South of the James

Today’s Style Weekly offers a fascinating portrait of two of Metro Richmond’s leading black megachurch pastors, Steve Parson of Richmond Christian Center (searching for a live weblink) and Bishop Gerald Glenn of New Deliverance. Delving into their political conservativism and increasing comfort with the Republican Party, the article goes down the familiar road of how some leaders in the African-American community believe that the Democratic Party is taking black votes for granted, thus they are playing ball with the Republicans. The writers proclaim that we are witnessing a political shift in Richmond and Virginia - “the face of a new power in the black community: the Republican minister.”

The piece provides several salient points, touching on the Rightward tendencies of the black community on certain social issues, and highlighting recent efforts to them by the GOP and nonpartisan Family Foundation to target black voters in the 2006 elections, and it offers interesting counterpoints from some of Glenn’s and Parson’s own parishioners who remain in the Democratic fold. The two men are not exactly in the same boat, however.

As the River City Rapids blog notes, Style Weekly has long chronicled Parson’s struggle with Chesterfield’s Republican leadership over the purchase of the Cloverleaf Mall site. Political dalliances aside, the part-time televangelist’s Republican identification has not yet proved beneficial south of the River as the county’s actions are driven in part by a fear of lost tax revenues (as nonprofits, churches are afforded different tax treatments than for-profit businesses). With footprints in Richmond and Chesterfield, Parson has the potential to become a political player in the region, especially if articles like the one in Style generate more attention for both his earthly and heavenly pursuits.

Looking at Rev. Glenn, the story becomes even more interesting, not so much for what was said but for what was left out. For whatever reason, Style failed to explore the fact that Glenn’s politics don’t fit that neatly into the “Blacks (Heart) Republicans” box. He has a much longer engagement in the political game than Parson, and is a rather deft practitioner  in blending politics and religion. But, the larger point is that until Allen v. Webb, Bishop Glenn was also rather close to the Democratic Party. The article describes Glenn as:

“An Army veteran who worked as a police officer in his previous life — he also served as director of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice under former Gov. Jim Gilmore — Glenn is a steadfast conservative. He believes in reinstating the draft, thinks longtime Democrat Rep. Bobby Scott doesn’t care much about churches and is fond of Ronald Reagan. Glenn says the Democrats have taken the black community for granted.”

However, history shows that Rev. Glenn has butted heads with Chesterfield’s GOP-dominated Board of Supervisors on race issues over the years. Sure, he was cozy with Jim Gilmore, but he tossed his hat in the Democratic ring during the 2005 special election to replace Del. Fenton Bland (D-63), a race that Rosalyn Dance eventually won. Glenn also donated $1,000 to Democrat Mark Warner’s 2001 campaign (compared to $350 for the Gilmore inaugural), and just last month he admitted voting and working on behalf of Tim Kaine in 2005, John Kerry in 2004, and Mark Warner in 2001. A month ago, after endorsing Allen over now Sen.-elect Webb, Glenn said, “I am neither a registered Democrat nor Republican. I vote for the candidate I believe will act in ways best for all Virginians.”

It is doubtful that many card-carrying RPV or RNC members have a similar voter profile as Glenn, thus deeming him a Republican - as the Style article does - is a stretch. He seems more like a disaffected Democrat or an Independent free agent jockeying for position with whom he feels gives him the best shot at accessing the lever of power. If he is now claiming Republican status, it is likely due to the fact that Democrats - especially Chesterfield Democrats - are much less likely to welcome him back with open arms after he put himself out there for Allen. Forgiveness may indeed be divine, but plenty of Democrats will be reminded that Jesus rode a donkey…

By the way, the break is over, folks. There’s just too much yummy goodness going on to chill out for much longer. Thanks for all the kind words and for putting up with my short bout of self-reflective navel-gazing. Now you get to put up with the public version! Bwahahahaha!!!

Update: Does that make her Beyonce, Bobby or Britney?

With all of this “sabbatical” talk, in the background my wife is teasing me about being the Jay-Z of blogging. 

Seriously, it was only like 10 days with only 1 post in between (oh, the drama). Still, it dawned on me that I was swinging for the fences way too much here. Trying to hit homers every time I was up at the plate was not only tiring, it was boring. Sure, I plan to keep submitting stuff to the traditional media (note: in the world of public health “MSM” apparently has a different meaning that what we’re used to…), but for this day-to-day “citizen journalism” gig, pithy is the word of the day…starting with the next blog post

Ok, now my wife is calling me the “Pam Ewing of Blogging” which really hurts because Dallas was like my favorite show and that was a shark-jumping moment…wait, she just demoted me to the Justin Timberlake of blogging…

Update 2: And then there were…?

