As a long term member of this site, I respect the rules that Markos has established, and I will not call out another diarist. But I do believe that a response is needed to this diary: White Kos. Unfortunately a certain diarist took issue, with a commentary in a Black Kos diary. As racial conflict often do, they decided (in my opinion) to escalate it rather than taking a step back. I can't truly help the racial atmosphere by becoming equal outraged, but I do think, some points need to be made.
A diarist didn't like a commentary at Black Kos by Robinswing that read:
some of those on the left cannot see (the rightwings) campaign of racial animus directed at our President. Every time someone brings up the racial hatred being directed at Mr. Obama, at least three or four people claim one, ‘They hated Clinton too’ and two, ‘They hate him because he’s a Democrat.’ I call bullshit.
While both of these statements are true, they fail to address the particular nature of the hatred being directed at our POTUS. It is this deflection from the subject at hand, which guarantees things will never change.
Slick? Oh hell yes. The birthers. The teabaggers. And if I read one more comment that some of them are racist but...
I’ve read comments on this site giving the benefit of the doubt to those who have used terms like ‘tar baby’ and ‘great white hope’. Quick to allow for other considerations other than the open and obvious dogwhistles sounded from day one. If I were to believe some on this site, racism does indeed exist in America though there is never an example of it since about 1965. If progressives cannot see what’s happening, is there any chance in hell we can move toward a society where it is the content of the character and not the color of one’s skin that is determinative?
This diarist objected to Robinswings use of the term "bullshit". To the diarist in question, calling a point of view "bullshit" was saying only "the Robinswings and Black Kos's point of view mattered". Far from it. But at some point ignoring the racial anger directed at President Obama in the name of "balance", leads to ignoring reality. "They" hated Kennedy and "they" hate Clinton over policy, but they hate Obama over policy and race. You see these aren't mutually exclusive things. Ignoring the racial component simply means ignoring vast amount of evidence. I leave that up to everyone's own judgment but I stand by Robinswing commentary. Robinswing can (and does) speak for herself but I felt that needed to be said.
But this argument lead to a deeper, issue. When said diarist was confronted, there was an attack leveled at the very NEED and concept of a Black Kos. There was an insinuation that Black Kos was a separatist or even a racist element on Daily Kos. That's why I wrote this diary. Because it seems I need to reiterate why I created Black Kos.
When I first started Black Kos, think of the image of the progressive Net Roots I'm speaking of 2003-2005. I watched endless hours on TV about how they were lily white basically the old "limousine liberal" smear. When is the last time you have heard that on Sunday Morning talk? Go back and look at the coverage of the first Yearly Kos convention. The number one question was where were the Black (and Brown) folks. Now we still have a way to go but, I was at Netroots 2009 and it's improved. I would like to think that a more visible minority presence helped combat that smear, we were always here just not visible. Yes I did enjoy back then when nobody new what race I was, the discussion were fun and lively, but I decided on my own to step up and out because sometimes you do need visible members. That's also when I decided to become a rescue ranger, so I was also part of the larger Daily Kos community, but I would rather not drag that into this.
But Black Kos isn't just to provide a space for black people. I spend time finding news items that I think the traditional media gives short shrift because I think it benefits ALL Progressives. See maybe a few slow folks don't realize but I can find these news items and read them on my own, that how they get on Black Kos. There are whole web pages and blogs devoted to "black news" if we (the larger black community) just wanted to be informed we wouldn't need to come here. I post them because it benefits EVERYONE. Case in point prop 8 in California.
I'm not spreading blame, far from it, but the prop 8 counter forces were at a loss on how to communicate in the black community. Many Progressives and Democrats have develop a lazy attitude that when you want to organize in the black community you just go to the black church. When that avenue was "cut" they were left flat footed. This lead to bitter recriminations. Many black were tarred as anti-gay (as if there are no gay black folks). But notice that from Barber Shop to the tacky Real Housewife of Atlanta. Gay characters regularly interact with black folks in the barbershop and hair salon. Anyone who "really" knows the black community understands that's where most politics are talked, yet the those fighting prop 8 didn't know this. This not understanding a community has real consequences. I'm not saying reading Black Kos, and reading the news items, gives you a "ghetto pass" but it does make for better Progressive organizers. If you don't know what's on a communities mind you can't address their concerns. That's organizing 101. That's why I have tried my best to include stories on Black Kos that touch on black gay issues, my hope is that understanding between two great Progressive communities would spread. I'm not out to perpetuate silo thinking, but there are differences between communities, let's talk about them and learn.
See I'm quite aware a majority of our readers at Black Kos are white. If I wanted to only address a black or mostly black audience I could more easily do so elsewhere. Think about it. I'm a member of Black Planet, J and J, and a half dozen other blogs. So why do I bother to post here? When I wrote this description, that a certain diarist parodied, I meant it:
Welcome to Black Kos, a black, progressive sub-forum within the DailyKos community. Our goal is two-pronged:
1. First, we want to bring issues in the black community to the forefront by compiling information from various sources such as news items, commentary articles, and our fellow Kossacks who publish diaries. We will occasionally have guest contributors, non-Kossacks, who would like to add to the conversation and knowledge-base.
2. Second, we want to provide solutions to the issues raised. Issues such as education in urban areas, health care, wealth disparities, racial disparities, and voting education are just a few we'll tackle.
We hope Black Kos will show the wealth of, and diverging, opinion within the black community, as well as link that to the whole world of the progressive community.
But I'm not going to rise to you bait. I have supported other community forums here. I have interest beyond civil rights, and issues of color, and I post on them as well. If you truly think you need a White Kos to help bridge the racial divide on this site, I won't scream at you, I won't hide or troll rate you, at least until I've read what you have to say. I'll judge it on it's merits. But do you truly intend to heal wounds or just exacerbate them? From the Gates arrest on down, small arguments often lead to big racial animus and that's not my game. So what ever diary you decide to publish next that's between you and your maker. I await your next diary.
UPDATE: Thank you everyone for your support. Some commentator asked how to find Black Kos. Here is the link: Black Kos I started Black Kos, but it's been a team effort for some time with it's own identity. So looking for it under my username doesn't help. Since I started it, I felt it was best to clarify why it exist under my own name.