Happy New Year, everyone! Dana asked me yesterday, “When are you going to update your blog?” And I suddenly felt convicted. It’s been hard for me to regroup from the holiday break. Plus, I’m not sure I have much to say just yet; still searching for my 2009 voice, I guess.
Maybe another reason I’ve avoided blogging is that I’m so darned embarrassed to live in Illinois right now. After Governor Blagojevich’s arrest and tragic downfall, I thought the guy would keep a low profile and not stir up anymore trouble. Alas, Blago’s ego wouldn’t allow him to keep still. And so, last week he goes and names Roland Burris, a veteran African American politician, to fill Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat. You all know the rest.
Now, this week we have the fiasco of Mr. Burris going to Washington for the swearing-in ceremony and being turned away. We’ve got black politicians and church leaders in Illinois declaring that Burris has a legal right to the seat and should be allowed to fill the vacancy because there are currently no African Americans in the Senate. We’ve got President-elect Obama, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, Senator Harry Reid, and an assortment of other folks saying Burris should not be allowed to join the Senate because of the cloud of corruption hanging over Blagojevich’s governorship. And on and on it goes.
I need therapy, folks. As a lifelong Illinoisian (with a brief sojourn to Florida), I’m feeling lots of shame these days. What in the world is going on with my state?
What’s really sad is the way Blagojevich is brazenly playing the race card in this situation to apparently distract attention from his own sorry plight and curry favor with African Americans, who may be his last source of support. And what’s even sadder is the way some African American leaders, both from the political and church arenas, have played along with Blago’s desperate ploy. Looking especially bad in this whole mess is Roland Burris, who once seemed like a wise and respectable public servant. Why on earth would he go along with Blagojevich’s plan, knowing that it would lead to the very debacle we’re seeing right now in Springfield and Washington?
Ironically, the last power play for this particular Senate seat also involved a brazen dealing of the race card. Remember back in 2004 when Illinois Republicans recruited Alan Keyes, an outspoken African American conservative from Maryland, to come to the Land of Lincoln and battle Barack Obama for that U.S. Senate seat? I never thought I’d see such an outrageous display of racial politics in Illinois again—until now.
So, what do you think? As you might expect, there are plenty of interesting commentaries floating around the blogosphere and other media. Monroe Anderson, at EbonyJet.com, sarcastically quips, “[A]pparently, the [Senate] seat that once belonged to the president-elect now commands exclusive dibs from black pols in Illinois, period. No whites need apply. Asians or Hispanics shouldn’t bother either.” In an interview with NPR, Ta-Nehisi Coates of The Atlantic also argues that race shouldn’t matter in the Burris case. And Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page offers an insightful overview of the current saga in all its racialized messiness.
Reconciliation Blog 
All I can say… if people took off the COLORED glasses and just saw people AS PEOPLE… things would be a lot better…
What’s that old saying… “… if GOD turned us all inside-out… we’d all be the same color…”
Qualifications, Integrity and Respect – we ought to have high standards in everything we do… not lower our expectations so that many more can qualify…
Step UP -> of step off…
This is ridiculous. I was in Illinois for a stint and dealt with Blagojevich’s cutting of funding of the social services sector. Specifically adoption/foster-care. I haven’t had much respect for him and all of these doesn’t help.
I am not going to claim that he is guilty or not, but the sheer fact that he was told not to appoint a replacement for Obama’s seat and did anyway is pompous. He could have recommended Burris, but then gracefully expressed that Burris would only be appointed after all the investigating was done (if he was found guilty then a group could investigate Burris to seek for any involvement).
Burris should have also rejected the nomination from Blagojevich. Who would he be hurting? He could have earnestly expressed that he desired the seat, but didn’t want to do anything to damage his integrity given that Blagojevich was asked not to make an appointment. Because he did accept the appointment Burris has not only damaged the current possibilities he would have a senator, but also stunted additional political dealings. Even though he was respected it will be hard pressed to erase this from his resume.
At this point Burris’ chips are down. And he is a player in Blagojevich’s game of racial poker.
It helps to have a sense of humor, reading about Congress these days: Burris in IL, Franken in MN, Kennedy in NY. Sometimes, one has to laugh.
Bottom line… We have a constitution and by barring the appointment, no matter what Blago has done or whether we like him, Burris was legally appointed according to the constitution. Should he have made the appointment? No. But he has and has done so legally.
