Wednesday, July 30, 2014

David Honig pushes back against the "digital activists".

I posted an article Monday from Salon that was also featured in The Nation and various other left wing publications about civil rights groups selling out to major telecom corporations on the issue of "net neutrality". (Check out the comments after the article that is linked here.) 


In my article, I wrote about my admiration for David Honig, who happens to lead one of the organizations that has been accused of "selling out". I got a few nasty e-mails which accused me of selling out as well and having blinders when it comes to this subject because of my admiration for the aforementioned Mr. Honig.


Today I exchanged e-mails with David, and needless to say he was not too pleased with the characterization of his group from by Lee Fang and others. He also gave me permission to publish what he wrote, so here goes:


"Field -

No one disagrees about the desirability of an open Internet; the disagreement is over methods – whether to regulate under Section 706 of the Communications Act, as the courts have suggested and as the Chairman of the FCC prefers, or whether to reclassify broadband as a public utility and regulate it as a common carrier under Title II of the Act.

MMTC and nearly 50 other national organizations have studied this issue for years and have concluded that it would be much safer to use Section 706, which would not restrict investment, innovation, or the potential for affirmative action.  We think it would be irresponsible to take a competitive one sixth of the nation's economy and put into a box designed for monopoly regulation.

A handful of other organizations take the opposing view – which is their right.  But rather than argue the merits, they have chosen to attack all of the nation's leading civil rights groups – saying we're "sellouts" because we don't agree with their preferred method of regulation.  They have elevated net neutrality into a religious cult.

Who are they calling "sellouts"?  The NAACP.  National Urban League.  Rainbow PUSH.  LULAC.  National Action Network.  National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.  MMTC.  And dozens more!

"We know what's best for you," some of the "netroots" groups say.  If we're not with them, we must be either too dense to understand these "complicated" telecom policy issues, or we must be on the take.

They're accusing virtually the entire civil rights movement of being stupid and corrupt.

It shouldn't be necessary to say this, but I will in case there's any doubt:

  • All of the major civil rights organizations receive support from companies that support Title II reclassification and those that oppose it.
  • The position we've taken on the open Internet is considerably more aggressive on consumer protection than the carriers' position.  Most of us fight the carriers on a host of other issues.
  • Obviously, none of us sells policy support for contributions.
  • And all of do our own thinking.
  • The civil rights organizations are glad that some companies that agree with us – and some that disagree – are willing to support our work fighting job discrimination, police misconduct, redlining and voter suppression.


  • I have seen this sheer arrogance and paternalism before.  Forty years ago, I worked with major civil rights organizations in my hometown (Rochester NY) who opposed wholesale "urban renewal" and preferred home and environmental improvement initiatives, like weatherization and new roofs that would enable Black homeowners to keep their older homes.  Our opponents were ostensibly liberal organizations – mostly white Americans – who insisted that they knew better than the SCLC, Urban League and the antipoverty agency what was best for our members and constituents.  The ostensibly liberal groups' solution to poverty?  Plow it all under with bulldozers, and call it "slum clearance." 

    Eventually, or so they promised, new low income housing would be built, and those displaced by "urban renewal" would be able to move back to their old neighborhoods.  They had their "experts" like Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who thought poverty was primarily caused by the Black family rather than by years of segregation and discrimination.

    Well, we lost.  And you can guess what happened:  gentrification, with very little new low income housing.  Thousands of Black families displaced permanently.  Communities destroyed.  Urban renewal earned a new name:  "Negro removal." And sure enough, it turned out that big developers had been behind the ostensibly liberal "slum clearance" groups all the time.

    And here we go again.  The paternalism and arrogance of 40 years ago resonates today with what some of the "netroots" groups are trying to achieve with their smear campaign directed at nearly all of the national civil rights organizations.  They've deployed a host of media outlets to lie and lie repeatedly.  But a lie repeated a thousand times is still a lie.

    And even worse:  these digital activists, with just one exception (Public Knowledge), have failed to join us civil rights groups in going after the real #1 threat to the digital divide:  straight up redlining by one of the netroots' groups' largest sponsors.  Deafening silence.

    So NO, we will not be moved.  We will not allow the nation's civil rights groups to be smeared and straight up lied about.  Not this time.  Not anymore.

    Field you always speak truth to power.  THANK YOU for giving me this opportunity to vent.

    David Honig, President, Minority Media and Telecommunications Council"

    Thank you David for venting.

     




     

    39 comments:

    PilotX said...

    Good to see you are connected to such individuals and they have a platform to give good info.

    Anonymous said...

    "Field you always speak truth to power. THANK YOU for giving me this opportunity to vent."

    No, Mr Honig, Mr Field does not always speak truth to power. In fact, he rarely does.

