I would love to read this blog. Tell them to set up an RSS feed. That would be a big help. Mike

Tell them yourself, Mike. I'm not a member there. I kinda lack certain qualifications.

J.

Actually, they've been alive and kicking for a while. They've just added new members a couple of days ago.

And it isn't an actual blog. It's more like a blogroll; that's about it.

Lol @ J Tea's non-membership.

Jay, I answered you on my Blog. My head is far from exploding.

I won't be joining the Congressional Black Caucus either. Why do folks continue to think that their race is all that important to their opinions? Liberals have been destroying the melting pot for years, insisting that we celebrate physical traits they call "diversity." Why would conservatives join them in diminishing the importance of each individual?

The list starts out with the Progressives all time favorite Aunt Tom. who runs a very good blog. Ive been there many times. She and Osama the Progressive from Ill (New Senator whos real name escapes me) are on different sides of most issues.
There are some Progressive blogs devoted exclusively to LaShawn Barber and what a "sell out" she is.

I have never called anybody an "Uncle Tom" or a "race traitor".

I have! And, I will not apologies for it!

Everytime the subject of Black Conservatives come up, the Right whines that it's simply the Left attacking their political views.

Wrong. And, when I counter with evidence of white racists aligned with the GOP in the South and the avowed segregationist Republican candidate for Congress in Tennessee, I get silence. (Or, forty year old stories about Robert Byrd!)

I'm wondering how *certain people* would react if there was a WHITE CONSERVATIVE BROTHERHOOD blog (or even, blogROLL) started?

Just asking...

I mean, if racial type of one sort (exclusively, as in, vs. others) indicates a membership requirement within a socio-political area of opinion and dedication...just asking.

Wait, you mean their heads explode in 5, 4, 3, 2... etc., not that the countdown begins.

Surely the countdown began when you started counting down? Unless that was a countdown to the real head-exploding countdown.

-S-

It's a black conservative blogroll/informal blog club. In case you didn't notice, black conservatives are rather small in number and we merely got together to promote the conservative point of view from our unique perspective. The CB founder, Cobb and I also belong to another informal conservative blog club, the Bear Flag League, composed of native Califonians. Should people who have never lived in California feel excluded?

I am also a MilBlogger (21 years in the AF/AFR). Should civilians feel excluded?

Just asking (and remembering that, sometimes, people are going to find fault no matter what).

And what David Anderson says is true: we've always had a good blog relationship.

Can't speak for Oliver though.

One can't always peg these things.

Juliette: What you DID NOT notice is that you are a group of people organized based upon a racial requirement. Secondarily, you are conservatrives. But, the primary organizational characteristic is "black." That's a racial requirement.

Thus, I posed an alternative. As in, similar organizational memberhsip requirement of another raciall type, as in, "White" (Caucasian is more accurate).

You nor anyone else has offered up much of any reaonable explanation as to why a "WHITE Conservative blogroll" or group of any sort (bloggers or not) would NOT be offensive, so, again, I'm just asking.

And, yes, I DID notice what you suggest I "failed to," despite your self-professed powers of supposed omnipotent vision out through your monitor as to my awareness and observational abilities and scope.

The formulation of "black" whatevers seems to be jsut fine and dandy but pose "white" in there and the "conservative" brotherhood disintegrates.

Whether conservative or not conservative, your grouping is still a racist one. To my view. Unless, of course, "White Conservative Bloggers" would not be, in YOUR perspective.

Why not "Conservative bloggers" or blogroll, whatever. Why the racist theme, membership requirement? And, is that REALLY a characteristic anyone can be assured of as to who joins? Not like you can discern racial type by User I.D., typing, etc. Perhaps you are also suggesting that "black" conservatives display distinct communication skills? And that "white" ones do, too?

I mean, the entire premise is embarrassingly racist. Be conservatives but drop the elitist racist tags. It's embarrassing for the rest of us...conservatives of any/all racial types.

What you DID NOT notice is that you are a group of people organized based upon a racial requirement.

You mean to tell me that we're all the same race. OH MY GOD I HAD NO IDEA!!!!

Would you like to integrate the group?

You're going to propose an alternative? Raise conservative awareness among white people? Be my guest.

Seriously, if some Italian-Americans decided to start an Italian political club and wouldn't let me in because I have no Italian blood, I wouldn't have a cow. (Bet they'd let Franco Harris in though; if you don't know who that is, Google him.)

