After the midterm election results determined that Democrats would have a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, just under a million people looked at the prospect of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) becoming Speaker of the House and said, “Nah, son.” That’s cold-blooded. But let me explain how we got here.
Republicans got the Black beat off them on election night. (Yeah, I know most of them are white, but you get the point.) Democrats will take control of Congress in January, and Jeffries is the House Minority Leader. That means he is poised to become the next Speaker of the House. And that’s significant.
If elected, Jeffries would become the first Black person to hold the office in 237 years. But if you thought everyone would be happy and teary-eyed about this, you’d be wrong.
A Change.org petition calling on House Democrats to choose somebody else has more than 800,000 signatures. Even actor Mark Ruffalo, the Hulk himself, has gotten in on the action, sharing it with his followers. The petition was created by political influencer Nicole Whitted, who argues that Democrats should hold a competitive election for Speaker rather than automatically elevating Jeffries. She wants someone whose priorities reflect Democratic voters rather than the party establishment.
Alright. You’re caught up. Dems win a historic election, and before the champagne is even flat, over 800,000 people are essentially saying, “Thanks, but no thanks” to the homie from The People’s Republic of Brooklyn. I have thoughts.
Jeffries isn’t above criticism. As a matter of fact, I don’t like many of his positions. He’s a staunch supporter of Israel and has resisted calls to cut military assistance. He once co-sponsored Medicare for All but has since backed away from the proposal. And his campaign’s relationships with corporate PACs and wealthy donors are questionable. What’s more, his cautious, consensus-driven approach to confronting Republicans hasn’t exactly inspired the progressive wing of the party.
So, I get it. Dude deserves criticism. But there’s a difference between disagreeing with a politician and suggesting he should not get the job.
Jeffries doesn’t have to be a perfect Democrat for progressives and moderates to deserve the opportunity. Last time I checked, perfection wasn’t a job requirement. Obama certainly was not perfect, but I’d vote for him again.
And this leads me to my next point. And let me say now that I am truly sorry to anyone white I’m about to offend. (Please stop calling my office and leaving angry messages on my voicemail.)
Remember Nicole Whitted? The person behind the petition? She is a white woman. Mark Ruffalo, the actor who helped amplify it, dude is also white. Hold up. Before anybody starts clutching their pearls, I’m not saying white people can’t criticize Jeffries. Have at it. Hell, I’d join you. But we need to have some perspective about this.
We’re talking about the possibility of a Black man becoming Speaker of the House for the first time since the founding of the Republic. That matters. Black folks know what it means to be shut out of rooms where decisions about our lives are being made. What it feels like to be told there is something we cannot do simply because of the color of our skin. We also know that representation isn’t everything, but it ain’t nothing.
And here’s the thing: Black people don’t have to pretend Jeffries is flawless to recognize the significance his election to that position would mean. We can criticize his politics and still want to see him break a barrier that has stood for more than two centuries. Those two things are not mutually exclusive.
And that is a nuanced position that might get lost on white folks. Jeffries isn’t perfect, but neither is the Democratic Party. If they are going to reject him, then let’s hear the alternative. Who is the person that checks every box, satisfies every faction, takes on Republicans, pleases progressives, and manages to offend absolutely nobody? Cuz Jesus isn’t walking through that door.
Straight From 
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