What or Who Are African Americans Waiting For?

Here in the Chicago area, I can say the involvement in the African American community is much higher than I saw in Florida. Politics is, so to speak, a way of life here and all get involved. I think it's due to how folks here are raised. You vote. You get involved. I think there's probably more political involvement in the African American neighborhoods in the city than in the traditionally white neighborhoods.

I don't really care for the term. All are Americans first and foremost. Why do you have to list heritage first? Are you implying they can't be thought of as just Americans? or that you know for a fact everyone wants to be listed by heritage first? Or are you implying they cant be or not capable of just begin thought of as Americans?

Silver:

Just for info: the term was started by the US Census. Seems they wanted to classify blacks from African descent along ones that were from places like Haiti or Dominican Republic. They also do the same with Samoans and Native Hawaiians etc...

After the 80's the term just stuck.

I have always been considered Irish American, my friends were Italian American German american...African americans got that term because they didn't have knowledge of the nation they originated from for the most part on account of slavery.

Why do you have to list heritage first?

Because we're proud of our culture.

At....there is fight left; we will be out to still support our President and vote in 2012!!!!!!!

Of course there is still a fight left. I just think the morale of the black community isn't very good.

The black community isn't going away and until race is no longer an issue, the fight for equality isn't going to end.

Race is ALWAYS going to be an issue for some people,so one can't wait on that.

At the table.....frankly I think the teapartiers formation is a result of us electing our first African American POTUS. They were stoked by the corporate backers and the republican party to win back seats across the country and in congress and also because of their own racist beliefs (there is a study to verify this). We see now after their victories what they are really about and we have already come out to change their overreach as seen in WI, MS and OH. The naysayers were always there; we saw them in the republican congress with their leader Mitch leading the way. It was the republican strategy of sabotage and obstruction from the start to defeat the President. I cannot speak to the local level of African American participation in their governments, but there is a lot going on with state legislators doing all kinds of things. Not just African Americans will be effected, but every resident of their states. I do contact my state rep and call the offices of my congress persons both democrat and republican.

I did see on one of the news shows that this weekend there was a march with a majority of African Americans in the crowd marching against voter suppression. It was this passed weekend with Al Sharpton leading the way and did not get any or little coverage at all. What's that about? When there is positive representation of our black community, we get no coverage. We will come on in 2012!!!!

frankly I think the teapartiers formation is a result of us electing our first African American POTUS.

No that is not true. The teaparty formed out of the bailout and too much gov spending. They of course were co-copted by the republicans but I think the tp is starting to realize the republicans are not looking out for their interest. The media tries to make it about race. When Obama came in doing bailouts right off the bat this made the tp upset but they would have been upset if he was white so don't be pushing the race card because we are all in the same boat. The tp and OWS movement are more a like than different.

lisafrequency....I'm speaking my opinion based on what I have seen of the teapartiers and it was not pretty. Whatever their original intent was, they were indeed co-opted whether voluntarily or not by the corporate groups like Kochs, Alec and Freedom Works. It's funny how they remained silent during Bush's years of spending, but I forget he had different accounting for his wars and big pharma, not to mention little talk from the republican congress members about deficits. Whether the tp's liked it are not, the bailout was needed to overt the financial crisis along with the stimulus too. The teapartiers may not admit it helped but their republican congress members and local reps were there at many a ribbon cutting ceremonies thanks to that stimulus. Let's see all those letters asking for that money from those republican congress members while we're at it. I don't have to push the race card because it was very muchly seen at too many tp's rallies, with Sarah Palin and Glen Beck leading the charge. The media included the airways that Rush Limbaugh and others were more than happy themselves to push the race card; did you complain about that? And if the two movements have so much in common, why are some of the tp's founders trying to encourage division on their websites while they ask for donations to fight OWS? Why have the tp's not come forward in the media giving their support? Where are their signs that read TP's SUPPORT OWS? Where are their loud voices like what we heard at the democrats' town hall meetings during HCR?

From my perspective, this is a fight and I will be out giving my support in every way I can....WE ARE NOT GOING BACK. POWER TO THE PEOPLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sista,

The Tea Party started back in Dec. 2007 in response to the Iraq war, the Federal Reserve and profligate federal spending. I became aware of them in the summer of 2008 when members were irate over the pending bailouts. The mainstream media only caught up in 2009 and started blaming their inception on "the inauguration of a black president". The media created that story, it has been false from the beginning. But the Tea Party was infiltrated by the Republican machine after the initial message started to catch on. However, that did not happen until later.

I'm afraid the Tea Party's over….

...Many people give Libertarians, along with Congressman Ron Paul, credit for starting the Tea Party movement. I believe the first modern Tea Party was in Austin, Texas on December 17, 2007. I was there.

According to the Austin American-Statesman, about 200 Texans marched from the state capitol to the nearby Colorado River, and dumped in crates marked with messages like "IRS" and "Big Government."

It was both a protest and an expression of support for Ron Paul's presidential campaign.

