Can you say whats up is down and what's down is up?
Somebody talk me down. EYE booted up my computer this morning and learned two things. First, EYE read the republican party was trying to woo minority voters despite the fact the republican national field is being led by an unabashed racist. Secondly, EYE read the Alabama Democratic Party is racist because Joe Reed is fighting back against minorities being excluded from the Alabama Democratic Party, not to be confused with the Alabama Democratic Majority.
Once again we have a one sided news story about the happenings within the Alabama Democratic Party that paints Alabama Democratic Party Vice Chairman Joe Reed as a self serving liar "who opposed Barack Obama and who should should step down for the sake of the party before it goes bankrupt", blah, blah, blab, blab.
Where to go?
My first response to the news the GOP was trying to woo minority voters was to chuckle, but after reading Alabama Media Group's Kyle Whitmire's false accusations EYE stopped chucking. It's like deja voodoo all over again. Here is an excerpt EYE wrote for Left in Alabama the last time the GOP wanted to woo minorities.
I begin the day by mocking the GOP's effort to recruit minorities. After careful consideration and instructive dialogue I would like to apologize for my mockery and offer the Ala GOP some sincere, constructive advice .
First of all, you are correct in your assumption the Democratic Party takes the African American vote for granted and make them dependent on them. African Americans are members of the democratic party because they feel like they have no where else to go. Democrats count on African Americans to carry the water for them. Quoting VIP;
If white democrats want to get more white districts here they should start by working on their friends, neighbors, and co-workers now! Tell them to quit voting against their own interests. Black democrats will do our part, as we always do, so don't expect us to "take one for the team".
Since we're talking about changing mentality, the Ala GOP are going to have to rid the party of what I call The Plantation Mentality. The mentality that believes African Americans are still property, something to be owned, not someone with equal rights and privileges. The mentality that says "you better watch how you talk to white folks". The train of thought that African Americans need someone to "take care of them" or "tell them how to vote" as if they don't have their own minds and don't possess the intelligence to make their own decisions. The mentality that believes African Americans are lazy, shiftless, baby making, welfare loving, bums. Click here to read the rest.
Again EYE say African Americans didn't leave the republican party, the republican party left us. It appears like the Alabama Democratic Party is trying to go back to before using white women as the Trojan Horse.
What to do?
EYE said it once, and EYE say it again. The Democratic party has been infiltrated by reactionary/New Dems/Blue Dogs/ Centrist/Conservadems/Moderates, and hell knows who/what else to promote neo-liberal (aka conservative) ideas. Maybe they should leave and form their own party.
The Alabama Democratic Party's executive committee meeting today erupted into loud disagreements when a voting bloc rejected about 18 nominees for vacant seats on the committee.State Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, called the meeting a "travesty" and said it was wrong to allow a "yellow sheet" compiled by the party's minority caucus to dictate today's votes."If your name is not on that sheet, that means that these people must be people who do not want to kiss the ring," said Figures, drawing cheers."And we all know what ring that is."Figures did not give a name, but committee members knew she was talking about Joe Reed, who heads the party's black caucus.
It's like DejaVu all over again.
This meeting cannot be understood without accounting for the role in Party affairs of Dr. Joe Reed, head of the Alabama Democratic Conference and Vice Chair for Minority Affairs of the SDEC for far longer than the lifespans of the Millennials who make up the bulk of the Obama rank and file. Through fair means or foul, Reed controls the largest single bloc of votes on the SDEC. Of the numerous questions on which division of the house was called at Saturday’s meeting, every one went Reed’s way by a roughly 95-15 vote. Even if you assume, as I do, that Reed had almost all of his firm supporters present at the Embassy Suites, a bloc of 95 votes on a 285-member Committee is significant.
And therein lies the problem, the bloc of votes that comprise the Alabama Democratic Conference, aka the Minority Caucus of which Joe Reed is the Chair.
In 1975, Joe Reed led the efforts to get equitable representation for blacks on the Montgomery City Council. His efforts resulted in four blacks of nine being elected. He served on the Montgomery City Council for 24 years. In the Democratic Party today, Alabama’s black representation exceeds all other states in the nation. For over 40 years he has led the effort to get more blacks elected and appointed to public office, including federal marshals, federal and state judges, members of the boards of registrars, legislators, county commissioners, city councils, and school boards. He drafted two plans that increased black representation in the Alabama House of Representatives from 13 to 27; and in the Senate from 3 to 8 in 1982, and 1992, respectively. He also drew a reapportionment plan that provided for 25% (two of eight) majority black districts on the State Board of Education. Alabama is the only state in the nation where the Legislature reflects the state’s population of blacks and whites.
Year after year there has been an organized effort by the white wing of the democratic party to infiltrate this bloc in an effort to take "their" party back to before.
