DNC 2012: A Political Party for All of Us
Elongated Thoughts: At the DNC, minorities and women were center stage as real participants, not simply props.
(The Root) -- Looking back on the week of speeches and events at the Democratic National Convention, the one thing that became crystal clear is this: The Democratic Party is the only party that represents America.
Being here in Charlotte, N.C., I was able to observe a lot from the ground. I engaged with politicians, activists and leaders within the Democratic Party. I listened to the messages that were consistently on display each night. When it was all said and done, my first thought wasn't "Yay, Democrats!" -- it was "seriously, Republicans?" I found myself angrier with the Grand Old Party than I normally am (*cough* Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Reince Priebus, repeat *cough*).
The DNC speakers consistently spoke to the communities that I'm a part of and communities I care about. I was in awe of our first lady, Michelle Obama. I was riveted by San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro. I saw tons of people at the convention who looked like me. When a camera focused on a black person in the arena, it wasn't just a rotation of the seven they could find.
The Democratic Party represents my America.
It is constantly mentioned that America is browning. In just a few decades whites will be in the minority, yet the Republican Party still hasn't actively attempted to court more people of color. During a recent segment on MSNBC's The Melissa Harris-Perry Show, a panel of black Republicans explained how there's a bunch of black folks who are actually conservative but they're just scared to admit it. What they didn't acknowledge: the legitimate issues that many have with the GOP that cause this situation.
When a political party seems to actively ignore or demean minority groups, then yes -- there may be a bit of animosity toward that party and those who support it. When a political party parades out members of our communities to gain "We understand diversity, too" merit badges, anger is justified.
I'm not trying to paint the Democratic Party as some sort of minority utopia. Obviously there are issues within the party and the party's platform when it comes to actively dealing with the disparities we see with poverty, incarceration, health care and more. There's racism within the Democratic Party because, well, this is still America. But the party is inclusive of those of us working to fix these things. The party hasn't put its finger in its ears while chanting "lalalalala -- bootstraps -- lalalala."
But let's be honest. Some folks in our communities aren't going to dig deep into the policy discussions that were on display at the Republican convention or the DNC. Some folks in our communities aren't concerned with framing, rhetoric and messaging. This is a hard fact. But what many of them do want is at least to feel represented -- as if the things that do concern them might actually be heard.
And that's what I think was shown most of all. The #DNC2012 proved that Democrats want to represent all of us.
Elon James White is a writer and satirist and host of the award-winning video and radio series This Week in Blackness. Listen Monday to Thursday at TWIB.FM and subscribe on iTunes. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr.
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This Week in Blackness: A Word From Van Jones
Elongated Thoughts: Are Americans better off than they were four years ago? The president of Rebuild the Dream responds.
(The Root) -- Are Americans better off than they were four years ago?
That's the question that has dominated the political conversation as Democrats descend on Charlotte, N.C. President Barack Obama's surrogates have said no -- then yes. But what's the truth? With more people living in poverty today than when Obama took office, are we better off as a country? With corporations posting record profits, does this affect the rest of the nation?
This question is tackled in the latest This Week in Blackness, and not by me. Check out a special episode recorded in Charlotte with guest Van Jones, president of Rebuild the Dream.
Elon James White is a writer and satirist and host of the award-winning video and radio series This Week in Blackness. Listen Monday to Thursday at TWIB.FM and subscribe on iTunes. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ Tumblr.
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Condoleezza Rice Addresses Us Like We're Adults
Elongated Thoughts: The former secretary of state gave an inclusive speech at the Republican convention. Why can't all of their speakers do that?
(The Root) -- While everyone will rant and rave over the Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan's convention appearance, the speech that soared for the night was former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Rice hit the stage with a confidence not seen in any speaker outside of Ryan himself. As she delivered her vision for America, I found myself deeply conflicted. I'm aware of her role within the George W. Bush administration, yet her tone and angle, and the target of her words, made me want to root for her.
I disagreed with Rice's undercover conservative ideology so much -- but her framing was amazing. She was able to make ideas that I specifically detest palatable. After two nights of programming at the Republican National Convention that highlighted voices who consistently ignored who I am -- voices that actively spoke over me and my community -- Rice found the ability to take conservative thoughts and shape them for consumption by the masses.
This all made me wonder: Why couldn't -- or, better yet, why wouldn't -- the rest of the GOP try to cater their messages to a wider audience?
When Mitt Romney spoke at the NAACP convention, he attempted to seem strong and uncompromising by ignoring the concerns of his black audience. When questioned on his dog-whistle language, Newt Gingrich claimed that MSNBC host Chris Matthews, who asked the question, was the racist for even addressing it. Rick Santorum maligned single mothers and preached traditional marriage on the first night of the convention. Over the past few weeks, the Republican Party has consistently not attempted to have a broad base appeal.
With disingenuous attacks linking Obama with gutting welfare reform, Birther jokes and a strong anti-immigrant platform, it was clear what the GOP desired to do. The New York Times highlighted the political strategy to target the working-class white vote -- a fact that those of us paying attention already knew. Rice showed that it was possible not to insult the intelligence of large swaths of the nation with whom you disagree. Rice acted like the adult whom Chris Christie claimed he was going to be the night before. While I simply can't support Rice's political perspective, I can breathe a sigh of relief and realize I'm not crazy.
It is possible for someone with a different political ideology to still speak to me as if I am an American?
Elon James White is a writer and satirist and host of the award-winning video and radio series This Week in Blackness. Listen Monday to Thursday at TWIB.FM and subscribe on iTunes. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr.
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RNC Keynote: Chris Christie Says Words
Elongated Thoughts: The New Jersey governor gives a strong -- and misleading -- speech at the GOP convention.
(The Root) -- With the first night of the Republican National Convention wrapped, pundits and news anchors are in a frenzy trying to give reviews and decipher what it all means. The night's biggest star, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, has garnered mixed reviews -- but all say he delivered his speech well.
Politico put together 10 rousing quotes from Christie's speech. The only problem: It didn't acknowledge whether they were true or not. It gave his quotes but not the reality that they're supposed to be talking about.
Let me fix that for them.
1. "There's only one thing missing now. Leadership. It takes leadership that you don't get from reading a poll. You see, Mr. President, real leaders don't follow polls. Real leaders change polls."
Oh? Leadership is missing? I thought it was a reasonable Senate and Congress that was missing. How can you lead when your subordinates above all else want you to fail? As for polls, a lot of times they show where a country is leaning. For instance: Polls show support for marriage equality. Polls show women aren't amused by Republican rhetoric. Maybe, just maybe, it would be reasonable to take a look.
2. "Tonight, we're gonna do what my mother taught me. Tonight, we're gonna choose respect over love."
Yes. Obviously you guys chose respect. That's why the night's theme was "We built it," based on an out-of-context quote from President Obama. Misleading the American people? That's respect. You're so clever ...
3. "Now, I know this simple truth and I'm not afraid to say it: Our ideas are right for America and their ideas have failed America."
"Our ideas?" You mean Republican ideas or New Jersey ideas? Because if you're talking Republican, sir, you do realize that we did use your ideas. Tax cuts, deregulation, economics trickling on down -- but then in 2008, the economy imploded. If it weren't for the leadership of President Obama (see quote 1), we'd be on our way to living underground like in The Matrix. Well, we still might need to at some point. Climate change be cray, son.
4. "They believe that the American people don't want to hear the truth about the extent of our fiscal difficulties and they believe the American people need to be coddled by big government. They believe the American people are content to live the lie with them. They're wrong."
I think America is aware of the "extent of our fiscal difficulties." That's why Congress has one of the lowest approval ratings ever. America is wondering "why isn't our government working on these fiscal difficulties"? Why are they legislating uteruses as opposed to legislating fixing the broken ideology that the GOP has pushed for years?
5. "Their plan: whistle a happy tune while driving us off the fiscal cliff, as long as they are behind the wheel of power when we fall."
