Outspoken City Councilman Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn) officially kicked off his "protest" run for governor yesterday, by announcing the formation of the Freedom Party, an all-black party. Noting how Cuomo picked a white running mate and how the other state office nominees are white, the Daily News reports that Barron said, "Don't call us racists when we point out racism. This was supposed to be the post-racial society. Somebody should have told that to the New York State Democratic Party."
Barron also repeated his refrain, "The Democratic Party has taken us for granted," and said, "It's time for us to be for us. It's time for us to be a self-determining people." (Video after the jump.) He told the Observer, "Today is a historic moment for us Malcom X called for an independent party. Marcus Garvey called for an independent party, and the time is ripe for that right now.. Most of the candidates like Michael Bloomberg will not be honest in saying that he is the candidate of rich, white men. He won’t say that. I’ll say that I love black people and while people. I’m going to serve all the people, I’m really going to look out for black people who have been wronged for so long."
Barron must get 15,000 signatures in order to appear on the ballot this fall; according to the News, he says the Freedom Party will do that and he wants "to get 50,000 votes for governor - giving it status as a major party for the next four years."
Video via the Daily News:
