FINAL Black History Month Thread #12: "Did You Know?" (Bush II)

[Hissyspit]

Here is my final post of February dealing with some form of interesting information regarding African American history. Thanks for reading, everyone!

Three African American Members of Congress During the George W. Bush Administration

Maxine Waters

During the joint session of Congress to certify the 2000 Election Results, many African American members of Congress raised objections about the fraud and misconduct involved in the electoral process in Florida. Needing the signature of just one senator to open up debate on the results of the election, no senator came forward:

"Not a single Senator came to the aid of the African Americans in Congress. One after another they were told to sit down and shut up." - Michael Moore narrating Fahrenheit 9/11.

Rep. Maxine Waters' response on the floor:

"The objection is in writing and I don't CARE that it is not signed by a member of the Senate!" - Maxine Waters (D - CA), elected in November 2002 to her seventh term in the House of Representatives.

John Conyers Jr.

"On June 16, 2005, Rep. John Conyers (D - MI), ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, hand-delivered petitions signed by more than 540,000 Americans (approximately 1 out of 440 adults in the country) and by 105 members of Congress to the White House, handing it to a White House aide, who stood on the opposite side of a White House gate of the White House. The petitions demanded that George W. Bush "provide a detailed response" to concerns raised by newly revealed documents from the British government of Tony Blair.

Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D - CA) was the lone dissenting vote in the 420-1 passage of the resolution authorizing to president to use force in Afghanistan. "Ms Lee said she was not opposed to the use of force, but (feared) that Congress was bestowing broad powers on President Bush without understanding what he intends to do with them."

Said Lee: "Let me tell you, I want to see justice done also, and I agonized, and I'm grieving like the rest of the country," she said. "But we have to sit back as members of Congress and think of the implications of using force... I don't believe we need to let this cycle of violence spiral out of control, and I believe when the dust settles people will understand that."

Other recent statements by Congresswoman Lee:

February 16, 2006 “It’s outrageous that six months since Katrina hit, the Federal government doesn’t have a recovery plan in place yet. We can’t afford to wait another six months."

February 07, 2006 "The CDC estimates that over one million people were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2003. Although African Americans represent about 12 percent of the population, they account for nearly 50 percent of all people living with HIV/AIDS. African American women are also disproportionately affected, accounting for over 60 percent of all infections among women."

Barack Obama (D - IL) is currently the only black senator serving, only the third black senator since Reconstruction, only the fifth in U.S. history, and only third to be popularly elected.

Congressman John Conyers Jr delivers a petition containing signatures June 16, 2005. Photo Credit: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP, June 16, 2005 in YahooNews

Congresswoman Maxine Waters; from digitalgrace.com

SOURCES:
http://www.africanamericans.com/Senators.htm
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view.php/10635
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0918-01.htm
http://www.house.gov/waters/
http://www.house.gov/lee/
http://digitalgrace.livejournal.com/

Yesterday's Black History Month Thread #11: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x536530

[UrbScotty]

1. Thhanks for your work, Hissyspit. (nt)

[Catherine Vincent]

2. Too bad they have to end, Hissy.

Great work! Look at the pic of Conyers delivering those papers. The guy on the other side of the gate showing his fists. What's the deal with that?

[nofurylike]

3. thank you, Hissyspit. thank you thank you for your precious contribution!

peace and solidarity, always

[Hissyspit]

4. These are just the examples I came up with. Feel free to add your own.

Charles Rangel? Who else has stood up to the * & Cheney cartel?

[NMMNG]

5. Yet another excellent thread Hissyspit!

:applause:

[babylonsister]

6. Hissyspit, thank you for profiling courage this past week!

:yourock: Tonight's topics are my heroes!

[ClayZ]

7. Great body of work! Bookmarked, Kicked, and Recommended!

:kick:

[Swamp Rat]

8. Happy Mardi Gras!!!

Let's not forget the integral and intrinsic role African Americans played and still play in the culture of New Orleans, including Mardi Gras.

Happy Mardi Gras!!!

:party: :beer: :evilgrin: :smoke: :party: :beer: :crazy: :smoke: :party: :spank: :beer: :grouphug: :smoke: :party: :beer: :headbang: :smoke: :party: :beer: :dilemma: :smoke: :spray: :beer: :rofl: :smoke: :party:

[KingFlorez]

9. Good thread

At least some people stand up to the politburo

[Hissyspit]

10. Lee on powers for *: "...without understanding what he intends to do..."

She "(feared) that Congress was bestowing broad powers on President Bush without understanding what he intends to do with them." She said this in 2001.

[EFerrari]

11. And she got death threats for it. But also, gratitude from

many of us who were introduced to her via this brave act. :)

I'm sorry these threads are ending, too. They have been wonderful. Thank you, Hissyspit.

:toast:

[Hissyspit]

12. Oh, I just realized that photo of Maxine Waters is of her at the concert

after last September's march in D.C. I only just now recognized the logo on her access pass. IMPEACH!

[autorank]

13. Profiles in Courage and Intellectual Honesty...thank you HissySpit

Conyers is my favorite politician hands down. I think he should be president.

Barbara Lee shows unparalleled courage through her work.

And Maxine Waters was at "Patriots Day", January 6, 2005, the march and rally to support
the challenge to Ohio's electors.

Here is Rep. Waters speaking to the press at the Rally in front of the White House on
the morning of January 6. She gave a brilliant speech. I should know, I was there.



And here's Rev. Jackson (top) and Rev. Moss (deceased) below. Rev. Moss was the original
litigant in the demand for a recount in Ohio. Both gave superb speeches.

John Bonifaz, candidate for Mass Secretary of State, also spoke. It was a great day.


Jackson greeting Cliff Arnebeck, lawyer for the recount action (Ohio citizens plus Greens
and Libertarians sued for a recount).


Rev. Moss was the initial litigant in the lawsuit against the state of Ohio and Secretary of
State Blackwell.

January 2005 was one of the greatest months in Black History. Once again, the Congressional Black Caucus and civil rights leaders fought bravely for democracy, just as they had in January 2001 when they did evey thing they could to get JUST ONE Senator to stand up and challenge Florida.

Thank you for the series. It's bookmarked.

[Hissyspit]

14. Great addition to my original post, Autorank, thanks. I almost

put some comments by Bonifaz in the OP. I did not realize (or had forgotten) that Rev. Moss had died.

[izzybeans]

15. These threads were some of the most informative I've seen on

DU. I wish they were a regular occurance.