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Don’t lie on Black folks
Don’t lie about Black folks
Don’t lie to Black folks

More proof of how thoroughly our discussions have been disregarded

February 21, 2007 — Prometheus 6

Good post, Oliver. VERY good post.

Imagine if you will, a substantial group of regular churchgoing Christians. They are active in their community, they believe in God and Heaven and Hell. Their entire life is about living up to the Word of God, and when they vote that belief is a driving moral force in how their ballot is cast. These Christians are vital to their party, if they stayed home on election day there's no way the party could win.

Surely these people are part of the "values voters" so often courted by the GOP.

Did I mention that they're black. Because, you see, they're Democrats. They are also the religious left nobody seems to talk about when things flare up in discussions about "the religious left"...

The black churches of America aren't as fashionable and sexy perhaps as these other new organizations, but they've been there, they've done the homework, and they've produced tangible results we see every day in our lives as Americans. If they die out or fade away as a political force, the Democratic party and liberalism is doomed. Ignoring them and what they've done is a travesty.

Comments

A little late

kspence - 02/21/2007 - 10:52am
During my Black Slate days I wrote something very similar.  Only about two years ago or so.  He isn't as far behind as he used to be.

Now THAT is a strong piece.

Prometheus 6 - 02/21/2007 - 11:03am

Now THAT is a strong piece. I'm glad I checked the comments before I left...if Oliver's piece deserved a link (and it does) yours deserves three or more.

Hence I must post at least one before heading out the door. 

Now, how does this square

Temple3 - 02/21/2007 - 1:13pm
with those other pieces about American African failure juxtaposed with Caribbean African greatness??

Moreover...

Temple3 - 02/21/2007 - 1:47pm
the correct answer to Oliver's query may be Adam Clayton Powell - after all, if the question of politics come down to legislation, money and jobs, the votes are in and it's Powell in a landslide. and of course, the Abyssinian Baptist Church was a tremendous part of his legacy.

I'd add that this ongoing engagement in the liberal-conservative dichotomy is insufficient for addressing the questions of progress and challenges of memory we face.  Powell's greatest opposition came from Northern liberals.  That same collective has the greatest investment in locking Dr. King to that podium in 1963 - as if the movement was born, died, crucified and buried behind those words.  Never mind the work of Ella Baker or Adam Powell or A. Philip Randolph or Mary Church Terrell.  Never mind the analysis of DuBois and Bayard Rustin.  Never mind King being booed by Blacks in Watts and attacked by whites in Cicero.  Never mind all of that.  The gold standard is 1963 and the unconscious (dream) aspirations of a noble heart.

Liberals are as committed to the fine print of white supremacy as anyone else.  They may even despise the marquees and the bright lights...but that fine print reads like the ties that bind.  Personally, I'll take Dr. Spence's piece and the historical accuracy its puts forth as a frame of reference.  

with those other pieces

Prometheus 6 - 02/21/2007 - 7:32pm

with those other pieces about American African failure juxtaposed with Caribbean African greatness??

Since he actually emailed me to get a response (and I had seen it already) I assume he made the same mistake about me this clown did. I also assume he learned the same lesson.

My game is a fusion of two-tits-for-tat and three-strikes-you're out. As long as I don't hear that shit no more I'm cool. If I do, I bump the response up a notch...and he has two strikes already. 

That same collective has the

Prometheus 6 - 02/21/2007 - 7:34pm

That same collective has the greatest investment in locking Dr. King to that podium in 1963 - as if the movement was born, died, crucified and buried behind those words.

They're invested, but the true evil is the Conservative drive to rewrite history. 

Ignore this segment at your peril.

rikyrah - 02/21/2007 - 10:29pm
Democrats ignore their 'values voters' at their peril. It is only the GOP's pernicious racism that keeps them from grabbing that segment wholesale. But, if the Dems don't get their crap together and stop insulting these values voters, then they will sit at home, and where will the Dems be?

 I enjoyed this post. I

rikyrah - 02/21/2007 - 10:38pm
 I enjoyed this post. I agree  that the Democrats don't even get that they have Progressive Christian Left. That they have always had a Progressive Christian Left, but they don't want to give them the respect they deserve. They want to minimize their religion and the importance of religion in their lives. You can see this routinely on some of the more popular progressive blogs. The attack on Jim Wallis on MyDD yesterday is a perfect example, IMO.

Democrats and Religion

ptcruiser - 02/22/2007 - 11:36am

What disturbs so-called mainstream Democrats like those in the DLC etc. is not the religious beliefs of those in their party that might be described as being part of the Progressive Christian Left but the policies that grow directly out of the religious beliefs of these people. In short, so-called mainstream Democrats want members of the Christian Left to have faith that they, i.e., mainstream Democrats are actually doing the Lord's work without a corresponding demand that specific policies and programs be enacted and implemented.

It is sort of like Hillary Clinton claiming that she supports health care reform but doing nothing to create a political and social movement that would have forced Congress and the President to act on the issue. So-called mainstream Democrats want their progressive left Christian colleagues to keep praying to Jesus on their behalf but they don't want anything done to demonstrate that heaven might be found right here on earth. 



by Dr. Radut.