I agree that Blagojevich blatantly played the race card and that Burris was unwise to go along with the game, but I’m worried that the Democrats have created a dangerous precedent by refusing to seat him. Just watch: soon enough blocs of senators will begin finding all kinds of reasons to invalidate elections or appointments to the Senate. Oh look–it’s already happening in the Franken case.
The Dems (including Obama, of whom I am a fan) were too blustery, and Blagojevich called their bluff. What should have happened next, I think, is that the Democrats should have gone ahead and seated Burris while making strident objections to Blago’s move. I think they played this all wrong because they’re scared of the Republicans’ charges of corruption. They need to just chill about the Republicans and focus on governing wisely. Otherwise the Republicans will keep them all tied up in knots when they need to be getting things done.
I hope this debacle teaches Obama and his foreign policy team some valuable lessons about bluster, bluffs, and subsequent blunders.
Nice post. Thanks for getting the conversation started. Thanks Blackwasp for the great insights. I totally agree with you that Burris should have rejected the appointment. By accepting it, he has come off looking a little shady.
Welcome back, Ed. This one reminds me of a church situation I lived through. It just got weirder and weirder and weirder. Keep your chin up.
I have met Roland Burris and respect him for his service. That being said: “What was he thinking?”. Why would anyone want to be the senator that Blago appointed? Even if you are clean, you look dirty. Even if you are qualified, you are seen as a suspect. Burris set himself up to be seen as a corrupt polititian. I am just so confused. Why?
I wonder if African American leaders care what it does to race relations when they go along with stuff like this. Speaking from a white perspective, it doesn’t help gain respect or support. It’s disheartening and irritating. I want to reach across the other side and then more of this. More grandstanding and power grabbing.
What is even more disheartening is that the rule of law, which any society is based on, is being disregarded. It should be pretty simple: What does Illinois and federal law say about appointing a Senator? What is Illinois law regarding a corrupt governor or one that is being investigated? There’s nothing in the law about getting an African American in the senate. How could that reasoning reasonably enter the situation?
And Blago is one arrogant dude. Dang.
Judy,
Your tone is pretty alarming to me. Here is what you said…
“I wonder if African American leaders care what it does to race relations when they go along with stuff like this. Speaking from a white perspective, it doesn’t help gain respect or support. It’s disheartening and irritating. I want to reach across the other side and then more of this. More grandstanding and power grabbing.”
What are you trying to say when you say “reach across the other side?”
I think I know what you are talking about but I will not assume. I will let you explain.
Secondly if this prevents you from “reaching over” (as you put it) then I think that is unfortunate. The bigger issue is this man named “blago” and his corruption but to turn it around and make it about the African American leaders to me is ridiculous. You should already respect African American leaders and they shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to earn your respect and support.
If that is the case then you don’t respect the white leaders either cause the real criminial here is Blago. I am sure one could say… “yeah I don’t respect these white leaders” but that isn’t the case. Just seems like you have a magnifying glass on the African American leaders and when they mess up there goes the respect and support.
With this criteria you can in no way respect the white leaders which I am sure you cannot say nor are you asking the question… “How does this effect race relations…” when a white leaders messes up.
How come you didn’t ask this question in light of Blago? Let me ask it for you… (something like this).
“I wonder how the black community feels about this white man who has taken an oath to serve the people and yet he is filled with lies, deceit, and arrogance. I wonder how the minority feels about this when it comes to race relations, when it seems that those who are a part of the dominant culture (i.e. white people) and running this country are falling into corruption? I wonder how they (white leaders) expect us to respect and support them when they are falling into this stuff? It’s disheartening and irritating. I want to reach across the other side and then more of this. More grandstanding and power grabbing.”
I think it is very “isolated” to say this as if the black leaders are being examined just to have folks like you begin to “respect and support” them… I think your support is not needed if you have this view in the first place.
Not to sound mean but you need to understand that white folks are not the final say when it comes to “respect and support” and if you want to put people under a microscope then you should do the same for your own people.
Judy you know I respect you and your mind but this to me is very one sided and unfortunate.
Just my thoughts on Judy’s comments and not necessarily on Ed’s post.
Peace!
