Charles Barron is a former Black Panther, and a Democratic New York City Councilmember who contemplated running for mayor of New York City in the 2005 election, and in 2006 was a primary candidate for a seat in the U.S. Congress. The Black Panther Party (originally called the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was an African American organization founded to promote civil rights and self-defense with a mission of domination in the United States. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... New York City Hall The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... A primary election is an election in which voters in a jurisdiction select candidates for a subsequent election (nominating primary). ... The Congress of the United States is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States of America. ...

Political beliefs

Barron is on the left wing of the Democratic party. His major issues include affirmative action, reparations for slavery, and improving the living conditions for blacks through closing the wealth gap, reducing police brutality, and fighting racism. He has described himself as "pro-black" and has great interest in establishing more representatives for the black community, so that they can control their own economy and political future. ^[1]

He also believes the police and the government are enemies more often than allies, citing violence and surveillance by the police and the government departments as proof. He has often spoken against police brutality, saying that crime is not the fault of the black community. Rather, it is economic plight that brings crime, he believes, and crime can only be reduced by economic opportunities and advancement.^[2] In fact, he went on to say that without economic opportunities for blacks, "every black community is a powder keg."

Barron has taken on an array of issues, such as voting for non-citizens, and has welcomed illegal immigration with the phrase, "don't criminalize, legalize." He appeared on the television program The O'Reilly Factor^[3] and said the entire "immigration problem" is really a black-white issue. He argued that Germans, Jews, Poles, Greeks, and Italians who immigrated to the United States during the late 1800s were welcomed because of the color of their skin, but now, "All of a sudden when the complexion of immigration changes, now it's 'these people'." He rejected rebuttals from host Bill O'Reilly on the grounds that the original white European immigrants had received preferential treatment, stating "They had enough black people here already that were skilled and couldn't get the jobs that your people [referring to European-Americans] were able to get." O'Reilly accused Barron of trying to "let everyone into the country" simply "to change the complexion of America". Many viewers responded to this episode, upset that Barron would not concede that white immigrants indeed were discriminated against as well.^[4] The OReilly Factor is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill OReilly, who discusses current political and social issues with guests from opposing ends of the political spectrum. ... It has been suggested that Bill OReilly political beliefs and points of view be merged into this article or section. ...

The "browning of America"

Barron feels his issues and his consistency will win in the future because of changing demographics. When asked about a mayoral run in 2002, he said he believed that it would be very possible because New York City's population would be predominantly black and Latino. He maintains that the "browning of America" will change the United States drastically and will be a threat to white Americans, who will have fewer socio-economic advantages to keep themselves as the dominant force of American society. However, with 192,000,000 whites in the United States Mr. Barron must realize that America is not Brooklyn. Blacks make up a paltry 11% of the national population. States like Iowa have black populations as low as under 3%. With the influx of hispanics Mr. Barrons sees whiites losing what he calls, "white priveledge." Given blacks are not the race making the population gains, it will be interesting to see how blacks deal with becoming a smaller portion of the U.S. ppulation. It is hard to see how hispanic population gains will equal black power. // The term Latino is a linguistic identity that refers to an individual that has significant ancestry from a nation-state where a Latin derived language is spoken or is the offical language of the government. ...

View of U.S. history

Charles Barron has frequently raised eyebrows by trying to change the presentation of history in the United States. He is very vocal about publicizing black history, including erecting portraits of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, as important leaders of American history. In his view, many of the current monuments erected to the founding fathers and original white American leaders subtly represent slavery. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, for example, were slaveowners who he feels are remembered as false liberators because they still supported the institution of slavery. He has often proposed changes in New York City such as renaming buildings and schools as well as decorating them with mementos of black history to better represent the black community's struggle and contributions to the United States. “Martin Luther King” redirects here. ... Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, also known as Detroit Red and Al-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Omaha, Nebraska, May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965 in New York City) was a Muslim Minister and National Spokesman for the Nation of Islam. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 N.S.–4 July 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–09), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of Republicanism in the United States. ...

Barron has long criticized the prominent statue of Thomas Jefferson in the City Council chamber he works at, which he claims represents a "white, slave-owning pedophile."^[5] However, when he criticized the new speaker for the Council, Christine C. Quinn, his seat was changed to one next to the statue, which was seen as a punishment. Quinn's spokespeople stated that it was merely coincidental. Barron did not express bitterness against Speaker Quinn, saying, "I don't think it was deliberate, but it does bother me to be placed so near Jefferson, who was a slaveholder, a hypocrite, and a rapist."^[6] Christine C. Quinn. ...

