DC Protest Warrior: Its Time Someone Said It

DC Protest Warrior: Its Time Someone Said It

The Year of the Brutha

Wow.

1. Barack Obama
2. Michael Steele
3. Mike Tomlin
4. Santonio Holmes
5. Eric Holder
6. _________________

Who is next? I am seriously impressed with the list as it stands.  To think, for decades race pimps like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have been running around trying to take over the reins of society by begging for scraps and appearing at every photo op imaginable.

Yet, who is it on that list? Simply put, individuals who grabbed the Golden Fleece. Those who were successful and put their energies into becoming the first Black Editor of the Harvard Review or perhaps into fine tuning their body to pirouette into the end zone to make an incredible once in a lifetime catch.

Sharpton and Jackson would rather make excuses for why black men cannot become successful. Without their careful guiding through the minefields of Corporate America, black men are imperiled. The list of men above prove the converse is true. These men did not reach for a hand out, they succeeded on their own merit.

My hope would be that the popular media will showcase these individuals over the next few years. I fear that the race pimps would prefer to only highlight the rappers and the others who make their living off the suffering and degradation of others. If word gets out that we can succeed on our own, who is going to buy into the myth of oppression?

I am not naive enough to say that there is no oppression in today's society however I am not going to say that we all are doomed to second class status. I will also not mock the efforts of those who have gone before to pave the road for those who follow. Those who led then let their actions speak for them truly have my respect. Those who lead then keep their followers behind them can not.

Political History

This year, for the first time in American history, a black man has been elected to one of the highest posts in our country. He has assumed the mantle of leadership of millions of citizens, high powered and regular Joe alike, seemingly from out of the blue. Frederick Douglass, Martin, Malcolm, and all those who followed could only imagine such an accomplishment. 

Those watching from the sidelines, saw what appeared to be an incredible long shot as he had to compete against seemingly impossible odds. Leaving race out of the equation, having to overcome relative lack of name recognition is hard enough. But when one factors in race in today's charged skin tone sensitive environment, a black man being elected is tremendous. 

Especially when that black man is Michael Steele and that high ranking post is Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Sure, that other fellow, Barack, pulled off an astonishing victory. He too had to overcome some rather serious challenges to achieve his victory. 

Yet, if the media is there to cheer lead for you. Hollywood comes out in full force not only to worship the ground upon which you walk but to assail the very nature of your opponents. Grassroots organizations register Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, etc.  among an untold number of undocumented individuals, and others who may not have had the legal right to vote. A black man winning this election wasn't too far out of the realm of possibility.  Hell his party was following George Bush.

Michael Steel accomplished a daunting, incredible feat. The RNC, the party of Lincoln, is oft cast as the party of Old White Men. Blacks who claim membership in this organization encounter the harshest levels of condemnation from media types, liberals, and their own brown skinned people. Uncle Tom is typically the epithet hurled. White liberals look upon brown/black skinned Republicans as one looks at a wart to be excised.

I am a black Republican. Hence I feel I know somewhat of what I speak. I was proud of my people to see General Colin Powell appointed Secretary of State. Thrilled to see Dr. Condoleeza Rice as National Security Council head. Yet, the NAACP did not see fit to recognize these individuals for their achievement. Somehow I don;t expect to see anything about Mr. Steele's accomplishment posted either.

Mr. Steele is not some guy the RNC propped up as a puppet in response to President Obama, He is a former Lt. Governor from Maryland. In fact, with Mr. Steele on the ticket, the Republicans regained the Gubanoatorial seat after a 36 year absence!  

See what others have to say:

Michael Steele: I Left Moderate Republican Group This Spring

Nov. 20, 2008, 10:30 a.m.

Mary Katharine Ham

The Weekly Standard

Let me be straight-forward in a way I think Michael Steele would appreciate: A black Catholic who grew up in D.C. and lives in Prince George's County becomes a Republican, overcoming social pressure and withstanding abuse, because he believes in conservative ideas and the way they can serve all communities, not because he wishes to be a squishy moderate beloved of the Beltway press. The knock on his pro-life credentials has always struck me as silly, and his leaving the RLC should quiet that line of attack.

Michael Steele's Got Game

I'm not going to pretend that I've followed this especially closely; Geraghty and Ambinderoffer more informed takes.