The Tea Party movement later exploded in response to the 2008 TARP bailouts. Remember, those bank bailouts were initiated by President George W. Bush and supported by most Republicans and Democrats in Congress...

...While a lot of Libertarians never trusted the Tea Parties to begin with, many Libertarians were hopeful that they would be a good organizing force that we could work with.

I was cautiously optimistic at first, but once the Republican Party jumped out in front of the parade and started corralling the Tea Parties into Republican support groups, I got very skeptical….

...You see, one of the things I discovered over the last year is that there are two kinds of Tea Party supporters: good and bad.

The Bad Tea Partiers only really care about one thing -- they hate Democrats -- and they will vote for Republicans no matter what, even if they won't admit it.

The Good Tea Partiers actually care about government spending and intrusiveness, more than their allegiance to political parties...

https://www.lp.org/files/Tea-Party-Over-Libertarian-letter.pdf

The letter goes on, and it's interesting, but that is the gist of the matter.

The media included the airways that Rush Limbaugh and others were more than happy themselves to push the race card; did you complain about that?

I hope you do not believe that because a white person says something against Obama that it automatically means they are racist.

I bet ya I campaigned against both Bushs I wrote my Congressman and Senator concerning the wars and said WTF are doing with that Patriot Act vote no. I almost lost my mind when Bush jr won another term. I said something a lot to anyone who would listen. I rote to them about the bailouts too and you would not believe the pitiful letters I got back from them I votred against them all and campaigned against them too and several of them got voted out and i was glad.

I wrote my reps when Gingrich and Clinton were giving away our jobs to China and using the SSI fund to balance the budget did you?

The people in the TP were not pushing any racist agenda maybe the media did I tell ya any voice that goes against the media they will and do slam. The media is owned by the people who are stealing from the poor and middle class. They do not want us to have 2 dimes to rub together.

I cannot control the media the media loves a scandal to so they can get our minds off how bad we re being screwed. I suppose you will think what you want about the tp. To me they are just people who are getting rolled over on and are trying to fight it. The Republicans want their vote and the media wants to divide and conquer and it looks like they are getting what they want because you believe it. I think OWS is much like the TP they are people who know they are being screwed and mark my word the Dems and the unions are working to co-opt them. The dems and repubs are the same and they do not care that people cannot afford to pay their bills do you hear me they do not care. If they can keep people like you thinking that ole whitey is out to get you then you are under their thumb and believing the BS.

I am in no way affiliated with Koch or any big corporation or any corporation that is getting government subsidy.

Don't let what the media says turn your head around they are liars.

Lovemy....I will not argue the point with you either. I'm stating my view of the teaparty movement and their sudden notoriety. If they did start in 2007, they were not vocal in their so called upset with government under Bush. From what I saw was a bunch of angry, hateful sign carrying people blaming the housing collapse on minorities, bashing HCR and the bailout/stimulus all on Obama. They allowed themselves to be used by the veteran repubs and corporate groups to defame mainly democrats and this President. You could not negotiate with them and compromise was not an option as demonstrated even now. I hold no regard for them, but we are all American citizens, including this POTUS. And maybe they in their vitriolic voices need to be reminded of that.

I wasn't arguing, sistagirl. It's simply important for us all to have correct information, rather than believe the media instigated lies, in order to have fact based opinions and to make educated decisions. I was never a member of the Tea Parties but I thought it important to know where and when they started as well as what they represented. Same goes for OWS.

lovemy...and that is your opinion of the teaparty, I beg to differ. The media can play a role in everything we do and there are some media like Fox that highlight and sponsored the teaparty's movement. It was all about and against this President and the democrats and I did not see the participants complaining about fairness like OWS. Nor did I hear any tp's call out Rush Limbaugh's very racist remarks if they even recognize them when they heard them. Where are they now in this unfair system with the 1% having it all? silent.

Oh well, may you both have a good night. POWER TO ALL THE PEOPLE!!!!

that is your opinion of the tea party

The letter I linked was written by one of the attendees of the first Tea Party back in 2007. But apparently you've chosen to believe what the establishment wants you to believe. That is your prerogative.

lovemy...good morning. I too can do research and go back to 2007. I already did a wilkepedia search on the teaparty, but this is 2011. And what I saw starting in 2009 is far from the teapartiers' original intent. And who exactly is that establishment? Are they the media via "news" or the "radio" as examples like Rush Limbaugh or Glen Beck? I guess it would depend on whom you're listening to or watching. Too many are watching Fox and getting negative and wrong information on democrats and this POTUS. Not only misinformation is being shown, but a recent survey finds they are less informed of everything. Oh well, that's their prerogative. Too bad these people will be encouraged to vote based on this propaganda they're feed.

Too bad these people will be encouraged to vote based on this propaganda they're feed.

So the dems have no propaganda? Is that what you are saying?

