A View from the Back Seat of the Fighting Bigotry Bus

[gottaB]

In the flurry of commentary surrounding Howard Dean's remarks on the Confederate flag, little mention has been made of Carol Moseley Braun's opinion, much less thoughtful consideration. Braun does in fact have strong opinions on the matter. Here's Braun's statement from the Rock the Vote debate.

You know, when I was in the Senate I opened myself up to the venom of the right-wing conspiracy by battling Jesse Helms over the Confederate flag. And I'm sitting here in Faneiul Hall and looking at that picture of having to do with the framing of our Constitution. And if you think about it, the women are relegated to the balcony, and the blacks aren't even in the room.

We have to as Democrats begin to engage a civil conversation among ourselves how we can get past that racist strategy that the Republicans have foisted upon this country, how we can bring Southern whites and Southern blacks and northern blacks and northern whites together, how we can come together to reclaim this country -- and Latinos, and Asians, and Christians and Muslims and Jews and Protestants.

I mean, we have to be able to bring people together to find a solution. Because guess what, we are in a global economy. We are in a global competition. We have to deal with and address the rest of the world. And we can't do it as long as Americans are still fighting each other. And we need to find ways as Democrats to come together.

Yes, this is an important conversation. But it has to be done in a way that does not play into the hands of the real racists and the real right wing.

The last paragraph bears repeating.

Yes, this is an important conversation. But it has to be done in a way that does not play into the hands of the real racists and the real right wing.

Some of Dean's apologists took that as supportive of Dean. In a way it was, because Braun meant to distinguish Howard Dean from "the real racists," because she re-affirmed some of Dean's talking points in the matter, and because she called for civility, which may be understood as a rebuke against Dean's critics. But make no mistake about it, Braun also rebuked Howard Dean.

To clear up any doubts about Braun's opinion on the matter, Braun had made this statement:

The Confederate flag is a symbol of division in our country. Our challenge is to unite Americans, not to pour fuel on the flames of racial acrimony. It is unfortunate that Dean would choose words that resonate so negatively in our national debate. I call upon all the Democratic candidates to embrace racial harmony and to rally around our American flag that brings us all together. Source

Since Howard Dean has apologized for his unfortunate choice of words, isn't the question moot? Not quite. The way I see it, Dean expressed regrets only after coming to the conclusion that he had offended John Edwards and other Southern Democrats. In his mind, offending Al Sharpton and his consituents didn't warrant an apology; offending Carol Moseley Braun and her constituents didn't warrant an apology; offending Joe Lieberman and his consitituents didn't warrant an apology, etc. And of course, to many commentators here and elsewhere, Dean was, for a few days at least, right not to apologize. His opponents, it was argued, couldn't possibly be sincere.

But finally Howard Dean decided that John Edwards was in fact sincere. How magnanimous. There are of course cogent reasons for accepting the authenticity of Edwards' indignation. He generally refrains from personal attacks against his fellow Democrats, he has actively campaigned on the issue of the Confederate flag, and to some extent he knows whereof he speaks. But wouldn't that also be true of Carol Moseley Braun? Why didn't Dean listen to, or acknowledge listening to her?

In reply to Braun's statement at Rock the Vote, Dean said, "I'm not going to take a back seat to anybody in terms of fighting bigotry." He went on to explain how as Governor of Vermont he had signed a civil unions bill. Wait a second. Braun has a long record of fighting homophobia, and according to hrc and ngltf, her agenda on gay rights is more progressive than Howard Dean's. To quote the ngltf report: "The most supportive candidate is former Senator and ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, who has taken supportive positions in all eleven issue areas."

Why shouldn't Dean allow somebody else to take the lead here? Is it *just* arrogance? Let's take a look at that. See for example how Sean Parker, writing for Howard University's student paper, compares Dean to Bush.

