Peace be upon you:


Last Thursday, the Congressional Black Caucus Institute announced plans to partner with Fox News to host presidential debates--using the name and legacy of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) to legitimize an organization that has shown nothing but hostility to Black Americans. The Institute's leaders made this decision after ignoring more than 12,000 emails protesting the plan, and despite almost 800 phone calls to individual CBC members asking them to use their positions to speak out against the deal with Fox.

The CBC and CBCI are betraying Black America, not just in the partnership with Fox, but by willfully ignoring the people they claim to represent. It's a unacceptable display of irresponsible representation and disconnected leadership.

I've joined ColorOfChange.org's campaign to demand that members of the CBC stop hiding and lead with integrity. We've seen that the CBC thinks it can ignore us, so we're going to need as many voices as possible to keep up the pressure. Will you join me?

www.colorofchange.org/cbci_stance/

ColorOfChange.org's campaign has two goals: to force the CBC Institute to call off the Fox debates and to make it clear that Black elected leaders cannot act in our names while ignoring our voices.

The first step is targeting members of the CBC. We know that some members of the CBC oppose a partnership with Fox, but none have spoken publicly. Their silence implies agreement and lends credibility to the Institute's decision. If we can force each member to publicly take a stand on this issue, we're confident some will come out against the partnership. Once there's dissention in the ranks, the Institute's leadership will not be able to maintain the legitimacy of their decision.

But getting there won't be easy. CBC offices have given those of us called the runaround for weeks--saying the Fox debates are an Institute issue that they can do nothing about and then referring folks to a CBC Institute voicemail box that was full for over two weeks. Members are clearly not trying to go on the record about this issue. But with enough pressure, they will have to speak; and if they continue to hide, we will broadcast their cowardice to Black America and voters in their district.

The pressure is already mounting. Following the lead of ColorOfChange.org members, Black bloggers, academics, and community newspapers have all taken bold stands. Now it's up to us. If we keep up the pressure and speak out in greater and greater numbers, we can force voices of reason and conscience to arise from within the CBC, and help bring the CBC back in line with Black America. Please join me.

I added the following note to my signature to the online petition: "The Fox "News" Channel is not a legitimate news organization, but a mouthpiece of Republican, conservative viewpoints created (and owned/operated) by Rupert Murdoch. Why is the Congressional Black Caucus determined to dance with the devil by agreeing to partner with Fox News to host presidential debates. What good can come of this? Surely there are other options. I urge you to select a network not hostile to the interests of Black Americans."


www.colorofchange.org/cbci_stance/

Thanks.