Barron says he does not salute the flag or believe in the Pledge of Allegiance, saying the entire pledge is "a lie" that states equality and justice for all, which are not true in America and were especially untrue in black history.^[7] In 2004, he strongly objected to a move by the City Council that would begin each meeting with a voluntary Pledge.^[8] The Pledge of Allegiance is a promise or oath of allegiance to the United States as represented by its national flag. ...

Criticisms

He is often regarded as a racist and radical leftist, holding to beliefs he formed while in the Black Panther Party, which is no longer in existence. Some critics have called Barron a die-hard rebel fighting for black issues that are no longer relevant. He claims that criticisms of him being a "revolutionary" or "over-the-top" on black issues are simply the result of ignorance on the part of his white colleagues; he has, however, used the term "elected revolutionary" to describe himself^[9]. He is adamant on his issues, claiming that they are still important today, such as the issue of reparations for slavery: 1. ... Radical Left can refer to: 18th century Radicalism was a separate ideology, which was absorbed into liberalism and socialism. ... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms which refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially in the American sense of the word), or with opposition... The Black Panther Party (originally called the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was an African American organization founded to promote civil rights and self-defense with a mission of domination in the United States. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

"America—from 1789 to 1865, America—American government supported the institution of slavery. You don't tell Jewish people to forget about the Holocaust. We don't tell the Japanese people to forget about their oppression. When you are engaged in those kinds of crimes, you have to pay the debt. They don't mind inheriting the riches from slavery. Nobody says, 'Well, all of this money that was generated by the government, by private corporations, by private estates'—if you can inherit the wealth from slavery, then you must inherit the crime and responsibility from slavery."^[10] Some suggest that Mr. Barron must look at the lack of educational acheivement by the majority of blacks int he Unites States to fix the problems afflicting black America

Barron received reprimands and a certain amount of notoriety^[11] for a remark he made during a 2002 reparations rally: This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

"I want to go up to the closest white person and say, ‘You can’t understand this, it’s a black thing’ and then slap him, just for my mental health."

He has also shown support for Venezuela's Hugo Chávez, in an interview with Tucker Carlson, calling him a "Humanitarian". Many suggest that M. Barron has a severe anger problem. Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (IPA: ) (born July 28, 1954) is the current President of Venezuela. ...

Barron made statements encouraging violent riots by black people if the government response to the shooting of bridegroom Sean Bell shooting was not acceptable.^[12]

Political career

2006 Congressional campaign

On Feb 12, 2006, Charles Barron officially announced that he would be running in the U.S. House of Representatives Democratic primary for the 10th Congressional District of New York, which includes his New York City district.^[13] He ran against the 24-year incumbent, Democratic Representative Edolphus Towns. The House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the U.S. Congress, the other being the United States Senate. ... A primary election is an election in which voters in a jurisdiction select candidates for a subsequent election (nominating primary). ... Edolphus Ed Towns (born July 21, 1934) is an American politician and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the 10th District of New York. ...

On September 12, 2006, Barron lost to Towns by approximately eight percent. Many observers attributed the victory of Towns to an anti-incumbent vote, which Barron split with another primary opponent, Roger Green. Roger L. Green represents District 57 in the New York State Assembly, which is comprised of Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Park Slope and Bedford Stuyvesant. ...

2005 New York City mayoral campaign

Charles Barron considered running for mayor of New York city in the 2005 election because he felt that "white men have too much power in this city" and he had to do his best to redistribute the political power.^[14] He announced his plans to run for mayor of New York City in 2005 and went so far as to raise funds and campaign before he reconsidered.

His campaign was not as successful as he had hoped: he was always in direct competition with C. Virginia Fields, the only other black candidate on the ballot, and was short on necessary funds for running a viable campaign, especially against Democratic heavyweights such as Fernando Ferrer and Gifford Miller. Therefore, he had no choice but to drop out. C. Virginia Fields is the former Borough President of Manhattan, elected in 1997 and reelected in 2001. ... Fernando Ferrer Fernando James Freddy Ferrer (born April 30, 1950 in the Bronx, New York) was the Borough President of The Bronx from 1987 to 2001, and was a candidate for Mayor of New York in 2001 and the Democratic Party nominee for Mayor in 2005. ... New York City Council Speaker Gifford Miller. ...

