Tuesday, March 23, 2010

CBC a long way from being "real tigers" at this point

Back in December, I wrote - Congressional Black Caucus got juice??? - Ah, No...  - and they still don't.  This two-fer of a Politico piece (managing a stab at both "kinfolk and skinfolk"), Congressional Black Caucus: President Obama's not listening, makes that fact perfectly clear. Here we have, the Black CBC begging plaintively asking for attention, while the first, society-identified-cum-self-identified-when-it's expedient Black president pretty much ignores them.  From the piece:
But unlike previous presidents, Obama doesn't need to win over the CBC in order to pick up support in the black community. Polls show that 96 percent of black voters view him favorably - a number the CBC members probably can’t match themselves...

...That point isn’t lost on Obama, who brought up his polling numbers when April Ryan of American Urban Radio Network asked him in December about grumblings among the black leadership."

“I think if you look at the polling, in terms of the attitudes of the African-American community, there’s overwhelming support for what we’ve tried to do,” said Obama. (emphasis mine)
After reading that piece and listening to them, during the health care debate - and after the bill passed, I couldn't help but think about that "Killed by a Tiger" stand-up bit from Katt Williams.  Yeah I know Katt offends a whole lotta folk and does some stupid shit - like getting arrested for burglary of all things - but that doesn't mean he's not saying something real [WARNING - I RATE THE VIDEO:  TV-MA (Mature Audience Only -- This program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17.) This program contains one or more of the following: graphic violence (V), explicit sexual activi ty (S), or crude indecent language (L)].

I'm willing to bet there are plenty CBC members who've asked (among themselves of course) - "Are you SURE I'm a Tiger?" - especially after nothing happened after they (through anonymous aides) "roared" in that Politico piece.

Let's be clear.  With the passage of this "health care industry bonanza" of a bill, I am well aware that CBC members aren't the only ones - "juice-less."  In his - Has Rahm's assumption about progressives been vindicated? - Glenn Greenwald makes it pretty plain who has been, and will continue to be, irrelevant to this Administration (Hell, Shrub didn't even pay them any mind - even when THEY had the majority!) and I concur:
What's not debatable is that this process highlighted -- and worsened -- the virtually complete powerlessness of the Left and progressives generally in Washington. If you were in Washington negotiating a bill, would you take seriously the threats of progressive House members in the future that they will withhold support for a Party-endorsed bill if their demands for improvements are not met? Of course not. No rational person would.

Moreover, everyone who has ever been involved in negotiations knows that those who did what most progressive DC pundits did here from the start -- namely, announce: we have certain things we'd like you to change in this bill, but we'll go along with this even if you give us nothing -- are making themselves completely irrelevant in the negotiating progress. People who signal in advance that they will accept a deal even if all of their demands are rejected will always be completely impotent, for reasons too obvious to explain. (emphasis mine). 
I just wish the CBC would take responsibility for their complicity in their own legislative impotency as it relates to issues affecting the Black community.  They are, after all, the Congressional Black Caucus.

But just like sufferers of Battered Woman Syndrome, they fell in love with a man who smelled "insecure neediness" all over them - and set out to exploit every bit of it.  And so happy to have someone "like him," love "someone like them," they denied all the warning signs of the "abuse" to come.  From the link:
FOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL STAGES OF THE BATTERED WOMAN SYNDROME

DENIAL - The woman refuses to admit--even to herself--that she has been beaten or that there is a "problem" in her marriage. She may call each incident an "accident". She offers excuses for her husband's violence and each time firmly believes it will never happen again.

GUILT - She now acknowledges there is a problem, but considers herself responsible for it. She "deserves" to be beaten, she feels, because she has defects in her character and is not living up to her husband's expectations.

ENLIGHTENMENT - The woman no longer assumes responsibility for her husband's abusive treatment, recognizing that no one "deserves" to be beaten. She is still committed to her marriage, though, and stays with her husband, hoping they can work things out.

RESPONSIBILITY - Accepting the fact that her husband will not, or can not, stop his violent behavior, the battered woman decides she will no longer submit to it and starts a new life. 
Once the very short "honeymoon period" of the inauguration was over, and the gushing tears (shed to further their "first-Black-president-as-realization-of-Martin's-dream" meme) were dried  - he promptly and continues to let them know, as PatriotDems so eloquently and succinctly put it:  Black People: Obama Is Just Not That Into You (h/t to Cin over at Cinie's World for this gem).

And they heard him.

Then, just like Katt said in the video, they kept "tryin' shit and tryin' shit - don't work - tryin' shit and tryin' shit - switch it up" - quickly moving from the Denial stage to the Enlightenment stage, all the while hoping they could "work things out." 
 
Now I know PTSD of any kind (Post Traumatic Slavery Disorder included) is hard to work through.  Hell, some people never get through it.  But what I know to be true is, unless and until the members of the CBC decide they've had enough of the Changeling's "abusive" behavior and become "real tigers" - the Responsibility stage will never come and there won't be any legislative "new life" - for any of us.

17 comments:

ea said...

Ugh. That is all the comentario I can offer right now. I haven't completely recovered from a bad day at work yesterday--violent person in the office. But that whole making excuses thing, using emotional control to abuse and threats of violence to intimidate. It is a little close right now.

