Letters to the Editor
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@lisaby, re: bitterness in the ranks
I saw what you saw. It was sad but also cathartic in the sense that it was a display of a frayed and tattered family (the party) doing the emotional work of pulling itself back together.
I stated earlier that it was akin to watching a child give guidance and counsel to an older, somewhat infirm, but still loved, parent. Very poignant, and for the first time in this travail of a primary I actually felt a sense of expectancy, tinged with melancholy over a bygone era. The era that is lost is one that in recent years neither supported nor reflected my value structure, so I have wished and have worked for its demise; however, I do not want to throw out the good people and core principles of the party in the process (the old baby with the bath water challenge).
I want to make room for more people and ideas.
One personal example: in Pa, where my husband and I live, the local, county and state party structure were not ones that were embracing of people like us- black, fairly well-educated, opinionated, and hard workers. None of those characteristics were appealingto them.
We tried to become involved and were rebuffed at every turn- I could tell you stories.
We worked for Obama and our visibility was noticed by the party because we were succesful where others were not. The party keeps asking us where we've been, and we keep saying- right here. The point is, they did not want us, and now they know they need us.
This is not a happy story. It is a sad story about the party that I think is being played out all over the country, albeit with different constituencies. The party has been disorganized.
It is a hopeful story in that the party is awakening, but it is one that also suggests there is tremendous work that must be done by the party.
BTW, Republicans saw this party disconnect early on and tried to bring black folks into the fold, but it didn't work to the degree they wished, and now the party has an opportunity to reconfigure this process of exclusion, or, intermittent inclusion, if you wish., by embracing people who want to belong, even black folks like me.