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Horton
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It doesn’t matter where the cloth came from. Now either address the OP of this thread or start your own. Please address the tweets directly.
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‘Africans Are Not Children’: Democrats Face Backlash From Black Voices Over
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Horton
Guest
So what about the tweets in the article? Any comment on those? Or is it too difficult to defend the photo op stunts of Pelosi and crew?
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JapaneseKappa
Guest
Of course it does. Look, your article says the following:
But it was the Congressional Black Caucus’ decision that the Kente fabric was appropriate. It seems to me that what the critics would have preferred is if the Democrats told the Congressional Black Caucus what was and was not appropriate.
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ThinkingSapien
Guest
I don’t have any strong feelings about it. I always find it interesting to hear how events within the USA are perceived by people outside of them. I’m without strong feelings myself on the use of the cloth or the tweets in the article
In modern times Kente cloth is used to symbolize many different things. In the USA among other things, Kente cloth can symbolize ethnic pride or solidarity. I asked a few of my friends (African-Americans) what it means to them. For one friend (from the Caribbean) it means a connection with Africa. He told me that each pattern has a history associated with it. He added (without me asking) that he thinks it was unadvisable for Pelosi to wear the cloth, but doesn’t have strong feelings about it. Rather, he thinks that this is an opportunity to educate about the histories of what it symbolizes. But he didn’t have any strong feelings either.
I asked an African-American seamstress specifically because I knew she had made some masks for people that were flying. Some of which used a Kente cloth pattern. She told me that it represents a connection with Africa and black people. Without prompting from me she went on to tell me that she thought it was silly that Pelosi was getting criticism since the Kente cloth was that of the Black Caucus. From there she somehow transitioned into talking about thinking that Candace Owens is ridiculous…
I asked another. While she is aware of the cloth and the patterns she didn’t think that any of this was a big deal.
I don’t think they deny it. Meanwhile, the ones I mentioned claim to be unbiased news sources. It is dishonest.
The Nation is left wing magazine. They are honest about it. I respect that.
Now, let’s talk about the subject instead of the source.
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Horton
Guest
But what else was said? Certainly this was not all was it?
How about this quote? Or this one?
Are these not important enough to comment on?
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Horton
Guest
So you followed @JapaneseKappa down the rabbit hole. The tweets and critisizem were not only about the cloth but mostly about the virtue signaling of the Dems once again. It’s the same old “there’s a crisis to exploit” thinking that goes on. The “we are with you brother” public stunts when in reality they just don’t care.
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JapaneseKappa
Guest
They’re valid questions and opinions. They’re evidence that some people didn’t like the event. They’re not the kind of strong backlash this article is trying to make the case for. “Not everyone liked a thing” is not news.
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ThinkingSapien
Guest
My reply is independent of anything that he or she said.
I’ve since talked to a third person. She had said that she might look at it as performance had they not also presented legislation. Since it had action in the form of presenting legislation she did not see it as an empty gesture.
Kind of like the difference in “I’ll keep you in my thoughts” vs “I’ll keep you in my thoughts and I’ve also taken action to reduce the load that you have to carry.” Keeping someone in one’s thoughts might not alter an outcome. But when accompanied with action it isn’t quite an empty gesture. She was also of the opinion that this was nothing to be mad over.
This last person was a political science major. She’s got a lot more familiarity with political and American history than is typical. While there are several grievances that she can name this isn’t among them.
My own opinion though is that with them taking action to prevent the unnecessary loss of life I just can’t bring myself to focus on criticism on this. But if someone else has a passionate disposition about this than so be it. I have no criticism of them either. Follow your convictions.
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JapaneseKappa
Guest
I’ve taken a tally:
Number of critics quoted in your article who explicitly complain about the cloth: 5
Number of critics quoted in your article who do not mention cloth: 1
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Horton
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I keep forgetting how literal liberals are.
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JapaneseKappa
Guest
Oh! But I thought we were supposed to directly address the points being made.
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Horton
Guest
So how about we actually talk about the content, about what people, what Black people are saying about this. You can deflect all you want with claiming the news source is unreliable or where the cloth came from, but the fact remains the comments address far more than you’d like to believe.
Jeffery A Dove Jr.@JefferyADoveJr
Does wearing kente cloth and taking a knee mean you are all of a sudden “down with the struggle”? This is why people hate disingenuous politicians. Speaker Pelosi was there for the 94 crime bill. She is part of the problem. #VA10 https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1269999247740502018 …
Karen Attiah
I look at this and think, who is the audience for this performance?
Why was this necessary? [ …]
Obianuju Ekeocha
I had to say something about the American politicians shameless and ignorantly using the Kente fabric as a prop in their virtue signaling.
*I’m usually more mild mannered than this so please forgive me, I’m upset.
roxane gay
I am not sure what’s funnier, those ridiculous politicians wearing kente cloth or Cory Booker smartly opting out of that absurd performance.
Bulelani Mfaco@BulelaniMfaco
I’m Black and I don’t even own that thing on their necks that supposedly represents Blackness. Also, I hate how Democrats always pretend that they have never had a chance to fix USA when they’ve been in government too https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1269999247740502018 …
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JapaneseKappa
Guest
Look, that was literally my first response in this thread. I pointed out that it was not the democrat’s idea to use the kente cloth as a prop.
The only other criticism which remains after we accept “kente cloth was not a premeditated attempt to virtue signal” is “The democrats have missed opportunities in the past.” Which is almost certainly true, but also completely divorced from the the “Africans are not children” and “backlash” sentiments in the title.
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Horton
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BTW - I wrote this post right after your first response. It took this long to get approved.
We did not accept the kente cloth was not a premeditated attempt to virtue signal. I’m stating it could have been any kind of African appearing item, it didn’t matter to them because they don’t care enough about the people they are trying to convince that they are with them.
Sure it was. They took the cloth they knew had something to do with Africa but didn’t know exactly but hey, why not? It makes them look like they’re supporting the cause. Is there video of all of them kneeling the entire 8+ min? There are a lot of Catholics that can’t kneel on a hard surface floor for half that time.
We did not accept the kente cloth was not a premeditated attempt to virtue signal. I’m stating it could have been any kind of African appearing item, it didn’t matter to them because they don’t care enough about the people they are trying to convince that they are with them.
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ThinkingSapien
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I think that the reform bill actually supports the cause. I think that actual support is worthy of mention along side the appearance of support.
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Horton
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As though they have written a bill in such a short amount of time. They will talk about writing a bill but they will never work to get a workable bill into law.
They are pandering to a group of people who they want to vote for Democrats.
They are pandering to a group of people who they want to vote for Democrats.
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ThinkingSapien
Guest
This criticism is on a productive outcome. I think it more fair to reserve that for the event of failing to present the bill. It is unusual to offer criticism for what one has not failed to do yet.
Once effort has been demonstrated then the criticism for only appearance of support is inapplicable.
I’m sure that there are criticisms of substance to be made instead of criticisning anticipatory outcomes.
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