Yesterday at Oliver's was kinda fun.

I'm lifting one of the comments from the end of the discussion:

I'm inclined to take a much more radical view on race than most folks here. I recall the word "co-optation" from the sixties and early seventies as a partial basis for my views. African-Americans, because of the prevalence of racism in America, can expect a fair shake from neither the Republicans nor the Democrats until the underlying racism has been eliminated, something I do not expect to see in my lifetime. The fact of the matter is that both sides join forces to condemn an African-American who does not come to his or her prominence by way of one of the parties. Louis Farrakhan is a good example of this. While I eschew separatist ideology, I see a more welcoming place for African-Americans in the Democratic Party, but I also recognize that it will be a self-serving welcome that is issued in any case, because it is usually pandering rather than sincere.

I offer nothing by way of solution here. I still feel that African-Americans can seek redress for racism, but overcoming it is something that can only be organized and led by African-Americans separately from the two main parties.

Posted by dean at June 29, 2004 10:11 AM

Any comments?