Listen to Kyle-
The way the mainstream “progressive” netroots have handled the story of Obama’s Aunt is a complete embarrassment. I wrote about it earlier this morning. First, I was told several times by commenters on Daily Kos that “this is a non-story”. Wrong. It has been on the front page of memeorandum all day. If you have turned on your TV, it has been blaring all over the 24-hour cable news networks.
The silence is deafening on the front pages of major “progressive” blogs like Daily Kos and Firedoglake. My only conclusion can be that they agree that this is a non-story. It’s to be expected from blogs that exist to elect “more and better Democrats.” If it helps Democrats to be silent on one of the most important social justice issues of our time, U.S. migration policy, you can expect that the “progressive” blogs will follow. It’s to be expected from those that have called migration a “pet issue.”
The few that have covered the story, like, Matt Stoller of Open Left, Digby, and Josh Marshall and Zachary Roth of Talking Points Memo, have completely ceded the U.S. migration debate to nativists. The debate over this story has devolved into one of Republican nativism and Democrats and their allies either describing this as smear or running as far away from this as they can. If having an unauthorized migrant relative is a smear, than smear me too.
Read the full piece with links@ Citizen Orange
About Zeituni Onyango-
Onyango… is paid a small stipend for working as a health advocate in her housing complex. [...]
For three years, she was a volunteer with Experience Corps, a nonprofit that trains adults over 55 to work with children in public schools, said Mary Gunn, the group’s executive director.
In a profile on the Experience Corps website, Onyango is described as a “former computer systems coordinator” who says she wanted to volunteer in the schools because “I felt that I should help the children in my community.”
“I love people and enjoy interacting with them,” Onyango said. “Also, I was idle, and this was a chance to get involved.”
Gunn said Onyango is a wonderful person, but said, “Zeituni wishes for me not to comment, and I want to honor her wish.”
Ms. Onyango lives in a disabled-access apartment and worked as a volunteer resident health advocate for the Boston Housing Authority before stopping recently for physical therapy following back surgery, said William McGonagle, deputy director of the authority.
I’m sorry, have we stepped into bizarro world where a helpful, volunteering woman who is enriching her community is considered a bad thing? But wait we have haven’t we, war is good, it spreads peace and wins hearts & minds, freedom is best defended by mass surveillance & torture and the basics of the economy are sound. And after a retard the Republicans are offering up a wife beater to appeal to voters, actually that bit’s business as usual.
3 November, 2008 at 6:18 am
Glad you caught this RickB,
I’m happy to see you taking the right angle with this story. So few have.
3 November, 2008 at 12:45 pm
So what’s Obama angle? What has he done or failed to do about this?
3 November, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Hey Kyle, it simply stands to reason and big dem blogs who avoid it do, as you say, cede the debate to nativists even if their motivation is cynical electionism. I think a bold defence based on her worth to the community would have been admirable.
Rafael- it’s a rubbish smear indeed, I think they are trying to make her tiny donations an issue but in fact that bit I find the most touching, she’s not rich, does community work, has been sick but she sends the odd 5 dollars to her relatives campaign for president, I think that’s lovely. If anything I would criticise Obama for not sending her a bit of cash although apparently he was unaware of her being in the US still or her circumstances so there’s not really that either. He’s now trapped having to be very legal about it (nevermind the leak was a crime, some ICE goon on to Rove) but I’d like to see him ensure she can stay somehow. I mean jeebus Bush does signing statements negating international treaties on war crimes, Obama can’t pull a string to let an aunt stay? Have some fucking balls democrats!