Well, if anyone knows about whistling, it's the Republican Party -- but who's happily whistling on the left? The Democrats and the president keep saying things are getting better, but we still have a lot more work to do. I don't recall anybody on the left breaking out into the Dougie yelling mission accomplished in the past four years.
6. "They believe in teachers unions. We believe in teachers."
Yes. The GOP is obviously the party of education ... I'm sorry. I couldn't even type that sentence with a straight face. Also? Unions helped create and maintain the middle class. Your demonizing of them doesn't make you seem tough. It makes you seem like you don't care about the people.
7. "We win when we make it about what needs to be done; we lose when we play along with their game of scaring and dividing."
Scaring and dividing is the Democrats' game? Republicans ran on "scare and divide" every day after 9/11. Scary Muslims, death panels; does this sound familiar to y'all at all?
8. "It's time to end this era of absentee leadership in the Oval Office and send real leaders to the White House."
Absentee leadership? Or obstructionist Congress? Didn't Obama bring a jobs bill, the DREAM Act and various others, and wasn't he stopped every time? I know you're in New Jersey, but is the smog that bad that you can't see what's been happening?
9. "Our leaders today have decided it is more important to be popular, to do what is easy and say 'yes,' rather than to say ‘no' when ‘no' is what's required."
Actually, the Republican leaders have said "no" pretty regularly. Perhaps you guys should try a yes now and then.
10. "We all must share in the sacrifice. Any leader that tells us differently is simply not telling the truth."
Who is he talking about? Who's "all"? Republicans specifically refuse to have "all" of us share the sacrifice. Your leaders are signing pledges that they'll never raise taxes. The Bush tax cuts have almost doubled our national deficit. Who's "all"? Is it just unions and poor people? Is that the new definition? If so, just tell me! I haven't picked up the new Jersey Shore Unabridged Dictionary yet. Can you send me one? Or would that be a government handout? I don't know the rules anymore.
#SayAnything2012 is in full effect.
Elon James White is a writer and satirist and host of the award-winning video and radio series This Week in Blackness. Listen Monday to Thursday at TWIB.FM and subscribe on iTunes. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr.
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Report: Plot to Assassinate Obama Thwarted
Elongated Thoughts: Georgia prosecutors say that former U.S. soldiers were plotting to kill the president.
(The Root) -- When liberals speak about how disturbing and dangerous the perpetual "othering" of Barack Obama is, they're told to calm down. The GOP continues to blow off these concerns and actively mocks Democrats.
Then a story like this comes out.
From the Atlantic Wire:
In a disturbing report out of Georgia, prosecutors say four U.S. soldiers plotted to overthrow the government and assassinate President Obama. Details remain slim about the case, but the AP's Russ Bynum says the soldiers allegedly bought $87,000 worth of "guns and bomb-making materials and plotted to take over Fort Stewart, bomb targets in nearby Savannah and Washington state, as well as assassinate the president." The plot was apparently uncovered in relation to a murder case surrounding the killing of former soldier Michael Roark and his girlfriend Tiffany York in December. On Monday, Pfc. Michael Burnett, one of the accused soldiers, [pleaded] guilty to manslaughter and gang charges in the murder case. "Burnett told a Long County judge that Roark, who had just left the Army, knew of the militia group's plans and was killed because he was 'a loose end,'" reports Bynum
And let me be crystal clear: I'm not blaming the Republican Party for this terrorist plot. But what I do blame them for is creating an environment that breeds this sort of hatred.
When you keep yelling how you want your country back and how the sitting president isn't really American -- how he may not even have a legitimate claim to the office -- can you be that surprised when extremists contort this into plans of madness? Ex-military-personnel groups -- one of which just so happens to include a Birther -- have created campaigns accusing the president of leaking sensitive materials for personal gain while putting soldiers' lives at risk. This is the state of politics today.
As horrified as I am by this whole situation, surprised, I am not.
Elon James White is a writer and satirist and host of the award-winning video and radio series This Week in Blackness. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr.
Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.