I'd like to compare Howard Dean to George W. Bush. Although Dean is a liberal and Bush is a conservative, and Dean is pro-choice and Bush is pro-life. Of course we know that Howard Dean supports civil unions and Bush doesn't, but they really are the same. They both have very little knowledge of the African American community, or they wouldn't support the National Rifle Association, which pushes legislation to weaken gun control laws.

They both have reputations of not being able to humble themselves and admit that they were wrong. No one expects the President to be perfect, but when you make a bad judgment, you lead by going to advisors that make up your tent. We (African Americans) have been the most loyal followers of the Democratic Party.

Former Gov. Dean, I would recommend that you work to clean up the house before you go out to the yard. Source.

Let me phase it this way, there's one kind of arrogance which might be described as a personality trait, and then there's another kind of arrogance which has to do with privilege and perpetrating injustices. Which best describes Howard Dean?

Let me be very clear in stating that there is a real distinction to be made between white liberal arrogance and "the real racists." Parker recognizes this as well, I'm sure, despite the sharpness of his rhetoric. For those of you who do not understand the vast right wing conspiracy and its connection to the neo-confederacy movement, I urge you to visit The Temple of Democracy. Supporters of Howard Dean will not like what they read, but if they are truly bothered, I suggest they look at Howard Dean's actual position on the Confederate flag, and how diametrically opposed it is to that of liberal Democrats.

In the final analysis Carol Moseley Braun said it best, said what needed to be said. It is no surprise that people like Will Saletan don't get it. You, DUers, are smarter than that, and more committed to progressive causes. If your goal is to devise strategies for bringing disaffected voters on board, please weigh all of the meanings of the symbols you choose, and not just the privileged meanings.

Thank you.

[mmonk]

1. Thanks for that

(and no I'm not bashing Dean by thanking gottaB). CMB has got it about right.

[drfemoe]

2. I didn't know

that res had requested a minority roommate when he attended Yale so he could be exposed to and learn from the diversity that was lacking in his youth (from no fault of his own).

Do tell me more about how *sh strives to be inclusive. Powell? Condi? (*sh and Powell are long distance relatives) ..

Please describe to me how *sh and Dean both believe in the rights of the American people no matter what religion, class, party, or race they come from.

Are you looking for a savior for the "liberal" Democrats in the same vein the neos have set up *sh as the divine? That is the wrong focus for our nation. We have to depend on ourselves, and stop hoping for a savior to pull us through.

[gottaB]

4. Do tell?--okay

I'll tell you about Howard Dean went to Howard University and sharply criticized Bush's stance on the Michigan affirmative action case, for which Dean was warmly received.

I'll tell you about Howard Dean who made an issue out of racial profiling while some other candidates were reticent to address the problem in blunt terms.

I'll tell you about Howard Dean who in his Cooper Union apology referenced an award-winning study that showed that a white man with a criminal record has a better shot at getting a job than a black man with no criminal history (a report which I mentioned at DU, and was circulated in some corners of the liberal blogosphere, you can read it here).

I'll tell you about the Howard Dean who said "I want people with Confederate flags on their trucks to put down those flags and vote Democratic...."

As I said, I'm reasonably sure Parker (who made the comparison between Bush and Dean, remember; it wasn't my rhetoric) is aware of those things too. But on the question of arrogance as it relates to Dean's statements on the Confederate flag, his unwillingness to a back seat to anybody on matters of civil rights, even though I can't think of a single civil rights issue where other candidates aren't more progressive and I can name several issues where Dean is the furthest to the right of all of them, well, on that question of arrogance Howard Dean is uncomfortably like Bush.

I ain't looking for no liberal messiah. I'm looking for a driver, not a divinity, and I've got nine too choose from. But danged if I'm going to get on some bus where the driver forces people to the rear, won't ask for directions when he's lost, and doesn't have the sense to let somebody else relieve him when he's gone so far he can't even see the lines on the road.

[mbali]

3. [i]Perfectly [/i] said!