Instead, he chose to endorse Fields from the Democratic Party rather than attempt a long-shot campaign. "I think two blacks in the race cancel each other out." he said, indicating a fear that the black vote would be divided and made weak by two candidates.^[15] He supported Fields because he felt she was the best candidate to beat Michael Bloomberg. Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born 14 February 1942) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and the founder of Bloomberg L.P., currently serving as the Mayor of New York City. ...

He also denounced another Democratic contender, Fernando Ferrer. He was especially upset with Ferrer's comments regarding the Diallo shooting, which was a hot topic among black voters in the election. He said the comments brought "irreversible" damage to Ferrer's campaign and hoped he would drop out of the race and endorse Fields.^[16] Waves of people both black and white view Barron as nothing more than an angry black male. Amadou Diallo Amadou Bailo Diallo (September 2, 1975 – February 4, 1999) was a 23 year old immigrant to the United States from Guinea, who was shot and killed on February 4, 1999, by four New York Police Department plain-clothed officers; Sean Carroll, Richard Murphy, Edward McMellon and Kenneth Boss. ...

Party affiliation

He has expressed dismay with the Democratic Party on several occasions. He considers the party too right-wing and says "the leadership of the Democratic Party has lost their connection with the once loyal black masses."^[17] The Republican Party, on the other hand, he feels "is not an option" for black voters, and so he believes a new third party should be made to represent American blacks.

Labor support

Charles Barron strongly supports New York City's unions, notably the predominantly African-American Transport Workers Union (TWU). During the 2005 transit workers' strike, Mayor Bloomberg called the TWU "thuggish", causing Barron and Rev. Al Sharpton to challenge the mayor. Barron said, in answer to the remarks: Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) is a United States labor union that was founded in 1934 by subway workers in New York City, then expanded to represent transit employees in other cities, primarily in the eastern U.S. This article discusses the parent union and its largest local, Local... A closed entrance to 45th Street station on the R Line in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. ... Reverend Al Sharpton The Reverend Alfred Charles Sharpton Jr. ...

"We will not tolerate any racist remarks about our union and our workers. We want leadership from the mayor."^[18]

Mayor Bloomberg denounced Barron's actions as "injecting race into the situation."

Issues with City Hall

Charles Barron is a strong opponent of Mayor Bloomberg and loathed Rudolph Giuliani. When he was combating bias crimes in New York City, he said: Rudolph William Louis Rudy Giuliani III, KBE (born May 28, 1944) served as the Mayor of New York City from January 1, 1994 through December 31, 2001. ...

"We have suffered under a mayor - Rudy Giuliani - who inflamed racial incidents in the city. Now we suffer under a mayor - Mayor Bloomberg - who is clueless about racial inequality."^[19]

Education and racism

He criticized the City University of New York for increasing its admission standards through the use of entrance exams and the elimination of remedial courses, saying, "I think racism comes behind standards."^[20]. Barron believed the universities had ulterior motives that drove them to raise the academic standards which restricted access to minority students. He went further, saying that college-age students shouldn't be denied admission to four-year colleges because of failures in the school systems they grew up in. He also cited the fact that CUNY's four-year colleges had open admission at one time, when admission was predominantly white. However, CUNY has reported that the number of black students at its four-year colleges increased in the three years following the end of open admission, while changes in the proportions of other ethnic groups were minimal. The City University of New York (CUNY; acronym: IPA pronunciation: ), is the public university system of New York City. ... The City University of New York (CUNY; acronym: IPA pronunciation: ), is the public university system of New York City. ...

Civil unrest

Charles Barron participated in the "day of unrest" on December 21, 1987 to protest racism in the city. The demonstration, which ended in the arrest of over 70 people, stalled service on the IRT subway lines for hours and created great tumult in the city. He, along with Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Timothy Mitchell and scores of protesters were found guilty of criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct, forcing him to spend 45 days in jail.^[21] The Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) was the operator of the original New York Subway line that opened in 1904 and additional rapid transit lines in the City of New York. ...

Barron was arrested during his time as head of the Black United Front's Harlem Chapter. In 1982, Charles Barron was arrested with Preston Wilcox from the Institute of African Research because they, with roughly 12 to 20 protesters, attempted to "forcibly remove" a white employee from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. They intended to remove Robert Morris, a white historian, who was appointed chief archivist for the Center. They were charged with harassment and criminal trespassing.^[22]

Barron sought clemency for three people he considered "political prisoners", Anthony Bottom, Albert Washington, and Herman Bell, who were responsible for killing two police officers in 1971. When he proposed this issue to the City Council in 2002, it led to a heated debate and was rejected.^[23] Some sugges than Mr. Barron would like nothing better than to see more black civil unrest. Maxine Waters said in 1992 during the Los Angeles riots. "they got a right to riot." Some sugges than Charles Barron most likely things the same way. A pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with it. ...

