Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Rep. Donald Payne (1934–2012): Remembering New Jersey’s First African-American Member of Congress

Representative Donald Payne, the first-ever African-American congressman from New Jersey, died Tuesday at the age of 77 from complications of colon cancer. The former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus was in his 12th term in the House. In 1988, Payne explained his desire to break the color line in Congress, saying, "I want to be a congressman to serve as a role model for the young people I talk to on the Newark street corners… I want them to see there are no barriers to achievement. I want to give them a reason to try." That year, Payne handily defeated his Republican opponent, Michael Webb, and achieved his dream. In a statement shortly after Payne’s death, President Obama said Payne had "made it his mission to fight for working families." We discuss Payne’s legacy with his brother, William Payne, and Larry Hamm, the New Jersey chairman of the People’s Organization for Progress.

Video
Source: Democracy Now!
Author: --

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