Ethnic Cleansing At Air America Radio

The Cincinnati Black Blog ^ | April 13, 2005 | Nate Livingston

[natelivingston]

I guess this should be filed in the "Washington Politics" thread ... I'm an African American registered Democrat. I don't mind giving conservative Republicans hell when they deserve it. But unlike many conservative, I don't mind speaking out against my Party when I think they are wrong and encouraging them to do the right thing.

Anyway, white liberals are having fits about the article posted below, which was written by me and published on my blog, in Black newspapers across the country, and at the liberal Daily Kos blog.

I'm posting the article here because I'd like to have some feedback from a more conservative audience. (I also sent it to Mr. Hannity. Who knows, he may do something with it one day.)

ETHNIC CLEANSING AT AIR AMERICA RADIO

When liberal Air America Radio Network yanked hip-hop legend Chuck D, a member of Public Enemy, off the air on April Fool’s Day and replaced him with Jerry Springer, they made fools out of Black Democrats, especially those in the hip-hop community who believed Air America would serve as a shining example of the Democratic Party’s purported commitment to tolerance, diversity, and partnership.

When the Coalition For A Just Cincinnati -- the group leading the economic boycott of Cincinnati -- decided to protest ethnic cleansing at Air America by picketing a live Springer broadcast, Jerry showed us just how intolerant he was. Like a scab, he crossed the picket line. Then he ordered a member of his all-white “Team Springer” clan to call the cops on us. In contrast, conservative Republican Sean Hannity welcomed protesting of his appearance in Cincinnati last summer. Who’s intolerant?

After being on the air for a year, Air America finds itself struggling to attract and keep listeners, just as the Democratic Party struggles to gain and keep voters. The removal of Chuck D -- one of only two daily African American talk show hosts -- represents much more than just the “whitening” of Air America, it symbolizes just how far the Party has drifted away from the Black community, it’s most loyal support base.

White liberals’ support for racial, ethnic, and viewpoint diversity appears nonexistent when it’s them, and not the government, being challenged to diversify. Air America passed over hundreds of qualified and experienced African American talk radio hosts i.e., Tavis Smiley, Bev Smith, Ed Gordon, Raqiyah Mays, and Joe Madison, for such no names as Ed Schultz, Mark Maron, and Sam Seder. But it’s not like we weren’t warned.

In announcing his debut on Air America, Springer said the radio network had cornered the “wine and cheese” crowd but needed to reach out to the “beer and pretzel” market. If you think these sentiments mirror Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean’s belief that Democrats should quit placating African Americans and start recruiting “white guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks” into the Party, you aren’t alone.

Even beyond racial diversity, Air America’s white overseers have done little to foster an ideologically diverse listener base or allow all voices within the Democratic Party to be heard. Air America has turned into an endless stream of boring bellyaching, where so much time is spent responding to conservative talking points that we can’t push an alternative agenda. This isn’t the best our Party has to offer, it is the worst. The notion that a few elitist reactionaries represent the Party of Roosevelt and Kennedy is preposterous. Springer and the rest of the second-tiered talk show hosts don’t speak for me, and I don’t think they speak for Latinos, Women, hard-working union members, or other African Americans either. Air America represents the hijacking of the Democratic Party, silencing of minority voices, and destruction of a common sense agenda.

Every election cycle, Democrats run through Black neighborhoods preaching partnership, but the alliance between Blacks and Democrats resembles less a partnership, and more a master-slave relationship where African Americans work like slaves to increase voter participation while whites reap all the benefits. Remember last year’s “voter empowerment” effort where Russell Simmons and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs were dispatched around the country and assigned to lure young African Americans into the election process? At the same time Combs was preaching “Vote or Die”, former Senator Carol Moseley-Braun and Rev. Al Sharpton were being killed off in the Democratic primaries. And right after the election Ron Kirk and Wellington Webb were looked over for the position of DNC Chair in favor of Dean. What does it take for Blacks to get the message that once Democrats have no further use for Blacks, they dispose of them. They did it to Combs, Simmons, Moseley-Braun, Sharpton, Kirk, and Webb. And that’s exactly what Air America did to Chuck D.

“Fight the power” is my favorite Public Enemy song and the movie it appeared in “Do The Right Thing” is my favorite Spike Lee movie. One of the movie’s main characters, Buggin’ Out, wants the pizza owner, Sal, to put some pictures of African Americans on the wall. Lee’s movie and Chuck D’s lyrics inspired a generation to stand up to those in power and declare “…got to give us what we want; gotta give us what we need. Our freedom of speech is freedom or death; we got to fight the powers that be.” I know I’m not alone when I say white liberal Democrats need to live up to their promises on tolerance, diversity, and partnership. And Air America needs to put some African Americans on the air.