Face it, you're up in arms about this because of the history of exclusively white groups in this country, most of which preach the genetic inferiority of other groups and demonize them. So, yes, I'd probably look at such a group in askance at first.

However, since many of us in the conservative brotherhood have a reputations in the blogosphere as conservatives and non-racists, feel free not to worry about us burning a cross on your lawn (or whatever it is that black racist groups do). I dare you to find a post suggesting that we separate ourselves from "da man" or any other such nonsesnse.

You're just looking for a reason to call names. And yes, I'm embarassed: for you.

Juliette, why is race so important to your thoughts? The power of superior ideas is what marks good conservative writing.

By the way, you have separated yourselves from "da man" by way of an irrelevant physical characteristic, the act of which is the very antithesis of conservative ideals.

Rod,

The list of members starts out with LaShawn because it is in alphabetical order by last name.

Juliette, why is race so important to your thoughts? Juliette, why is race so important to your thoughts?

Have you read any of the blogs, including mine? If you have, I'm not sure why you're asking this question. Where did I or any of the members say or imply that race was related to writing ability?

Culture, on the other hand, is a different story.

By the way, you have separated yourselves from "da man" by way of an irrelevant physical characteristic, the act of which is the very antithesis of conservative ideals.

Merely saying this does not make it true. Can you tell me *how* we are separating ourselves from other people by having a website that merely points to us and our (possibly) unique cultural points of view? Since when did people forming an association with each other on cultural and political commonalities become at odds with conservative ideas if they are not advocating separation from other people?

Tell me: if we were, say, Samoans for Bush or RightWing Vietnamese Americans, would you turn a hair?

Just asking.

"Racist" = Quite possibly the most over-used, over-generalized, mis-appropriated, boy who cried wolf verbiage of the 21st century.

"I'm wondering how *certain people* would react if there was a WHITE CONSERVATIVE BROTHERHOOD blog (or even, blogROLL) started?"

Hello? See every conservative blogroll. Click on every blog on there. I guarantee that the majority will be white and good deal of them will be male. Don't debate me on this, Joe at the Evangelical Outpost, Kevin Drum, and many others have made the same observation.

While, I intensely dislike Peggy McIntosh, her socialist tendencies, her liberal elitist attitude, and her dumb white privilege essay, I'll still give her #1 of her "acclaimed" essay:

I [a white person] can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.

Blah-dow.

Now let's go back to the basics...Affinity groups come about based on need. Anytime there's a lack or commonality between a select group of people, groups are formed. We all do it naturally. It happens in the high school, middle school, and elementary school lunchrooms across the country. It happens at work. It happens at church. It happens in politics. Get over it.

Women who have kids (AKA mothers) have support groups to which non-childbearers aren't generally invited. That doesn't make them uterists.

Point being, "Black conservatives" have something in common. Besides there being a complete lack thereof, we also come from a common cultural perspective which (and here is where I speak for Ambra and not the group) I don't feel Conservatives--specifically Republicans--address frequently enough. Yet they wonder why they can't snag the black vote...Moreover, we deal with being in the philosophical minority WITHIN our own race. The goal here isn't about exlusion, it's about meeting a specifical goal, specific to black people, for the greater good of conservative thought. A discerning individual would recognize this and be glad.

But of course, America is full of crabs in a crabpot, and introverts who get superhuman gall to say flippant things on the internet.

No matter how hard I try, I can never fully understand the plight associated with being a man. Nor do I want to. They can however, understand and support each other better than I ever could. That's why men's support groups evolved. Being male unifies them. Having a penis is the qualifer there. I don't have one, therefore my participatory abilities are limited. That doesn't make it sexist. That makes it male.

If you want to go start a white conservative brotherhood, go ahead. It wouldn't be offensive; it would however be dumb (that's a technical term). Why? Because the current face of conservative thought is the white brotherhood. We're out to change that. Such groups generally evolve out of a minority (the numerical term) or a need to share a unified experience. If white conservatives truly feel that need, then by all means, conserve your own brotherhood. I'm sure you'll have no problem growing your membership.

But again, if the bothersome aspect for you is skin color, well then you are evidence of the manifestation of America's hypersensitivity about race (black people included). For this reason, among many others, the CB exists. Deal.

I still say we ought to abandon race and start going by tribes...