The landscape of Chesterfield blogging has expanded a bit as the county’s leading pundit (and some-time Democrat) Rick Gray has ventured into the jungle with “Gray’s Gazette.” Rick has a unique voice, a suburban sophisticate of sorts, and he also has a voluminous knowledge of the “Virginia Way.”

Tomorrow’s Chesterfield Observer officially kicks off the 2007 campaign for Chesterfield County with official word that embattled Matoaca District Supervisor Renny Humphrey is stepping aside at the end of next year. An open secret for over a year, definitive word of Humphrey’s decision will surely start the ball rolling on what can (understated) be deemed an interesting year ahead. So far, there is no shortage of candidates for the Matoaca seat, with 3 candidates having declared their interest and one sitting on the fence.

On the Republican side, retired fire chief Steve Elswick and former CCRC official Kevin Salminen are likely to vie for the nomination. Elswick is known to be close to the current leadership regime, and Salminen is an up-and-comer who made local headlines earlier this year due to his eagerness to elevate Dickie King to the BOS chairman’s post a few weeks ahead of schedule. On the Democratic side, educator Bill Hastings - who nearly knocked off Humphrey in 2003 - has long stated his desire to have at it again. However, it is quite likely that other Democrats will toss their hats in the ring.

Interestingly, the most talked about and arguably highest-profile candidate to replace Humphrey has yet to commit to the race. Despite being pestered by local newspapers and taunted by certain high-ranking Republicans as to whether she plans to enter the fray, Marleen Durfee - executive director of the Responsible Growth Alliance of Chesterfield - is keeping her cards close to the vest for now. As it stands, she is not a member of either political party, and it is entirely conceivable that she would launch an independent bid for the Matoaca seat. Such as move would add some sizzle and spice to what promises to be a heated election season.

At any rate, with Humphrey’s not-so-new news, voters can expect to hear some rumblings about how this race will play out in the coming months. With this blogger being close to the scene of the crime, 2007 will surely be decidedly different for readers.

Side Note: It’s a real shame that the Observer requires readers to pay a subscription fee in order to read the most current stories, unlike the Village News or Media General’s Midlothian Exchange. This political season would surely be a boon to Chesterfield’s largest community newspaper if it provided instant access to the hottest county headlines. In the long run, it would seem like such a short-term financial sacfrice would prove to be a sound long-term investment for skipper Greg Pearson and his western Chesterfield-focused journalism team.

The shadow of the Valley

The post-Cinderella ride of my beloved Patriots is getting off to a rocky start as they have endured 2 losses to Missouri Valley Conference rivals Wichita State and Creighton. Both games were close, but the bottom line is that Mason lost. Granted, the Shockers will be a constant occupant of the Top 25 for the remainder of the year, and Blue Jays will probably chirp their way into the NCAA Tournament come March, but these are games that Mason could’ve won. Moral victories are cheap and the only meaning that can be found is that losing these games by a total of 8 points to emerging powers gives the young Pats something to learn from in the future.

Campbell’s soupy win…umm-umm good

This was a trying game to watch, but in the end, the Redskins won. Jason Campbell gets the win, and Joe Gibbs continues his love affair with Maalox. Maybe after 17 QB changes since Gibbs’ last go-around, the franchise realizes that drafting a guy and developing him in-house (Congressman Heath Shuler notwithstanding) is a good idea. Hell, the “throw money at washed up veterans” strategy hasn’t worked all the well for The Danny has it?

Given how weak the NFC East is this year, with Donovan hobbled and the Giants imploding, the Skins could actually end up close to .500…or not. On a related note, Tiki Barber is surely going out with a lot of class, ripping his coach in public and all that. It’s ironic that when Jeremy Shockey, Plaxico Burress, and other lesser intellectual lights expressed their grievances in public, they were ridiculed, but when Tiki holds forth, he seems shielded from the same standards of loyalty. Interesting…

Can the Wolfpack “steele” a Super Bowl Coach?

ESPN is reporting that NC State has fired Chuck Amato, after 7 disappointing seasons in Raleigh. Oddly, the barrel-chested, squeaky-voiced coach managed to produce two top draft picks - Charger’s QB Philip Rivers and Titans DE Mario Williams - but his teams seemed to underachieve, defying the expectations of his resume. A former top assistant at Florida State (a program with its own problems), Amato’s tenure has been topsy-turvy with a combination of big wins and embarassing losses.

Speculation on NC State message boards and blogs will surely turn to his replacement, and an intriguing name for consideration would be current Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, and NC State alumnus, Bill Cowher. Cowher is also married to a former star basketball player for the Lady Wolfpack. The victorious Super Bowl coach did not extend his contract as usual with the Rooney’s and had hinted at retirement last year. One of the better players in Wolfpack history, Cowher has a 1-1 Super Bowl record, has averaged 10 wins per year, is hte longest-serving NFL coach (15 years), and is a likely Hall of Fame candidate. Really, what is there left for him to prove in the Steel City?

