MI-07: Surging Progressive Once Said Black Democratic Leaders 'Defang The White Left'

[RandySF]

WASHINGTON – A progressive House candidate whose surge in a battleground district in Michigan has alarmed Democratic party officials once said Black U.S. political leaders are a “pillar” of the “capitalist, imperialist” American establishment whose backing for Democratic leadership “defangs the white left.”

William Lawrence, a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement who is running for the Democratic nomination in the state’s 7th congressional district, made his comments on the Sept. 10, 2024 episode of his podcast, Hegemonicon, which featured conversations about social movements and politics.

The extent to which the older generation of Black political leadership are such a pillar, frankly, for establishment, capitalist, imperialist American power through their role as this kind of traditionalist, establishment-ist pillar of the Democratic Party, it’s a big problem,” Lawrence said around the 41:48 mark of the podcast. “It’s a big problem for left politics in this country. And it gets us every single time. It really defangs the white left and puts us in impossible positions, really.”

Lawrence said Friday he regrets his past comments, which were part of a conversation about Black liberation with his guest, Khury Petersen-Smith, a young Black activist and the Michael Ratner Middle East Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies.


https://www.huffpost.com/entry/surging-progressive-once-said-black-democratic-leaders-defang-the-white-left_n_6a51a01ae4b084b03f7f0f6d

[QueerDuck]

1. Oh dear.

🙄🤪🫣😳🤯

[msongs]

2. he thinks many dems incl blacks are corporate sellouts. why he mentions blacks in particular

as being in the way I cannot say.....

from wikipedia about the guy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lawrence_(activist)

[LeftInTX]

4. Currently the district is held by the GOP, who won by 50.3%

It was held by Elissa Slotkin for one term. (Redistricting)

The fight for the Democratic nomination here had long been seen as a fight between Matt Maasdam, a former Navy SEAL, and Bridget Brink, a diplomat who served as ambassador to Ukraine in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion. Both candidates had raised millions of dollars as of March, far outpacing Lawrence.

But the 35-year-old Lawrence has surged in recent weeks, earning the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Abdul El-Sayed, the progressive favorite in the state’s U.S. Senate race. The race is now seen as firmly a three-way contest.

I don't think this Lawrence guy is a good fit for this district. It's too red/purple. I hope voters think of who is electable in the general.

[RandySF]

5. Elissa won it and fought like hell to hold it in 2020 and 2022.

And some thanked her by calling her “corporate shill” and “Zionist sellout”.

[Montauk6]

6. So he's blaming it on... the Black guy...?

[RandySF]

8. Yep

[leftstreet]

15. Not really

He refers to black leaders, not rank and file black voters

White people make the same complaints about entrenched, establishment, wealthy white party leaders.

I don't see the big deal here

[Quiet Em]

17. It's a very ignorant and dumb thing to say

Black Democratic leaders are not holding back white leftists. Will should be looking at all the white leaders that white maga voters are putting into office.

[harumph]

7. Whether (some) older black Dems are a pillar for the "establishment" ...etc,

could be determined by critically examining their voting records. If Lawrence is going to make such allegations, he should support them with facts.
I am aware of certain black republicans - both men and women - that fit that description unfortunately. The context was "part of a conversation about Black liberation with his guest, Khury Petersen-Smith, a young Black activist and the Michael Ratner Middle East Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies " but I'm not sure what he is getting at from the article snip. Could he be suggesting to a black audience, don't just vote on color optics alone?
While on the surface, that seems a bit patronizing, it is apparently a reason many ostensibly "independent" whites reflexively vote for flawed white candidates over a more qualified candidate of color. While this is an uncomfortable subject, it bears discussion. If a politician votes for rich interests, whether they are black, brown or white, they need to be voted out. For example, if an older black politician earned his bona fides in the civil rights era, should that gloss cover all sins in perpetuity despite a more recent record aligning critically with right wing goals? For me no.

[Cha]

9. Who knew William Lawrence had

"fangs" to "defang"?

I read he said he "regretted saying it". So does that mean he was "defanged"?

[RandySF]

10. He regrets it coming up.

[Cha]

14. Exactly. That's was I thought

When I first read it a day or two ago.

[tman]

11. This belief is quite widespread among DSA types

Also, black voters not being fully onboard with Bernie Sanders and most DSA candidates in general was/is a source of resentment for some.

[RandySF]

13. "Low information voters" was their term.

[betsuni]

16. I remember that.

For example, after a candidate lost South Carolina, they went to Minnesota and said in a speech that there was just no way they'd lose there because "You are just too smart."

[31j20b3]

12. Each Identity Group on the left has high profile issues, they aren't always the same

That complicates weaving the policy positions that can UNITE, and still address what are sometimes smaller scale (when compared to the US economy and the size of its working class) yet important issues.

The Black Community has been very effective in making its problems known. That standout profile also is attacked by people with pea-shooters who want to snipe at them, but talking about how Dems overlook other identity groups.

It's all pretty unfair to democrats in general and to the success that Blacks have had in elevating their needs in the national conversation.