The District Pac claims Congressman Bowman and The Squad are dividing our communities when it is their actions that are actually causing division
In response to a video of County Executive George Latimer telling the story of how he grew up as a white kid in a Black neighborhood in the southside Mount Vernon yet again (see below), as proof that he is cool with Black People and he is “hardly targeting African Americans in a negative way,” and how no nationwide outside group is telling him how to think, The District Pac calls Congressman Jamaal Bowman and other members of color of ‘The Squad’ race hustlers (see tweet below).
So here is what I have a problem with, why when people of color, especially Black People stand up, advocate for, and speak up for their people, do White People call them stuff like Race Hustlers or label them anti-something or accuse Black People of playing the race card? Every other group of people can advocate and stand up for their people without having to deal with race-baiting labeling and having dog whistles thrown at them. It’s time for some REAL TALK!
Groups like The District Pac are the ones dividing our communities, not Black and Brown elected officials who are representing their districts and their people, who do not usually have people who look like them to advocate for them. To speak up and defend them. To bring attention to issues they face, as elected officials do for their districts, their communities, and their people.
The District Pac’s mission is to remove people of color from Congress, especially Congressman Jamaal Bowman, the first African American to represent the 16th Congressional District. Do not take my word for it, see the quote below or click on the link above, they spell it out on the front page of their website.
The District is a Westchester County based political action committee campaigning to defeat The Squad, Progressives, and Socialist Democrat Party candidates seeking to represent Westchester County residents in The US House of Representatives.
We are the boots on the ground in our communities, actively campaigning to defeat The Squad and Socialist Democrat Party candidates that are destroying our country and our communities. Our main objective in 2024 is to defeat Jamaal Bowman’s bid for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
The District Pac, the self-described ‘New York-based independent expenditure committee (super pac)’ on their Facebook Page, led the attempted GOP takeover of the Westchester Democratic primary to disenfranchise the Black and Brown vote in Westchester. They feel that anyone of color who dares to represent something other than what they believe has to be taken out. Persons who has the audacity to believe the words written by the forefathers of this land actually apply to them.
That is the very definition of the White Privilege. White Privilege is the societal privilege that benefits white people over non-white people in some societies, particularly if they are otherwise under the same social, political, or economic circumstances. Why is racial inequality perceivably so resistant to transformation? Some say it is because of a failure to acknowledge and confront white privilege.
Instead of trying to appeal to Black Voters to show how the candidate they support is better, just like MAGA Republicans are doing all over the United States, The District Pac decides it better to disenfranchise the Black Vote. In this case, they encouraged a MAGA GOP takeover of the Democratic Primary and they are using their Super Pac to remove a Black Man from office because he refuses to kiss the ring like others and dares to be unapologetic in representing his people and his district in the House of Representatives.
To be clear and I have said it over and over, if Democrats feel Latimer is the better candidate, they should be free to express that with their vote without interference from the Republican Party. As the Editor-In-Chief and co-owner of a Black community media outlet, I know all too well the attacks of the privileged for speaking truth to power and advocating for Black and Brown people in Westchester and I take it personally.
To clear up another misrepresented claim that ‘Black Westchester is carrying out a smear campaign against George Latimer.’ Black Westchester endorsed Latimer in his successful unseating of Republican County Executive Rob Astorino and again when he ran for re-election. Latimer has enjoyed the support of Black Westchester, which included having difficult conversations with him when it came to our community. We have always had a lot of respect and a good relationship with Latimer, just ask him.
What we do not respect are the actions of organizations like AIPAC, The District Pac, and others that represent him and support his campaign financially. Latimer himself may not be using the dog whistles and race-baiting of these organizations but the white kid who grew up in the Black community on the Southside of Mount Vernon must not have a problem with what they are doing and saying to assist him in unseating the first Black Man to be elected by the people to serve CD-16.
Remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “The SILENCE of the good people is more DANGEROUS than the BRUTALITY of the bad people,” or “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.” How about one of my favorites, “A time comes when silence is betrayal.” Your silence speaks volumes George!
Lastly and I say this out of love, while this may not be your intention, telling us every five minutes that you grew up a white kid in a Black neighborhood, and how your friends were Black etc etc., comes off like the words of many White Men before you who tried to convince us that they weren’t racist, because they have a Black Friend. Why is it so necessary to continue to tell us this same story over and over and over again, who are you trying to convince us or you? And allow me to share a video of you so people can see and hear your words directly from you before you tell the world I misrepresented your words again.
Do not mistake our speaking truth to power and having the difficult conversation with you for a smear campaign. You claimed to respect us and spoke highly about what we represent and the work we do (Damon and I have the proclamations on our walls to prove it) and never had a problem appearing on our show as State Senator or County Executive so why won’t you come on now and have that difficult conversation with us you never ran from before? We invite you to have the difficult conversation publicly since you said no privately.
Lastly, I end this editorial simply by asking, Why have you been quiet about the actions of your supporters, who by your own words, do not influence you or who represent attitudes you tell us you don’t? Out of love, I have to say your silence speaks volumes and comes off as betrayal! Do you believe what the organizations representing you believe? If not, why haven’t we heard you speak up against their community-dividing actions? Dividing the Black & Jewish communities! The communities you claim to represent as a whole! The communities that have been very supportive of you. That goes for anyone else in Westchester who is silent as well! And that’s Real Talk!
Greetings AJ,
Thank you for your post. I would have liked to tell you the following words in-person- and given the chance, I will. The District Pac does not endorse or support any of the three Democrat candidates to win the primary for CD16. We only oppose Jamaal Bowman‘s bid for reelection. Not because of his skin color, race, or creed (as AOC and others have intimated), but because his policies and political philosophy, are too far left.
Jamaal Bowman proudly stands as one of the most liberal politicians on the nation’s stage today- espousing, socialist, anti-capitalist, anti-private property positions with a loud voice. The District does not support these ideologies or policies, which history has demonstrated, time and time again, impoverish and lead to destruction of the governed.
There is no hate of Jamaal Bowman, on a personal level. I, personally, would likely have a good time hanging out with him at a bar or at a nightclub as he seems like a nice enough guy. He also brings a lot of passion to the table which inspires others, and he is doing what he thinks is best. The District does not like his policies, and that is the only reason, we oppose his re-election to the US House.
The comments made about race hustling are regrettable, and for that I apologize. The term was borrowed from Thomas Sowell, a conservative African American scholar who still inspires today. He recognized and called out those who sought their own political and financial gain by rallying communities by appealing to their race. The issue of race in America has been used (and continues to be used) by many to divide us, rather than unite us. We at the District do not play that game. The term was used in response to charges that “ Latimer and others opposing (Bowman) are [themselves] racist.” We called that out as being absurd and a tactic to divide our communities based on race.
We will continue our work to educate people of all color, race, ethnicity, and religion, of the dangers that far left progressive/socialist policies pose to the future of our country, our state, and our congressional district communities.
Our campaign is not, and has never been about race. To call us racist or suffers of white privilege, is a tactic to dismiss the moderate and conservative values that we stand for. To label the District Pac, as a racists organization, is a distortion of reality, hurtful, and wrong. Help us make this primary election about issues- not skin color.
Thank you for your comment and apology for using the word race hustlers to describe elected officials of color. We welcome you to appear on our radio show to further this conversation if you are willing