    I don't believe you, Mr Honig, let alone trust that you have poor folks well-being at heart. However, I understand it was a good opportunity for you to vent. In your venting, you took the liberty to throw in how 'honest' Field was.

    Well, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE knows Field is a liar of the highest order!

    The fact that you think of Field as a man of truth says a lot about you, your judgment,and your integrity.

    There is a saying, "Birds of the feather flock together". You should take it into your heart.

    You, the NAACP, Rev Al and his network are not to be trusted....especially since Field has been promoting you. As you should know, the NAACP has proven over and over again for 'decades' that it is goes where the money is, NOT for the black community. It is as untrustworthy as Satan, and should not be in the Civil Rights business.

    Today, it is difficult to find a black person who has anything positive to say about the NAACP or Rev Al. Surely you know this?

    And you have aligned yourself with them? Good grief...99% of the time they are up to no good. Get Real, Mr Honig...you are as far away for the good of Blacks as the NAACP Chapter of LA was with Donald Sterling.

    Anonymous said...

    Mr Field, I do not understand WHY you put Whoopi Goldberg in the House for stating that women should not hit a man and expect that he won't hit back.

    She went on to state explicitly that "if a woman takes it on herself to hit a man, don't be surprised if he hits you back."

    Also, she said "no one should be hitting anybody".

    So where did you conclude that Whoopi was covering for Stephen A? Whoopi has always stood on 'principle' not for some personality.

    You lied on Whoopi. As usual you twist the truth into a pack of lies. And you do it shamelessly. You have no character.

    Anonymous said...

    Somebody please say something about illegal immigrants in our country killing police officers and Obama remaining mute about it.

    http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/index.html#/v/3705541160001

    field negro said...

    Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Even trolls who have no clue about what is going on in the REAL world, and not just the FOX VIEWS echo chamber.

    Joder La Resistencia said...
    This comment has been removed by the author.
    Joder La Resistencia said...

    "We know what's best for you,"

    This isn't just the nutroots saying and thinking this. It's everyone on the left-including you field-saying and thinking this.

    "Field you always speak truth to power."

    Only when that power is in Republican hands.

    When that power is in Democrat/black hands you jig in hopes of being included.

    Anonymous said...

    Wow. This blog is on its way out. Those meaningless posts have finally driven most away. Congratulations Field. You continue to self-destruct. Of course, this has been the "theme" of your 'entire' life, hasn't it?

    Joder La Resistencia said...

    The party of stupid loves to re-write history.

    Dem Who Co-Sponsored Bush Impeachment Bill Claims Dems Didn’t Want to Impeach Him


    In fact, back in 2008, there was a bill sponsored by Dennis Kucinich with this title: “Impeaching George W. Bush, President of the United States, of high crimes and misdemeanors.” The bill was co-sponsored by eleven Democrats, among them Texas Democrat Sheila Jackson-Lee.

    Well, guess what Jackson-Lee said today.

    Yep, in a House statement highlighted by BuzzFeed’s Katherine Miller, Jackson-Lee said, “President Bush pushed this nation into a war it had little to do with apprehending terrorists. We did not seek an impeachment of President Bush, because as an executive, he had his authority. President Obama has the authority.”

    Well, except for that bill titled “Impeaching George W. Bush” that she co-sponsored.

    http://www.mediaite.com/online/dem-who-co-sponsored-bush-impeachment-bill-claims-dems-didn%E2%80%99t-want-to-impeach-him/







    Anonymous said...

    Kinky, I love the way you stay on top of implied race-related politics. It's perverse.

    But racism IS perverse. There is no other way to explain it....Einstein explained it as 'a white man's disease'.

    You are very sick in heart, mind and soul.

    Anonymous said...

    Well, the Republicans are on their way to suing the President. It won't be long before Obama is impeached.

    I wonder if anyone cares what happens to the President other than Field and a few other HN?

    Anonymous said...

    "No one disagrees about the desirability of an open Internet; the disagreement is over methods – whether to regulate under Section 706 of the Communications Act, as the courts have suggested and as the Chairman of the FCC prefers, or whether to reclassify broadband as a public utility and regulate it as a common carrier under Title II of the Act."

    See, the drawback of the "Section 706 option" is that it will not work.

    The Chairman of the FCC is, effectively, an operative of the cable industry. He used to be their chief industry lobbyist! He was "bought" before he ever took the job. Obama should never have appointed him. So, sure, in theory, he could act responsibly to preserve net neutrality -- but he won't. That is why the activists have been campaigning to remove the decision from his purview and enact it into legislation.

    Assuming that these civil rights groups haven't themselves been bought by the telecoms also, and are really sincere in their reasoning for opposing such legislation, their reasoning is still dumb.

    They are fighting to preserve the possibility of some stupid affirmative action option -- one which will never happen anyway -- and meanwhile the FCC will stand by and let cable carriers sell off Internet bandwidth to the highest bidder.

    So, either way, whether they've actually sold out, or are simply shooting themselves in the foot out of wrong-headed conviction, they're still on the bad side of this argument.

    field negro said...

    Riiight. Troll@8:05, the blog is more popular now than ever.Just got a great offer to monetize in fact, and the hits are way up.

    Unfortunately for you, I will be around for awhile. I enjoy pissing off clowns like u too much to quit now.;)

    Plane Ideas said...

    I have no problem with NAACP or any other civil rights group taking money from conservatives, corporations etc..

    I tire of the noble broke negro syndrome..

    I also tire of the notion that money can a but a negro's soul..

    Bill said...


    señor kinky said...
    The party of stupid loves to re-write history.


    Sheila understands that field bloggers like FN would never call her out for lying like FN does to white people.


    The only difference between faux news and FN is the political party they pledge their allegiance to.


    Well, faux makes $ while FN does the democrats bidding for free.




    ThatDeborahGirl said...

    I believe that Field does speak truth to power in that he does speak his mind, doesn't bite his tongue and calls it like he sees it. He does this regardless of what people may think about him personally.

    As for him putting Whoopi Golberg "in the house" that's just damned shameful. But sadly, Field has proven time and again that he doesn't really understand women much and doesn't much care to truly grasp our disparate issues separate from the overall struggles of Civil Rights that also effect black men.

    It's the typical arrogance and cluelessness born out of the misogyny of the planet so honestly, this is just one more think in that line. When it comes to women I think Field is more Todd Akin than Rush Limbaugh. One is just clueless the other hates women outright.

    As for Field being an outright "liar" that's just false and cruel.

    Bill said...


    field negro said...
    the blog is more popular now than ever.Just got a great offer to monetize in fact, and the hits are way up.


    Why do you believe hits are up?

    Anything to do with Kinky, QLB and myself offering a different viewpoint to the FN 1 thought echo chamber?


    Anonymous said...

    FN:
    True dat... Putting Whoopi Goldberg "in da house" was a mistake,IMHO. I did not hear her endorse men hitting women; I heard her say that if you - male or female - hit anyone, then, expect to get hit back, period.
    And, while I'm at it: Again, FN, shouldn't the "Killadelphia Murder Count" be updated?

    Yīshēng said...

    Blogger field negro said...
    Riiight. Troll@8:05, the blog is more popular now than ever.Just got a great offer to monetize in fact, and the hits are way up.
    Unfortunately for you, I will be around for awhile. I enjoy pissing off clowns like u too much to quit now.;)
    >>>>>>>>>>>

    I think it's great your blog is doing well. The ONLY thing that bothers me is that the professional trolls assigned to your blog get paid too.

    Yīshēng said...

    Anonymous ThatDeborahGirl said...
    As for him putting Whoopi Golberg "in the house" that's just damned shameful.
    >>>>>>>>>

    Whoopi DESERVES the house for essentially saying that a woman that provokes a man, deserves to be hit in retaliation.

    Field is sticking up from women IMHO.

    field negro said...

    LOL @ the Doc. I sure hope they are getting paid.They spend a lot of energy being stupid. That has to be hard work.

    Yīshēng said...

    Blogger field negro said...
    LOL @ the Doc. I sure hope they are getting paid.They spend a lot of energy being stupid. That has to be hard work.
    >>>>>>

    ROTFL!!!

    I said it before but it bears repeating about net neutrality, when it disappears, the poor will be the most negatively affected people in the US.

    BLACKISBEAUTIFUL said...

    Dammm Field it didnt take you long to turn back into STEPHEN...


    David Honigs group "inority Media and Telecommunications Council" got $725,000 from Telecom Giants Verizon , and Time Warner from 2009-2011

    http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/06/06/12769/civil-rights-groups-fcc-positions-reflect-industry-funding-critics-say


    The crap he wrote about was trying to draw attention from the fact that his groups positions BENEFITS the Telecoms...

    Thats it in a nut shell..

    Dont take long Field to revert back into Fake Asss Field Negro..

    No time at all...

    BLACKISBEAUTIFUL said...

    For $725,000.00

    David would make "SURE" his position mirrors the big Telecom conpanies..


    I would imagine he needs a coool Billion to change his position at this point...



    field negro said...

    BIB, don't be a hater. It's not a good look.
    Try to make a reasonable argument to support your position that M MTC is not supporting "net neutrality" without reverting to salary envy.

    BLACKISBEAUTIFUL said...

    "No Net Neutrality over here"... said Field...aka...STEPHEN

    "BIB, don't be a hater. It's not a good look"


    I hate liars , and people that obfuscate the truth with lies...

