We Need to Realize That Race Isn"t Enough
It is heartening to see that a group of Black ministers, formerly supporters of Roland Burris, will ask him to resign from his U.
S.
Senate seat.
Mr.
Burris was controversially appointed to replace President Obama by disgraced, and now impeached, former Illinois governor Rod Blogjevich.
Initially denying any involvement in the governor's seedy attempt to sell the senate seat, or of even meeting with Mr.
Blogejevich's representatives, Mr.
Burris has changed his story--twice.
Contrary to his testimony before the Illinois House committee, Mr.
Burris first "remembered" he had spoken to several of the ex-governor's advisers, including his brother, and later "remembered" that he did indeed attempt to raise money for him.
All this done under oath by a former state attorney general.
The atmosphere surrounding his appointment was very different.
At that time Mr.
Burris had near universal Black support, never mind the fact that said appointment had the stench of scandal about it.
While Senate leaders, and even the President, first questioned or challenged the legitimacy of his appointment, both caved against the onslaught of Black public opinion.
Race was injected into the controversy.
It was important to make the Senate look more like America.
The all white Senate would appear racist in rejecting the seating of a Black American.
The usual.
More disturbing was the fact that, yet again, Blacks were rallying around a prominent Black figure undeserving of our support.
An honorable man, regardless or race, would have rejected appointment by a governor facing impeachment for trying to sell the appointment.
Anyone accepting it, regardless of race, should have faced widespread criticism no matter how clean their record.
But no.
Like with former Washington D.
C.
mayor Marion Barry, like impeached federal judge Alcee Hastings, we, Blacks, rally to his defense.
We must support our own.
This is why it's encouraging to see some change of heart in Illinois.
Certainly not unanimous, probably not even a majority.
But if members of the Black clergy, the strongest opinion leaders within our community, can raise and hand and say "enough is enough", then there is hope.
The hope that we will judge our own by the content of their character and not the the color of their skin.
S.
Senate seat.
Mr.
Burris was controversially appointed to replace President Obama by disgraced, and now impeached, former Illinois governor Rod Blogjevich.
Initially denying any involvement in the governor's seedy attempt to sell the senate seat, or of even meeting with Mr.
Blogejevich's representatives, Mr.
Burris has changed his story--twice.
Contrary to his testimony before the Illinois House committee, Mr.
Burris first "remembered" he had spoken to several of the ex-governor's advisers, including his brother, and later "remembered" that he did indeed attempt to raise money for him.
All this done under oath by a former state attorney general.
The atmosphere surrounding his appointment was very different.
At that time Mr.
Burris had near universal Black support, never mind the fact that said appointment had the stench of scandal about it.
While Senate leaders, and even the President, first questioned or challenged the legitimacy of his appointment, both caved against the onslaught of Black public opinion.
Race was injected into the controversy.
It was important to make the Senate look more like America.
The all white Senate would appear racist in rejecting the seating of a Black American.
The usual.
More disturbing was the fact that, yet again, Blacks were rallying around a prominent Black figure undeserving of our support.
An honorable man, regardless or race, would have rejected appointment by a governor facing impeachment for trying to sell the appointment.
Anyone accepting it, regardless of race, should have faced widespread criticism no matter how clean their record.
But no.
Like with former Washington D.
C.
mayor Marion Barry, like impeached federal judge Alcee Hastings, we, Blacks, rally to his defense.
We must support our own.
This is why it's encouraging to see some change of heart in Illinois.
Certainly not unanimous, probably not even a majority.
But if members of the Black clergy, the strongest opinion leaders within our community, can raise and hand and say "enough is enough", then there is hope.
The hope that we will judge our own by the content of their character and not the the color of their skin.