GOTV: Open letter

Alice has raised an interesting issue that should be explored.

Open letter to Virginia’s black leaders

As Atrios put it, Democratic blogosphere has become a nontrivial part of the Democratic coalition. Our collective influence is significant and will only continue to grow. Our influence is most significant in the early stages of a debate. We now have the collective power to put an idea into debate, and to some extent, shape the public agenda.

Sadly, Democratic blogosphere is, how shall I put this, but a pale version of the Democratic coalition. We have, by my count, two black bloggers who are currently active. That is not enough, not nearly enough. You need to make your voices heard in Virginia blogosphere.

I am not just talking about black elected officials, although that would be nice. I am talking about black committee members, shop stewards, students, church leaders, lawyers, hospital workers, everyone and anyone.

I am writing this the day before the JJ dinner in the hopes that it will spark some discussion at the dinner.

I have to admit that I was a bit suprised at the lack of blacks at the JJ Dinner last year. I hope there will be more this year. After all, the BACVR said in 2005:

“The great political divide in America today is not red vs. blue, north vs. south, costal vs. interior or even rich vs. poor – it is now clearly black vs. white,” said Phil Reiff, a BACVR director.

From an op-ed piece on the survey:

Despite being the core of America’s liberal base, a major split exists between who the nation’s liberals are and who leads them politically. White politicians still control the
levers of power within the Democratic Party, and black faces are rare around the decision making tables of America’s liberal advocacy groups.

Black America is the core of where the left lives.