Lisafrequency....no, I'm not saying that. When you are being fed propaganda disguising itself as "news" that only shows one side of an issue, features mostly conservative/republican opinions and highlight any and all negatives against the other side, then you will always be misinformed (as surveyed). We can therefore summarize that many of those who watch the fox "news" are misinformed and since it is voted the number one cable "news" then more people who watch which are republican/conservatives are being misinformed; it's that simple. But I digress, as this author asked, "what are we waiting for?" and will answer....I'm not waiting and will do all I can to fight what we are witnessing in a return to a turbulent time in our history.

I do not watch fox news I have seen a few of their videos. I think listening to Ron Paul and then listening to what the media says about him is very telling.

I listen to them talk about Newt Gingrich like he is suddenly God's gift to humanity and they never bring up anything he did like helping Clinton give away our jobs to china and balancing the budget with our SSI fund.

The lib media is kind to Obama and the repub media is not. I can assure you the media will back who the establishment wants and will do everything to sway the public to them. This year is going to be a tough one for politics

Ahh, the good old "Fox News" argument.

I'm sitting here trying to remember what the dismissive phrase was before FOX was even a news network.

Because there has ALWAYS been something that is thrown up like that to allow folks to dismiss all other opinions and convince themselves that THEY are the only ones who know the truth.

Although I guess it's only fair, after all other have been using "liberal media-bias" for quite a while now.

It's rather self-delusional if you think about it.

re they the media via "news" or the "radio" as examples like Rush Limbaugh or Glen Beck?

And Rachel Maddow, and Chris Matthews, and Keith Olbermann, etc. The main stream media is establishment, whatever particular channel you choose to watch. I no longer own a TV, I threw it out some years ago because I was tired of the bias and the spin, so I don't know all the names of all the commenters giving approved opinions disguised as fact for them. However, in regards to what I posted above, I found out about the Tea Parties in the summer of 2008 through different forums I frequented, quite a while before you did apparently if, as you said, you only heard of them in 2009. Whatever the case may be, there is also video of the first rallies in 2007 on youtube if you are interested in researching recent history. Just type in "Tea Party" and "2007", there are quite a number of options to choose from including a couple of really good promos advertising their "upcoming" rallies around the country. I know there were some in Austin, Los Angeles, Boston and a few other places. Regardless, I would hesitate to believe what the mainstream media Left or Right, including HuffPost, Media Matters, Think Progress and the like, have to say about this particular group. But you are correct in thinking that the Tea Parties were infiltrated later by the Republican establishment. They were, the letter I posted above by one of the founding Tea Partiers mentions it.

I can assure you the media will back who the establishment wants and will do everything to sway the public to them.

You nailed that one!!! Remember how the major newspapers and television channels backed Bush so strongly? Now they are doing the same for his counterpart Obama. Funny thing is, aren't they supposed to be vastly different? How come I can't tell? How come they support the same policies of bigger government, more spending and more war? Why didn't the media hold either of their feet to the fire? It's so obvious that these Republicrats work for the same usurpers...

I don't know where you live but I know of many African Americans involved in OWS(myself included).Ok not the Tea Party,but we both know what that's about.I do agree with your point on getting more involved in local issues en masse.That's where the power is to affect more immediate change.

There are quite a number of black people involved in the Tea Parties. Many of them host events and also give speeches. They just don't get the media attention because acknowledging their involvement contradicts the diatribe levied against the Tea Parties. All you have to do is go searching through the different videos on youtube. The same goes for OWS. I've seen black people involved there as well. Not so much in the beginning but I'm seeing more now in the videos I've watched. However, the reality is black Americans are only about 12-13% of the total American population and not all of them are politically oriented. Those who are are going to be outnumbered by the amount of caucasian people who participate in either of these two groups.

There are quite a number of black people involved in the Tea Parties. Many of them host events and also give speeches. They just don't get the media attention because acknowledging their involvement contradicts the diatribe levied against the Tea Parties.

The establishment wants the people divided that way they loose half their power. The people are supposed to be the government not the establishment. Blacks are subject to the propaganda that the TP is racist what better way to keep them from joining forces?

The media totally ignored the TP until they could hype the racist BS.
All the middle class and poor are suffering no matter what race they are. This is what we need to be really tight and together on. Please don't believe that only people of color are suffering.

You're on a roll today, Lisa. :)

Those who want to do drugs get them and the fact that it's illegal isn't stopping that.Stop the gang violence due to trafficking and turf wars,stop the slaughter of innocents caught in their shootings,stop the corruption,stop the imprisonment of young blacks while the "big fish" go free.Legalize,control,and tax.The drug war has failed.It's time to stop the madness.

The deaths caused by drugs do not compare to the minds and dreams lost.

Yes they do more people die from being killed then from using. Being put in prison for a non violent act also kills dreams and hope.

What I am saying is that given what is going on in the African American community, one would think the streets of America would be covered with African American protesters to a level that even the media could not ignore.

Y'all don't have a "poster child" to rally behind.

Look at what folks called the greatest "civil rights protest" in the last 30 years.

Something like 20,000 people got out to support 6 THUGS in Louisiana.

Sad isn't it? You can get people out to support criminals, but you can't get them out to support their own self-interest.

Other than issues like that I think you've hit the nail on the head, folks are waiting for someone else to fix their problems.