-----

Nathaniel Livingston, Jr., publishes the Cincinnati Black Blog which is available online at

[add925]

WTAM in Cleveland pulled Glenn Beck for Jerry Springer. Beck went to WHLO, Akon.

They will regret this when the next ratings appear.

[Kenton]

Sorry Nathan, the Democrats are the party of the white liberal elites. They are the ones speaking for the party. And don't worry, they have everything under control!

• They need you once every four years. You will know when it is time, because they will start paying attention to you.
• They will let you know where you are supposed to go to on election day.
• They will let you know who you are supposed to vote for.

Now stop acting so uppity, or you'll piss these people off and a lot of innocent household servants will suffer. They don't really need blacks like they used to, with all those spare Mexicans...

[TheForceOfOne]

Listening to Air Head America radio is a form of cruel and inhumane treatment for anyone who listens to these freaks and washed up comedians, kinda like a self hate crime if you choose to listen.

Favorite Air Head America meal:

Stuffed Camel

1 whole camel, medium size
1 whole lamb, large size
20 whole chickens, medium size
60 eggs
12 kilos rice
2 kilos pine nuts
2 kilos almonds
1 kilo pistachio nuts
110 gallons water
5 pounds black pepper
Salt to taste

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Another Conservative Afro-American Champion ( yes, I call them Champions, because of their courage, and willingness to make a stand against what is popular, and to stand up for what is RIGHT ) is Jessy Peterson.
Nate, we hope that you will find that we are not as bad and difficult as the Dem's/libs/MSM make us out to be.
Did you know that the Republican party was conceived and born out of the Antislavery movement before the civil war ?
And it was the Republicans after the civil war who were the ones who were trying to protect the black people in the South.
Is was the Democrats who were the ones, who were pushing for reintroducing slavery back after the Civil war.
It was the Democrats who maimed, killed, harassed the blacks , and killed, maimed, harassed blacks who wanted to run for public office after the civil war.
It was a Republican President ( Eisenhower ) who sent in federal troops to protect those 9 black students in the 1950s, were a Democrat Governor sent in his own State Guard troops to prevent those students from going to school.
I am not saying that the Republican party is perfect, there are many things that we should be ashamed of, or apologize for, and ( I speak for myself ) yes, we dropped the ball concerning afro Americans in the passed, but, I doubt it, if the Republicans ever " USED " the blacks, or even white people.
This is how I look at my fellow Republicans/Conservatives and I, most of us in our lives have come to a ( Individual choice /conclusion/decision ) in what we believe, and our values.
The Democrats " TELL YOU WHAT TO BELIEVE " and so does the MSN, they spoon feed you in what " THEY WANT YOU TO THINK AND BELIEVE " .
I admit, I once was a Democrat ( while living under my parents house ) thats all I knew, was what my father and mother said, and believed and voted for.
But, one day ? I " SAW THE LIGHT " I became enlightened, and became FREE !!!! I am able, as a Republican/Conservative ( this is the true American Spirit ) to think on my own ( without someone telling what I am suppose to believe and think ) make my own conclusions.
Nate, I challenge you to do your own study, to study were the Republican Party was born from, and what we believe and value, and I challenge you to come to YOUR own conclusions, and not what the Democrats/Liberals/MSM want you to think or believe.
We hope that you do get to sit down ( or even go fishing ) with Seal Hannity, or even Rush Limbaugh, I believe if you were to sit down with them, and have a gentleman's claim discussion, you would be amazed in how much Black people, and white people, and Latinos, and all races have in common.
Nate, a leader is someone who leads, who takes the initiative, someone who does the right thing, despite of what the popular thinking or prevailing thinking is at that moment, please ? take the initiative to make a appointment to sit down with Seal Hannity ( or RUSH LIMBAUGH ) and even just for the sake of it, in a claim, gentlemans way, explain your frustrations with them, have a open stimulating talk with them.

[libs_kma]

Just FYI to all who appear to be falling for "this" Nate Livingston, take it from someone in Cincinnati area who has seen his "work" up close. There are other Cincinnati area FReepers that can vouch that this is accurate as well.

The nate being expressed here is not the real Nate Livingston. The real Nate Livingston is a race baiter and radical of the likes of Rev Jesse and Rev Al.

Nate is a part of the Cincinnati crowd who was screaming gimme, gimme, gimme when the city started rioting in 2001 and he pops up every now and again to yell gimme some more.

Believe it when he says he's African American and a Democrat and beleive anything he says after that at your own risk.

[Lazamataz]

Thanks for your post.

[Pietro]

gee, so much to say so little space.

Anyway here's what I think; as long as you play 'identity politics' you and people like you will be losers. Sure the dims are using you but guess what; you're asking for it. Why do you think Reps. don't go around promising they're going to give this group something and that group something? The reps. expect that you're an adult and have freedom of movement, ergo, you have control of your life.

This is America, you can do anything, be anything you want. You don't need my permission and you certainly don't need the dims permission, so stop protesting and get on w/ it.

