Black Political Pundit 'Affirmation' Action is Working

From CNN to Fox News and beyond, black political thinkers are appearing more in the news. This shows that an affirmative action approach can work, but will it cross over to the community?

Everyone expected a positive change with the nomination of Sen. Barack Obama, as we do now with him as President. Positive change has come to politics as a result, at least in political media.

A recent report noted the uptick in black political pundits and bloggers, which seems to be a result of the presence of President Obama in the last political cycle. This is a good thing, not just for people like me, but for plenty of other Americans who are finding their points of view being voiced in a manner not seen before the 2008 election.

We now regularly see black political representation from both sides of the aisle in the media, giving those Americans following politics a chance to see the diversity of black America. ...

From young bloggers to old-line conservatives (and former elected officials), potential voters have had a chance to see black politicos argue their positions and analyze the policies and actions of our leaders in an inclusive manner that is truly American.

The diversity of image can lead to – and solidify – our political diversity down the road.

Sometimes, the best way to bring out openness in image-driven industries such as the media is to present a different image visually. Putting more diversity in the political media serves that purpose, but it does more as well.

By showing more points of view from the black community at a time when the first black nominee of a major party became the first black president, the media has pushed black America to a point of challenging itself to practice what it preaches with affirmation action – namely, to provide a different political viewpoint to an environment that has been dominated by whites for decades.

Ironically, our political landscape shows that America is diverse enough to have a black president, but black America hasn't shown that it's ready to have viable political diversity. The presence of conservative pundits who can counter their liberal and moderate counterparts on air has not led to more acceptance of black political diversity. Of course, that is not due to a lack of trying.

Groups such as Hip Hop Republicans, the Frederick Douglass Foundation, and the Black Republican Forum will only grow as the Republican Party strengthens post-2008, particularly with the election of Michael Steele as its chair. So far, these efforts have not broken the ice to create new political vision for black America. But just as the Obama presidency is young, so is the new wave of black media presence complete with balanced analysis.

The goal of affirmation action is to open the minds and hearts to allow for new opportunities. We have seen this lead to new realities in politics, both in the White House and on the airwaves. Maybe the continued presence of balanced political viewpoints from African Americans in the media will lead to new political thought for black America.