Currently, Cowher seems a bit out of sorts, turning this season into a human trial experiment testing the effects of constant ass-whippings on a young quarterback’s mind and body. He’s gotten what he can out of Pittsburgh and vice versa, and maybe a change would do him and the team some good.

At the very least, he would spruce up the NC State football program, bringing his NFL experience to a town craving top-flight athletic talent but always playing second fiddle to Carolina or Duke in attention or prestige. With Butch Davis taking over the Tarheels, NC State could at least claim that they have a winning NFL coach as their head man. Also, tobacco Road could use his blue-collar spunk.

Nonetheless, the Steelers’ season is not quite over. With 5 games left in the season, there is still time for defensive lineman to chow down on some Roethlisberger.

In less than 24 hours, Americans of all races, ethnic origins and religious heritage will come together to sacrifice turkeys as a way of thanking God for all of the blessings that He has bestowed upon us. We will take time to reflect on the abundance of necessities that He provides like food, raiment and shelter, as well as, give Him gratitude for life’s little luxuries like puppy spas, Tivos, Roombas, and illegal immigrants.

Personally, I want to thank all of you who have read my blog over the past year-and-a-half. Without you, I’d just be some random opinion-filled boob waxing unpoetically about the world around me, frankly driving my wife crazy half the time. Even with you, I’m pretty much that same guy, but since you folks like me, really really like me, it’s more acceptable to Mrs. Haskins

Anyway, I hope that everyone enjoys his or her Thanksgiving, soaking in the family, food and football. Be sure to rest up because soon thereafter, we’ll start our headlong charge into the War Against Christmas, starting with the Black Friday sales (outlets!)…

See you soon!

Conaway

With all of the talk about the future of the blogosphere, especially the SOB project, it would seem like a bit of reflection is called for. After all, it’s hard to think about what’s a good idea or not if you don’t actually take enough time to actually think. It’s great to see some of the brighter lights in the blogosphere hash it out as the blog world has always operated best as a democracy…as pesky as we are.

That being said, it dawned on me that in addition to the hundreds of posts that I’ve written since starting in August 2005, when factoring in my sportswriting bethat began in December 2004, I have produced over 30 articles or columns for more mainstream media outlets. In other words, there are 30 or so pieces of my work that have been subjected to the editorial decision-making and market factors of others. That’s a lot of original research and composition product to churn out in 18 months. Now, my fingers and my brain cells are tired.

With Chad now checked out and the lingering sadness of earlier departures by folks like Will Vehrs, Sic Semper Tyrannis, Jaded JD, Virginia Centrist, blogging Virginia-style is shifting. The ill winds of change are troubling some other good folks like Waldo, Shaun, and Terry, and even my buddy Norm is thinking of hanging it up. That being said, we are waiting with anticipation over the next move by stars like Raising Kaine and Bearing Drift, Not Larry Sabato is only a toupee away from siren-screeching infotainment, and the estimable J. Sarge has made a cameo appearance to force us back to the library to dust off those old Virginia political history books.

It’s been an awesome ride to this point, and I’m not quite ready to hang up my cleats and walk down that tunnel one last time. But, I am a bit exhausted. So, I’ll be taking a bit of a break from the daily sojourn south of the James, recharging my batteries, and aiming to hone in on a few key projects. There may even be some changes in store around these parts in the coming weeks and months, but that’s TBD for now. Rest assured that you can’t get rid of this SOB just yet.

At its most recent meeting, the RGAC elected a new representative to fill the Dale District spot that had been vacant for some time. We are pleased to announce that Mr. Larry Miller is the newest member of the organization’s board of directors. Larry is a familiar face at RGAC meetings, and county residents also know him as a recent past chairman of the Chesterfield County Republican Committee. With his insights into how the county works (or sometimes doesn’t work), and his energetic interest in Chesterfield’s land-use, transportation, economic development, environmental, and educational polices, Larry brings a key perspective to the RGAC board.

Ironically, his presence also gives us an even number of Democrats, Republicans, and politically unattached members on the 6-person board, thus reinforcing our status as an independent, nonpartisan organization focused on the best interests of the county as whole.

The Board Members are:
Bermuda District - Stella Edwards, Secretary
Clover Hill District - Jim Slaugenhaupt, Vice President
Dale District - Larry Miller
Matoaca District - Bob Herndon, Treasurer
Midlothian District - Mike Harton, President
Director At-Large - Conaway Haskins
Executive Director - Marleen Durfee

Welcome aboard, Larry!