Hell, did p diddy "ask" somebody if he was allowed to write moronic lyrics? Of course not, he just did it, and became quite rich doing it.

Finally, the movie "Do the Right thing" was, in my opinion, the most self-indulgent p.o.s. I think I've ever seen.

[Riverman94610]

Mr Livingston,Nice analysis and it further confirms my views that white liberals just LOVE black people as long as they,the liberals,can control the agenda and as long as "y'all"don't get TOO close to their sons and daughters in the elite private schools they let a few-very few-minorities into.
That being said,we all have fallen short in erasing discrimination and that includes lots of conservatives who love to extol"I look at the content of one's character,not the color of one's skin"but you rarely ever see these advocates of a color blind society mixing and mingling in any significant way with anyone other than"their own kind"I think the right would have more legitimacy among blacks if they would LIVE the principles they claim to believe in.Example-a middle aged Jewish friend of mine is a dyed in the wool opponent of affirmative action and would not hold his tongue at work.Yet no one called him a racist?Why?Because his grandkids were black AND he had a natural flow and comfort level in mostly black groups.He had their respect and they knew his opposition to race preferences was based on principle,not color.
Thanks for your insights.

[Lazamataz]

First, a heartfelt welcome to FreeRepublic. You'll get flamed to hell and back, of course, but then again everybody here does, no matter what their views.

Not me.

I am universally loved.

When I fart it's potpourri, when I sneeze it's pixie dust, when I poo it's jellybeans, and when I vomit it's fruit salad.

I am universally loved, and I have no more odor than a freshly-baked muffin.

[roaddog727]

Welcome to FR.

You might be suprised to see that we here are not all in lockstep with that which you interpret to be the party line.

Stick around and absorb. You just may change your affiliation.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I sure hope thats true in the next few weeks, were is, we have the Democrats filibustering Bushes choices of Judaical nominees... opps, sounds like history is repeating it's self here, the Democrats filibustering Republicans civil rights legistration back in the 1950s.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Well put....
BTW ? we enjoy you being on the soapbox, please speak on.

[Kieri]

Dear Nate:

While I might not agree with you on the topic of racism, I always admire someone who is HONEST in their disagreements. I have a lot of respect for what you've written because you did it conscisely and eloquently.

I'm a Caucasian married mother of two in Michigan who will be voting for a black pastor to run in the GOP primary and will hopefully replace democrat Debbie Stabenow. The woman is a disgrace and I'm convinced she's Hillary's second head. Rev. Keith Butler has served on the Detroit city council -- to his detriment when it comes to suburban votes, some claim -- but this gentleman is an outstanding individual who I'd be more than happy to campaign for.

When it comes to voting, most conservatives do NOT vote based on race. We vote for the person -- male, female, black, white or poka-dotted -- that best represents our world views. We also know that the media is more than happy to report on percieved schizms in the GOP, but similar problems are ignored if they fall within Democratic ranks. I respect the fact you're making noise on an issue that goes unreported because of media fears that it would tarnish the Democrats on the political stage. This might surprise you, but I even support Al Sharpton in his crusade against violence in films and music. He's on the right track (now if he would only STAY on it and out of politics ...).

I've voted for African Americans, Arabs (Spencer Abraham, R-MI), Catholics, Evangelicals and probably an agnostic or two. People are individuals and lumping them into a stereotype is just as wrong as racism.

Good luck, Nate, and I wish you the very best in withstanding the criticism you're about to get from liberals and Democrats who are bound to be furious with you for exposing the cracks in their veneer.

[Lead Moderator]

I see what you mean. We'll just leave it. Thanks.

[Eagle of Liberty]

http://www.kenblackwell.com/

Vote Blackwell!!!!

[natelivingston]

Well, liberals and Democrats always claim to be more interested than conservatives and Republicans. You'd think they would lead by example in who gets on the air and make sure the staff is diverse.

[B Knotts]

When I fart it's potpourri, when I sneeze it's pixie dust, when I poo it's jellybeans, and when I vomit it's fruit salad.

I smell somethin', but it ain't potpourri.

[Nam Vet]

Bill Cosby comes to mind in that regard. (possible funding) He's tired of doubletalk of any sort within his party or 'community'. Good advice you gave Kennedy6979

Welcome Nate ! We don't bite here. You will find all sorts here but for the most part conservative and well reasoned. It is about time minorities figured out what happens to them every election season. My dad had a bumper sticker that said "IF YOU FOLLOW THE FLOCK ..... YOU'LL STEP IN S**T"
I respect you bringing this to the fore, posting it here and openly/honestly inviting our comments. Well presented.

Nam Vet

[llama hunter]

Gee Nate you are just figuring this out?

Better late than never.....

[Nam Vet]

Thanks GloriaJane

I was looking for that thread as it immediately came to mind.

Nam Vet