DebC said...

¡Hola Mujer! Espero que tenga un mejor día hoy. ¡Entonces, vuélvase! Porque quiero oír su comentario. Sea seguro mi amor.

Pappy55 said...

Hello Deb. It's Pete again. Last name is Hamilton. You (and Omar) were always very kind to me. I don't believe I ever thanked you properly or sufficiently.

I apologize if the "angry" comment offended you. It's pretty ironic because I have had (and continue to have, to a lesser degree) anger issues myself. But we share one other trait, which is the willingness to dive into an argument head first. I used to argue about anything with anybody, whether I was right or wrong. Unfortunately too many arguments have either disintegrated into screaming matches or ended up with fingers vertically extended or fists flying. Your rhetorical skills are much better than mine. I will continue to follow your work. Say hell to the family.

Pete Hamilton

Pappy55 said...

That is, "say hello" to the family (what a putz...).

ea said...

Gracias, hermana. Hoy fue mejor hasta recibí noticias de un efecto colateral del incidente que ya mencioné....Pues, es la vida, ¿no?

Our species sucks, that is all there is to it. We have too many excuses and not enough reasons. We have too much selfishness and not enough compassion. We have too much personal weakness and not enough integrity. We have too much fear and not enough thoughtfulness.

DebC said...

Pete Hamilton??!! Da-a-ay-um! How the hell are you? How're Janice and the, "kids?"

Man, I WAS racking my brain! I thought you were talking about the LAST time we lived in Key West back in 2000 - not 1981!

" I don't believe I ever thanked you properly or sufficiently."

Just did, Pete. But who knew?? I was just being me on this journey of mine, hoping always to leave a little of me behind that someone would remember as having been a beneficial contribution to their existence in some way. Your thanks - after 29 years - means a lot. It means you've had some time to mull it over, see the simple value of a human connection.

"As for me sounding so angry - it'll soon be seven years since I left Key West and trust me, I was angry then too. But back then, there were more than a few moments of clarity, accountability and acceptance there, that allowed me to frequently squeeze in my share of "happy" - can't say I feel the same where I sit, here in 2010."

29 years notwithstanding, I stand by what I wrote. I may not have known as much about who I was at 24 as I do now, but I DO know that the people I met, and the experiences I had, definitely inform this person I've become.

And no, it's not "ironic that YOU'D be talking about somebody being "angry" Pete. I call it stepping back, "critically thinking" and "owning your shit!" It's a good thing. Hell, sometimes, there's plenty shit to be angry about!

I understand, as I did back then, that we all experience and handle anger however we need to - that's not the ONLY measure of a person. Back then, I was on "the road most travelled," not really knowing/understanding how all of this shit fits together. I'm not now, which makes for a whole different view of what matters and what doesn't. Still working on it, but better.

And yes, we do still "share one other trait, which is the willingness to dive into an argument head first." This NOT talking about shit drives me damn crazy!

Glad you dropped in Pete (he told me he'd found you on that, "Navy-Together We Served" site and told you I had blog. Didn't expect you'd drop in though). Come back, lurk, or comment anytime!

DebC said...

ea...Hermana, I couldn't have said it better myself. I often ask myself, "Is this what getting old is about?" It further depresses me.

¿Y cuál era el efecto colateral del incidente? (please correct my poor Spanish, I'm trying).

Glad you're safe.

ea said...

Me quitó el espacio por una decisión de la gerencia--"problemas de seguridad".

DebC said...

No entiendo, ea. ¿La decisión estaba sobre USTED?

ea said...

No. The incident raised "security concerns", and I was uninvited, as it were, to use the space anymore (I was allowed to use the space initially as a courtesy.).

DebC said...

ea..Told you I was trying! :-) Any ideas/prospects for a new space?

ea said...

No he decidido lo que quiero hacer todavía.

HT said...

Deb, I hope everything is okay. I keep coming back to lurk, as usual, and no updates so I figure life has interfered. And you haven't been commenting at Cinie's lately, so I'm a bit worried. Where are you? Are you okay?

DebC said...

HT...You're right. Life has interfered - and I retreated, into my own head space. Got stuck in there too! I'll be okay though. Just such a crazy world we've all created for ourselves.

I'd started several posts, but just couldn't get'em done. Coincidentally, I was actually sitting here trying to weave them all together so I could put some of those thoughts down - and get 'em outta my damn head! Be patient with me, I'm still workin' at it.

I don't know what the answers are (that's a lie - some of 'em I do), but I've come to find out that retreating sure wasn't one of them. Hopefully, "spewing forth" soon will help.

Thanks for checking on me, HT. Appreciate it muchly.

HT said...

Phew, good to hear you are okay, just blocked. Being a loyal lurker, I will continue coming back! Can't do without certain voices, and yours and Cinie's are must visits.

Cinie said...

Thank God you're alive, Deb! I was worried, too, but, I figured you needed space. However, when you're up to it; really, really, really up to it, let's talk. I could use some advice.

DebC said...

Hey Cin...I knew you'd understand. Thanks for worrying about me though. If you're game for any advice I'd give right now, I'm up to it. :-) Holla back, I'm always up.

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