Zimbabwean politics

Barron was host to Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, who came to the United States and spoke on the steps of City Hall. Mugabe is often considered a dictator by much of the West, but was praised at the event with cheers by the black audience. Mugabe's action of removing white farmers from Zimbabwe's farms was blamed by the United Nations for lowering corn production by 70% and leading to the starvation of more of Zimbabwe's population.^[24] Robert Gabriel Mugabe KCB (born on February 21, 1924) is the President of Zimbabwe. ... ... In Zimbabwe, the question of land distribution and redistribution (land reform) is perhaps the most crucial and the most bitterly contested political issue today. ...

Response To Police Shooting

In response to the NYPD shooting of three individuals-including the fatal shooting of 23 year-old prospective bridegroom, and alleged crack dealer, Sean Bell-outside of a Jamaica, Queens strip club-Barron made a number of controversial statements, including one that implied that members of Bell's community would be justified in exercising non-peaceful or violent methods in response to his death. [1] Barron has publically stated that "we don't shoot anybody, they shoot us." The fact is the black male is responsible for over 80% of all murders in New York city. Further, the black make is responsible for 90% of all police homicides in NYC. For Mr. Barron to assert that we do not kill anyone is to deflect the fact that blacks are responsible for multiple murders a month in NYC. Mr. Barron is simply a vile liar when it comes to these facts. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) , the largest police department in the United States, has primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City. ... Sean Bell, his fiancee Nicole Paultre, and their daughter For the actor, see Sean Bell (actor). ... Major Mark Park Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City. ...

See also

• New York City Council
• Black Panther Party
• Land reform in Zimbabwe

New York City Hall The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. ... The Black Panther Party (originally called the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was an African American organization founded to promote civil rights and self-defense with a mission of domination in the United States. ... In Zimbabwe, the question of land distribution and redistribution (land reform) is perhaps the most crucial and the most bitterly contested political issue today. ...

References

External links

• Charles Barron for Congress in 2006
• Charles Barron: NYC Council Info. Page
• Video: NYC councilman calls for violence against cops
• "50 Shots" Protest Youtube video of Charles Barron speech, re: Sean Bell's fatal shooting.
• Rep. Ed Towns Trying To Fight Off Two Challengers In Congressional Race
• Brooklyn's 10th
• Rep. Towns tops Barron
• Also on Charles Barron's Enemies List: Al Sharpton
• Mugabe's Victims: Mostly Black, Charles Barron Calls It 'One of the Most Stable Countries in Africa'
• Minstrel Show
• Curse You Chuck Barron