As Ambra points out, the term "conservative blogger" usually implies "white" and usually implies "male." Toss out the term "black" in a political, economic or sociological conversation, and you almost always end up with the thought that the black person in question is liberal.

The Conservative Brotherhood is simply a collection of bloggers whose political, economic and/or sociological ideologies are more conservative in nature. It is not a blog in and of itself, it is a blogroll. And much as organizations like Jesse Peterson's BOND or Project 21 or others are black conservative organizations devoted to showing that there are schools of thought in the black community that lie outside the "mainstream" that we are spoonfed by the evening news, both to the powerbrokers in Washington, as well as the public at large, the Conservative Brotherhood provides blogs whose writers are black, and whose thought processes are different than the traditional liberal mindset that many blacks subscribe to.

Among us are writers whose work is well known on the web, some of us have made media appearances in both radio and television.

To address the notion of a "white conservative blogroll," again, as I've mentioned, the thought among most is that if there is a list of conservative bloggers, invariably, the list is mostly (if not completely) white and male. But if someone wanted to start one, I'd say more power to 'em. Personally, I don't think there would be a compelling reason to read such a list, as the natural thought about such a list would have the members leaning toward a white supremacist mindset. But...more power to 'em. It's their business.

As for the constant carping by what I term the "soul patrol" - i.e., those who get off on tossing the "sellout" and "oreo" and "uncle tom" names about - I simply ask why. Why does our existance and presence offend you? Why do you think that all blacks are required to think and speak alike? Why do you insist that those of us who are black and conservative do not have the best interests of our community at heart and mind? Why do you feel it necessary to verbally attack and insult us? And no, answering with yet another insult or a question of your own doesn't count.

I'm proud of being an American; I'm proud of being black; I'm proud of being conservative. All of us who are part of The Conservative Brotherhood feel the same way. We aren't the "evil boogieman," we aren't the "spook who sat by the door." We have something to say, and TCB is a means to get more people to find and hear our message. And if that's so blasted and bloody offensive, tough. You don't have to read it. I'll still be here tomorrow.

What's fascinating about half of this discussion is the attribution of racism without any basis in reality or even in theory. Whatever effort is required to click a mouse button and read the stated core values of the group has proven to be too much effort. And why exactly should anyone bother to clear out the cobwebs in their head if they can say 'black conservative' = anything they damned well please without checking the source? This is the burden of being a black conservative, one we dutifully and cheerfully bear. There are as many answers to the details of who, why, how and to what extent as any mind could possibly bear; about 20 man years of blogging daily blogging by the authors themselves.

However if it were simple to understand or explain the depth and variety of black political thought, then anyone's guess would be as good as anyone elses. Fortunately, most Americans tend to believe that self-representation is a good idea for democracy. So long as we believe it to be the case, we will continue to express ourselves unabated, undiluted and unconcerned with thoughtless criticism.

Pardon me if this is redundant, but the "Conservative Brotherhood" is not a blog, nor is it new. We have new members, but we've been in existence since last year. We're a group of black conservatives/moderates, each with our own blogs except for one member.

I don't feel the need to defend against charges of racism. Whether blacks, whites, men, women, etc., want to form their own group, they have the constitutional freedom to do so. I defend the rights of an "all-white" group the same way I defend those of an "all-Chicano" group or an "all-homosexual" group.

My position on this issue is a little different from some of my Conservative Brotherhood blogmates above.

Our blog's (Booker Rising) primary goal is to promote black conservative and moderate thought, and expand political dialogue among black folks. We often argue that black moderates and especially black conservatives spend too much time on FOX News Channel, and not nearly enough time on Black Entertainment Television, black newspapers, on the ground in black communities, etc. getting the message out to our target audience where they are likeliest to hear it. Our blog seek to help change this dynamic, and increase blackness in conservatism and centrism.

Our blog isn't here to serve white conservatives (or any other white folks) and their whines about yet another black group. If you like our blog, great. But our eyes are on reaching black folks. So I won't apologize for belonging to an ad-hoc group of BLACK bloggers, which has helped Booker Rising get out our message to our target audience. Since it started last summer, TCB has led to a national article for us, an invite for me to do a radio interview in my hometown, an interview with the National Urban League's young professional magazine, and we may even be included in an upcoming book about Booker T. Washington (the inspiration for our blog).

So for those of you who don't like TCB's focus on blackness, tough. When you equally complain about groups of Irish-American writers, Italian-American writers, etc. then come back and we'll talk.

