Blogging While Brown: Jack and Jill Politics Makes NYT Mag- "End of Black Politics"

Shout out to the folks over at Jack and Jill Politics. They got a write up by Matt Bai in the New York Times called "Is Obama the End of Black Politics". Any day now, they'll get their own cable news show. Wouldn't that be a trip. Well mainstream media continues to hammer home that the Reign of the Reverends is over. Seeing as how it has been mainstream media that has propped up the Civil Rights Industrial Complex, I am incredulous at this meme that is coming out that the various generations of Black folks in "leadership" are at war with each other or one group is pushing the other off the stage.

The part of the article mentioning Jack and Jill Politics addresses the fact that WE are using technology to organize online in the same way that our White counterparts have organized. Cheryl points out the role class is playing in the new digital divide.

“The African-American voting population is very much online,” Cheryl Contee, who in 2006 helped found the blog Jack and Jill Politics, told me. Contee, who is an owner of a digital consulting business, blogs under the pseudonym Jill Tubman, and hers is one of a number of sites that have emerged in just the last year as part of what’s often called the “Afrosphere.” “One of the things I talk to clients about is that the digital divide has changed,” Contee said. “It’s no longer along racial lines like it was in 1996 and 2000. Now it’s more economic and educational.” In other words, after lagging for a time, college-educated African-Americans are now organizing online in the same way as their mostly white counterparts at Daily Kos and MoveOn.org started doing several years ago. NY Times Mag

Now might be a good time to check out some young Black folks who are doing their own thing far from the clutches of the Civil Rights Industrial Complex. This is Van Jones one of the founders of Color of Change at last Month's Netroots Nation. Followed by a panel comprised of your's truly, Brandon Q. White, Leutisha Stills (CPL ), Andre Banks, called "Blogging Beyond Obama"(audio low for first 2 minutes)

Cheryl and the folks over at Jack and Jill Politics will be among the independently-run Black blogs that will be blogging from the Democratic National Convention in Denver. I'm starting to get excited about the trip. Hit up the PayPal button and help underwrite the cost of WAOD's coverage of this historic event. Michelle Obama is going to open up the convention with Monday night's keynote spech.

P.S. There is no such thing as the en of "Black Politics" that's just wishful thinking by the New York Times.

Comments

[Lady C]

Are we to totally disengage from the "Civil Rights Industrial Complex?" Are they totally worthless and out-of-touch? Or, is it anyone who is not in the demographics so sorely sought after by MSM?

I'm 58 years old, and no matter where I go (white blogs or AA blogs) it seems age is a factor. I get the feeling we aren't progressive enough.

I am engaged in the process, and I intend to stay engaged in the process.

[Get Togetha]

No more poverty pimps! Gotta love it.

[gem2001]

Lady C,

I think it is a normal, natural thing for each generation to think that the previous generation didn't do enough or the older generation to think that the younger generation does not understand the practical realities of getting things done.

That being said, I think that people of a certain age have a tremendous about of wisdom to offer my generation and I welcome it.

However, you have to acknowlege that we have had some feckless leaders of late. there is an entire industry built on the premise that some guy called "Rev" gets soe people to march and that makes him a leader.

I notice your name is "Lady C" so I am assuming you are a woman. For women, all women irrespective of age, there is no room in leadership within the civil rights industrial complex. Notice that only woman mentioned was Cheryl from Jack and Jill politics. The photo is of four Black men.

Stay engaged in the process. You aren't supposed to be as "progressive" as the younger generation. In the same way that many people younger than me might think I am over the hill and an old fogey.

I welcome wisdom and advice from older people. But they also have to be willing to concede that we MIIIIGHT know a little bit of something about this technology thing and how to leverage it.

[Lady C]

I'm sorry, Gina, I cannot concede that by virtue of my age I cannot be progressive. Why must we concede that your generation "MIIIIGHT know a little bit of something about this technology thing?"

I learned COBOL when I was pregnant with my son, who will be 30 years old this December. My first computer was a computer I bought from Spiegels with the GeoWorks operating system, when my son was 12 years old. I subscribed to the internet through Inland Computers in my hometown in 1995.

We are mostly self-taught when it comes to computers. One thing about my generation is, we aren't afraid to get involved in what matters. It doesn't seem reasonable to exclude us and to lump us in with "some guy called 'Rev'."

Anyone is relevant as long as they are on the planet and willing to go the distance. JMHO

[Revvy Rev]

Take heed, pride comes before a fall! Technology is only a new means to the same end. The methods are new, but the struggle is the same. Future success on the battlefield still depends on
inter-generational, socio-economic, gender, and theological coalitions.

[Revvy Rev]

Technology is only a new means to the same end.
While the methods are contemporary, the struggle for liberation and to be counted as truly human is still the same. This will not be achieved without inter - generational, socio-economic, gender, and theological coalitions.

[Black Girl]

Hi all - I personally don't feel like gem was necessarily lumping your era in with 'some guy called rev' and us as those that know more than you just because we do. I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that it was an example used to demonstrate a point that as we continue to progress so does our society and the way in which we communicate. My mom has a wealth of knowledge derived from hands on experience from her time, as I have a wealth of knowledge and skill mainly brought about as a means to adapt and thrive in my time. My 9 year old can program my bb'ry better than I can and knows how to use a MAC computer. Ten years from now that knowledge won't be good enough for her. We all serve our purpose in our own era in hopes of setting the stage for the next. Its just the natural flow of things.

