Letters from Our Readers

Jahan Choudhry BAR Comments Editor

26 Sep 2019

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This week you discussed nuclear contamination, the electability of Joe Biden, and theories of racism. We share your letters for “Operation Brown Nose: US Aids French Dirty Work in Africa,” “Freedom Rider: The Electability Canard,” and “Black People In America Cannot Be Racist (As Much As They Might Like To Be).”

In “Operation Brown Nose: US Aids French Dirty Work in Africa” Mark P. Francher argues that the United States has gone the extra mile to support French military efforts to protect uranium mining in Niger.

Carolyn Scarr writes:

“I am very interested in nuclear contamination in Niger. I have known about nuclear waste contamination in Native American sites, particularly Dine country in four corners area. I think I have heard that uranium mining is done in indigenous country in Australia. I would love to see a study of where uranium mining takes place around the world and who lives near it.”

In “Freedom Rider: The Electability Canard” Margaret Kimberley attacks the narrative being used to bolster Joe Biden’s presidential primary bid as a red herring from the party elite to distract primary voters from Bernie Sanders rival bid.

Usha MA writes:

“Why would Democratic elites fear and loath Bernie Sanders? He serves his and their purpose quite well, doesn't he?”

Joseph Hancock writes:

“You best forget about Bernie Sanders being any kind of alternative to Joe Biden. His comments during the last presidential debate attacking Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro shows us that he is no better than Biden. He can be bought despite his protests to the contrary. He is just another war candidate pandering to conservative Democrats. No thanks! The Venezuelan working class are my sisters and brothers. I will never support a hack politician that wants to destroy their way of life.”

Mary Wildfire writes:

“This is in response to Margaret Kimberley’s Electability Canard piece.

I am mystified as to why blacks would prefer Biden, and why Democrats generally would. I mean:

· He’s an old white man

· He can’t speak without talking around the foot he shoves into his mouth every times he opens it

· He does have that problematic history, of support for segregation in the deep past and war more recently

· He seems to be losing it mentally

· The incoherent rambling in response to the question about HBCUs, culminating with the astonishing assertions that “poor people” -- which seems to be his term for “negroes”—need social workers to teach them how to raise their kids, and to play record players so their kids will “hear words”—did he really SAY that?! And he’s still in the race?

“Which brings me to my question: is it possible that he’s leading in the polls because they’re rigging the polls like they rig the rest of the media?”

Ben Eli Osterberg writes:

“A lot of older black voters (and older voters in general) are quite fearful and so they skew conservative, and feel like defense of the husk of New Deal policies is the priority. Younger voters know that more of the same will result in fatal climate catastrophe, and that's way more scary than fear that a left policy turn will lose elections. Older conservative Democrats would do well to consider how foolish and selfish their position is. The current moment demands bold decision-making that directly addresses the problems at hand, not 'nudges' and incremental steps. If Democratic elites fail to harness the momentum, they are just as much to blame as the GOP for the looming human extinction event. I am young enough that I will live to see the very worst of climate catastrophe, and resilient enough to survive for a while in a Mad Max hellscape. I will not forgive people my age who currently advocate nonchalant half steps to solve our urgent problems.”

In his piece, Rohn Kenyatta argues that “Black People In America Cannot Be Racist (As Much As They Might Like To Be)” by analyzing the relationship between racism and political power in the United States.

Karla Thomas writes:

“Why is no one speaking out publicly against Ibram Kendi's new book in which he states that he disavows the idea that black people can't be racist and said in fact, that black people can be racist against white people?

“No one is speaking about it and I feel like I'm yelling into a vacuum. If you haven't read it, skim chapter 10. You will not be able to google it because, literally, no one is calling him out publicly in print although I have been to two unrecorded (by his request) events where the idea was challenged.”

A debate over the fundamentals of racism is much needed in this time of confusion. We will continue to be a platform in which these debates can be conducted in the interests of transforming a racist power structure.

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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