There is a case to be made that there’s segregation by color within the feminine subset of the political blogosphere, and that is an ongoing conversation, especially in the feminist community. It’s not at all unusual to hear women of color object to an unfair concentration on the issues of upper class white women. Popularity in the blogosphere skews heavily toward younger, whiter, more attractive women. There is no similar trend among male bloggers that I have observed, and your comments seem to confirm that. I do find that male bloggers tend to be very insular, talking to, linking to and reading only each other.

that is why progressives will win in the long run.

that said, we are still moving through vestiges of racism and indifference some 40 years after the civil rights movement. if we can continue to bridge our differences and bring power to ideas and instill optimism where there is little hope, we will put racism and ignorance where they belong: the past.

like many others here, i find solace in the anonymity of the internet. i believe that it provides us with a weapon against stupidity and ignorance. even as the internets have brought the freepers together (like the free republic forums, where racism and ignorance reign supreme), it has allowed those of us who reject that shit to come together and build the connections and share ideas that would, could and should turn this country around.

the only thing that scares me is that someday the bilderbergs and other such reptiles that control the earth will realize just how powerful a weapon the internets can be…and turn it off…leaving us in the dark…unable to communicate and coordinate, ending our dreams of a more perfect society.

It’s only when there is a specific assymetric issue that affects black folks that the derth of black bloggers in influential places hurts.

Having a black blogger or writer is nice; but if these bloggers never speak up for issues that affect themselves as AAs, so much so that you don’t even know they are black, that doesn’t help black folks in general. The point to me is to have our particular issues/perspectives on the table.

The truth is, as Obama has so eloquently stated over and over again, that we have common goals despite what kind of lettuce we eat. We all want honest and transparent government. We all want a decent education for our children. We all want reliable and affordable health care. We all want peace, stability and prosperity.

I’m so sick of the main stream media. They really have no clue, do they?

The playing field here is as level as it will ever get. I read good writing, no matter who provides it.

The MSM MUST attack the legitimacy of the blogs, because apparently only people who own printing presses have worthwhile opinions.

I’ll share a personal story. Our 4 year-old blog is a group blog with 12 writers. We exchange group emails, cheer each other on for accomplishments that aren’t blogging related and are friends, though of course we’ve never actually met one another. (Five of us making it to YK2 last year was a first.) We have a social as well as professional relationship.

I just found out a couple of months ago that one of my writers who’s been with us for a couple of years is African American. The anonymity of the net lets the writing stand as the wrting, and the lables don’t get a toehold. I share this because while naturally there are bloggers who blog specific issues, race issues being one of them, you really have no idea who is at the keyboard. You can only engage with words, and they belong to all of us equally.

People may like to know who they are dealing with, but I love not knowing. I think nobody knowing Digby was a woman until last year made a poignant point. What was being said was had to be taken as face value with no filters. It’s perfect.

In theory the medium of blogging would seem to be “color blind” but in practice the same old patterns play out, as they did with Clinton’s all-white blogger meeting in Harlem (which IIRC you were also anxious to dismiss as a non-issue). I’m not suggesting a particular answer to why things play out this way, but I see no reason to shy away and pretend the question isn’t there.

most of the offended parties speak out of a perception that the left blogosphere is indifferent to Black causes unless it can be used to bolster their own message. A lot of the left is STILL uncomfortable dealing with race (just watch what happens if this magical michelle tape DOES exist) and doesn’t do it very well.

All that said…I thought the whole DNC State Blogging corps dust up was much ado about nothing.

The kinds of blogs that the DNC was looking for for the state Blogging corps was VERY specific and I don’t know that a lot of the Offended parties were doing the kinda nuts and bolts state party specific stuff.

Either way, I see what Reynolds is doing and its typical of how those folk get down.

The article was…as is typical of most MSM articles on race…shallow like a kiddie pool and not the least bit enlightening on a topic that REALLY needs some serious work put in.