I think the point is more relative to time vs. a group of tech challenged black folk that skip behind a self-made leader (or) a group of people like myself that shun our elders because they are not as savvy per-say. If anything we as a people adapt just as you did when the internet broke on the scene. People from your era endured things that I'd just probably lay down and die over lol. The current generation has just taken the tech thing a step further as will our children and our children's children in many cornerstones of society. People get left behind due to fear, laziness or a combo of the two among other habits. So willingness to go the distance does count and is relevant to those who don't carry the aforementioned traits. You are an exception to the rule, but honestly a lot of people from your time are not as willing to keep up for a lot of reasons. One of the being that they feel like they don't have to. Hence, us knowing more because we live in a time where technology not only matters its ESSENTIAL vs. in times past where getting ahead of the curve via the information highway or electronic device was a luxury or option. That said, I don't think anyone is being excluded, they exclude themselves often times unknowingly.

Side bar: I hate that we are lumped into an Afrosphere. To me it sounds like 'niggas that know how to use the web and to their advantage'. Another indicator that we are always one step behind even when we are 10 ahead but never receive the proper credit for it. smh

-black girl.

[iman]

Revvy Rev said: "Technology is only a new means to the same end."

I couldn't agree more. I think the same pitfalls some of the CRIC fell into (ego's, irrelevance) are the same pitfalls some online activist will eventually fall into. That's just a fact of life. The fact that we're a younger generation or that we may use technology doesn't mean that we won't eventually end up in the same boat. There's a whole segment of young black people who will never hear about or visit color of change. I think online activist are no more entitled to speak for young black people, than the Rev. & co are to speak for black america as a whole. The are however entitled to speak for their memberships. The MSM always wants to point to a definitive black leader and for a while it's been the CRIC. Now they're obsessed with bloggers vs. the CRIC. The fact is there are black people who are activist on a whole bunch of fronts and MSM obsession with finding "the voice" for the entire black race just marginalizes us and creates undue pressure and responsibility on our so called leaders. The reason why we are so disappointed with the CRIC, is because the MSM has made them the leaders of our salvation for the last few decades and too many of us believed it. We shouldn't fall into the same pitfall with black online activists. We have to realize that no one group of people has all the answers and when we see something of importance not getting addressed, we need to take it upon ourselves to do so, instead of waiting for any leader to carry the torch, young or old.

When I listen to the stories of my parents about the things they risked to fight for freedom in their youth, I can't help but wonder how many people from my generation are willing to put their lives, freedom, jobs and reputations on the line for a cause they believe in. I think we might be fighting smarter in certain ways, but the level of sacrifice is much different. For people who don't use technology, there's always going to be traditional organizing and even for those of us who do use technology, sometimes traditional organizing is the preferred model. I see technology as a great compliment to traditional face to face grassroots organizing. There are a lot of different means to the same end.

[gem2001]

No one in their right mind thinks technology alone can replace grassroots activism. Who said one group had the solutions?? Where is this person infact if you watch the video you will hear the guy from color of change say that there is a lot of work to be done and plenty for everybody. So Revvy Rev and Iman, you are projecting.

Attempting to say that because one person's contribution isnt the same as another one, then it is less meritorious or less serious.

For every MLK willing to March, there had to be a Thurgood Marshall.

Second, online activist, I guess I consider myself to be one. Shouldn't be speaking for ANYBODY. The point of the internet is that anyone with the initiative can speak for themselves.

But I love the way folks want to make sure that online activists know that they aren't as important as person X,Y,Z because they didn't MAARCh.

Isn't the point that we shouldn't have to fight the same battles that the previous generation fought in the same way.

So I am not chastened in the least because you are engaging in the same behavior that you claim to be eschewing. Instead of making sure the next generation knows that they are less and didn't sacrifice enough, you ought to be asking what role you can play in opening up a dialog because this entire generational battle is being crafted by mainstream media anyway.

And YES, there is a group of people whose entire livelihood is based on exploiting the opression of others for their own personal gain.

[iman]

@ Gem

No, I'm not projecting. I had to reread my entire post to understand exactly what you are responding to and I'm convinced it can't be my post. I also reread Revvy Rev's post and I'm convinced it can't be his either.

The point of my response was that no method of organizing is superior and online activist are susceptible to the same pitfalls as the CRIC. If you look at the leadership of any movement, the CRIC is not unique. Once something moves further away from the grassroots, it becomes harder to remain relevant. The points you made were important, but had nothing to do with my post.

I do believe that the level of sacrifice made by parents generation is not matched in my generation and that's not a condemnation, it's just a fact. The stakes are much different for our generation and therefore we organize differently. We don't have to sacrifice in the same manner, because they did. That's precisely why I believe it's important to work collectively and use technology and traditional activism hand in hand when possible. There's a lot we could all learn from each other. And when say intergenerational I mean it in the true sense of the word - children included. I just met a teenager today who started his own organization and wowed me.

I could try to clarify myself further, but I think my first post was pretty clear. Im sorry if you, as an online activist, were offended by my post, but that was not my intent. If I didn't like your blog or your work I wouldn't read it. I'm not interested in coming to someone's blog to criticize it. However, I think my opinion is valid and I hope those people who do organize offline don't write off those that are older than us and find ways to connect to reach those people who will never use a computer.

[gem2001]

Nobody is writing off an entire generation. I don't see where this sentiment is coming from. You can't ignore the fact that some of the most well known members of what we call the CRIC have performed well past poor. but the CRIC is not an entire generation so I don't see where this idea that entire generation stuff is coming from.

[gem2001]

I give up! People are going to see what they want to see. nobody has written off an entire generation.

[Faith]

Those activists from the Civil Rights Era were not as plentiful as we are led to believe now anyway. A lot of people did NOT want to rock the boat. And yes, Black women abdicated their power to Black men who 'promised' to take care of everyone after they got theirs. We see how well that went. People from the Boomer Generation and beyond do have a lot to offer. As an X Gen I wish that more people would take on positions of leadership and mentorship. The Y and the Millenials will continue the efforts. We have to look at our mindset and motivations for what we have allowed and what we will change.