You see, that's the kind of stuff that played well with the civil rights movement crowd. A (white) politician paid attention to a few black causes, and we provided them with lifelong support. Drop by a few black churches on your way to the ballot box, take a few pictures, and all is well. When that got old, a few political appointments here and there were enough to satisfy African Americans.
That's the kind of stuff that played well with everyone. How many causes do NRA members get support for? How many are single issue voters? How about AmeriChristians? Two causes, gay marriage and abortion. AIPAC? Israel. Black folks are no different than other constituencies in this regard.
Did you believe differently before I pointed this out? If so, you better recheck all your calculations because they are based on at least one fundamental error.
Other than that, I got no real beef with the editorial.
Blacks don't owe the Clintons a thing
One of my all-time favorite TV shows is "The West Wing." On one particular episode, the Bartlet White House was pretty miffed that one of its past supporters, an influential Hispanic labor leader in California, was being courted by a potential rival.
When they see the man sitting courtside at a basketball game with their nemesis, they summon him to the White House. The White House aide (played by Rob Lowe) then begins to go after the guy, giving him menacing looks, and demanding to know why he was flirting with the other side when Bartlet's folks had done so much for him in the past.
"That was last time," he said. "What do I get this time?"
The storyline came to mind as I listened to many African-American political leaders, as well as everyday voters, go on about what African Americans owe the Clintons, believing that what took place during the administration of Bill Clinton is enough to warrant their full support for Sen. Hillary Clinton in her run for the White House.
What a bunch of hogwash.
Anyone knows that in politics, what you did last year is nice, but today is a different day.
And seven years after Clinton left the White House is a long time.
There is no doubt that African-Americans felt strongly about Bill Clinton. His poll numbers among blacks was sky high, and there was no group that he could count on more. He played the saxophone on Arsenio Hall's show, was as comfortable as an old-school preacher in black churches and relished when folks like Toni Morrison (foolishly) referred to him as America's first black president.
Now his wife is running, and the expectation is that the goodwill created by her husband should automatically go to Sen. Clinton.
You see, that's the kind of stuff that played well with the civil rights movement crowd. A (white) politician paid attention to a few black causes, and we provided them with lifelong support. Drop by a few black churches on your way to the ballot box, take a few pictures, and all is well. When that got old, a few political appointments here and there were enough to satisfy African Americans.
Some candidates have even run on the "my dad was good to African Americans" platform, leading ministers and civil rights leaders to toss their support their way, without demanding anything in return.
Today this generation is tired of the old games. "What have you done for me lately?" is the mantra, and it is one that various political constituencies demand of candidates.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Newsvine
Furl
Google
Yahoo
I agree with Roland S. Martin on this
We don't owe the Clintons anything. When Clinton was at his lowest, only our community was there for them. When he left office, that ended anything between him and the community.
"You see, that's the kind of
"You see, that's the kind of stuff that played well with the civil rights movement crowd."
I'm with you heart and soul but your statement just reinforces the problem. See folks like Diane Nash, Stokely Carmichael, Bob Moses, Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker and hundreds, if not thousands, of black folks who were an essential part of the core of the Civil Rights Movement would not play this game either. Let's not identify the folks you have legitimate and justified grievances toward as being "the civil rights movement crowd."
Truth be known, I think a large part of Clinton's appeal is based on the fact that many, many of our sisters find him sexually attractive. That is their right and their business but let's not base our votes on such a narrow basis and then try to call it something else. We do not owe him anything at all except the respect that is due a former president and a human being.
Of course we don't owe the
Of course we don't owe the Clintons. Is there ever the suggestions that evangelicals owe Bush? Its the other way around, we give our votes to politicians based most times on nothing but faith and their word; so when they get into office they owe us. We as voters never owe politicians. Â
When Blacks play the political "what have you done for me/what do I get" game people try to make us feel like we're looking for a handout, that we are whining. We are no different than any other voting block who wields its power to get what it wants. You want my vote? Okay, well what do I get? Thats standard practice.Â
"Truth be known I think a
"Truth be known, I think a large part of Clinton's appeal is based on the fact that many, many of our sisters find him sexually attractive"
Interesting. Somewhat of a shock statement but not wrong either, I suspect. One of my closest friends worked for the Clinton White house in that first difficult year - not answering the mail either but in his immediate proximity a fair amount of the time due to her job - she's still smitten with the man over a decade later.
The Double Blues: Whining and Begging
When Blacks play the political "what have you done for me/what do I get" game people try to make us feel like we're looking for a handout, that we are whining.
I agree with you but I would argue that the folks who are generally sent in the backroom to negotiate for us often do not have an agenda or program so consequently they wind up asking for things that are more symbolic than substantive in nature. In addition, because they are often creations of the media (my net casts far beyond the shadows of Jesse, Al and Louis) they tend to engage in what John Hendrik Clarke correctly termed "show business leadership", which because its mannerisms and effects are drawn from the world of stage performance almost inevitably requires an air of melodrama. Begging and whining are two modes of expression that accompany this style of performance in live theater performances (operas may have great music but the story lines are often hokey and extremely melodramatic) or, more often, day time television soap operas.
If Blacks come out of this
If Blacks come out of this election cycle with nothing to show for it---what a major disappointment.
Truth is, I think what we
Truth is, I think what we get out of this is a shift in common knowledge...just a change in the terms of the discussion.
Given that we live in the rules instead of the real world, that's a significant beginning. Be hella better if we lived in the real world...Â
I would love to believe.Â
I would love to believe. My boyfriend and I have discussion after discussion about stuff like this and I'm just not sure. But just when I feel a bit defeated I always find a reason to believe. I dont know how well the book was put into action or if it will make a difference but when Covenant with Black America did well it made me realize that we are out there and want the change; and may actually be willing to work for the change.Â
I have too many complacent, non-voting, ever-whining family members. They drive me insane. For every me, there are about 10 of them.
The Sex Appeal of Politicians
...she's still smitten with the man over a decade later.
Politicians, IMHO, are like prom or homecoming queens and kings. Okay to look at but best kept at a distance.Â
I have too many complacent,
That sounds about right. Sometimes I think consciousness comes from recessive genes.