Ideas on Politics and Race – Blogosphere Round Up

by Racialicious Special Correspondent Latoya Peterson

Bouncing around the blogosphere, I have noticed some interesting thoughts on politics and race from various sources.

The Musings of a Diva blog is written by an African-American expat living in Japan. She normally blogs about differences between Japanese and American culture (as well as other bits from her life) but she recently ranted a little bit about the US Presidential campaigns:

My current rant surrounds the Clinton/Obama hoopla and the belief that somehow Black people are nothing more than a group who needs help. In every media outlet I read its the same thing-who has done more for Black people? I am black and I don’t need anyone to do anything for me. I can do things for myself. If people want my political support they should clearly outline their programs, policies, and priorities and I can make my own decisions. I can’t tolerate condescension or pity in any form- and too often that is all that is extended towards anyone that is black regardless of any other attribute that defines them. I don’t dislike being black or feel that somehow destiny gave me a raw deal by being black and female. If other people are racist or sexist that is their flaw, but there is nothing wrong with me. As a result, when people approach me and expect to gain my respect they had better address me as a thinking individual.

On the Tapped Blog, writer Kate Sheppard discusses defining change*:

So perhaps it’s a question of what Clinton really means by “began to be realized.” I would say that the dream of equity began to be realized when people like Johnson were forced to change their position on it. It began to be realized when Americans, both black and white, united in saying that segregation was immoral and unsustainable. Johnson signing it into law was an imperative part of progress, but it was by no means the first, or the last.

But I don’t think Clinton’s statements qualify as racist. If anything, they more clearly highlight how she thinks about “change,” a word that everyone keeps dropping this primary season. In Clinton’s mind, change is something that comes from Washington, not from the desires of the American people. And that’s been one of the chief criticisms her opponents have offered in the primary – that she’s too invested in the Beltway to yield the real change citizens are longing for. If anything her statements are more indicative of some truth to those criticisms than they are evidence of racist intent.

Finally, this morning, Shark-Fu breaks down a big part of being a patriot – being politically active:

How can we increase our political presence?

That we, the under or not at all represented, need to be politically present and why we need to be is very clear.

No one can speak to our issues the way that we can.

So we must be on top of all the issues, allergic to spin and mindful of the responsibility of our vote.

We must participate in political life so religiously that no one could legitimately speculate over what matters to us or how to achieve our vote.

We must be politically present so that those who run for office know who they represent and respect the power of our vote, needs and opinion.

We must have the courage to run for local, state and national office.

We can run…we can win…and we must add our voice to the chorus.

Thoughts?

* Carmen reminded me that this is one of the key points of Obama’s campaign, just restated.