Nothing Against Your Policies, It’s Just The Color Of Your Skin

The Brooklyn Paper reports on a recent candidate forum in the 11th Congressional District, a picture postcard of a harmonious post-racial political landscape (.pdf):

The only white candidate for an open congressional seat in a predominantly black Brooklyn district was barred from a candidate forum held by a coalition of black churches last weekend. The decision to block City Councilman David Yassky (D-Brooklyn Heights) from the March 11 event — which drew about 30 people — was part of an effort by Churches United for Worldwide Action to ensure that a black person is elected to replace retiring Rep. Major Owens.

. . .

The moderator of the forum, the Rev. Kermitt Williams, of Agape Fellowship Church in East Flatbush, received the loudest applause when he declared: “As we know there is a candidate who is campaigning for this seat who’s not black. The fact that’s even being allowed to be pursued by someone that is not a part of our struggle and someone who is not black is of great concern to us.”