Pressley: Democrats don't need 'any more black faces that don't want to be a black voice'

[Dem Dean]

Source: Hill

BY REBECCA KLAR - 07/14/19 03:46 PM EDT

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) reportedly said Democrats don't need "any more black faces that don't want to be a black voice" during a liberal Netroots Nation conference on Sunday, a comment that comes as racial politics threaten to divide the party.

The Washington Post reports Pressley said she's not interested in bringing "a chair to an old table."

“This is the time to shake that table. ... We don’t need any more brown faces that don’t want to be a brown voice,” Pressley reportedly said during the event. “We don’t need any more black faces that don’t want to be a black voice.”

Pressley's spokeswoman, Lina Francis, told the Post the congresswoman was making the point that “diversity at the table doesn’t matter if there’s not real diversity in policy.” The Hill has reached out to Pressley's office.

Pressley's comments followed a tumultuous week of Democratic infighting, as establishment Democrats continue to clash with a new wave of elected progressives in the party.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/453007-pressley-democrats-need-any-more-black-voices-that-dont-want-to-be-a-black

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Exactly what we DON'T need right now!

[msongs]

1. sounds a bit like like my way or the highway nt

[Maxheader]

2. I don't know...

I kinda like it..People are elected to serve various sizes of constituency...townships, counties, state and federal...And these elected officials are obliged to represent and put forth views from these areas..So why not represent and put forth views particular to minorities..It's their job...IMHO

[Lonestarblue]

27. Black representatives serve every race.

They’re not elected just to serve the interests of their black voters. They’s elected by voters of all races because they were perceived to be the best candidate. Yes, they represent black interests, but no more than the interests of any other race. I like Pressley, but I wonder if what she’s really trying to condemn, rightfully, are the people who sit on the fence and don’t want to rock the boat by working for legislation that benefits all workers, especially minorities because they’ve been underserved for so long.

[tulipsandroses]

3. That is not what she was saying- Context as usual is everything

I watched a longer version of the clip. She was talking about minority representation. If you are a minority you better want to stand up for minority issues. I am in agreement with that. If you talk to minority voters - they have needs. You go to Washington, you better go to Washington and be willing to fight for what those people have asked you to fight for. Don't get there and not do it.


Too damn often. Politicians have failed minority voters after getting their vote. That is a fact
Certain neighborhoods, have failing schools, don't have the resources they need to improve their schools,
Low home ownership due to redlining and other discriminatory practices
Over policing
Not being able to get loans to start businesses
Poor job opportunities
Lack of access to quality healthcare, food, air, water
I mean, I can go on and on. You talk to minorities, these are some of the issues they are frustrated with.

Come and represent and fight for the issues. Do not come and just get elected and say well I am the black, brown, queer candidate. Be willing to fight for the issues affecting your community. That was the gist of what she was saying.

[blm]

5. Exactly

[George II]

17. Yes. And that is exactly what Jahana Hayes and Sharice Davids have been doing. Without fanfare.

[question everything]

29. And if you don't, they can always be replaced

But don't tell other reps. how to stand up on your issues.

[hlthe2b]

4. sigh...

[watoos]

6. How can I say this nicely?

First of all "The Hill," bwahahaha.

Second of all, it seems to me that there is a concerted effort to get the narrative that Trump is a rapist removed from the front page and replaced by infighting about "the squad."

Let me try to reset; there are recent accounts of trump raping 2 women, one of whom was underage.

...or we can go back to a "tumultuous week of Democratic infighting,"

Republicans must truly fear AOC and her friends.

[Dem Dean]

21. Re: The Hill

I agree with you. It definitely leans to the right. (As does Politico, as I'm sure you've noticed.) I tried to find the original WaPo story, but alas, could not. And the Hill seems to be a popular source for DUers in LBN, So I decided to proceed.

[pecosbob]

22. It is fit only for toilet tissue

Mouthpiece of a billionaire...

[brooklynite]

28. So your objection is to the source, not to the facts?

[pecosbob]

30. I invariably disagree with their framing...not the news.

If it starts raining manna from heaven they will find something bad about it to scare us all.

[stopdiggin]

7. Great!

Oh goody. Now we're back to Obama (and others) not really being "black enough." This is gonna' be great. Cheers!