Wow. Great conversation happening here. Thanks for all your comments. I’m fascinated to see the various views expressed here. Just want to clarify that I’m not suggesting that Blagojevich doesn’t have the right to name Burris to that Senate seat. Despite his alleged corruption, he still does.
What irks me is that someone of Burris’s stature would lower himself to play Blago’s twisted game. Clarence Page, whom you’ve probably guessed is one of my favorite columnists from the Trib, continues to deconstruct the saga in his blog: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/pagespage/2009/01/burris-desperat.html. He says it much better than I could.
Benefit. Of. The. Doubt. Please.
What I mean is, trying to understand one another, trying to understand and trust one another’s intentions. When African American leaders act in the manner Ed stated, it does not help race relations, and it does not help gain respect. You know, the kind of respect you give someone when they act honorably. Do you think it helps? It’s not preventing me specifically from trying to understand “the other side,” but it is detrimental overall because it presents another hurdle to go over. I know a lot of white people. I know what they think when they see stuff like this. And it doesn’t help. Perhaps these white people should be more open minded. But they aren’t. It would be helpful if they saw less of this stuff. That’s all I was saying.
And I use the term “other side” just because if you’re talking about race relations , it’s one race relating to another, black vs white in this case.
I’m not sitting back in some position of superiority and saying, “You have to earn my respect, do this, do that.” I’m sorry you assume that. However, I can not respect a person or persons who use situations like this and “pull the race card” to get attention and power. And I do wonder if these particular people care about how it affects race relations.
I think it is obvious that Blago is the main criminal here, hence I didn’t think it was necessary for me to comment at length on that fact. My comments do not expound on every single thought I have regarding a post. Otherwise I’d write a book with each post. I try to add something that hasn’t been added or something that struck me. And yeah, you’re right, I’m having a hard time drumming up much respect in my mind for the Illinois governor.
In my comment, I was trying to comment on race relations. So I guess what I as a white person thought of another white person didn’t spring to mind.
If someone wants to comment on how an African American feels about Blago using race here to deflect criticism from himself and how it affects race relations, that’s fine. I’m not African American so I can’t comment from that perspective. But it is equally valuable.
I was not even discussing the point of a white or black leader simply “messing up,” I was discussing specifically using “the race card” to get attention and power. Those are two different things.
I in no way implied that white people never mess up, never do anything detrimental to race relations or anything like that. I was not trying to be the final say in anything or imply that my perspective is more important than anyone else’s. I made a comment about one aspect of the story and that was all I meant it to be. It was not meant to be a thorough complete and balanced commentary on the entire post. So please don’t judge my comment thinking that was what I was trying to do.
Point taken! 🙂
Hey, friends. Please check out UrbanFaith.com for another conversation on this topic. It includes an adapted version of my post here and an opposing view by one of my colleagues at Urban Ministries Inc., Dr. Rosa Sailes. And while you’re visiting there, please feel free to continue the discussion and leave a comment. We’re slowly trying to build traffic over there, so your help is much appreciated. Thanks!
http://www.urbanfaith.com/2009/01/more-scandal-in-illinois.html
In order to leave a comment on UrbanFaith.com’s blog – you have to jump through all sorts of hoops…
I just wanted to say that I was disappointed… cauze now everyone has jumped over to the other side…
Obama Waffles on Roland Burris Senate Seat…
There’s nothing like a fresh Obama Waffle. This one is served with a side-order of drama. The feast unfolds when Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich picked former Attorney General Roland Burris to fill the Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama. The Senate Democratic leadership, most notably Harry Reid and Dick Durbin, threw a fit worthy of a good old-fashioned food fight, promising to bar the doors to prevent Burris from serving.
As reported by CNN on 12/31/08, while affirming Burris, Obama was quick to side with Senate Dems. Obama said, “Roland Burris is a good man and a fine public servant, but the Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago that they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat. I agree with their decision and it is extremely disappointing that Governor Blagojevich has chosen to ignore it.”
That’s fence jumping at it’s best…. I’m disappointed !
Just Meee,
Thanks for your feedback. Could you help a brother out by letting me know exactly what it was that was off-putting about signing into UrbanFaith.com and what would’ve made it a better experience for you? Still trying to work out the kinks, so any feedback is much appreciated. This also goes for anyone else out there who would be kind enough to share your comments. I value your opinions. Thanks again.
Ed G.