The Village News, a weekly community newspaper based in Chester, VA, has joined the parade of print media outlets exploring the blogosphere and its impact on public life. With a story titled, “I’ve Got Something to Say,” writer Elyse Reel examines the nature of political blogging and offers a bit of commentary on the roles that bloggers can play. She asserts that political bloggers “help figure out the tangled mess of today’s government,” concluding that if “the current generation of bloggers step aside, however, it’s a sure bet that a new one will instantly spring up to take their places. Blogging is becoming a bigger and bigger phenomenon.”

Featuring comments from yours’ truly and BR chief Jim Bacon, the article covers a number of angles, with the general sentiment being that blogs are permanent fixtures as players in the provision of news and opinion. Village News publisher Mark Fausz is a solid proponent of blogging, believing that the “citizen media” will join community newspapers like his as alternatives to larger corporate media entities. Given the continuing misfortunes of the MSM, he could be right.

Beyond simply covering blogs, The Village News actually provides links to a number of local and state blogs (including this one), and earlier this year, and the paper stirred up a bit of controversy in Chesterfield by reproducing and citing material from South of the James in a local political story. In light of yesterday’s forum on blogging and journalism hosted by the Richmond chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, it will be interesting to see how the Village News’ brethren in the community weeklies adapt to the brave new world in which bloggers make and create the news.

With the hubbub over the 2006 elections and other big-ticket happenings providing a delicious distraction, I missed quite a few new developments that received much less media and blogosphere fanfare, but which could be just as important to the cultural fabric of Metro Richmond. In particular, one subject that escaped my macaca-blinded eyes was the artistic community’s response to the shifting dynamic of coverage by the local media. Well, my ignorance is being addressed forthwith.

Today, I happened upon a copy of the new theater arts monthly – Richmond Marquee – whose “goal is to create a complete tool for working the local theatre scene.” A tabloid-sized black and white edition, the Marquee is aiming to attract “theatre professional, theatre patron, theatre aficionado, anyone who LOVES Richmond theatre.” On occasion, I fall into the “patron” category and sometimes try to pose as an “aficionado” (you should’ve seen me during my One-Act play days in high school).

For now, the Marquee is coming out on a monthly basis, but according to the writers, it looks to eventually reach biweekly status. Free copies of the paper are going to be available at key theater venues across the area (including a number of spots south of the James), and afterwards, it looks like the idea is for the newspaper to be a subscription-based publication.

The premiere issue looks pretty good for a grassroots startup, and it will be exciting to see how the local community of theater-goers takes to the Marquee. Interestingly, the online version linked to two theater blogs – Appreciating Richmond Theater (ART) Newsletter and Richmond VA Theater – of which I was previously unaware. Unfortunately they are not currently on the RVA Blogs listing, but hopefully the new attention from the new newspaper and its online version will encourage these theater bloggers to reach out to the larger blogging community to generate more attention for the great theater work underway alongside the Rivah.

Slowly but surely, Virginia’s political bloggers are digesting my nefarious plan to impose my own puritanical vision of blogging on the citizen media community. Obviously, I will not rest until everyone engages in “Conaway Haskins” style blogging. Bwahahahaha!!!

Oddly, people get really seem to get antsy at the notion of a group of bloggers voluntarily (that means by their own choice) adopting a set of common principles in order to elevate what they are doing to what they feel is a more responsible level of practice. Some of those same critics, in their haste to knock down the arguments for such a move actually get rather hypocritical in they are advancing their own notions of what blogs and the blogosphere should and should not be. Just as the ‘sphere is a relatively free marketplace of ideas, if individuals actors within that marketplace wish to take collective action, so be it. No one is trying to impose anything on anyone else against their will, and any comments suggesting otherwise are off-base. If anyone feels pressured to act differently because some bloggers choose to connect, then that’s their own cross to bear.

At any rate, for those who aren’t already familiar, several “codes” exist that various bloggers adhere to, some of which have been mentioned before. Check them out for yourselves.

• Media Bloggers Association

• Bacon’s Rebellion

• Martin Kuhn’s “Interactivity and Prioritizing the Human: A Code of Blogging Ethics” (featured on Bacon’s Rebellion.

The bloggers association is not a quick fix nor is it a short-term project. If it is to work, it must be strategic and grassroots. As such, there is no final deadline by which is must occur, nor is there a minimum number that need to sign on for it to go forward at this point. For now, it is a fluid situation.

In order to gauge the potential uptake of this idea (and to not have messages get lost in my inbox), I’m setting up a page for Virginia’s bloggers to chime in about their support for this project. Taking a cue from Vivian Paige’s “Vote No” effort, this page is only for supporters; those who oppose the SOB idea can vote with their feet and simply not leave a comment. Your silence will be deafening enough as it is.

Those who have specific recommendations can feel free to email me at conaway@gmail.com.