Did you miss the State of the Black Union? - Nicole Lee From Trans Africa's comments

I hung out out at Professor Kim's participating in the live blog.
Professor Kim has prepared a chart of where the Presidential candidates fall on all of the issues brought up in the covenant. Pretty interesting.
UPDATE
Jack and Jill Politics has up some clips of the State of the Black Union. Nicole Lee was probably the only substantive speaker that I was glad that I watched the afternoon session to hear, Nicole is the Executive Director of Trans Africa I'd love to have her on the podcast.

Here is Stephanie Tubbs response to John Lewis switching his super delegate vote.

Comments

[The Angry Independent]

I believe Tavis Smiley started out with good intentions when he began hosting these events. However, they have now turned into irrelevant talkathons for the Black elite. It's more like an orgy of Black foolishness.... simply providing a showcase for self appointed and self anointed "Black Leaders" to blame Mr. White Man for all of the problems in so-called "Black America", when in fact, the source of many of the problems facing Black communities comes from within.

Tavis, his bogus Covenant movement, and his efforts to use the event as some sort of validation for "real blackness", has become a tired affair. I have yet to see the event turn the mirror around and focus on problems that come from within the so called "Black community" and "Black culture", and to create relevant solutions. Because after all... it's the White Man doing all of this..... he's the boogey man that causes all things bad.

They just talk, showboat, have their Black themed celebration, and not a damn thing gets done in any real sense. The State of the Black Union has turned into a business, much like what the wider Civil Rights establishment has become. It's a forum for Tavis to sell his books. I think most of the annoying negroes on the program simply enjoy seeing themselves on television.

And Tavis' antics regarding Obama have been extremely annoying. Tavis has quickly dropped down on the list of Black folk who I actually appreciate. I'm tired of this "you have to be validated by us to prove that you are really Black" bullsh@t. I'm glad Obama skipped the "Black Party". Tavis would have put Obama in a position where he would have been branded the "Black Candidate" at a crucial time when he is trying (for good reason) to avoid it. And this is exactly why Clinton decided to show up this time...it was a tactical maneuver to try to put pressure on Obama to show up... so that Billary could put him into that Box of being "The Black Candidate". Obama was smart to stay away...especially considering the fact that you don't know what kind of stupid comment one of these "Black Leaders" might make...which could sink Obama....just for being associated with the nonsensical event.
The bottom line is, Obama is running for the Presidency of the whole United States... and not for the office of Black President or Negro-in-Chief.

Clinton is going simply as an attempt to gain a few Black voters, and create a gotcha situation for Obama. I guarantee you that during the next debate...she will bring up the issue of Obama not showing up to participate. But I am hoping that this tactic doesn't work...just like her other attempts to trip up Obama.

I watched several of these programs in recent years, but I will skip this one. I was flipping through the channels and caught a 5 minute snippet on C-Span (i'm a C-span addict), but I had to change the channel after Dick Gregory made a joke about Black men raping women. Just the kind of imagery we need Mr. Gregory. Just what I need as a man with Brown skin. More negative bullsh@t imagery and stereotypes to deal with.

Yeah... it's a bitch being Black, but I believe today, the source of most of the grief comes from within, particularly from the Black elite.... and not from "The Man", Jim Crow, or the KKK.

I'm sure they talked about Hurricane Katrina.... but I wonder when they will talk about Hurricane Negro.

[brotherkomrade]

Hell has frozen over and pigs can fly. I agree with AI.

[Professor Kim]

Thank you, my sister, for the link love, and for participating in the conversation! Whatever one thinks of Tavis Smiley, there is nothing stopping US from talking about the issues that matter to US. CoverItLive turned out to be a great tool for real-time coverage and conversation. Looking forward to doing more chats/liveblogs like this so we can continue to focus on some of these critical issues!

[black women first]

that was nothing but the truth "angry independent"

[Anonymiss]

I agree with TAI.

[Deidra]

Thanks I totally missed everything. Still waiting for the transcript because the videos wasn't working for me.

And AI always come with the truth!

[g-e-m2001]

OH lord. W got folks in here cosigning AI. Scary. No. I thought the lady from Pan Africa had some interesting things to say, if only I could have heard more from her. The format is cumbersome to me. Everybody trying to show how long or how fast or how well they can rhyme I would almost rather see three people on the panel.

I understand the point tavis is trying to make. if you listened to them talk because they kept coming back to it over and over again, one of the things they talked about was the social justice agenda. They kept referencing Du Bois which I know AI would hate, but they also reference kings poverty agenda etc. So I can see where they may want answers to certain questions from candidates. That being said, who said that those questions had to come in the form of an appearance at this event. Tavis already had a presidential debate where he could have asked any question that he had so why did he have to have them there again. I don't know.

HOWEVER, i don't think he needed the death threats and harassment either. I mean for months I wanted Obama to address violence against Black women and girls and wrote about it. Everybody has something that they want somebody to talk about that doesn't make them Satan.

AI how do we create these solutions if we don't come together? We aren't going to get a solution out of the Civil rights Industrial complex. Why woud they find solutions that placed them out of business.

[DROCK]

I was disappointed with Stephanie Tubbs Jones when she said that even if her district voted for Obama, that she would use her super deligate vote for Hillary (her girl)..Now on March 4, she can cast her vote for Hillary, but if it comes down to the super delegates voting, she should vote the way the majority of her district voted (the people she's representing) which will probably be for Obama..

As far as Tavis and his preaching on accountability with the candidates....Black people need to hold other blacks accountable for whats going on in black american and in every urban neighborhood. Ain't no politician white or black going to be able to fix what is wrong with black on black crime, etc...

[Gwendolyn Baines]

I am so sick and tired of Black leaders keeping racism alive just for the purpose to make money. People like Tavis Smiley, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and that crappy man Bob Johnson.

One thousand years from now Black people will be still spending their wheels talking about nothing. Seriously, it is sickening - makes you want to vomit.

I do wish that all these so called Black folks would stop making money from corporate dollars -- the race will never move forward -- never ever.