Back in 1966, after an election in which, having won voting rights after the
1965 Selma to Montgomery March, in which I lost two dear friend, Rev Jim
Reeb and Viola Liuzzo, blacks rushed to register to vote and to run for office, most considered themselves to be Democrats . Gov Wallace (a democrat) refused to allow them to run for office as Democrats. To combat the continuing absolute racism of the Alabama Democratic Party, some of us created another Democratic Party, the National Democratic Party of Alabama (NDPA), went through a difficult struggle, and elected the first blacks to office in Alabama as Democrats! But the ADP fought as a fully segregated party for almost 10 years as the NDPA came to hold over 100 elected offices,more than any other state!!! Then and only then did the ADP want us, and we forgivingly moved into the ADP. But of course its leadership remained fully racist and we have been struggling to change that ever since. But racists continued to run for and hold office as Democrats. It never fully changed. That makes it clear why people are still very suspicious of attitudes in the ADP.
That's right, everyone wants to be a minority until the police show up.
The old guard dug their heels in against including other classes in the diversity requirement -- and eventually won in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Minority still means "black" and nothing else to certain people on the SDEC Board.
But it's not about inclusion, it's about dilution.
While I disagree with Dr. Reed on many issues, I do think he has a valid point when he notes that including women in the definition of “minority” in this section would have arguably undesirable consequences. It would put white women – who, due to the racial composition of House districts and the Bylaws, constitute a large number of SDEC seats – in the minority caucus, which was historically designed to insure racial equity. I know most of the proponents of recent Bylaw amendments, and I do not think for an instant that any of them contemplate actions that would make the SDEC unrepresentatively white. But that would be the exact effect of the Shadoin Amendment, in the form in which it was submitted.
EYE say if they want a party that wants blacks to be seen and not heard, let them have at it.
Dear Dr. Reed, can we talk?
There is the perception among whites the Alabama Democratic Party is the party of blacks because the Democratic Party has done more for black folks than anyone else. Translation, blacks want thegovernment to give us free stuff because the government owes us a living. In any event, the status quo have decided you are no longer effective and it's time for you to go somewhere, sit your Ebony Donkey down, and take your cheerleaders (which include me and mine) with you.
You cannot curse Bubba and Cooter, Big Man, and June Bug in the daytime and beg them at night.~Joe Reed
Meanwhile back in Washington D.C. fresh from leading a Congressional Delegation to the funeral for one the #CharlestonMassacre victims, State Senator Rev. ClementaPickney, the "clowns in Washington are actually debating whether it is appropriate to remove that very same flag from National Park Service run cemeteries and federal lands". There is more than a whiff of hypocrisy.
For those who don't know The Heart of Dixie, aka, Sweet Home Alabama... had not one, but four #ConfederateFlags flying on the grounds of the State Capitol. Although Governor Robert Bentley is being credited for suddenly developing a spine and removing the flag out of the kindness of his heart, it's really a vindication for former democratic governor Jim Folsom Jr., Alabama State Senator Alvin Holmes and 14 other black lawmakers who tried for years to remove the Confederate Flag from the capital grounds.
1976: Alvin Holmes filed a suit against Wallace and others to prohibit the flying of the Confederate flag over the Capitol. The federal district court ruled against Holmes.
1988: The NAACP, Alvin Holmes and others filed a lawsuit against Gov. Guy Hunt seeking to remove the Confederate battle flag from the State Capitol grounds. The district court again ruled against Holmes.
Late 1980s-Early 1990s: The Alabama Capitol was flying the U.S., Alabama and Confederate battle flags. All three were taken down due to a massive renovation of the capitol in the early 1990s.
Alvin Holmes and other legislators filed a third lawsuit using a different argument than the first two (1976 and 1988). They argued that an Alabama law from 1975 doesn't allow for the flying of any flag above the Capitol other than the U.S. and Alabama flags.
Jan. 4, 1993: Circuit Judge William Gordon rules in favor of Alvin Holmes. Judge ordered Alabama law allows only the state and national flag be flown over Alabama's capitol and enjoined the governor from raising the Confederate, or any other flag.
Gov. Folsom didn't appeal the judge's ruling.
Late 1990s-Early 2000s: Gov. Don Siegelman made a provision that when the state restored the Confederate Memorial Monument it would be appropriate to fly Confederate flags for historical display. Four flags of the confederacy were raised on the north grounds of the Capitol. Three of the flags are the national flags of the Confederacy and the final flag is the Confederate battle flag, according to Ed Bridges with the Alabama Department of Archives and History.
Alabama, aka, The Heart of Dixie had a Confederate Flag removal from public cemeteries flap too, starring none other than present candidate for Mayor of the Cradle of the Confederacy, aka Montgomery, AL , Artur Davis, the latest delusional puppet of republican racial propaganda.
EYE wonder what it is going to take to remove The Heart of Dixie from ALL Alabama state license plates?
One behalf of all the martyrs EYE would like to thank former Governor Jim Folsom Jr., State Senator Alvin Holmes, Rep. Thomas Reed and others, for daring defending our right to remove the Confederate Battle flag from the grounds of the State House. Your perseverance and courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds will never be forgotten. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
RedEye tiptoeing away from the computer humming We Shall Overcome One Day....at a time.
#FlagDown
