COLOROFCHANGE.ORG Launches To Assist “Blacks Where The Government Has FAILED THEM ”

[Segami]

(edited for copyright purposes-proud patriot Moderator Democratic Underground)

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:



" By James Rucker – We started ColorOfChange.org after Hurricane Katrina because we believed that Black America couldn’t rely on existing organizations, leaders, or a political party to deliver the change needed to protect and uplift our communities.


Nevertheless, when it comes time to vote, Black Americans consistently vote for Democrats, and those of us who showed up in last Tuesday’s election did so again in overwhelming numbers. But many of us did not show up — Black voters were 13% of the overall electorate in 2008 but were only 10% this year. While some of this can be ascribed to the traditional drop-off in midterm elections, we think there is a much larger lesson to be learned, and we hope the Democrats and President Obama are listening.


Put simply: over the past two years neither the President nor the Democratic Party have delivered the level of change we were promised and need. The conditions that caused us to start ColorOfChange — racial inequality and a lack of collective Black political power — are largely the same conditions that exist now.


Black Americans still overwhelmingly support the President and want him to succeed. And we’re angered by the often subtle, yet clear race-based attacks on the President. But we can’t let that get in the way of evaluating the President based on his performance.


What we know is that the policies of President Obama’s administration are falling short of delivering on the hope and change that brought us out to vote two years ago. Black unemployment is at 16%, twice the national average. For young Black men, it’s above 40%. Black home ownership has been devastated by the foreclosure crisis. Yet, the administration has insisted on a bi-partisan approach to governing that has been soft on the banks and incredibly timid when it comes to creating jobs. The administration has insisted on bringing along Republicans — politicians from a party that condones the hurling of racist and disrespectful slurs at the President, refuses to hold its own accountable, and has made very clear that it has had no intention of truly working with the President and his party. In our view, you can’t negotiate in good faith with people like that — people who repeatedly demonstrate that their goal is to attack everything you do and deny you anything you can claim as an accomplishment.

(snip)

<http://newsone.com/nation/washington-watch/associatedpress2/colorofchange-org-launches-to-assist-blacks-where-the-government-has-failed-them/>


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[Hannah Bell]

1. good. it's what we all need to do, & join together in doing: organize for change in our own

communities, in a way that won't let them pick us off by dividing by race, religion, union/non-union, etc.

[Segami]

2. We should re-establish and align our party's Manifesto. Lay it down and stand up and fight

for the principles WE, as a collective believe would make this nation a greater, more compassionate, fair & balanced country for all,....yes, even for republicans!

[Hannah Bell]

3. who is we? how do we do this? how do you join people in a network?

let's get down to brass tacks.

imo, the organizing plan is what's missing.

the parties used to organize people -- they no longer do, they just ask for donations & volunteers around election time.

the communists used to organize people, but they're defunct.

churches are now tools of the right.

the shop floor is dying. the unions are shrinking.

single-issue organizing exists, but those coalitions die with their issue.

what is the ground for organizing?

seems to me the only "traditional" ground that still exists is the university.

[Segami]

4. WE, is the collective ' us ' who represent many slivers of ' change ' within the party pie-chart.

We try to come together as a singular voice to be heard and counted spanning many issues.

You are correct. The " organizing plan " is definitely missing.

Party volunteers and supporters always seem to be ' party homeless ' until election time begins to ramp up once again.

It is a cohesive dilemma that needs to be addressed.

[Hannah Bell]

7. "We try to come together"

yes, how?

you didn't really say anything.

this is *the* question, the one no one ever wants to deal with, think about or discuss.

[readmoreoften]

5. +1

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. When black Americans here on DU speak of race and the often *subtle* racism

that exists here when it comes to the president, this is what we're talking about. This *doesn't* mean that we should not hold him accountable, but there is a very nasty element of racism that exist in this society and DU is not immune. Don't call us "overly sensitive" when pointed out. Don't charge us with "reverse racism" simply because we are pointing this out.

This was a great read. Thank you so much!!