Black No More · Chapter
Chapter IX: The Political Proposition explained
Matthew Fisher outlines a political strategy to use the Knights of Nordica and the Anglo-Saxon Association to win the presidency.
What happens
Matthew Fisher outlines a political strategy to use the Knights of Nordica and the Anglo-Saxon Association to win the presidency. They plan to use radio broadcasts, propaganda, and a genealogical law to gain power. The chapter includes a radio program featuring a song 'Vanishing Mammy,' and the formation of a commission to investigate Black-No-More, which ultimately produces a report that is largely ignored.
Themes in this chapter
Satire of Racism and White Supremacy
The chapter mocks the absurdity of racial purity laws and the self-serving nature of white supremacist organizations.
Hypocrisy of American Democracy
Political leaders manipulate public opinion and ignore democratic principles to gain power.
Media and Propaganda
The use of radio broadcasts and newspapers to spread propaganda and influence the masses.
Power and Corruption
Matthew and others seek power through corrupt alliances and manipulative tactics.
Characters to notice
- Matthew Fisher
Devises a political plan to unite the Knights of Nordica with the Anglo-Saxon Association, aiming for national power.
- Bunny Brown
Matthew's assistant, skeptical of the plan but goes along with it.
- Rev. Henry Givens
Imperial Grand Wizard of the Knights of Nordica, agrees to the political strategy and speaks on the radio.
- Arthur Snobbcraft
President of the Anglo-Saxon Association, sees an opportunity to push his genealogical law agenda by allying with the Knights.
- Dr. Samuel Buggerie
Statistician consulted by the Anglo-Saxon Association, known for dubious research supporting their racial theories.
- President Harold Goosie
Appoints a commission to investigate Black-No-More, which produces a largely ignored report.
Key passages
“Bunny, I’ve got it all worked out,” announced Matthew, several mornings later, as he breezed into the office.”
Matthew tells Bunny he has a complete plan.
Matthew reveals his political strategy.
“He’ll appeal to the American people to call upon the Republican administration to close up the sanitariums of Dr. Crookman and deport everybody connected with Black-No-More.”
Givens will urge the public to demand the closure of Crookman's clinics and deportation of those involved.
The plan uses Givens' radio appeal to attack Black-No-More.
“We start a campaign of denunciation against the Republicans in The Warning, connecting them with the Pope, Black-No-More and anything else we can think of.”
They will use their newspaper to attack Republicans by linking them to the Pope and Black-No-More.
Propaganda strategy to discredit the Republicans.
“Mr. Arthur Snobbcraft, President of the Anglo-Saxon Association, an F.F.V. and a man suspiciously swarthy for an Anglo-Saxon, had devoted his entire life to fighting for two things: white racial integrity and Anglo-Saxon supremacy.”
Snobbcraft, despite his own dark complexion, has dedicated his life to promoting white racial purity.
Satirical description of Snobbcraft's hypocrisy.
“The commission promised to publish the complete report of its activities in about six weeks. Two months later, when practically everyone had forgotten that there had ever been such an investigation, the complete report of the commission, comprising 1,789 pages in fine print came off the press.”
The commission's report, released after everyone forgot about it, was largely ignored.
Satire on government investigations that produce no real change.