I will say that Steele is pretty clearly a fairly talented guy. If you take the nine open-seat Senate races that have been held between the last two political cycles (2006 and 2008), and compare the performance of the Republican candidate against the partisan composition of the state, then Steele is something of an outlier: you'd have expected a generic Republican to get only about 35 percent of the vote in a state like Maryland in a cycle like 2006, but Steele got 44.2 percent.



Now, granted, Ben Cardin wasn't exactly the most inspiring candidate. But for a very conservative Republican to do this well in Maryland (and make no mistake: Steele is very conservative) takes some serious political intangibles.

Republicans Cheer for Chairman Steele

In the United States, in 2009, the head of the Democratic Party and the head of the Republican Party are black.

Granted, one has much more power than the other. (One is titular, the other is de jure.)

And one may have been chosen in reaction to the other.

But -- for a party that was not too longer ago openly dedicated to a strategy of using racial fears to attract white votes, it's something.

In a short stemwinder, Steele promised to broaden the party's geographic base and "stand proud" as the country's conservative party.

"It's time for something completely different," he said, to cheers.

 "To my friends in the Northeast, get ready baby, we're going to turn it on.  We're going to win in the Northeast.  We're going to continue to win in the South... In the West."

"To those who are ready to obstruct," he warned. "[G]et ready to get knocked over."

Did Republicans choose Steele as a token? Some RNC members will think so, as will many skeptical Democrats.  But Steele won this thing by himself.  The RNC is a fractious, uncooperative bunch. And Steele patiently politicked his way through six ballots. Just a few hours ago, my correspondent Will DiNovi saw Steele and Ohio's Kenneth Blackwell face to face in the hall. "I know we've disagreed on a lot of things," Steele was telling him. Blackwell waited a little -- then he endorsed Steele.

Steele's election won't help the party attrack black voters immediately, but if Steele sets the right tone, he could help the party compete for them in the (way)  future.  As GOP strategists have always known, and noted, somewhat dyspeptically, it's white suburban voters, particularly women, who are responsive to a diversity message. The RNC isn't diverse yet; only five black delegates were chosen to attend the national convention. Steele was disgusted by that. It prompted him to run.

Even more than race, even as Steele lauded the party's conservative members, his election marks a step away from the balkanized Southern white ethos of the party. Steele, pro-life, has worked with moderate Republicans all of his life, although he did his best during the campaign to minimize those ties. If he reverts to form, it means that the RNC has just selected a chairman who will not prioritize social issues above economic issues.  When people speak of broadening the party's geographic diversity, they are speaking in code. They mean that the party needs to welcome more moderates; needs to be more forgiving of departures from orthodoxy; need to be less antagonistic to pro-choicers and gays.   

A Democratic strategist sums up their skepticism about Steele's transformative powers. "I remember hiring homeless people to hand out literature in African American neighborhoods. If that is their national strategy to broaden their appeal to minority voters it's going to get awfully expensive," this strategist said.

Steele was a seminarian for a few years before getting his law degree. He is trained in corporate litigation.

Is the Right Wrong?

Rush Limbaugh's "So I'm thinking of replying..., 'Okay, I'll send you a response, but I don't need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails" comment has widened an already Canyonesque chasm in the American political divide.

Regardless of his stated rationale for the comments, the wish for an American to fail is unseemly at best. Wary of the President's extreme left of center background, I too would prefer not to see all of his ambitious plans reach fruition. Yet, I can't see how I would wish him to fail in his role as Commander in Chief.

The lives of American troops, my brothers in arms even though I no longer wear the uniform, are in the hands of the President, regardless of political party. They are the first line of defense in our nations protection as well as the spear through the hearts of America's enemies.  America needs, nay deserves, a Commander in Chief who has the spirit of the country behind him.

The Left has initiated petitions against Rush. The Right has suggested that Rush back off. Rush has seemingly sat, Buddha-like while the seas roil about him. Granted, he is extremely popular and shines light on what those on the more liberal sides of most issues wish to keep shrouded in darkness.

Yet, at what price? Is it possible to have taken the fight too far? Like watching 2 careening vehicles playing chicken, one waits to see if one or the other will blink and swerve first. But I feel swerving is no longer even an option. Too much has been invested in ideology. The arguments of the other side no more than the buzzing of gnats to be ignored.

