When President Barack Obama told the Black community to “stop complainin’” and “take off their bedroom slippers and put on their marching shoes,” some supporters really took his words to heart.
Najee Ali, Director of Project Islamic HOPE, has decided that enough is enough. With Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) on the warpath, Tavis Smiley speaking out against the president at every turn, and Dr. Cornel West joining forces with Ralph Nader to find a 2012 primary challenger against Obama, Ali is rallying the troops and planning a march on Crenshaw Ave. in Los Angeles, CA — the headquarters of ‘Smiley and West’ radio station.
Ali has issued the following “call-to-arms”:
“Tavis Smiley has been a critic of President Obama from the onset of his historic election and now Dr. Cornel West is leading a grassroots online community known as the New Progressive Alliance (NPA) in an effort to name a candidate as a primary challenger to President Obama. West has also teamed with consumer advocate Ralph Nader to help bring down President Obama.
Dr. West has every right to support who he wants to for President. But so do we. Dr. West and his attacks on President Obama do not reflect the opinions of the … majority of African Americans. So we cant allow Black leadership to front off our President.
If President Obama is not re-elected then the alternative will be much worse for African Americans. The Tea Party and the Republican party don’t care about African Americans or the issues that are important to us!
Stop Dr. Cornel West from helping to put us back on the plantation and send him a message that we support the President and not the viewpoint of West and Nader.
Remember back to 2000, when Nader himself ran as a third-party candidate? It’s important to remember what happens when Nader gets involved in challenging a Democrat. In 2000, he siphoned enough votes from Al Gore in Florida to swing the election to President Bush. It gave us eight years of Bush-Cheney politics and policies!
If West were being honest he would understand that 2000 was an example of what the consequences can be for the country.
A primary challenge could further divide the party and possibly dampen Democratic enthusiasm. These races could erode our ability to reach swing voters, who are crucial to electoral viability, by forcing candidates to draw a sharper contrast on issues than necessary to win an election.
By running as an independent and drawing votes in Florida that might otherwise have gone to Gore, Nader helped usher in eight of the worst years our country has ever seen. The fact that West would join forces with Nader can and should not go unchallenged. President Obama is not perfect. But the alternative will harm African Americans and the nation deeply. Lets tell West, and Tavis, how we really feel.”
Posted By: anita moore
Thursday, September 29th 2011 at 11:24AM
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