Far be it from me to defend these guys as I only regularly read (and agree with) one of em, but the act of identifying themselves as "black" does not inherently make it racist. If you're over the age of, say, seven, and you live in the world, you can appreciate the need for a minority to glom together for a little mutual support. Freedom of assembly and all that. But judge them by their content, simple flock. If they be espousing racial superiority (or denigrating other races), then you can holler "racist."

That said, Juliette, you must realize that the difference between TCB and TBFL (or military blogs) is that just about anyone can become a member of the latter bloggroup. TCB is not only exclusive, but exclusive based on a criteria that is an accident of birth (God's Plan notwithstanding ;-).

*shrugs*

Really, what is the big deal?

Wow...I never thought I would read a group of conservatives complaining about black individuals trying to get more blacks into camp!

Hahaha...

You all are hillarious, demographically speaking, the numbers of black conservatives are statistically irrelevent...obviously your "Superior Idea's" and "Writings" aren't that superior to the vast number of African Americans whom feel marginalized and feel their needs are not being met by the republican Agenda...

Even though 50% of what these so-called Conservative blacks write I disagree with, from a purely political standpoint, what they are doing is relevent and necessary to the republican party as the national demographics change at such a rapid pace...

Down here in Nebraska (I am black) I gave our Representative Lee Terry a full proof way of creating an increased conservative base in the black community, and it has nothing to do with your ehtereal 'superior thought' haha...

But because both polarizations are subject to gooniness, antiquited philosophy, and narrow minded rhetoric spewing hippies and yuppies, I remain independent...

GO CONSERVATIVE BROTHERHOOD!

Who said everyone in The Conservative Brotherhood were all Republican? Most of my blogmates are independents. Although my blog focuses on both black moderates and conservatives, I'm a moderate libertarian. In last year's election, I voted 56% for **Democratic** candidates and 44% for Republican ones. While I consider myself an independent voter, if anything I lean Democratic.

By the way, the last Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies poll shows that 27% of black Americans identify as conservative. Not to mention President Bush's black support significantly jumped in the battleground states where the GOP actually put in some resources. This jump was fueled by growing discontent by black cultural conservatives. Like it or not, Black America is growing more ideologically diverse by the day.

Irrespective of how you feel about the racial angle, please take a look at these blogs.

They contain some of the best political/cultural commentary that you'll find on the web. I believe that some of them are a touch above the average blog.

Okay, all who have a problem with a black conservative blogroll, fess up. Are you also willing to go protest the boyscouts for not allowing girls? How about protesting at Augusta Golf Club?

Is the issue that they won't let white people on the blogroll? If so, would it make you happier to be the first white on that blogroll? Maybe they'll let you be their token white.

I understand all the "we should be colorblind", blah blah blah. If a group of bloggers has more than one thing in common, what business is it of yours if they want to associate? No one is stopping you from starting a blogroll for German-American Christians.

Okay. I have studied the comments on this thread, and will respond to a few:

Nobody is questioning this groups "right" to assemble. You have the "right" to form a black conservative group, just as I can form a white conservative group. One has the right to diminish their message any way they see fit. And I DO see it as diminishing an important conservative message, which is that the individual is sovereign over groups.

Forgive me for remaining in deniable about a "black culture." It seems to me that the recognition of its influence is to recognize that there really ARE important differences between the races. If there is a "black America," that means there is a white America and Hispanic and Asian Americas. No thanks. I'll idealistically bury my head under the sands of one America, where each person is valued based on the content of his character rather than the color of his skin.

But perhaps it is so that black Americans will listen more intently to black writers. I hope that isn't the case. It shouldn't be the case. I am already aware of the statistics cited in an earlier post, which is that there are already MANY self-described black conservatives. This is heartening. Did they require black writers for enlightenment?

Again, this group is separating ideas based on race. It implies that black conservatives have something different to say than all other conservatives. It says that their race is important to their message. Sorry, but I am inclined to reject that notion. And just to be clear, I don't find the group's separation necessarily a racist one. I only find it wrong.

All of this said, part of me wishes your group the best of luck. Any writing that helps individuals see the light is worth penning. I only challenge the bad idea that a conservative message of individual liberty and personal responsibility cannot be colorblind; that this powerful idea is inseparable from the messenger. For that reason, I would be delighted for your group to find itself entirely ineffective and disband someday. But good luck.