I personally believe Rush made a seriouserror in judgment. There can be no recalling those words. The media will see to that.  The only option at this point is to use this as an opportunity to create meaningful dialogue across the chasm.

...To listen to the people on the other side without the filters and biases we have allowed ourselves to construct in the past near quarter century. Perhaps, it is time to admit neither side is entirely wrong and there is the slightest chance that both sides are right.

Jonah Goldberg

Now ladies and gentlemen, there is an oxymoron.

As a native New Yorker, one comes across many individuals with the surname Goldberg. Typically, those New Yorkers with that particular surname were from a singular faith, Judaism. Another given for New Yorkers is that those of that faith share a predominant affiliation with a particular political stripe, Liberal Democratic.

So, it is as clear as mud. Jonah Goldberg, from New York and with that particular surname must side with those on the far left hand of the political spectrum. Oddly, Mr. Rosenberg considers himself the polar opposite; a conservative.

This is where things get murkier. I read Mr. Goldberg's column today (http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTcwMTI1M2RmZDM5NDQyZmRkNmI2ZTAzZDdhZmY4ZGY=&w=MA==) in which he lauded Mr. Obama, our nation's 44th president! Upon reading the column, i found myself cheering Mr. Obama as well. If not actually cheering, then sending through the ether, feelings of warmth and hope for his administration. 

Now before you think I've gone soft, lemme 'splain! To lift shamelessly from Mr. Goldberg's column: “There is an entire generation that will grow up taking for granted that the highest office in the land is filled by an African American,” he (Obama) told the Washington Post last week. “I mean, that’s a radical thing. It changes how black children look at themselves. It also changes how white children look at black children. And I wouldn’t underestimate the force of that.”

Regardless of which political affiliation one calls home, this is an important truth. While I was fortunate enough to have been raised in a politically astute family. My grandmother associated with the likes of Adam Clayton Powell and Shirley Chisolm, et. al. Many of my generation grew up aspiring to nothing greater than entertainment and athletics as achievable goals.

Not to downplay the importance of those goals. Once those were considered impossible until the likes of Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Michael Jordan, Sydney Poitier, Michael Jackson and Oprah shattered what remained of anything resembling a ceiling in their industries. The downside to this was diversion from the sciences and mathematics leading to a greater emphasis on running faster than the others. Having the shoe with Jordan's name on them. 

There were also tremendous strides in the political world for Black America but instead of showcasing the strengths of such leaders as Doug Wilder, and Andrew Young, the light was placed on those with...less than admirable abilities, Marion Barry, Sharpe James, and let's not forget that tenth pit of Hell, Detroit. Three deposed Black mayors in my lifetime.

Now, where was I?  Oh yeah...Goldberg!

Mr. Goldberg made an interesting argument in his column that instills warmth in my heart and further pride in my country.

"For instance, you will not soon see a German chancellor of Turkish descent. Nor will a child of North African immigrants soon take the reins of power in France. It will be a long time before a Pakistani or Indian last name appears on the mailbox at 10 Downing St. And yet these countries bubble over with haughty finger-waggers eager to lecture backward and provincial America about race and tolerance. Why not enjoy rubbing Barack Obama in their faces?
Of course, there’s a partisan angle to Obama’s presidency—he is the head of the Democratic Party, after all—but his success comes on the heels of a bipartisan racial success story. For instance, President Bush appointed the first African American secretaries of state."

America has indeed turned a corner in race relations. England was opposed to slavery fairly in the game. Not opposed to territorialism in places like Canada, Australia or India but at least on the slavery issue, they were on the right side of history. Yet, England, France and much of Europe still segregates it's non-white population and deigns to lecture the US on how to play nicely with others!

Two years ago, France's dirty little secret got out when they were embroiled in race riots in the streets pitting those of Arab descent against the true face of France. Only in the past 15 years has England stopped openly warring with it's neighbors in Ireland.And here is where I agree with Jonah agreeing with Mr. Obama.

Where is the Moor leading Spain? Where are the Arab immigrants in France's leadership?

Let's hear one more cheer for America....the America where my son, who does not know the difference in skin color now has no concept of a Black man not having access to the White House.