There are various reasons why the issue of racism and race has trumped my other philosophical beliefs throughout my life. In my 20s I thought myself a Marxist, in my 30s a socialist, in my 40s a social democrat, and now... don't ask... I feel the last 30 years of Reagan Thatcherism has made most people debt slaves.
But for all that, racism is what led to my political awakening. It happened to myself as a child (I was called Jewboy Jukes) and then, when my adopted kid brother joined the family in 1970 and we moved to the countryside, I got in endless fights because of the horrific names he was called - names I won't repeat now. Two aesthetics and histories underpinned my literary and historic awakening in my teens and twenties: Gospel, Jazz, Soul, Reggae and the works of Langston Hughes, Richard Wright (Lorca on New York), combined with a terrible fear and compulsion to understand the holocaust, as my mother (who's grandfather had fled the Armenian Genocide) was adopted by a man who also looked after Jewish refugees from Nazi Europe.
Actually, on second thoughts, it's no surprise the issue of racism trumps all others in my mind. I see the catastrophic genocidal history of Europe, from the Armenian Genocide to the Bosnian War, as vitiated by racism and nationalism even more than the Marxist categories of class. I could go on more here... But it's late in Poland and my personal history is not the point.
I've been a member of DKos since the elections of 2004. I've liked my time here, but the vitriol is sometimes hard to stomach, and I've always been wary. I know I'm now known, apart from my diaries about Murdoch, Libya or Islamophobia, as something of a flame wars meta fighter. I'm sorry if I got too involved in that, at my expense or anyone elses. But this only happened at the beginning of the year.
Prior to that, I've really doubted people's expressions of the racism they found on Dkos. I thought this might just be warring egos, or a way of neutralising attacks on the President (I have criticisms especially on economics but I rate his foreign policy). It was only when I got down in the weeds, saw the racial games played by Rainbowgirl (aka Linfar), the horrible racially violent undertones in posts by the like of Arthur Poet, and then the sustained trolling of BKos and its editors, especially Denise Oliver Velez, who I knew from MYDD days, that I got a small clue what it was like to be a black commenter here.
Not only were you patronised, told to stop whining, trolled and had your career demeaned or your background insulted: time and time again, bringing up any issue of racism provoked the classic guilty response: Are you calling me a racist? You're a reverse racist.... You're just trying to silence me by talking about race.
Now I know most the people who made the latter comments aren't racist. Indeed, I think racist comments can be made, exposed, atoned for and learned from, in a way dyed in the wool racists could never expose themselves too. I trust most Kossacks are not any more racist than they are homophobic or sexist. But...
The things I've heard said to AAs on this site: for some reason, some intranecine fight that seems to be between right and left, and the presence of the first ever Black President, this age old epithets of 'Uncle Tom', and even more group bullying and baiting, has been tolerated against Black Kossacks more than any other group.
I really regret MB's departure. I was in the thread when an argument erupted between him and various other Kossacks because he seemed to be calling racism a 'factional issue'. It's not a factional issue. You can't take two sides on racism on a progressive site, and the issue is too huge in a national which still remembers segregation, to put racism aside this way. Rereading the thread I realised MB was talking about divulging personal information as a 'factional issue' and stepped in to try to explain.
Time and time again that argument has been used against me and Black Kossacks: that they were calling MB racist, or at least enabling it. They were right about the bigger issue: race isn't a factional thing. But I'm really sorry MB felt he was attacked.
However, the greater issue is racism. Now that, with MB gone, the current round of moderation has literally decimated BKos, removed privileges from most its senior members, and had two important black diarists (and they were important even if you loathed what they said) banned from this site, I can't carry on here without protest
The stark fact is this:
Black folks at DKos, 3% of the site users, about 30% of the banned and rating pulle
d users.
So I'm joining the boycott suggested by Robinswing - I'm calling it the Bkos/Sistahspeak Boycott but will happily edit the title when it's given a proper name. I hope the unbalanced bannings and egregiously race orientated punishments are rectified soon, and that I can continue to update you on the evolving Murdoch story (if not you can find me at the site on my sig). In many ways I love this place, and have made many many friends
I don't for one moment believe Kos deliberately targeted Black Kossacks, but the net effect is still there. I think he caught out dozens of people who were acting in self defense, but the timing (and lack of knowledge) made them look more like aggressors and bullies. It can happen. No side is free in a factional war from bad behaviour.
But the issue of race is beyond a factional war. It lies at the heart of the problems of my continent, and probably yours. I have to follow my instinct here, and support the cause I hold most dear when I see other Kossacks responding to the call.
And if I can't keep off this site because of the issue closest to my heart, then I don't deserve to be here anyway.
Peace. And I hope I don't provoke too many flames.
I hope sanity and balance will return here, and I can see you soon
UPDATE ONE: the stats on BKos bannings and privilege removal are not easy to calculate. Srebrel has had a bash
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Others have calculated thirty percent of BKos based on last Fridays Black Kos diary
UPDATE TWO: I mean no disrespect or lack of compassion to other communities who suffer real life harassment both here and in the wider world, but in this particular purge of the last few days, I've not seen any other community so targeted as AAs. Forgive me if I've got that wrong.
UPDATE THREE: Before I log off for the week, do rec and rate some other amazing 'boycott diaries'. Some are already on the rec list. Sorry if I don't have time to link to them all, but check for the boycott tag
Onomastic http://www.dailykos.com/...
Hamden Rice http://www.dailykos.com/...
Hardart http://www.dailykos.com/...
Mr Jaytee http://www.dailykos.com/...
Chicago Minx http://www.dailykos.com/...
Empty Vessel http://www.dailykos.com/...
And many more names signing up in Mets102 original diary
http://www.dailykos.com/...
5:21 PM PT: Also Bubbanomics
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Julie Gulden http://www.dailykos.com/...
ToofolkGr http://www.dailykos.com/...
Actually, I'm proud to be on the same list as these people
6:02 PM PT: I really must go to bed. But more boycott diaries
Blue Tex http://www.dailykos.com/...
Unspeakable http://www.dailykos.com/...
Lisa Lockwood http://www.dailykos.com/...
Citizen K http://www.dailykos.com/...
Seeta08 http://www.dailykos.com/...
Raptavio http://www.dailykos.com/...
And an URGENT MESSAGE from SBEREL
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Please do not post new diaries from now, 8:45 PM through 10 PM eastern time. This is for IGTNT, which is posting at 9 PM.
6:07 PM PT: Also pager http://www.dailykos.com/...
Mapamp http://www.dailykos.com/...
6:20 PM PT: Also Brubs http://www.dailykos.com/...
Kingsmeg http://www.dailykos.com/...
And a heartfelt frontline experience from Mally
http://www.dailykos.com/...
6:26 PM PT: earicle http://www.dailykos.com/...
Really have to go to bed now. 3.30 polish time. I'm sure more diaries will come in overnight. Obviously I can include now I'm logging off for a while. But good luck. I hope our voice is hear. Kos is a progressive, and a reasonable man: I'm sure we'll find a way through