Councilor Ed Coleman |
One would think that Coleman’s message was a no brainer. After all, presumably even the Democrats at the forum (no Republicans attended) believe that the attendees should vote for them because of their positions, not because of the party label they chose.
State Senator Jean Breaux |
Later Senator Breaux told Coleman’s campaign manager that Coleman was being rude by suggesting the almost exclusively African-American audience educate themselves and not just vote party, i.e. for Democrats. Sen. Breaux's apparent attitude towards African-Americans - that they should remain uneducated about the candidates and blindly cast a vote for the Democratic Party - is condescending at best, racist at worst. Contrary to what Sen. Breaux thinks, Democrats don't own the African-American vote, which Democratic elected officials have often taken for granted in the policies they pursue, especially in the all-important area of education.
Coleman, who has consistently expressed concerns about the direction of the City was shocked to find he wasn’t welcome at an event where candidates were expressing concerns about the direction of the City. Coleman made clear that Senator Breaux's positions was not shared by the host of the event, Minister Kenneth Allen, who was gracious toward Coleman and who appreciated that he came to the event.
We need Republicans and Libertarians who are willing to learn about the concerns of the African-American community. Coleman should be applauded for reaching out to that community and instead he is told he is not welcome. Senator Breaux, no novice candidate, should be ashamed of herself. She owes Coleman and Minister Allen an apology for her behavior at the Rally. Let’s see if she’s classy enough to provide it.
CORRECTION: Two Republican council candidates, AJ Feeney-Ruiz and Councilor Barb Malone, were at the event. The Republican candidates apparently only got the invitation the afternoon of the day before the event.
15 comments:
Hmmm...I know Jean, and I consider her a friend. Doesn't sound like her exactly.
I consider it blasphemy to use a church for anything other than reverent and respectful purposes, regardless of whether the Eucharist is on the altar.
Yes, Jon, it sounds exactly like her. Urban politicians view urban churches as an amen corner and a guaranteed voting bloc. They can't allow novel ideas to cloud the voters' minds, so they defend their home turf vigorously.
So a church can hold a democratic political rally and keep its not-for-profit status?
C'mon, Cato. As a budding anarchist you wouldn't find anything blasphemous. lol
Melyssa, by how Paul wrote the post, it sounds like the Baptist Ministers Alliance invited candidates from all parties to come, but only LP and Dems attended.
Who's zooming who? More than 80 percent of Blacks typically vote Democrat without hesitation. To their great detriment, Blacks are dependent on government, for jobs and handouts, in great numbers, and they won't bite the hand that feeds them, even if it prevents them from feeding themselves.
Not that I would vote for a Republican if I were Black, nor for any "libertarian" who complimented the hacks from the major parties.
Varan:
You hold man's laws and God's laws in equivalent stature? A believing anarchist recognizes that man's laws are fleeting and malleable, while God's laws are eternal and inescapable.
Scary that you believe in a Church of Man.
IS,
I'm hearing that the Republicans only got it from the party the Friday afternoon before the Saturday event. Not sure who was responsible for the delay or late notice.
Churches can't endorse candidates and no, I doubt they could close a politiccal event to all but one party.
Cato,
Your broad statement that anarchists' believe that a deity's laws "are eternal and inescapable" is inaccurate. There are many anarchistic "schools" of thought. Mikhail Bakunin, one of the first to advance a belief in anarchism, was an athiest. Emma Goldman wrote extensively on atheism. In my readings, and my interaction with others who view themselves as anarchists, I encountered far more anarchists who are atheists or agnostics than who believe in a deity, of whatever religion or creed. One element is central to any belief characterized as "anarchistic." That is a belief that people should not be governed by a sovereign authority. Perhaps a person advances her/his particular form of anarchism as dependent upon divine law. That is her/his perogative. To replace human law with divine law--presumably to be meted out by a bureaucracy of human beings who interpret that divine law--seems only to replace one sovereign with another.
Candidate for Council in the 15th district - AJ Feeney-Ruiz was there, along with City-Councilor Barbra Malone. Please update your site to reflect this.
It sounds like the Republicans ought to keep track of these church meetings and see if late or no invitations to Republicans are standard practice.
Who can bring suit, if anyone, for violation of charitable status? Can a candidate for office who was hurt by the political activities of such a charity?
Or maybe, Eric, in a free society a church should be allowed to invite or exclude anyone it chooses, and exercise unfettered free speech without government agencies meddling in their affairs.
Conservatives never hesitate to invoke government when it suits their purposes.
It's the church that's meddling when it abuses it's tax-exempt status. Sounds like eric is only trying to keep them honest.
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