For Barron, It's Totally About Race

As we mentioned, City Councilman Charles Barron held his press conference yesterday to announce his candidacy for the 2009 Brooklyn Borough Presidency. He told the crowds that his platform included affordable housing, health care accessibility, more jobs, standing up to developers who use eminent domain, ending mayor control of schools and more would help everyone. "Am I going to be a borough president for all the people? Absolutely. But I'm letting y'all know now, I'm taking care of black folk. Unapologetically."

The NY Sun noted Barron also "argued that his platform would benefit white residents as well, because 'when I take care of black folk, that's going to impact you,' he said." When the Politicker interviewed Barron after the conference, the City Councilman said, "Most media outlets are run by white, male editors, correct? There's no way in the world that, 99 percent of media outlets controlled by white males, that there's not going to be no hint of racism in it? I mean that's unrealistic... The Post, I think, is a racist newspaper, because anybody who is pro-black they consider controversial. The Post is racist. FOX 5 is racist. You know, I think there's racism in everything."

The Post's coverage of Barron's candidacy included a quote from Reverend Al Sharpton, who said to the crowd, "There is no one more qualified, no one has paid more dues, no one who has showed more vision and courage." You can read Barron's City Council bio here; he represents the 42nd District, which is made up of parts of East New York, Brownsville, East Flatbush, Canarsie, and is the chair of the Higher Education Committee (he's also a member of the committees on Land Use, Consumer Affairs, Women's Issues, Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses).

Other possible people running against Barron for the position of Beep are City Councilmen Bill deBlasio (39th District - Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Columbia Street, Park Slope, Winsor Terrace, Kensington, Boro Park) and Domenic Recchia (47th - Coney Island, Gravesend, Bensonhurst), both of who have started to raise money.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on July 23, 2007 5:57 PM

Comments [rss]

guest

Yo This monkey should lose his job and be brought up on charges of racism. If a white man said that shit about whites he'd have to be in the KKK. It is ok to be racist as long as you’re not white? Those crackers from the 60's are gone. Whites WILL NOT LET YOU MONKEYS shut us down for doing what you yourself are doing. His people working for him referred to whites as crackers. If a white worker of any government official called black Jigga boos they'd lose there job. Stop applauding stupidity. Blacks make up 12% of America.I thought you nappy hairs wanted to become apart of main stream America? It will not happen if you allow spear chuckers to chuck spears between Blacks and Whites. I thought we were all getting together bringing peace between us all. Fucking Imus, who had a show that no one watched calls some girls nappy headed hoes and he loses his job, but this monkey has people calling whites crackers? He can talk about he's for his own race. THIS SHIT IS COMING TO AN END. Remember comes around goes around .... Well its coming back around again. Prepare yourselves

- Tyler Goines

07/23

guest

#78, you might be wrong--about the loonies, I mean.

#77 pontificated at 10:32am: ". . .while the rest of us are hard at work earning a living and contributing to society?" Yep, you are "hard at work and contributing to society" by commenting on Gothamist. lol

guest

Charles Barron will never be Mayor or Borough Prez. I can't imagine there are that many loonies in NYC or Brooklyn for that matter.

guest

Since over 60% of all black guys are unemployed, what do they do all day while the rest of us are hard at work earning a living and contributing to society?

What do black guys do all day??????

guest

Why do you ask? What do racist white people do all day?

guest

What do black guys do all day?

guest

christine, you will not be mayor.

God Bless you Charles Barron.

guest

My, my, my - what a fraught discussion!

Barron strikes me as someone who doesn't realize that Hispanics are now the #1 minority group, and Asians, with their money, skills and influence, are becoming #2. Meanwhile, Islamic radicals are infiltrating Western Civ. And Barron just sits there, yelling about "Whitey!"

Wake up - the world has passed you by. Nobody cares about someone yelling "Whitey!"

- Liberal but not guilty

guest

Real brooklynites will not sell out and turn Brooklyn into Manhattan Junior. and, I don't cut and paste.

Us Real Brookyn natives support Charles Barron and will continue to support him. We will not give breaks to developers while people are being priced out of their homes. Same goes for any redlining and predetory lenders. We don't want you in Brooklyn.

guest

#70 How many times are you going to repeat that line. If you want to give the impression that there are so many "real Brooklynites" supporting Barron, at least attempt to sound different. All you are doing is cutting and pasting. You kinda sound like an idiot. What's a real Brooklynite, anyway.

guest

I'll vote for you Charles Barron.

God Bless you for running, we need more people like you in office. The one's who fight for real Brooklynites and real New Yorkers. Not the one's with the biggest wallet.

You have lots of supporters

guest

Hey people, don't get your knickers in a twist.

Unlike the job of Mayor or City Councilman, the position of Borough President has little actual power as far as city government is concerned.

What the job does have are many possibilities for photo ops and press coverage. However, while this job has little influence, it could be seen as advantageous for someone wanting to keep his face and political agenda in the forefront.

guest

Hey #50, read a book before you open your filthy pie-hole. You said: "And lets go to the northern parrishes of Louisiana. They elect Klansmen like David Duke all the time.", in fact Duke was elected to 1 term in the Louisiana State House in 1989 to represent Metairie which is a suburb of New Orleans (nowhere near North Louisiana).

guest

#66 - That doesn't even make any sense.

I can't figure out if some of these commenters are just illogical, functionally illiterate, mentally ill--or a combination of any of the foregoing.

guest

Racists always have well thought out fallacies.

from the one drop rule to the extra bone.

purity of our race to fourteen words to protect the purity for our children.

guest

not "god" but God, sir.

God Bless you charles barron and God Bless all the racists on Gothamist. Even the one's who don't want to believe they are racist.

They will see the error of their ways. Let's just hope they see it before it's too late.

JMH

Don't feed the trolls.
[63], you're right, I should know better.

guest

JMH,

Well thougt-out and logical arguments, there.

Unfortunately your time would be better spent trying to teach quantum physics to a guinea pig.

Don't feed the trolls.

guest

leave god out of politics... saying god bless you doesn't mean shit.

emilydickinson

#55: It's always the same, you don't bother reading what anyone says and then cry racism and make personal attacks, of course under the guise of anonymity, because you have no grounds on which to make an intelligent fact based argument.I just brought to light Barron's public statements which speak for themselves.