PLATFORM : Skimpy Laurels

Color and gender do not equate to progressive politics or effective politics. In fact, that can be diversionary. What happens is, you can actually accept symbolic achievement and placement as a substitute for substantive change.

I support the transfer of power that seems to be taking place. I believe this is just one step on a long and difficult journey. Carol Moseley Braun is one black woman in the Senate. What is she going to do with all those white males? Let’s be honest. Suddenly you can play the politics of raising the issues and seek to make allies, but you must send other people there. There has to be a critical mass to actually make a difference.

So I don’t want people to feel they’ve done a great thing and that now they can just rest on their laurels. The laurels are skimpy. What we have to understand is that this is possibility, it is not substantive change. The struggle continues.