[Tech]

8. I understand the theory, and I do know that racism still exists. My question is

As a white person, do I only push for the white voice? Of course I would never do that and I don't think anyone here would, but it can be misconstrued.

I feel like all of the past 2 years have erased all progress that has been made in my lifetime. And the steps backwards are being done by all. Old v young, white b poc, make v female, gay v straight. And so on.

Ironic that progressives are erasing what little progress has been made. The Republican motto, divide and conquer. It seems to be working.

[tulipsandroses]

11. This was a discussion about minority representation and diversity

Why would white voices be discussed. In that specific discussion. Lord knows we need more white voices right?

This is starting to remind me of All Lives Matter.

[Tech]

14. I apologize if that is what you thought. And if I misconstrued the context.

My concern is losing what little ground that has been gained. I was full behind black lives matter, have witnessed enough to know that inequities still exist. I have been fighting for rights for all for over 40 years. And so much more needs to be done.

So please accept my apology if I came across wrong.

[tulipsandroses]

19. Apology accepted. No worries

I understand you are concerned. However, I don't believe gains we have made are being erased. Although, the Trump administration is trying their damndest to do so.

We have traveled far, but we have many many many miles to go. The one " good thing' about this Trump presidency is that it forced people that were complacent out of complacency.

More people are "woke" now.

[tulipsandroses]

9. This just irritates me - Irresponsible journalism

Last edited Sun Jul 14, 2019, 08:45 PM - Edit history (1)

It almost seems as if some of these media people are intent on maligning these Congress women. Either that or they are shitty journalists. Why would you pick out one thing that she said? That was a part of a whole sentence that mentioned brown faces that don't want to be a brown voice, queer faces, queer voices, muslim faces, muslim voices. Why did they only pick out the part about black faces?

[pecosbob]

23. It may have been irresponsible (I agree) but it was 100% intentional.

[cstanleytech]

12. An interesting article I guess but my focus remains on removing Trump as well as the removal

of as many Repugnants in office as possible.

[pazzyanne]

16. That is my focus as well.

Democrats primarying other Democrats does not fit what my focus is. Our new congress people are putting down even those who were involved in the civil rights movement and that is a big turn off for me. They need to stick with defeating Republicans as far as I am concerned.

[PSPS]

13. More click bait from The Hill. It's been overwhelming today

[ashredux]

18. True....just getting started

[JonLP24]

15. This was actually the least controversial remarks of the week

To Pressley's credit she has been staying out of the fray.

[DallasNE]

20. Disagree

Where has political correctness gotten us? This is reaching out to the base and it is a message that we hunger to hear. I am amazed at how articulate these four freshmen are. They speak truth to power. And, yes, they shake up the regular order. We have tired, old leadership and it is time for some fresh faces. People that evaluate things on whether they are right, not how they poll. Playing not to lose is what causes you to lose so no thanks.

[eilen]

26. I think the quandry is-- Identity politics.

As a representative of a district, your job is to be a representative for the every voter/person in that district. So I would say that if I were to represent a district, my constituency is not just voting for me to be a white feminist voice, but also to be a fighter for everyone -- for the Native American, the Latino, the Refugee (we have refugees from a variety of nations that have similar needs), the Black, the Men, the LGBTQ, the Teenagers, the Children, the College Student, the Elderly, the differently abled, the mentally ill, the poor, the business owners etc. etc.

The Constitution applies to everyone.

[DeminPennswoods]

24. When a representative is in a safe seat,

there is a tendency, imo, to get too comfortable. Let's remember that some of these seats held by minorities are heavily gerry-mandered to favor AfAm candidates. I suspect it's easy to forget one's roots and "go along to get along" as one accrues seniority and the perks that come with it.

Also, the AfAm community is not monolithic. During the civil rights movement, there was plenty of disagreement among the various groups involved. Look no further than the AfAm divide over Biden. Older AfAms prefer him, younger ones don't.

[5starlib]

25. So she's the black Dems in Congress are not doing good for black people?

That's what it sounds like to me. Is she talking about John Lewis? Maxine Waters? They are elder statesmen in my eyes. She needs to clarify this statement. As an African-America, this is a VERY problematic statement.