I need to have a conversation with my fellow African-Americans....

[journalist3072]

So, I'm reading an article on MSNBC's website about the coming general election match-up between Michael Steele (an African-American Republican) and Ben Cardin (a White Democrat), when I come across this particularly disturbing part:

'Lesser of two evils'
.J. Mackell, a 19-year-old black Democrat from the Baltimore suburb of Glen Burnie, voted Tuesday for Mfume but said he would probably support Steele and the GOP in November. "He's a nice guy. He's slick," Mackell said.

Another black Democrat, Eric Jackson, also of Glen Burnie, called Steele "the lesser of two evils" because he is black. "I guess if that's the option for more black representation, I'll vote for him," said Jackson, 37.

Okay, just so we are all clear on this: voting for someone just because they are African-American, is just as bad as voting for someone because they are White.

But even more importantly: just because someone looks like me, and shares my same skin color, doesn't mean they represent my interests or my values.

Is making sure we have more African-American representation in Congress a worthy goal? Of course, and its a goal I share. But it's making sure we have the RIGHT African-American representation that matters.


Edited to include link to MSNBC article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14823394/from/RS.1/

[Catherine Vincent]

1. Those two from Glen Bernie are fucked up.

I wouldn't vote for any republican whether they are black, white or anything else. The 19 year old may have an excuse but the 37 year old? Please.

[Jamastiene]

2. I'm not African American, but I would like to add that

Dr. King said something about not judging someone by the color of their skin, but instead judging by the content of their character. Personally, I think you are making a great point in your post. Regardless of skin color, we need representation that is truly representative instead of picking the "lesser of two evils."

[Kutjara]

3. It's easy to see why African-American voters might feel this way.

After all, even white Democrats don't exactly have an untarnished history of looking after the needs of their minority constituents. That said, your point is an important one, people need to see beyond the irrelevancies of race, gender and orientation to the real character of their candidates. Unfortunately, our electoral system doesn't really provide an easy means of doing this. So people fall back on the shorthand of voting for what they know (or think they know).

[The Straight Story]

4. ok...so why the emphasis on 'first woman president'? (and a test)

If sex/race don't matter?

I know it seems like a somewhat silly question, but the ideal beneath it all is that people of X type will better represent X type then Y type and be more understanding.

In this case, like here in Ohio soon (Blackwell/strickland), some may choose based on who they think best represents them based on life experience (ie, who can relate) instead of on ideology.

Years ago I worked with a black guy named Frank in a factory. He and I spent ten hours a day together talking about everything from politics to race to cars, etc. One night we were discussing race and preference and I asked him this (short version):

You are on a battlefield with me and a black guy you never met, we are both wounded and you have only enough medicine to save one of us. Who would you save?

"You, you're my friend."

Ok - so what if you didn't know either of us and one was white and one was black?

He hesitated, then said "the black guy, because we have more in common"

I didn't call him a racist, and he understood my point.

People tend to mentally segregate based on familiar things.

I am white myself, grew up here in east columbus. Mostly black on this side of town now. But I still hear and see racist actions. A few weeks back here in our hood (about 100 homes) our two neighbor kids were riding their bike on the north end of the street and several black kids told em to go back to east part of the hood as this was the black section. Sad to me as they ride their bikes around here a lot and I spent some time helping them fix their bikes last year when they had issues out in front of my house (bad chain on one, training wheels loose on the little brother's bike. He and his sister still come over once and while to swim).

Why do I relate that? Because our two neighbor kids, given the choice between voting for a black or white person will see color and relating to them before they will care what someone stands for.

Damned sad how people treat each other. Those kids, and a few others here will never know my mom broke a protest line when the first black family moved in and delivered them a nice cake and a hearty welcome, or that I became their son's good friend.

The hate and ignorance need to stop, and some people (on both ends) want to fan it. Shame on them.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. Amen Sister.....

I don't understand the rationale either. I mean have these guys been paying attention? Here in N.C. we've got a nut running against incumbent Brad Miller (white dem). His name is Vernon Robinson (black Repub)and he has stated on occasion that Jesse Helms is one of his personal heroes. He is running the most vile ads insinuating that Mr. Miller is gay (which he's not), that he's soft on terrorism, and that he's pro-illegal immigration. Given the choice between these two, guess who I'm voting for. I certainly hope these guys will reconsider once they've had a chance to recoup from the heat of the primaries.

[journalist3072]

7. Yea, I've heard of him. Rachel Maddow has mentioned him some on her AAR

program. He sounds like a real piece of work. So far outside the maintream it isn't even funny.

[borlis]

6. My mom voted for Reagan because she liked him in movies!

Go figure. My dad is a life long dem and my mom usually voted dem also. I don't know what got into her that time. :wtf: People are strange sometimes.

[The Straight Story]

8. Well, funny that....

I was a young man back in the day (born 1965) and for some odd reason was watching a show where Reagan said he was gonna run. I told my mom and she said 'are you sure, the movie star guy?'. She ended up voting for him, less I think for the movies but more so because he resonated with her small town upbringing (ie, a trust issue).

[AspenRose]

9. "There's no difference between a black snake and a white snake....

...both bite."

--Thurgood Marshall

[journalist3072]

11. Always count on Thurgood to speak the truth! That was dead on.

[roseBudd]

10. I am working to defeat blackwell in ohio, I have a flyer if any OH DUers

are interested PM me. Steele unfortunately probably lacks Blackwellesque baggage.

[qanda]

12. Honestly, it will all even out in the end

The number of black Democrats that will vote for Steele because he's black will probably equal the number of white Republicans that will vote for Cardin because he's white. Most of us aren't fooled, I'm black and live in Glen Burnie and wouldn't vote for Steele if my life depended on it.

[goclark]

14. I'm with you qanda

My ancestors lived in Anne Arundel County in 1810.

Hello!

[goclark]

13. I'm African American and ROVE must have hand picked

those two fools.

That is not how the average African American feels, at all!

It is not even a question about Steele, just like there is no question about Condi
"White Like" Rice. and Clarence " Spin The Votes" Thomas.

We know the enemy even if the enemy is US.

Sometimes I hear a handful of African Americans say that Condi is so smart and then goclark quickly reminds them that if she was so smart she wouldn't kiss up to a Terrorist like GW Bush!

Or, " Colin Powell was mislead by Bush." Goclark quickly tells them, "Colin Powell LIED us into the war by going along with the RepubliCONS. He had a choice to speak TRUTH to the world about these crooks and he didn't do it!"

They are African American in name only, our ancestors are not proud of them and we are not proud of them either.


Those two must have received big bucks to say that crap.

MSNBC should jump in the same ROVE BAG as ABC. :puke:

[eccles12]

15. I may not agree with them, but I understand. nt