This week readers were thinking about the myths of racial progress, finance capital and primaries, the pandemic in Haiti, and the possibilities of revolution. We share your letters for “The Black ‘Progress Narrative’ is Self-Defeating,” “Wall Street Fatcats Back Challenger to AOC in Primary,” “Resisting Covid-19 in Haiti,” and “Diseased System in Shut Lockdown: Never a Better Time to Fight for Socialism.”
In radio segment “The Black ‘Progress Narrative’ is Self-Defeating” by Professor Anthony Farley analyzes the perniciousness of this perspective.
Preston Wigfall writes:
“Ms. Kimberly, love your work particularly your recent book. Interesting discussion. Although I agree that power yields nothing without demand ( as Glen is so fond of saying) However, as corollary, power yields nothing without consequence. So the question becomes, ‘What consequence are persons of color willing to inflict upon power should our demands not be met?’ Negroes can’t stop drinking Starbucks. Buying Gucci. Negroes continue to patronize Asian merchants who colonize our neighborhoods whilst treating us with disrespect. Negroes gave 95% of their votes over two election cycles to a brown face in a high place who did absolutely nothing for our community. The Montgomery bus boycott was 65 years ago. Sadly, it appears that the negro no longer has the intestinal fortitude for this type of focused action. So unless one is willing to inflict consequence.... Then one should confine one’s wishes to obsequious mendicating. This avoids humiliation. Or as we used to say in North Philly, “don’t ball up your fist unless you are ready to fight!”
Wallace Nixon writes:
“This line is a constant refrain coming from the black class of collaborators who live relatively well and protect their lifestyles by offering the excluded members of the race false hopes that any boy can be president and otherwise successful if they just work hard and go to church. They know its not true but it keeps them on good terms with the ruling classes.”
“Wall Street Fatcats Back Challenger to AOC in Primary” by Lee Fang examines finance capitalists’ fundraising on behalf of a conservative primary challenger to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Bob Marston writes:
“It's interesting how receptive the Democrat Party is to allow Republican Party Snakes like Elizabeth Warren and now this roach, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera to infiltrate their ranks. Compare that to the 'Hot Tongue - Cold Shoulder' routine they give to anyone within their ranks that even shows support in the most tepid of forms for Socialism. AOC was never a friend of the Working Class and bailed out on Single Payer Healthcare when the first opportunity presented itself. Bernard Sanders is even more reprehensible. After selling the American People on the idea of a SinglePayer Healthcare for 20 Years he pulled the rug out from underneath the Working Class with a casual dismissal. Now the working class is supposed to feel sorry for the likes of AOC because the Republican operatives they court turn on them ? AOC and Sanders deserve what they get!”
Jesse Henderson writes:
“She continues the fight for the needs of the people in her district . The people in her district should go out and vote for her in record numbers in November.”
In “Resisting Covid-19 in Haiti” Pierre Labossiere calls for solidarity with the Haitain peoples struggle against a neglectful neocolonial government.
Paul Cianfrocca writes:
“During the early days of the epidemic, it seemed that black people and black nations were less vulnerable because African and Caribbean nations had comparatively few cases and Western European nations like Italy, France and Britain were the ones getting slammed. This still holds true and as of yesterday, Haiti had only 72 cases and 5 deaths. But that doesn't mean that the 7% death rate is accurate since that's only the known cases. And everywhere you look, the actual number of cases is at least 50 times higher according to a recent study. I suspect it would be even more in Haiti because of the lack of resources for testing, This is clearly a false alarm.”
“Diseased System in Shut Lockdown: Never a Better Time to Fight for Socialism” Glen Ford argues that the economic and epidemiological contradictions facing US society are enough to begin a process towards mass revolt against the ruling elite.
Doug Mann writes:
“The masses are bamboozled with the help of false narratives that set the stage for the political equivalent of Professional Wrestling, with the competitors following a script in a mock fight. The battle between Trump and the Democratic Party establishment is such a mock fight that appeared to be fixed for the benefit of Trump.
“Trump is calling for the ‘reopening of the economy’ and new evidence about the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that his reopening plan is very unlikely to result in a tidal wave of new cases that would swamp the intensive care units. Trump encourages anti-lockdown protesters and Democrats and much of the left carry to out their online counter protest.
“Trump claims he can do no wrong and those with Trump Derangement Syndrome insist he can do nothing right. Trump has neatly maneuvered the Democratic Party into a position of taking full responsibility for a lockdown and its consequences that in hindsight was not a very clever thing to do, in my opinion. The anti-Trump resistance has no clue how it is being played for suckers by Trump and the rest of the major party politicians, including Bernie Sanders.”
The struggle for ideological clarity will require more of us in the time to come. Please continue joining our work with your letters.
Jahan Choudhry is Comments Editor for Black Agenda Report. He is an organizer with the Saturday Free School based in Philadelphia, PA.
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Dr. Jemima Pierre is a Black Agenda Report editor and contributor.
