MSNBC Encourages Blacks To Remain At The Bottom of the Democratic Party

When Alvin Green legally became the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina, his legitimacy was immediately challenged by his party’s elite and members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Although Green withstood their attacks, he was lampooned by the national media and his campaign has since been abandoned by his party. Many dismiss this situation based on his unorthodox presentation. Others knowledgeable of the Democratic Party, its platform, and its history know that this is a typical example of how they treat black members of their party. The mainstream media serves as a tool to reinforce black peoples position at the bottom of the Democratic Party. 

Rep. Kendrick Meek on the other hand is no Alvin Green. Meek is a well educated man, a sitting congressman and son of a congresswoman. He no doubt has the political pedigree to serve in the United States Senate. I am proud to say that he is a fellow graduate of my alma mater, Florida A&M University. Like Green, Meek earned his place as his party’s nominee. While Meek & Green may have different backgrounds they share two traits that condemn them to the bottom of their party. They are both black and aspire to represent a constituency larger than their neighborhood. The truth is, Meek could be a congressman for the rest of his life if he decided to stay in his “safe” district. However, his senatorial aspiration could lead to his political demise. 

Meek was confronted on MSNBC about dropping out of the race in order to make way for Republican turned Independent Charlie Crist. The 2010 election is looking bad for Democrats across the country. Yet no one is calling for Barbara Boxer, Russ Feingold or any other white liberal candidate to move aside for an independent. Liberals only seem to single out black candidates for such acquiescence. According to the polls MSNBC sited, Meek is polling poorly among Democrats proving more racism within their party. Read liberals posts on MSNBC which further illustrates my point. Meek’s voting record is as liberal as you can get. Unlike Green, Meek is well-qualified, so it is impossible not to consider his race as a factor in this situation. 

Chuck Todd was doing a great impersonation of a plantation overseer as he tried to steer Meek in the direction of abandoning his campaign in order to make room for a white man to take his place. Todd addressing Meek was like watching a recreation of Democrat “Bull” Connor talking down to Martin Luther King, Jr. Todd is making the assumption that a black man can’t win statewide in Florida and that his best chance is finishing second. Perhaps the most racist part of the interview was watching Todd and co-host Savannah Guthrie blatantly ignore Meek’s attempt to focus on the issues. Guthrie asked him if he could live with himself should Rubio win. 

While I am no political supporter of Meek, I do support a citizen’s decision to run for public office.  I would personally love to see Marco Rubio represent my home state of Florida in the United States Senate. The issue here is the mainstream media’s facilitation of Liberal attacks on black people that aspire to represent districts bigger than their neighborhoods. When I say “black” people, I don’t mean Obama, I mean people like me who are descendents of slaves. With stories and interviews like these, MSNBC, the Democratic Party, and the mainstream media continue to let black people know that their place in the Democratic Party is at the bottom. 

Andre Harper is the founder and president of The Knowledge Movement, LLC and author of Political Emancipation: Observations from a Black Man Who Rejected Liberal Indoctrination. He can be reached at www.AndreHarper.com.