    Truth is...

    Opposing Net Neutrality creates a tiered system wherein they can charge more for different types of streaming data...

    (Gee ...I wonder who would benefit from that???)

    That was the ORIGINAL intent of "Net Neutrality" not the myriad of un related "Goodwill" practices of multi billion dollar companies...


    I know it troubles you that you just cant post a bunch of
    "Bought and Paid For " rhetoric from a Guy who is DEEEP in the pockets of the Big Telecom Giants...

    The other issues of whether or not the big Telecoms will invest in minority communities have absolutely NOTHING to do with creating a Tiered system to charge different rates for streaming data.

    Its Kind of like them saying...

    "Well you just HAVE" to let us Rob you... So that we can Help You"


    725k to go AGAINST the inherent principles of the doctrine....

    Yes ... Im a hater...

    I hate Liars...

    Stop aligning yourself with Liars....

    You wont feel as much hate....

    Unless you post a Anti-Gun Story for the agitation of Trolls....

    Anonymous said...

    Frankly this is a dud of a topic. Meanwhile in Chicago, the death toll for the month of July stands at 42 with only few more hours of shooting time left. Tomorrow is the beginning of a new month along with the start of the weekend shit show. Will the more lead less dead trend continue? The mortality rate per shooting continues to drop. Thank God for the trauma system that YT invented and pays for.

    QLB

    Anonymous said...

    BIB, "Opposing Net Neutrality creates a tiered system wherein they can charge more for different types of streaming data...

    (Gee ...I wonder who would benefit from that???)"

    Well, it would benefit the black community, of course. THE NAACP, REV INC, CBC, and many others, including Brother Field.

    It's ALL GOOD. Brother BIB, you must think positive and look on the bright side....smoke a joint, you'll feel better.

    Anonymous said...

    Anon said,
    t's ALL GOOD. Brother BIB, you must think positive and look on the bright side....smoke a joint, you'll feel better.

    Nah, just bring back Soul Train with a host having the gravitas of Don Cornelius. I especially liked the part of the show where they danced down the train tracks. The coal burners were damned good looking too. I became an Ashford and Simpson fan watching that show.

    QLB

    Anonymous said...

    Anon 11:10p, You laid out the truth quite well. Honig and the rest of his cronies are corrupt and could care less about the poor. They are out for the money.

    BLACKISBEAUTIFUL said...

    QLB.... I wouldn't expect you to go into the nuances of net neutrality......

    You can't really comment on it because it's beyond the scope of your daily ramblings about crime stats in Chicago......

    Feel free to come back when Field posts a NRA gun rights post...

    I'm sure you'll have lots to talk about then....

    Carry on....

    Anonymous said...

    BiB wrote,
    QLB.... I wouldn't expect you to go into the nuances of net neutrality....

    Just another excuse, something your people excel in. What happens when the rest of the world finally gets a terminal dose of Negro fatigue? Here's a huge hint. It's getting close.

    QLB

    Anonymous said...

    "Just another excuse, something your people excel in. What happens when the rest of the world finally gets a terminal dose of Negro fatigue? Here's a huge hint. It's getting close."

    QLB
    ++++++++

    Dear Brother Field, what if the world is getting Negro fatigue like QLB has said?

    QLB might be psychic. I mean, he seems to know the future of Blacks.

    QLB scares me. The trouble with Whites like QLB is they will start shooting a lot of innocent Blacks.

    Why do you think QLB is on FN? He is probably working his rage up to shoot some folks at the movies.

    I hope the FBI is watching him.

    And BIB ought to stop provoking him.

    Dear brother BIB, please STFU. Stop being so uppity. Where the hell are you from, B'more?

    Anonymous said...

    Anon said,
    QLB scares me. The trouble with Whites like QLB is they will start shooting a lot of innocent Blacks.

    And this has happened where? After all I've been about non-violence from day one. Of course some of the darker brethren here have preached extreme violence including murder. Murder to Whites and murder to the PD's, murder to people of wealth. Yet little me who has a different perspective is somehow a potential terrorist of sorts. No wonder your people are the most deluded on the planet.

    QLb

    field negro said...

    "Just another excuse, something your people excel in. What happens when the rest of the world finally gets a terminal dose of Negro fatigue? Here's a huge hint. It's getting close."

    I think you are contributing to red-neck fatigue.

    BLACKISBEAUTIFUL said...

    QLB seems to have a similar mentality to ,,"Ted Wafer". You got any weapons over there??? Anything loaded ....safety off ??

    Anonymous said...

    Wh do you want to know? Are you planning on stealing something?

    QLB

    Anonymous said...

    As usual, Honig is wrong. They're just being accused of being corrupt.

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