DNC Invitation to Discuss by Telephone the Exclusion of Black & Latino Blogs from Democratic National Convention Floor Credentials

The Francis L. Holland Blog: DNC Invitation to Discuss by Telephone the Exclusion of Black & Latino Blogs from Democratic National Convention Floor Credentials

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Francis L. Holland, Esq.
http://francislholland.blogspot.com
http://truth-about-mccain.blogspot.com
francislholland@yahoo.com
55 (73) 3288-1716

May 24, 2008

Ms. Maya E. Goines
National Coordinator for African American Constituencies
Democratic National Committee
goinesm@dnc.org

Mr. Aaron Myers
Director of Online Communications
2008 Democratic National Convention Committee
MyersA@DemConvention.com


Mr. Kombiz Lavasany
Democratic National Committee
Online Outreach Manager
Cell: 917-287-8961
Office: 202-863-7142
Work: lavasanyk@dnc.org
Gtalk: kombiz@gmail.com
AIM: klavasany

Dear Mr. Myers, Ms. Goines and Mr. Lavasany:

RE: Adding fifteen (15) Black-owned-and-operated afrosphere blogs with Black bloggers to already-selected virtually all-white Convention floor "state blog" pool, with 20% Black blogs in the the general blog pool.

I write to accept Aaron Myer's request (see below) to talk with me by telephone to discuss whether Black and Latino owned-and-operated blogs will be virtually or utterly excluded from the credentials that will allow white blogs to be seated with state delegations on the floor of the Democratic National Convention.

"There is nothing 'Democratic' about an all-white Democratic National Convention floor blogging corps."

I also welcome you to schedule a conference call in which interested Black bloggers and the national news media can be informed of the preparations that the DNC has made for Black and Latino blogs' equal participation in the Democratic National Convention floor blogs pool.

I am available this weekend at 55 (73) 3288-1716.

In order to help me prepare for our conversation in advance, please first provide by e-mail:

(1) the names, owners and URL's of all Black and Latino owned-and-operated blogs, for each group, that will be seated on the floor;

(2) the percentage of all floor credentialed blogs that will be (a) Black, and (b) Latino owned-and-operated, for each group;

(3) the names, owners and URL's of all general pool Black and Latino owned-and-operated blogs, for each group;

(4) the percentage of all general pool credentialed blogs that will be (a) Black, and (b) Latino owned-and-operated, for each group;

Please also e-mail to me all any descriptions of the advantages, responsibilities, privileges and activities to be accorded to the credentialed state pool floor blogs, such as you have provided to those blogs and/or to others already.

Please note that I have not requested to know the number of Black and Latino bloggers who will be chaperoned to the floor or the general pool under the editorial auspices of white blogs. Although it would also be interesting to have this information, my request for information is specifically regarding Black and Latino owned-and-operated blogs that are to be credential, in their own right, to be seated on the floor of the Convention, as well as those to be credentialed for the general pool, respectively, in the way that white blogs have been credentialed.

"A 'white blogs only' over the
Democratic National Convention floor
could do irreparable harm
to the Democratic Party 'brand'."

I understand that, at this late date, all hotel rooms in Denver may already have been reserved within a twenty-mile radius of Denver. I understand that the DNC specifically warned white blogs earlier in the spring to make reservations early, before all hotel were completely booked.

Please also inform me whether provisions have been made to help Black and Latino bloggers to find hotel accommodations, since the delay in notifying them that they will be credentialed has prevented them, and continues to prevent them, from making reservation deposits for the scarce or nonexistent Denver hotel accommodations that may still be available.

" 'Black blogs to the back of the bus'
must never be a slogan of the Democratic Party."

This is the information that the national media has been requesting. They understand that Black and Latino blogs have already been prejudiced by the delay in announcing their participation. They want to understand whether Black and Latino blogs will be permitted to participate in blogging at the Democratic National conventions under the same terms and condition, and with the same advantages and responsibilities, as white blogs.

"Don't count on Blacks for November
while excluding us in August."

The expedient provision of the information requested here will enable Black and Latino blogs to announce, as white blogs already have, that they will be reporting from seats on the floor of the Convention, while also enabling Black and Latino blogs to make hotel reservations in Denver now, if any are still available at all.

This situation must be rectified. Before the DNC state floor blogs system makes its first appearance at a Democratic National Convention, the "White Blogs Only" sign must be removed from the Convention floor.

*Washington Post: "A Diversity of Opinion, if Not Opinionators: At the Yearly Kos Bloggers' Convention, a Sea of Middle-Aged White Males" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/05/AR2007080501580_pf.html

Atlanta Journal Constitution: "Bloggers of the ‘afrosphere’ think they’ve been shut out of the Democratic National Convention"
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/entries/2008/05/21/bloggers_of_the_afrosphere_thi.html

Dallas Morning News: "Racial Make-up of Democratic Convention Bloggers Criticized"
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/national/stories/052108dnpolpoliticalblogs.123168d2.html

DNC: "Announcing the [Denver convention] State Blogger Corps"
http://www.democrats.org/page/community/post/mikeworkman/Cnt9

Bang the Drum: "Live-blog DNCC Blogger Press Credential Conference Call"
http://politics.drumsnwhistles.com/2008/04/live-blog-dncc-blogger-press-credential-conference-call/

Sincerely,

Francis L. Holland, Esq.
Member, Afrosphere Action Coalition
francislholland@yahoo.com
55 (73) 3288-1716
The Francis L. Holland Blog
http://francislholland.blogspot.com
The Truth About McCain Blog
http://truth-about-mccain.blogspot.com