Members of New York City Council Speaker: Christine C. Quinn Sean Bell, his fiancee Nicole Paultre, and their daughter For the actor, see Sean Bell (actor). ... The list of New York City Council members below is current as of the 2006-2010 term. ... New York City Hall The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. ... Christine C. Quinn. ...
Manhattan - 1: Gerson (D) 2: Mendez (D) 3: Quinn (D) 4: Garodnick (D) 5: Lappin (D) 6: Brewer (D) 7: Jackson (D) 8: Viverito (D) Image File history File links Flag_of_New_York_City. ... Manhattan is a borough of New York City, New York, USA, coterminous with New York County. ... Alan Gerson is a Democratic member of the New York City Council, elected in 2001 to represent the 1st council district in Manhattan. ... Rosie Mendez is an American Democratic Party politician in New York, and a member of the New York City Council from Manhattan. ... Christine C. Quinn. ... Daniel R. (Dan) Garodnick is a New York City Councilman representing the 4th district, which comprises Midtown East, Murray Hill, Stuyvesant Town, and much of the Upper East Side. ... Jessica Lappin is a Democratic New York City Councilwoman representing the Upper East Side, a Manhattan neighborhood. ... Gale Brewer is a member of the New York City Council. ... Robert Jackson is a member of the New York City Council, representing the 7th District in Manhattan. ... Melissa Mark Viverito is the New York City Council member for the topmost part of the Upper East Side and for Spanish Harlem. ...	9: Dickens (D) 10: Martinez (D) Bronx - 11: Koppell (D) 12: Seabrook (D) 13: Vacca (D) 14: Baez (D) 15: Rivera (D) 16: Foster (D) Inez Dickens is a member of the New York City Council. ... Miguel Martinez is a member of the New York City Council representing the 10th Council district in Manhattan. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... G. Oliver Koppell (born 1940) is a member of the New York City Council from District 11 in the Borough of The Bronx, covering the neighborhoods of Riverdale, Norwood, and Bedford Park. ... Larry B. Seabrook is the current New York City Councilman from District 12 in New York City. ... James Vacca is a Member of the New York City Council representing the 13th Council District, which includes the neighborhoods of Throggs Neck, Pelham Bay, Country Club, City Island, Westchester Square & Zerega, Morris Park, Pelham Parkway, and Allerton in The Bronx. ... Joel Rivera (b. ... Helen Dianne Foster currently represents District 16 in the New York City Council, which is comprised of the neighborhoods of the West Bronx, Morrisania, Highbridge, Melrose, and the South Bronx. ...	17: Arroyo (D) 18: Palma (D) Queens - 19: Avella (D) 20: Liu (D) 21: Monserrate (D) 22: Vallone (D) 23: Weprin (D) 24: Gennaro (D) 25: Sears (D) Queens County, often referred to as simply Queens, is the largest in area of the five boroughs of New York City, USA. It is home to New York Citys two major airports (John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia), the New York Mets baseball team, the USTA National Tennis Center, Silvercup... Tony Avella is a member of the New York City Council from the borough of Queens. ... John Liu is a New York City politician, currently serving on the New York City Council representing District 20. ... Hiram Monserrate is a member of the New York City Council currently representing District 21, which comprises the Queens neighborhoods of Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights. ... Peter F. Vallone, Jr. ... David Weprin (born May 2, 1956) is a council member in the New York City Council. ...	26: Gioia (D) 27: Comrie (D) 28: White (D) 29: Katz (D) 30: Gallagher (R) 31: Sanders (D) 32: Addabbo (D) Brooklyn - 33: Yassky (D) 34: Reyna (D) Eric Gioia is a member of the New York City Council and a Democratic politician in New York. ... Leroy Comrie represents District 27 in the New York City Council, which is comprised of St. ... Thomas White, Jr. ... Melinda Katz is an American Democratic Party politician in New York, and a member of the New York City Council from Queens. ... Dennis P. Gallagher is a current New York City Council member representing 30th District in Queens, including the neighborhoods of Middle Village, Glendale, Ridgewood, Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, and Forest Hills. ... Joseph Addabbo Jr. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... David Yassky is a member of the New York City Council. ... Diana Reyna is the New York City Council Member who represents the 34th Councilmanic District, which includes Williamsburg and Bushwick. ...	35: James (D) 36: Vann (D) 37: Dilan (D) 38: Gonzalez (D) 39: DeBlasio (D) 40: Eugene (D) 41: Mealy (D) 42: Barron (D) 43: Gentile (D) New York City Council Member Letitia James. ... Albert Vann is a member of the New York City Council from Brooklyn representing the 36th Council District, which includes Bedford-Stuyvesant. ... Erik Martin Dilan (b. ... Sara M. Gonzalez represents District 38 in the New York City Council, which is comprised of Sunset Park, Boerum Hill, Red Hook, Windsor Terrace, among other neighborhoods within the borough of Brooklyn. ... Bill de Blasio represents District 39 in the New York City Council, which comprises the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Borough Park, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Gowanus, Kensington, Park Slope, and Windsor Terrace. ... Honorable Councilmember Dr. Eugene Mathieu - Posted by Smith Georges (from the official website of Dr. Mathieu Eugene - Eugene2007. ... Vincent J. Gentile is a member of the New York City Council representing District 43, which comprises portions of Dyker Heights, as well as the Southwest Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bensonhurst, Bay Ridge, and Dyker Heights. ...	44: Felder (D) 45: Stewart (D) 46: Fidler (D) 47: Recchia (D) 48: Nelson (D) Staten Island - 49: McMahon (D) 50: Oddo (R) 51: Ignizio (R) Simcha Felder is a member of the New York City Council from Brooklyn. ... Kendall Stewart is a member of the New York City Council from Brooklyn. ... In January, 2002, Lew Fidler began his first term as Councilman for the 46th District. ... Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. ... Staten Island (IPA: ) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. ... Michael McMahon is a City Council member representing the North Shore of Staten Island. ... James S. Oddo is a Socialist politician from Staten Island, currently serving as Minority Leader in the New York City Council. ... Vincent Ignizio is a Republican member of the New York City Council. ...