Defender defends Meeks
Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
A Chicago Defender editorial defends James Meeks, chastises black clergymen.
The meeting between the Rev. James Meeks and Clergy Speaks International on Monday was supposed to be an opportunity to discuss the state senator’s possible third party bid for governor. Instead, sources in attendance say it was more along the lines of a session with the state Democratic Party.
Many of the Black pastors reached the conclusion that a run by Meeks – one of their own – could somehow damage the Democratic Party’s election efforts in November. Well, so what? Can we drive through Roseland, Englewood, Bronzeville and any number of other communities and visibly see what Democratic loyalty has done for African Americans?
Pastors often preach that if their congregations tithe, then God will honor obedience. So how have Democrats honored Black folks with their religious devotion to the party of FDR?
What Meeks is asking – which is fundamental to politics – is that African Americans must get something in return for their vote. Forget the last election. We must have something in return for what is going to happen in November.
Meeks recognizes that the last thing Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his supporters want is to see a dramatic drop in the Black vote. Demanding action from his office is necessary to get it. What matters to us the most is education and employment. When Meeks declares African Americans must get an urban agenda, then he’s right.
The Dems have just two options: take Meeks seriously and pony up some resources or ignore him altogether and tell him to put up or shut up.
If they do the latter, it could cost them dearly in the fall. Hopefully, Clergy Speaks International will find some backbone and stand with Meeks and demand our fair share of the state’s resources for all our people.
- anon - Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 6:43 am:
I applaud clergy speaks for having the backbone to stand up to Rev. Meeks. He came to them with no plan of his own and they called him on it. How do you endorse someone who has not shown you what they will do when they get into office?
Rev. Meeks insults the black clergy and by extension their congregations by treating us like the democratic party; by not having a plan for our community. He left the meeting and went and spoke to the evangelical christians. I did not see anywhere in the news that the evangelical christians endorsed him, so I say to you and the defender do not start name calling.
If meeks wants to run and get black votes he should tell us what issues besides education he stands for, also who else is a part of his slate? He would not tell us at the clergy speaks meeting.
- BIG R.PH - Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 7:24 am:
So if the “black vote” does not get anything from the Democratic Party why does it keep voting Democrat? 60 years of FDR & LBJ and the “Great Society”. Just what has the “black vote” gained from the Democratic Party in those 60 years?
- Cassandra - Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 8:02 am:
It is not solely loyally Democratic African American communities which get nothing back from the Dems when they are in power.
My very loyally Democratic community of Oak Park near Chicago, the epitome of extreme Democratic liberalism and loyalty, has gotten virtually nothing since the Dems came into power. We actually got more from the Republicans. And we need help. Property taxes are syrocketing, elementary schools are performing poorly (the district has a $600,000 deficit to fill), a formerly diverse community is resegregating along the east side, and violent crime is up.
Perhaps it’s because our state senators and reps are clueless but things are so bad that the local paper made a big deal out of the two state senators (Yarbrough, Harmon) getting $100,000 for a branch library makeover. Now, libraries are nice, but this was a vanity project for the senators and only marginally addresses our serious problems.
It’s not clear who the Dem party does pay attention to, but I suspect, big donors
and Chicago Machine Democrats connected to Daley.
Nobody else counts and nobody else gets any of what is, in the end, our money.
- DOWNSTATE - Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 10:29 am:
HE AIN’T GOING TO RUN!!!!!!!!!!!
- unclebill - Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 12:12 pm:
all of this is interesting and brings up major issues in relation to party support and payoff after elections!
Something has to change because things are bad in the hood!
I question both parties loyality to the people!
- Levois - Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 12:55 pm:
Good for the Defender to stand up for meeks and against the Democratic Party loyalties of the group of minsters.
- Lovie's Leather - Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 2:15 pm:
I wish everybody would stop crapping their pants about Meeks. He ain’t gonna run. There is no reason for him to run. Blago is gonna give him what he wants, unless he thinks that Meeks would draw the conservative vote away from Topinka. If he thinks so, he is more foolish that I think he is. There has been way to much build-up… he knows he can’t win… and if he thinks he can… he is more foolish than I think he is…
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 5:55 pm:
Dear Chicago Defender:
1. Legislation to end racial profiling.
2. 17 reforms of the death penalty, and a moratorium.
3. Expungement legislation to help ex-offenders.
4. Increase the earned income tax credit.
5. Make the earned income tax credit permanent.
6. Increase the minimum wage to $6.50 per hour.
7. Real dollars for Chicago schools.
8. Increased funding for child care for single parents.
9. Health care for tens of thousands of working parents and their children.
10. What the heck has the Chicago Defender done for the black community lately, except move out of the black community and into The Loop?
- B Hicks - Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 6:08 pm:
Now Meeks is smooching up to AFSCME, or vice-versa. He want’s 2000 vacant state positions filled. “It’s only 50-million dollars.”
Now, he’s looking foolish.
- Johnny USA - Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 6:12 pm:
YDD -
1. It still happens. Don’t you read the newspapers?
2. And that helps honest law-abiding members of the black community how?
3. And that helps honest law-abiding members of the black community how?
4. Yes, and then raise my property taxes, taxes on fuel, cta fares, cigarette tax, etc more.
5. Ibid 4
6. Try to raise a family on that.
7. Oh yes, the schools are awash with cash.
8. Try to get your child into daycare. The waiting list is months long.
9. OK…this one I’ll give ya.
10. That is an insult. The Defender is an institution with a rich heritage. You should be ashamed of yourself with that remark.
Platitudes, my friend. Give us something we can use.
- ANON - Wednesday, Apr 5, 06 @ 7:07 pm:
rich,
you mentioned in a prior comment that you did ask meeks about using his tax-exmpt pulpit to campaign; well, what his answer????