no one else brought up. And this is the basic argument of the Black Commentator right?
“Big Al” was truly large on the stage, a daunting deterrent to the intrusion of the usual coded racial rhetoric into the Democratic debates or on the stump: Don’t even think about it, said Al, without having to move his lips. Sharpton gave voice – at times, brilliantly – to the core progressive principles of the Black political consensus, causing big-footed white men to step lightly and in the right general direction.
But this is and has always been my point. Al Sharpton had the best critique going on Bush up until folks got rolling, largely because he is very intelligent, quick on his feet, and an excellent orator. But exactly WHAT issues did Sharpton bring up that no one else brought up?
Two come to mind. The first was when Sharpton roasted Dean for not having any black staffpersons. The second was when Sharpton noted that the city that hosted the South Carolina debates did not celebrate Martin Luther King jr.'s birthday. The Black Commentator talks about how Sharpton's campaign "sent a message" but it is hard to tell exactly HOW this happened. I've got no problem sounding like a curmudgeon here--if you can't give me a theoretical mechanism that details how this phenomenon happened, then what you're giving me is pablum. Was there a before/after dynamic that I missed? Did the White Six (Kerry, Dean, etc.) dramatically change their policy proposals after Sharpton got in the race? Did they talk about race one way...then talk about it another way when Sharpton was around? Did they make dramatic new proposals because of Sharpton's presence?
I'm not seeing it.
I noted above that they made a standard mistake in black politics. This is actually wrong. Most of the folks that study black politics recognize this is a sham. This is a standard mistake made by Ron Walters and others of his ilk in black politics. Symbols are everything. Sharpton's symbolic presence led somehow (don't ask us how) to a sea change in the way black voters were treated, and black issues dealt with.
It could be I'm missing something. Like I told my boy, I didn't see most of the debates. But I don't think I missed much.
this dichotomy is a false one. unlike 1992, 1996, or 2000, we have at least three candidates who have touted a number of policies that will benefit black working class men and women, and have expressed support for affirmative action. we don't have to sit on our hands...and the record is showing so far that black people HAVE been coming to the polls. they just haven't been voting for sharpton.
Posted by: lks at February 6, 2004 02:58 PMI would have you start looking more closely at citywide politics and state politics and then get up close and personal to bills, businesses and contracts.
One of the things that really annoys me about this recent protest against the Inglewood Wal-Mart is that community members agitating for their say have wound up only being able to say one thing at election time instead of being able to say a number of things all the time.
So here's a huge opportunity for black construction workers to get to build the biggest building in the black community in a decade and how many of them know or understand the bidding process? The next thing, they'll be complaining about how Mexicans came in and 'stole' their jobs.
Watch out for activists who wait for things like Janet Jackson to start making noises about what's wrong with America, and watch out for figures like Sharpton who try to do agendas from the top down.
In my opinion, a lot of the black electorate needs to quite fussing about presidential elections and start attending city council meetings. Then questions like 'what would you have us do' will start coming from the candidates instead of the people.
Posted by: Cobb at February 9, 2004 05:48 PMTo amplify more of Cobb's point,Last Sunday I attended a UAW basketball game. Southfield civic arena(Detroit suburb) contracted with the UAW to rent the facility ,which has three courts adjacent to each other and seats overlooking the whole edifice approx. 250 people there including participants watch and patronize the concession stands.My point there is not one place in Detroit that offers that,I can also say same about bowling;So the casinos are fill with consumers there is no ownership.
Posted by: tootsie at February 10, 2004 09:35 AMTo amplify more of Cobb's point,Last Sunday I attended a UAW basketball game. Southfield civic arena(Detroit suburb) contracted with the UAW to rent the facility ,which has three courts adjacent to each other and seats overlooking the whole edifice approx. 250 people there including participants watch and patronize the concession stands.My point there is not one place in Detroit that offers that,I can also say same about bowling;So the casinos are fill with consumers there is no ownership.
Posted by: tootsie at February 10, 2004 09:35 AMYes, so true zanaflex
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LKS, I understand your point.but what should we do (urban voters) sit on our hands ,don't vote presendential,send $ to Ralph Nator,start again the Freedom Now Party,that ran Albert Cleague for Gov.(Mich)in the 60s?
Posted by: tootsie at February 6, 2004 11:18 AMTootsie