The White House Thinks Black: Bush's overtures shake up the civil rights establishment

Los Angeles Times ^ | March 13, 2005 | Stanley Crouch

[billorites]

The White House has the power to save the civil rights establishment from irrelevance. But only if Republicans find the right way to approach black Americans — a possibility made plausible by President Bush's strong ties to the Christian right — forcing the black establishment to move away from the Democratic Party. The civil rights establishment, it must be noted, is not the civil rights movement. The movement was a loose confederation of organizations and volunteers that faced fierce opposition, some of it murderous. Its moral and legal victories set the stage for the civil rights establishment, mainly a few well-known organizations and some public personalities.

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That's one reason the Bush administration is reaching out to black religious groups, a number of which he invited to the White House after his reelection.

This invitation was a shot across the bow of the civil rights establishment. As a Christian, Bush seems to believe that he can create a new grass-roots black leadership similar to the one that preceded the civil rights movement, which was rooted in churches and often opposed the aggressive nonviolence that called out the dragon of racism. The president also must know that black Christians tend to be conservative on issues of personal liberty and might well support his attempt to amend the Constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage — a possibility that has already stirred rumblings among gays who believe that black evangelicals are prepared to make them the new universal pariah.

Whether or not Bush's overtures to black church leaders are successful, conditions and goals are shifting on the horizon of color. If the civil rights establishment doesn't step away from its Democratic partisanship and make itself more open to the values of both political parties, its relevance will continue to erode.

[cardinal4]

The movement was a loose confederation of organizations and volunteers that faced fierce opposition, some of it murderous. Its moral and legal victories set the stage for the civil rights establishment, mainly a few well-known organizations and some public personalities.

Which most Democrats opposed. algore's Old Man for one..

[kerryusama04]

The Dems have kept the black man down for too long.

[smoothsailing]

An easy first step would be defunding the Civil Rights Commission.

[ARCADIA]

if Republicans find the right way to approach black Americans — a possibility made plausible by President Bush's strong ties to the Christian right — forcing the black establishment to move away from the Democratic Party.

When will "black Americans" simply become Americans? I like to work with people as individuals; not an assimulated member of some alien collective.

[watchdog_writer]

Substantial numbers of black people know that the federal government can only partly remedy the ills that hold the black lower class down: poor school performance, teenage pregnancy, drugs and gang violence.

          Are whites in the same schools also suffering poor performance? Or is the problem the black culture of fatherless families, mothers on crack, and children out of wedlock? Which is what Bill Cosby has said and look what the liberals are doing to him now. For the past 40 years Cosby has been an icon, now he is a pariah.

          Work hard and anyone can make it big. Ask anyone who is black and successful.

[demkicker]

But only if Republicans find the right way to approach black Americans ...

Stanley Crouch and the LA Times just can't seem to get it. Republicans HAVE ALREADY FOUND THE RIGHT WAY TO APPROACH BLACK AMERICANS. It's called working with, caring, recognizing, promoting and rewarding black Americans everywhere.

Psssst Stanley, check out the cabinet of George W. Bush for proof in the puddin'. Wake up, you idiot.

[hosepipe]

Some Blacks need a promotion from being black to being an American..
As an American they can then aspire to being a non-liberal..
But just walking off the plantation to freedom takes fortitude..

[MHGinTN]

Considering the source for this article, I'd suspect an aside effort to blunt the affect current policy has toward black people though the policies are not designed with that in mind but are the way this administration thinks, without pandering ... the author appears to be implying Bush Administration pandering, in a backhanded way mind you.

[Arpege92]

"When will 'black Americans' simply become Americans?"

I was thinking the same thing. Isn't it time we all drop the race cards and deal with eachother on an equal footing?